Habit Burger's 'hot dads' featured in calendar, 'Live with Kelly & Mark'

July 8, 2025

Summer just got a little hotter with the release of the "Hot Dads of Habit x UFC GYM Calendar," now available for order online. The five-month calendar is a…

SpotOn launches AI-powered menu recommendation

July 7, 2025

SpotOn, a restaurant management system, has launched "Picked for You," an AI-powered feature for its commission-free online ordering system, SpotOn Order.

&pizza debuts Pina Colada Knots

July 7, 2025

&pizza has introduced Piña Colada Knots. The sweet treats are baked, packed with pineapple and finished with a rich coconut drizzle and toasted flakes…

10 ways to deliver epic customer service

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

In a world where so much is automated and impersonal, exceptional service is a brand's most human and most powerful differentiator. It's not about being…

3 ways to keep customers ordering your 'not-so-cheap' eats

by CJ Gaffney — VP Brand Strategy, Partners + Napier

A few Fridays ago, I found myself in the Wendy's drive-thru with three boys in the backseat and a trunk full of baseball gear. The sun was setting, nerves were…

Thoma Bravo acquiring Olo for $2B

July 7, 2025

Olo Inc., an open SaaS platform serving over 750 restaurants, has entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by Thoma Bravo, a software investment firm, in…

Rapper helping Zaxbys intro Lemon Pepper Wings

July 7, 2025

Atlanta-based Zaxbys is entering the dry rub market for the first time with the launch of its Lemon Pepper offerings, available for a limited time. To…

Cali Coffee grinds away at Starbucks, Dunkin'

Join Fast Casual Nation host Paul Barron as he interviews Craig Avera, founder and CEO of Cali Coffee, a Florida-based drive-thru coffee chain that's doubled…

Fast casual restaurants see June sales dip

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

July 2, 2025

Sales at small business restaurants, including many fast casual concepts, saw a slight year-over-year increase of 0.4% in June, but experienced a sharper 2.6…

Azzip Pizza releases lobster roll pizza

July 1, 2025

Azzip Pizza has dreamed up the Shell Yeah! lobster roll pizza as its July Pizza of the Month.

Fast casuals hanging on as consumers prioritize groceries amid cuts

July 1, 2025

While U.S. consumers are spending more than twice as much on groceries as on food at restaurants, fast casual brands remain a significant portion of their…

Culinary Tides, Buona Companies, Roll Mobility leaders to give executive perspectives at Fast Casual Executive Summit

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Four speakers will give their executive perspectives in an address at the Fast Casual Executive Summit October 7, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

Jamba CBO: Snacking is becoming the main course

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Nathan Louer, chief brand officer of Jamba, reveals the brand's 'snackification' strategy.

How Fry the Coop founder traded everything for freedom (and fried chicken)

On this episode of Founderology: Built to Breakthrough, we sit down with Joe Fontana who went from being stuck in a cubicle to running one of the most…

Shake Shack: 'Home of the Braves'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The location, which is the chain's second-largest unit, features seating for over 100, its first bar, a wall of free arcade games, kiosks and over a dozen TVs…

MilkShake Factory opens 1st Indiana location

June 30, 2025

MilkShake Factory, known for its handspun milkshakes and premium chocolates, will open its first Indiana location in Indianapolis on July 12 at 1340 E. 86th…

Cousins Maine Lobster surpasses $1B systemwide sales

June 30, 2025

Cousins Maine Lobster, a national food truck and fast-casual dining concept, has surpassed $1 billion in systemwide sales since its founding in 2012. The…

Can protein, "back to basics" approach re-energize Starbucks?

by R.J. Hottovy — Head of Analytical Research, Placer.ai

If Starbucks can give its large, established customer base new reasons to visit, it can unlock significant growth.

Smart Labeling for Growing Restaurants: Boost Speed, Accuracy & the Guest Experience

In this session, we showed how smarter labeling at every station helps you reduce errors, speed up service, and create a more consistent guest experience…

Presented by Star Micronics America

There is nothing 'soft' about soft skills

by Felicia White — President, CHART

The skills frontline managers require are categorized as "hard" and "soft" skills. The "hard skills" (which I noted in my initial blog post) are those focused…