Qdoba opens 800th location

June 26, 2025

Qdoba has opened its 800th location in North Miami Beach, Florida, marking a significant step toward its goal of doubling its footprint to 1,600 restaurants by…

Fuego Tortilla launches watermelon margarita

June 26, 2025

Fuego Tortilla Grill, a fast casual concept inspired by Mexican flavors and the spirit of Texas, is cooling things down and cranking up the flavor with the…

Wonder serving TikTok star's cupcakes, salad

June 26, 2025

Melissa Ben-Ishay, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and founder of Baked by Melissa, has partnered with Wonder to offer her Rainbow Kale Salad and…

From Boots to biscuits: How former Marine leading growth at Vicious Biscuit

Cheba Hut plants flag in Cowboy State

June 25, 2025

After over two decades of support from Wyoming sub lovers crossing state lines to get their sandwich fixes, Cheba Hut is bringing its sandwiches into fans…

Juice It Up entering Nevada

June 25, 2025

Juice It Up, a smoothie, juice and açaí bowl chain, is entering Nevada thanks to an agreement with Marine Corps officer and local franchisee Sukhbir Toor to…

Fast casuals tapping into alcohol to boost profits

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Margaritas, in particular, have been a key driver in Taco Cabana's growth, proving that even in a fast casual setting, customers are eager for a refreshing…

Taco John's CEO talks balancing innovation with brand's rich history

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Heather Neary, president and CEO of legacy brand Taco John's, chats with podcast host Mandy Detwiler about balancing the brand's history with the innovation…

Dave's Hot Chicken COO: Winning the Top 100, growing from 4 to 300 units

Join Restaurant Masterminds hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler as they sit down with Jim Bitticks, president and COO of Dave's Hot Chicken, to discuss…

FiiZ Drinks making Canadian debut with 100-store deal

June 24, 2025

FiiZ Drinks, a Utah-based specialty soda shop, has announced its expansion into Canada through a 100-store development agreement over the next decade with…

SpotOn launches app to help independent restaurants beat third-party fees

June 23, 2025

SpotOn, a restaurant management system, has launched GoTo Place, a mobile-first ordering app designed to help independent restaurants drive direct orders…

Restaurant AI adoption remains on the back burner

June 23, 2025

Although a majority of restaurant executives plan to increase their investments in artificial intelligence, adoption is slow going, according to a Deloitte…

Tapping data to drive personalized guest experiences in the restaurant

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Top restaurant leaders will share insight on how to leverage data analytics and loyalty programs to deliver personalized experiences at the upcoming Fast…

The fine art of fast casual: How bōl, Pakpok Poe elevated modern dining

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Preet Paul Singh, partner of Houston-based bōl, to explore his…

From Naya's simplicity to Hook & Reel's scaled hospitality: Unpacking catering success at leadership summit

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The free summit features industry experts, including Alexis Ortiz, senior catering manager at Naya, and Margaret Monahan, of Vertex Hospitality Group, offering…

Atlanta's Cinnaholic rolling into NYC

June 23, 2025

Cinnaholic, a plant-based bakery known for its customizable cinnamon rolls, is available in New York City thanks to the store's first digital storefront that…

Birdcall launches app-less rewards program

June 23, 2025

Birdcall is launching Birdcall Rewards — an app-less loyalty program designed to reward guests with every bite. Powered by Birdcall's proprietary POS…

Speaker Spotlight: Carl Comeaux, Crust Pizza Co. CEO

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Carl Comeaux, CEO of Crust Pizza Co., shares a look at his career, his achievements and industry trends ahead of his appearance at Fast Casual Executive Summit…

Bubbakoo's Burritos sold to Thompson Street Capital Partners

June 20, 2025

Thompson Street Capital Partners, a St. Louis-based private equity firm, has acquired Bubbakoo's Burritos, a New Jersey-based franchisor of fast-casual…

SynergySuite Shortlisted in the 2025 SaaS Awards

June 20th, 2025—SynergySuite has been shortlisted for the Best SaaS Product for ERP, Best SaaS Solution for BI, Analytics and Reporting, and the Best SaaS…