Smoothie King CFO named president

May 23, 2025

Smoothie King has promoted CFO Gavin Felder as president, and he will retain his finance responsibilities as well.

Are you the tallest tree in your 'business forest?'

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Have you ever heard the phrase, "You can't see the forest for the trees"? This metaphor is particularly relevant for Founders, as it highlights how we can…

Fast casual's global growth, innovation, labor shifts: A deep dive

Discover how beverage innovation —from craft mocktails to full bars — is reshaping the segment while fast casual continues to outperform both QSR and casual…

Dave & Buster’s making Philippines debut

May 22, 2025

Dave & Buster's broke ground Thursday on its first Philippines location at Opus Mall in Manila thanks to a partnership with local franchisee The Bistro…

Former Go To Foods exec joins Gong cha

May 22, 2025

Gong cha, a global global bubble tea brand, hired Michael Nedelkovich Jr. as vice president of U.S. non-traditional franchise development.

Rethinking customer experience: The power of experience design

Discover why designing CX from the beginning, where early decisions shape future interactions, is key to driving loyalty and long-term success

Force4Good Partners with KFC® to Expand Community Fundraising Reach

Erie, Colorado – May 21st, 2025 – Force4Good, a leader in community-driven fundraising solutions, is proud to announce a new partnership with KFC, bringing 9…

HungerRush Partners with Grubhub to Streamline Restaurant Order Management and Boost Restaurant Efficiency

Houston, — HungerRush, a leading provider of integrated restaurant technology solutions, today announced the launch of its Grubhub Marketplace integration for…

PENN casinos betting on Shake Shack

May 21, 2025

Shake Shack is upping the ante in its expansion strategy, partnering with PENN Entertainment Inc. to open up to 10 locations within PENN-owned casinos across…

Chipotle rolling out 'Summer of Extras'

May 21, 2025

Chipotle Mexican Grill is rolling out "Summer of Extras," a three-month program designed to give Chipotle Rewards members in the U.S. enhanced benefits, bonus…

Garden Catering's Tina Carpentieri honored as 'Fast Casual Woman of the Year'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The recognition serves as a powerful reminder that true leadership is often measured not just in profit, but in the lives touched and the unwavering spirit…

Dishing out local store marketing secrets for restaurants

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Hoping to build a loyal customer base in their neighborhoods, restaurant owners can learn actionable local store marketing tactics at the upcoming Restaurant…

Crazy Pita: From $30 to scaling a legacy

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

This week on Founderology – Built to Breaktrough, I sat down with Mehdi Zarhloul, the powerhouse Founder of Crazy Pita, Chicken Genius and Salad Madness. His…

Gina's Gelato learning the coffee biz from Crimson Cup

May 20, 2025

Gina's Gelato and Java opened in Parma Heights after receiving support from Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea's, "7 Steps to Success," a consulting program based on…

Founderology Forum introducing blog series: 'Developing front-line managers' leadership skills'

by Felicia White — President, CHART

Dr. Felicia White's blog series will reveal results from her research study exploring the connections between front-line restaurant managers receiving training…

Randy's Donuts opens in Japan

May 19, 2025

Los Angeles-based Randy's Donuts opened its first store last week in Japan, bringing its signature oversized treats and bold American flavors to Tokyo's…

Philly welcomes 9th Bubbakoo's location

May 19, 2025

Bubbakoo's Burritos has opened a second location under the direction of Jigar Patel in Bensalem, Bucks County, in Philadelphia. It marks the state's ninth…

Craveworthy Brands, Jon Taffer partner to expand Taffer's Tavern

May 19, 2025

Craveworthy Brands, a multi-restaurant platform company, and Taffer's Tavern, a full-service pub franchise founded by "Bar Rescue" host Jon Taffer, are…

2025 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers

This year, the exceptional caliber of leadership across the industry led to a slight adjustment in our numbers—we were compelled to recognize 100 brands and 2…

Presented by Elo Touch Solutions, Inc.

Dave's Hot Chicken named Fast Casual's 2025 top brand

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The Los Angeles brand launched in 2018 and has grown to over 300 locations. It won the Top 100 two years ago, making it the second brand in history to earn the…