Jersey Mike's hires 1st chief people officer

September 30, 2025

Jersey Mike's Subs has named Betsy Mercado as its first chief people officer, the company announced Monday.

Jimmy John's relaunches loyalty program

September 30, 2025

Jimmy John's is replacing its Freaky Fast Rewards loyalty program with JJ Rewards, shfting from a "visit-based" model to a more flexible, spend-based system.

Chipotle launching Red Chimichurri sauce

September 29, 2025

Chipotle Mexican Grill is adding a new sauce to its menu, a limited-time offering called Red Chimichurri.

Qdoba promotes VP to CMO of Marketing

September 29, 2025

Qdoba has promoted Jon Burke to chief marketing officer.

MOD Pizza partners with Disney on TRON: Ares movie promo

September 29, 2025

MOD Pizza has joined forces to celebrate the theatrical release of TRON: Ares, according to a press release.

Fast casual brands putting loyalty first on National Coffee Day

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The day, which celebrates the popular caffeinated beverage, is also becoming a showcase for how coffee shops as well as other types of fast casual concepts are…

Texas-based fast casual deploys Birdcall's proprietary tech platform

September 26, 2025

Birdcall, a Denver-based craft chicken franchise, announced its proprietary technology platform, Poncho, has launched for the first time outside of the…

Wingstop, Crumbl franchisee adding Lola Beans to portfolio

September 26, 2025

A Crumbl and Wingstop franchise group will bring Lola Beans Coffee to the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a 15-unit deal.

Slice House by Tony Gemignani to enter Idaho

September 26, 2025

Slice House by Tony Gemignani will open in Meridian, Idaho, in November, it's first entry into the state, according to a press release.

How Tony Lamb built the 'world's largest mobile empire'

Founderology Growth Summit: The breakthrough experience Founders must attend

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Built for Founders. Powered by Founders.

Fatburger returns to Japan

September 25, 2025

Fatburger is returning to Japan thanks to a deal with Green Micro Factory Inc. to open four locations over the next five years in Okinawa. The first will open…

Panini Kabob opens 27th location, plans expansion

September 25, 2025

Panini Kabob Grill, a Mediterranean scratch kitchen chain, has opened its 27th location at the Mershops North County Mall, marking a continued expansion across…

Starbucks shuttering stores, eliminating 900 jobs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

September 25, 2025

Starbucks is undergoing a significant corporate restructuring and rationalization of its North American store portfolio, announcing the elimination of nearly…

Playa Bowls Taps SynergySuite to Power Next Phase of Growth

Playa Bowls, with 200+ locations, selected SynergySuite as their AI-powered back-of-house tech partner to enhance food & labor management, automate…

Loyalty program fueling growth at Pokeworks

September 24, 2025

The updated program resulted in an 80% increase in members acquired through digital channels and double-digit loyalty sales growth every month since its launch.

Yoshinoya opens 1st double drive-thru unit

September 24, 2025

Yoshinoya, a Japanese fast casual concept, has opened its 101st location in Compton, California, featuring its first double drive-thru.

Jeff's Bagel Run, HugerRush talk tech, strategy on Restaurant Operator Podcast

In this episode of Restaurant Operator Podcast, Cherryh Canlser, publisher of FastCasual, offers an exclusive preview of the heavy-hitting CEO panel, moderated…

Presented by Jeff's Bagel Run, HungerRush

Founders' Collaborative launches as free community for restaurant entrepreneurs

September 23, 2025

A free virtual community for founders called the Founders' Collaborative launched this week, powered by industry publications FastCasual and QSRWeb and…

Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte still driving traffic

by Shira Petrack — Content Manager, Placer.ai

Starbucks' fall launch doesn't just boost its own traffic; it sets the benchmark for the entire industry.