Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream scoops up strong Q1 figures

April 29, 2026

Handel's Homemade Ice Cream reported a strong start to the year, driven by market entries and franchise development.

Starbucks' shine is back: 3 lessons from the Brian Niccol playbook

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Simplifying metrics, focusing on incrementality and protecting turnover rates are part of the Starbucks turnaround plan.

How The Red Chickz brought true Nashville soul to the West Coast

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Podcast host Mandy Detwiler talks to Shawn Lalehzarian, co-founder of the West Coast Nashville hot chicken brand The Red Chickz about the brand's aesthetic…

Freddy’s boosts development team to drive growth

April 28, 2026

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has expanded its development team, hiring Rafik Farouk as vice president of business development and Jackie Lobdell…

Mo’ Bettahs debuts in Arizona as the brand’s expansion accelerates

April 28, 2026

Mo' Bettahs Hawaiian Style Food has expanded into Arizona, with its first location to open next week at 5378 S. Powers Road in Gilbert.

Piada Italian Street Food eyes national expansion with capital raise

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The 62-unit brand is pursuing a strategic capital raise to fuel a massive national scale-up. The goal? Transforming from a regional powerhouse into a national…

Rising costs, falling margins: Why restaurants must deploy workflows, not just robots

When operators start with the workflow, automation becomes easier to adopt and delivers results that are felt by both staff and customers, according to Elad…

Swig inks 25-unit deal to bring 'Dirty Soda' to South Florida

April 27, 2026

Swig, a Utah-based dirty soda brand, is expanding its footprint in the Sunshine State after signing a 25-unit franchise agreement to develop locations across…

Built to Breakthrough: The power of one vision

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

The Power of One Vision provides restaurant Founders with a strategic framework to transition from "stuck in the middle" to scalable growth by shifting their…

Cheba Hut sparks 2nd Wyoming location

April 27, 2026

Marijuana-themed sandwich chain Cheba Hut has opened its second location in Wyoming.

Açaí Republic selects Square platform to support franchise growth

April 27, 2026

Açaí Republic, headquartered in Tustin, California, has selected San Francisco-based Square as its commerce platform.

Killer Burger growing Texas footprint

April 27, 2026

Killer Burger, a Portland-based chain known for unconventional toppings, will open its first Houston location, continuing a rapid expansion across the Lone…

Lynora’s Partners with SynergySuite to Power AI-driven Restaurant Operations Across South Florida

Family-owned Italian restaurant group adopts AI-powered back-of-house platform to streamline multi-location operations and scale its growing hospitality…

More than a post: Turning influencers into content engines for your restaurant

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

At the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, marketing experts discussed the evolution of influencer marketing from a secondary tactic into a core…

Taco John’s hires Ian Poole as VP of development to fuel growth

April 24, 2026

Taco John's has named industry veteran Ian Poole vice president of development. Poole will focus on franchisee support, onboarding, real estate and…

Moe’s jumps on snacking trend to drive late-night traffic

April 24, 2026

Moe's Southwest Grill has introduced the Burrito Dipper, its first snack-sized menu item, as part of a broader push into late-night service.

No clicks given: How to get AI to recommend your restaurant

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The shift has brought us to a new frontier: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). If SEO was about being found by a search engine, GEO is about being…

Nick the Greek opens second Reno location, plans to reach 100 units by mid-2026

April 23, 2026

Nick the Greek has opened its second location in Reno, 10310 N. McCarran Blvd., as part of an expansion plan to reach 100 restaurant openings by mid-2026. The…

Scooter’s brews Southeast growth with Boddie-Noell partnership

April 23, 2026

Scooter's Coffee has signed a multi-store development agreement with Boddie-Noell Enterprises to expand its Southeast presence.

How 1 fast casual founder aims to build AI bridge between wearables, wellness

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

SUMMITS launched a new AI platform that bridges the gap between what wearable data tells people to eat and what ends up on their plates.