Smoothie King opening over 100 stores in 2023

February 1, 2023

Smoothie King signed franchise and area development agreements in 2022 to add over 160 stores, with over half of them with existing franchisees who helped…

Salad and Go hits 50 locations in Arizona

February 1, 2023

Salad and Go is opening two stores this month in San Tan Valley and Glendale, Arizona, marking its 49th and 50th locations in the state and bringing the…

16 Handles entering Boston, Florida, Jersey City

February 1, 2023

New York City-based 16 Handles is opening several locations this spring on the East Coast as part of four recently signed franchise agreements. It is part of…

Chowly acquires Koala

February 1, 2023

Chowly, a restaurant technology company that integrates third-party delivery marketplaces with point-of-sale systems, has acquired Koala, a digital ordering…

Kura Sushi partners with anime series for swag

February 1, 2023

Kura Sushi USA, a technology-enabled restaurant concept serving Japanese cuisine through a revolving sushi service model, is elevating the prizes in its…

Paytronix debuts bold look to reflect loyalty changes

February 1, 2023

Paytronix, a loyalty technology provider, is boasting a new look that reflects the industry shift related to customer loyalty and indicates that brands need to…

Calmer seas ahead for U.S. foodservice industry

February 1, 2023

After several years of pandemic disruption the U.S. foodservice industry has stabilized "pandemic losses," with pockets of growth that indicate calmer seas…

Curry Up Now opens 2nd Sacramento location

February 1, 2023

Curry Up Now has opened its second Sacramento store, bringing the brand to a total of 20 locations in addition to three food trucks and several digital kitchen…

Americans to eat 1.45B chicken wings this Super Bowl LVII

February 1, 2023

The National Chicken Council projects that Americans will consume a record-breaking 1.45 billion chicken wings during Super Bowl LVII weekend. That's an…

Bobby's Burgers making New Orleans debut

February 1, 2023

Bobby's Burgers, created by celebrity Chef Bobby Flay, is making its New Orleans debut Feb. 10 inside Caesars New Orleans, where the casino-entertainment…

Chicken Salad Chick makes San Antonio debut

February 1, 2023

Chicken Salad Chick made its San Antonio debut this week, marking its 24th restaurant in Texas. Located in the Stone Oak neighborhood at 22831 N US Hwy. 281…

Next Level Burger hits double digits

February 1, 2023

Next Level Burger has opened its 10th location and second Seattle store. The second store is located at the Ballard Blocks, 1401 NW 46th St., Suite 126. The…

Why Slapfish founder created a seafood chophouse

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Celebrity Chef Andrew Gruel, who founded Slapfish and sold it last year, has returned his focus to seafood dining with the opening of the Calico Fish House — a…

Bubbakoo’s Burritos opens 5th Pennsylvania location

February 1, 2023

Bubbakoo's Burritos opened Monday in Warminster, Pennsylvania. The store marks the brand's third opening of 2023 just one month into the year, with multiple…

Joella’s Hot Chicken elevating CX with Tattle

January 31, 2023

Louisville-based Joella's Hot Chicken, which has 14 locations, and Southern Classic Chicken, an 18-unit chain founded in Louisiana, have tapped Tattle, a…

Papa Gino's, D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches raise $204K for charities

January 31, 2023

Papa Gino's Pizzeria and its sister company, D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, has donated $204,735.82 to local organizations through a number of campaigns…

Farmer Boys testing speciality coffee menu

January 31, 2023

Farmer Boys, a Southern California-based burger chain, is testing a line of hot and iced espresso coffee drinks created by Gavina Gourmet Coffee, a local…

Jinya celebrating 50th opening

January 31, 2023

Jinya Ramen Bar is celebrating the opening of its 50the location on Feb. 6 at 6480 E. Pacific Coast Highway, in Longbeach. The go-to ramen spot will offer over…

3 ways to build a profitable restaurant by staying true to your values

Norman Wu, CEO and co-founder of Conscious Hospitality Group, which owns Just Poké, describes how he doubled the brand's presence while paying higher wages…

Nominations open for FastCasual's 2023 Excellence in Food Safety awards

January 31, 2023

Nominations close Feb. 28. Wingstop was the winner of the 2022 Excellence in Food Safety award, and past winners have included Panda Express, Chipotle and…