Gong cha takes control of 170 US franchises

March 9, 2026

Global bubble tea brand Gong cha has acquired the rights to 170 U.S. locations from a master franchisee, a move the company says will bring its regional…

Melitron Introduces Modular Outdoor Digital Signage and Menu Board System

One-system-fits-all design with wall and pedestal mounted options streamlines deployment across diverse outdoor and drive-thru locations, including…

&pizza launches protein-forward menu

March 6, 2026

&pizza, and its sister company Tijuana Flats, owned by Latitude Food Group, have put a protein-forward menu across both brands to better serve guests…

The future is collaborative: 17 female restaurant leaders reveal power moves

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Guided by the colors of progress, 17 industry trailblazers reveal how they are trading the grind for a new era of radical community.

WaBa Grill names Afshin Compani president, COO

March 6, 2026

WaBa Grill, a Southern California-based rice bowl chain, has promoted industry veteran Afshin Compani to president and chief operating officer.

Fuku planting Florida flag

March 5, 2026

Fuku, a fried chicken restaurant founded by chef David Chang, will open its first standalone location next week in Coral Gables, Florida.

Top 10 leadership lessons shared in 2025

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

We take a look at 10 essential insights from successful entrepreneurs featured on the Founderology podcast, offering hard-earned wisdom on maintaining purpose…

Blaze Pizza partners with Marvel Television's 'Daredevil: Born Again Season 2'

March 5, 2026

Blaze Pizza has introduced the Sweet Heat pizza in partnership with Marvel Television as "Daredevil: Born Again Season 2" is set to stream on Disney+ beginning…

Speaker Spotlight: Jay Jhun, senior director, loyalty and digital, Church's Texas Chicken

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

Jay Jhun, senior director, loyalty and digital, at Church's Texas Chicken, shares insight on his career, achievements and industry trends ahead of his…

Tips, advice for selecting the right franchise location

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

The oldest, and most known, saying when it comes to real estate is location, location, location. It holds true when it comes to restaurant franchising success.

A tale of 2 Mike’s: Jersey Mike’s franchisee adds Mike’s Red Tacos to portfolio

March 5, 2026

When it comes to franchising, Mike seems to know Mike. Michael McGuire, a Minnesota operator who runs dozens of Jersey Mike's Subs locations, has signed on to…

How Velvet Taco avoids 'Starbucks-style' drift

Chris Schultz, CEO of Velvet Taco, joins Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler on Fast Casual Nation to break down the operational blueprint behind one of the…

Presented by Momos

5 mistakes pizza restaurants make with their digital menus

by Fast Casual

It can be easy to make mistakes with your digital menus, especially on self-ordering kiosks, which can ultimately cost you both in terms of and how much…

Presented by INFI

How restaurants can take back control from 3rd-party platforms

by Stephen Klein — Cofounder and CEO, Saivory

In a post-COVID world, tech giants, aggregators, and delivery platforms have significantly expanded their influence in the competition for restaurant…

Bankruptcy may not be the end for Pinky Cole

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Pinky Cole has built an empire on grit. She's faced the worst before, and she's come out on the other side. As she navigates this latest chapter, the question…

Gringo’s Tex-Mex, Jimmy Changas rolling out Ziosk to streamline checkout

March 2, 2026

Gringo's Tex-Mex and Jimmy Changas are streamlining checkout, increasing loyalty program participation and improving customer service by rolling out Ziosk's…

JRI Hospitality acquires HCI, adds 43 Freddy’s locations

March 2, 2026

JRI Hospitality has acquired the restaurant operations of Manhattan, Kansas-based HCI Hospitality, a move that adds 43 Freddy's Frozen Custard &…

5 Reasons CMOs & CFOs Must Align to Win in QSR

The old CMO/marketing-drives-traffic, CFO/finance-counts-receipts split is collapsing as guest data and payments converge into one digital ecosystem. This…

Buffalo Wild Wings GO expanding in Teays Valley

February 28, 2026

Buffalo Wild Wings GO is bringing its takeout-focused model to Teays Valley with the official opening of a location on Wednesday, March 4.

How to empower employees through autonomy, ownership

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

Effective leadership requires balancing autonomy with support to transform organizational culture, drive innovation and boost performance by empowering…