Buffalo’s Express opens 1st standalone restaurant, expands beyond Fatburger co-brand model

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

FAT Brands' Jake Berchtold explains how the former co-located Buffalo's Express opened its first stand-alone restaurant in Washington State.

Flo Rida becomes equity partner in Beyond Juicery + Eatery

July 27, 2026

Beyond Juicery + Eatery has added Grammy-nominated recording artist and entrepreneur Flo Rida as an equity stakeholder in a multimillion-dollar deal aimed at…

Qu launches Qu Pay to unify restaurant payments and guest data

July 27, 2026

Qu, a commerce platform for enterprise quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, has launched Qu Pay, an embedded payment solution that combines processing…

Nominations open for Top Women in Retail Technology awards

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Connect Media is honoring the brightest and best women in retail technology leadership roles who are driving innovation. Get those nominations in! Deadline is…

AI is rewriting the rules of restaurant strategy — here's how to keep up

July 27, 2026

Consumer behavior is shifting. Privacy expectations are tightening. Data regulations are evolving by the month. For restaurant leaders trying to make smart…

HTeaO reports Q2 growth with 10 openings, LTO launches, community initiatives

July 27, 2026

Fort Worth, Texas-based HTeaO closed out the second quarter of 2026 with 10 store openings, limited-time beverage launches and ongoing community support…

How to Make Sure Only the Right People Are in Your Team Chat

Wrong people in your team chat? Learn why it happens, what it costs, and how to keep every group chat organized so messages only reach the right people.

Nick the Greek opens second Stockton restaurant

July 24, 2026

Nick the Greek has opened its second restaurant in Stockton, California, boosting its presence in San Joaquin County.

Birdcall signs 5-unit franchise deal for Indianapolis

July 24, 2026

Denver-based Birdcall has signed a franchise agreement to open five restaurants in the Indianapolis area, marking the first step in the chicken chain's Midwest…

Nominations closing soon for 2026 Top 30 Movers & Shakers: Catering

July 23, 2026

Time is running out to nominate catering industry leaders for the Top 30 Movers & Shakers: Catering, with submissions closing July 28.

Your Pie drives 2026 growth with data analytics, menu innovation

July 23, 2026

Fast casual pizza brand Your Pie is continuing its 2026 expansion and menu development following major technology upgrades last year. The Ischia…

Why franchises must rethink growth in a digital-first world

Somia Farid Silber, CEO of Edible Brands, discusses how success in franchising is no longer equated growth only unit expansion. Territory optimization is…

Ziggi's Coffee names Stacey Pool chief growth officer

July 23, 2026

Ziggi's Coffee has named Stacey Pool as its new chief growth officer, a newly created leadership role based at the company's headquarters in Mead, Colorado.

Angry Chickz prepares for first Pennsylvania opening

July 23, 2026

Sherman Oaks, California-based Angry Chickz will open its first Pennsylvania restaurant July 31 at 152 S. Wyoming Ave., in Kingston, marking the Sherman Oaks…

Beyond Juicery + Eatery opens third Georgia location

July 23, 2026

Beyond Juicery + Eatery will open its third Georgia restaurant July 25 at 4060 Peachtree Road NE in Brookhaven. The location is owned and operated by…

Deliverect and SoundHound AI Partner to Turn Voice Into a Fully Automated Ordering Channel for Restaurants

The integration creates a seamless, automated path from a customer's first voice interaction to kitchen fulfilment, across drive-thru, phone, kiosk, and in-car…

Biscuit Belly acquires 35 Maple Street Biscuit Company locations to triple footprint

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Co-founder Lauren Coulter opens up about the "once-in-a-lifetime" deal — from how it will reshape the brand's growth strategy to the plan for winning over…

How Scooter's Coffee expanding supply chain to support 1,000 stores

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Scooter's Coffee invests in its supply chain as the company's number of stores approaches 1,000.

Insomnia Cookies serving 10M scoops as it launches National Ice Cream Day offer

July 22, 2026

Photo courtesy of Insomnia Cookies Insomnia Cookies served approximately 10 million scoops of ice cream across its network in 2025. Now, the…

Juice It Up reports 13% systemwide sales growth through midyear

July 22, 2026

Juice It Up reported 13% year-over-year systemwide sales growth through the first half of 2026, driven by higher customer traffic, menu innovation and…