Potbelly lands 22-unit deal for Washington

November 16, 2023

Potbelly Corp. has signed a 22-unit deal with Sound Sandwich LLC to expand in the greater Seattle-Tacoma region of Washington state. The agreement includes the…

Chatmeter Commits $30,000 in Charitable Donations to San Diego-Based Organizations

Chatmeter, a leader in brand intelligence and reputation management, today announced the company has pledged $30,000 to three San Diego-based organizations…

6 Fatburgers coming to Texas

November 15, 2023

Los Angeles-based FAT Brands Inc., the parent company of Fatburger and 17 other restaurant concepts, is bringing six franchised Fatburger locations to Hidalgo…

Pieology gets nutty with Dessert Pizza made with Nutella

November 15, 2023

Pieology has introduced the Dessert Pizza made with Nutella to its menu, according to a press release.

Gen Z sipping on craft beverages, less alcohol

November 15, 2023

Gen Z, which is made up of people between the ages of 11 and 26, is the largest and most diverse generation with a spending power of $360 billion and craves…

How Vicious Biscuit plans to conquer brunch

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

South Carolina-based Vicious Biscuit is taking its "Body by Biscuit" messaging and its $2.5 million AUVs cross-country with franchising opportunities.

Dave’s Hot Chicken using AI to maximize 3rd party delivery profitability

November 15, 2023

Los Angeles-based Dave's Hot Chicken has tapped LoopAI, a SaaS provider specializing in maximizing third-party delivery profitability for restaurants, to help…

Salad Station tripling footprint in 3 years

November 15, 2023

Salad Station is seeking franchisees to triple its footprint by 2027.

Restaurants in 2024: A Data-Driven Outlook

Watch as we dive into visitation patterns to see which chains are staying ahead, and which strategies will drive success during the holiday season and into…

Buddy's Pizza on the rise of Detroit-style in the pizza industry

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

We talked to Buddy's new CEO, Chris Tussing, to learn the history of Detroit-style pizza and what's making the style so popular in this episode of the Pizza…

5 fast casuals receive grants, training to scale restaurants

November 14, 2023

Be Nimble Foundation, a social enterprise dedicated to creating diverse and inclusive tech ecosystems, released the second cohort of its Melon Kitchen…

Ziggi's Coffee announces Atlanta expansion

November 14, 2023

Colorado-based Ziggi's Coffee is adding 50 locations to the Atlanta area, marking its largest development deal to date.

Dave's Hot Chicken embracing data-driven approach to menu testing

November 13, 2023

Dave's Hot Chicken, a Nashville-style hot chicken franchise based in Los Angeles, has tapped Bikky, a customer data platform for multi-unit restaurants, to…

Smoothie Factory launching sister brand

November 13, 2023

Smoothie Factory is opening a sister concept, Smoothie Factory + Kitchen, aimed at customers seeking a refreshing and wholesome dining experience. Located at…

Chick N Max opening Texas unit

November 13, 2023

Wichita, Kansas-based Chick N Max has signed a lease for a location in Lufkin, Texas. It will open in the first quarter of next year under the direction of…

Rethinking restaurant customer engagement, loyalty strategies

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

A panel talk on loyalty programs at the recent Fast Casual Executive Summit featured Bob Andersen, president of The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill; Jon Asher…

Sip Fresh inks 3-pack deal

November 13, 2023

Sip Fresh, which serves fresh fruit-based juices, teas and specialty drinks, has signed a three-unit agreement in Orange County with family business owners…

WOWorks, Craveworthy Brands, Cousins Maine Lobster execs talk menu optimization, strategy

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Adam Terranova, senior director of growth for WOWorks, Jeremy Theisen, chief growth and development officer at Craveworthy Brands and Annie Tselikis, director…

Noodles & Co names former Panera president interim CEO

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

November 10, 2023

After reporting Tuesday that it was on its way to improving its financial performance, Noodles & Co announced Friday that CEO Dave Boennighausen was…

Beans & Brews Coffeehouse continues Texas expansion

November 9, 2023

Beans & Brews Coffeehouse, a drive-thru coffee franchise based in Utah, has inked a multi-unit development deal with James Reed to introduce the brand to…