How are fast casuals dealing with economic conditions?

Willy Nicolini, senior VP of company operations for Au Bon Pain, and Louis Basile, founder of Wildflower Bread Company, talk about what fast casuals are doing…

Noodles & Company continues Va. growth

March 23, 2009

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Noodles & Co. has announced it will open its second Alexandria, Va., location April 3 at 11 a.m. The restaurant is located at 770…

Starbucks beverages inspire ice cream line

March 23, 2009

SEATTLE — Starbucks Coffee Company and Unilever have unveiled a new premium ice cream line inspired by some of consumers' favorite Starbucks beverages. …

Rubio's comps decrease while revenue rises

March 23, 2009

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Rubio's Restaurants Inc. has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 28, 2008.   For the quarter…

Fast casuals target urban markets

Higher household incomes and increased foot trafffic make downtowns a viable choice.

Digital Signage in Foodservice: Menu Boards, Greeter Boards and Marquees

Through digital signage, restaurants can further promote their brand and generate an interactive consumer experience.

HR Practices

Find, hire and retain the best employees you'll ever have.

Shopping for Data, Training to Improve

Mystery shopping is just the starting point for a workforce improvement plan that includes training and incentives.

Webinar: Fast Casual Restaurant Trends Forecast 2009

Find out if fast casual is poised to take a giant leap forward in 2009. Join our panel of experts as they review a variety of key indicators and findings from…

Quiznos introduces $4 Toasty Torpedo sandwiches

March 22, 2009

DENVER — Quiznos has announced the launch of new Toasty Torpedoes, inspired by the famous slim Italian and French baguette sandwiches served in Europe. Priced…

ASK THE EXPERTS: What's new in POS technology?

March 22, 2009

Over the past 25 years, point-of-sale systems have evolved from manual cash registers to computerized management tools. Although the restaurant POS has turned…

Starbucks, Costco and Whole Foods offer Union Bill alternative

March 22, 2009

Bloomberg News: Starbucks Corp., Costco Wholesale Corp. and Whole Foods Market Inc. offered an alternative to the union-backed "card-check" legislation that…

California Tortilla wins gold "Addy" award

March 22, 2009

ROCKVILLE, Md. — California Tortilla took home a Gold "Addy" Award from the Ad Club of Metropolitan Washington on March 19. The award recognizes the popular…

Port City program waives royalty fees for franchisees

March 22, 2009

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Port City Java has launched a "No Royalty" promotion to stimulate franchise investment throughout the Carolinas. According to the promotion…

Sen. Mick Mulvaney latest Salsarita's franchisee

March 22, 2009

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — South Carolina's District 16 Sen. Mick Mulvaney plans to open a Salsarita's Fresh Cantina location in South Charlotte's Blakeney area this…

2006 Fast Casual Restaurant Top 100 Movers & Shakers

Panera bakes the competition.

Presented by FastCasual.com

2007 Fast Casual Restaurant Top 100 Movers & Shakers

Chipotle stays ahead of the pack.

Presented by FastCasual.com

2008 Fast Casual Restaurant Top 100 Movers & Shakers

As for most industry watchers, culminating the very best of the breed in a fast-growing segment is often a difficult task. With more than 600 fast casual…

Presented by FastCasual.com

Study finds customers don't read nutrition info in stores

March 19, 2009

USA Today: A study by Yale University has observed that only 0.1 percent of customers in a sample group read the nutritional facts available on posters…

UFood Grill announces $2.8 million offering

March 19, 2009

BOSTON, Mass. — UFood Restaurant Group Inc. has announced that it has received proceeds of a private placement offering in the amount of $2.8 million, net of…