Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii moves franchise system onto single tech platform

October 23, 2026

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii is streamlining the technology behind its counters, moving its franchise system onto one platform for point of sale, ordering…

Sweetgreen names former Shake Shack culinary leader John Karangis executive chef

October 23, 2026

Sweetgreen has named John Karangis executive chef and senior vice president of culinary. The Los Angeles-based fast-casual salad chain has more than 28…

How functional beverages provide new reasons to visit

Functional beverages are creating new opportunities for juice and smoothie bars to attract customers across dayparts. From protein smoothies to energy and…

Chicken Salad Chick CFO Drew Travis on AI site selection and the road to 500 units

Hosts Cherryh Cansler and Paul Barron also break down why the rumored Starbucks and Chipotle deal was a false start, discuss how top brands are navigating…

Mike’s Red Tacos heads to Tampa, Orlando with 36-unit development deal

October 23, 2026

Mike's Red Tacos has signed a 36-unit development agreement with Built Different Brands to expand into the Tampa and Orlando areas and Florida's East Coast.

Swig signs 14-unit deal for Southwest expansion

October 23, 2026

Dirty soda brand Swig has signed a 14-unit franchise agreement with multi-unit franchisees Heather Berry and Brock Stokes, marking its expansion into the…

5 things your crew wants you to know about pay, bosses and AI

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Toast's survey of 702 restaurant workers revealed that raises and better benefits are landing, but pay, scheduling and managers still decide who stays.

Pollo Campero names Julio Sanchez US CEO

October 22, 2026

Pollo Campero has appointed Julio Sánchez CEO of its U.S. business, Campero USA Corp., effective immediately. He succeeds Luis Javier Rodas, who spent 26 years…

Urban Bird expands Texas footprint, signs franchise deals in Q3

October 22, 2026

Urban Bird Hot Chicken expanded its Texas footprint and signed franchise development agreements during the third quarter while introducing new programs to…

Report: Fast casual sector still outpacing overall restaurant growth

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Although the overall news was positive, the segment faces a delicate balancing act as operators navigate rising overhead. Food costs remain the top operational…

Dirty soda: 5 ways fast casuals can cash in on the trend

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

From keeping recipes simple to pricing drinks for repeat purchases, operators can turn customized sodas into a profitable traffic driver.

The Big Dilla: How Maggie Gordon, co-founder of Dilla’s Quesadillas, built a new brand category

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

On this episode of “Built to Breakthrough,” I talk with Maggie Gordon, co-Founder of Dillas Quesadillas. Since opening in Plano, Texas, in 2013, Maggie and her…

Harlem Shake signs 75-unit franchise agreement in India

October 21, 2026

New York City-based Harlem Shake signed a master franchise agreement with Franchise India and FranIndia to develop 75 units across multiple markets in India.

Sweetgreen refreshes beverage lineup with 2 new flavors

October 21, 2026

Sweetgreen refreshed its housemade beverage lineup with two new flavors and updated recipes for two existing drinks.

Nominations open for Pizza Marketplace Top 100

October 21, 2026

The pizza industry is full of brands pushing boundaries, driving growth, embracing innovation and finding new ways to serve customers. Now, it's time to…

Olo app launches to 40M users

by Valerie Gritton — Editor, Pizza Marketplace

Building on Olo’s evolution from consumer-facing startup to restaurant technology provider, thenew Olo app offers a streamlined alternative to third-party…

Naked Farmer’s Jordan Johnson is growing without giving away the farm

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

To open his first 11 locations, the founder started with using Small Business Administration-backed loans and moved to more conventional financing as the…

Chicken Salad Chick sets Atlanta grand opening

October 20, 2026

Atlanta-based Chicken Salad Chick will open a new location Oct. 26 at the Hub at Peachtree Center, 231 Peachtree St. in downtown Atlanta.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe signs 40-unit Northeast development deal

October 20, 2026

Atlanta-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe has signed a 40-unit franchise development agreement with Aurify Kingstar to expand the brand's presence. .

Firehouse Subs co-founder Chris Sorensen dies at 65

October 19, 2026

Chris Sorensen, the former firefighter who co-founded national fast-casual chain Firehouse Subs alongside his brother, Robin, has died. He was 65.