Jinya opening 70th location

January 28, 2025

Jinya Ramen Bar is celebrating its 70th restaurant when it opens this week in Pearland, Texas, a neighborhood south of Houston.

Newk's to continue growth in 2025

January 28, 2025

Founded in Jackson, Mississippi, Newk's Eatery, which has nearly 100 locations in 12 states, closed out 2024 on a positive note despite a challenging sales…

Swig opening 100th location

January 28, 2025

Swig, a beverage company founded in 2010 in St. George, Utah, is celebrating its 100th store by offering $1 drinks on Feb. 1.

Sweet Paris moving into Nashville

January 28, 2025

Sweet Paris Creperie & Cafe, founded in 2012, is opening its first location in Tennessee at Nashville Yards on the first level of The Pinnacle, a music…

Salata entering South Carolina

January 28, 2025

Salata Salad Kitchen is entering the South Carolina market via a partnership with franchisees Brian and Keri Leachman. They will open three restaurants across…

Wing It On expanding Illinois footprint

January 28, 2025

Wing It On, a wing concept from Craveworthy Brands, is expanding in Illinois with two franchise agreements. The locations will open in Springfield and Carol…

Graeter's, Skyline Chili create Graeter's Skyline Spice Ice Cream

January 27, 2025

Graeter's Ice Cream and Skyline Chili have created a co-branded ice cream, Graeter's Skyline Spice Ice Cream, available for purchase now in-stores. The…

Juice It Up unveils protein smoothies, build-your-own waffles

January 27, 2025

California-based Juice It Up is expanding its protein-packed smoothie lineup with The Strawberry Zone and The Berry Zone. Both contain 32 grams of protein in a…

CC's Coffee launches franchising plans

January 27, 2025

CC's Coffee House, a 30-year-old, New Orleans-based coffee brand is launching a franchise program.

Jeff’s Bagel Run Introduces Loyalty Program to Reward Devoted Bagel Fans

Jeff’s Bagel Run, the celebrated bagel shop known for its handcrafted bagels, freshly whipped cream cheese, and craft coffees, has taken a bold step into the…

Speaker Spotlight: Evonne Varady, Clean Eatz

Evonne Varady, founder of Clean Eatz shares a look at her career, her achievements and industry trends ahead of her appearance at Restaurant Franchising …

20 Fast Casual Brands to Watch in 2025

We are honored to introduce the 2025 class of “20 Brands to Watch,” and predict they will continue to help elevate the fast casual industry.

Presented by Oracle

Fast Casual reveals 2025 '20 Brands to Watch'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

January 23, 2025

FastCasual's fifth annual report, "20 Brands to Watch," reveals the industry's up-and-coming leaders.

Blaze Pizza sparks interest with Spicy Hot Chicken Pickle Pizza

January 23, 2025

Blaze Pizza has launched a Spicy Hot Chicken Pickle Pizza. The pizza features Blaze's white sauce, shredded mozzarella, chicken, basil and pickles and it is…

Tijuana Flats exits bankruptcy ready for growth

January 23, 2025

Since exiting Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, Tijuana Flats has reduced its debt, improved profitability and created a more efficient operation, said CEO…

Ike's Love & Sandwiches paying employees daily

January 23, 2025

Ike's Love & Sandwiches is partnering with DailyPay to give employees access to pay as they earn it.

Craveworthy expanding in 2025

January 23, 2025

Craveworthy Brands saw significant growth in 2024, expanding to 15 brands and nearly 200 locations, and planning for another year of expansion.

Smalls Sliders to enter Kentucky

January 22, 2025

Smalls Sliders has inked a deal with local entrepreneur Bradley Scott to bring the brand to Kentucky. The agreement will bring four of the brand's units…

Orlando Cat Cafe unleashes franchising opportunity

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

After eight years of serving coffee and facilitating nearly 3,000 cat adoptions in partnership with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals…

Washington DC-based Rasa taps Bikky to manage customer data

January 22, 2025

Bikky, a customer data platform built for multi-unit restaurants, is helping Washington, D.C.-based Rasa gather and analyze customer data to better understand…