News & Media
Apple Pie Spice: The sequel no one saw coming (except us)
by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc
Although pumpkin remains dominant, apple, caramel and cinnamon blends are surging. Is there room for all three on this year's fall menus?
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Leading with flavor, heart, vision: The Tacodeli way
by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners
In this episode of the Founderology Podcast, Roberto Espinosa, the Founder of Tacodeli, discusses how his taco shop has grown into one of the most authentic…
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Top 3 learnings from Cava's Q3 earnings about growth in tight economy
by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
Cava reported Q3 2025 revenue of $289.8 million, up 20% year over year, with same-restaurant sales growth of 1.9% and restaurant-level profit margin of 24.6%.
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Fast casuals embracing micro-meals, protein as traditional dayparts disappear
by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
This focus on smaller, frequent meals reflects a major cultural shift, often referred to as the “death of the daypart,” where consumers are increasingly…
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Portillo's net income plunges 91% in Q3 amid slowdown in same-store sales
November 4, 2025
Portillo's lowered its same-restaurant sales forecast for the full fiscal year to a decline of between 1% and 1.5%, down from previous guidance
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Fast casual brands plan to expand local marketing in 2026
by Kate Finley — Founder, President, Belle Communication
How regional campaigns and micro-influencers are fueling more in-store traffic and online orders.
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Dave's Hot Chicken franchisee fights labor lawsuits with biometrics
by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
Cody Wong, president of CW Strong, a franchisee of Dave's Hot Chicken and Carl's Jr, dicusses how implementing a labor management platform is saving his…
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Shake Shack rolls out protein-packed 'Big Shack'
November 3, 2025
Shake Shack is upping its burger game, announcing the nationwide launch of the "Big Shack," a deluxe, three-bun version of its signature ShackBurger.
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Toast, Uber partner to drive restaurant demand, streamline operations
November 3, 2025
Toast and Uber Technologies Inc. are collaborating on product innovation and go-to-market initiatives designed to help restaurants grow sales and simplify…
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Portillo's opening 100th unit
October 31, 2025
Portillo's, serving Chicago-style street food, will celebrate a significant corporate milestone on Nov. 18, with the grand opening of its 100th restaurant in…
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Own your financials: 5 metrics that drive business growth
by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners
Gaining strong financial visibility by overcoming common hurdles and focusing on key metrics like sales, COGS, and net operating income is essential for…
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Slice House by Tony Gemignani to open 1st Idaho location
October 30, 2025
Slice House by Tony Gemignani will enter Idaho with an opening in Meridian on Nov. 1, according to a press release.
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Speaker Spotlight: Guy Carmeli, Pasta di Guy founder/chef
by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com
Guy Carmeli, founder and chef at Pasta di Guy, is participating in a panel talk on crafting kiosk experiences at the upcoming Automated Retail & Kiosk…
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Chipotle lowers sales forecast as younger diners cut back
by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
October 30, 2025
Despite the quarterly volatility, the company remains confident in its long-term goals of surpassing $4 million in average unit volumes and expanding to 7,00…
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Shake Shack's 'operational excellence' fuels earnings beat
by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com
October 30, 2025
Shake Shack Inc. demonstrated its resilience and operational prowess, reporting a stellar third quarter for 2025 that blew past Wall Street expectations and…
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Starbucks' turnaround plan takes hold
October 30, 2025
The chain reported its first global comp growth in seven quartersfueled by service and international markets.
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Limited-service visits decline as customer service, value perceptions hit new lows
October 29, 2025
There may be a growing crisis for the limited-service restaurant industry, according to the 2025 QSR Reputation Ranking Report by Chatmeter, which analyzed…
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Toast expands Toast IQ with conversational AI assistant
October 29, 2025
Toast has expanded its Toast IQ intelligence ecosystem with the launch of a conversational AI assistant for restaurants and food and beverage retailers. The…
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Onigilly: More than just sushi
by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group
Onigilly has seven restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area.
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