Chicken Salad Chick soars in 2021

February 11, 2022

In a year when many brands struggled, Chicken Salad Chick saw a nearly 50% increase in sales and added 30 restaurants. Specifically, it reported $255 million…

Wow Bao ghosting Canada

February 11, 2022

Chicago-based Wow Bao has entered Canada thanks to a partnership with Ghost Kitchen Brands.

7Shifts raises $80M in funding round

February 10, 2022

7shifts, a team management platform for restaurants, has raised $80 million in Series C funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The round also includes…

Chicken Guy names VP of franchise sales

February 10, 2022

Chicken Guy has named Mark Ramage, a former CDO at 1Franchise Group director of Franchise Sales and Development at Twin Peaks, as its VP of Franchise Sales.

Can this untapped labor pool help keep your restaurant open?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurants all over the U.S. are struggling to stay open due to increased quit rates, but there is one group of people who could help if given the chance.

Wayback opening 14th Texas unit

February 10, 2022

Wayback Burgers is opening a location in Allen, Texas at 380 E. Bethany Dr., making its 14th in Texas.

Teriyaki Madness sells 100 units in 2021

February 10, 2022

Teriyaki Madness can't say it had a bad year. The Seattle-style teriyaki shop franchise wrapped up 2021 with 100 units sold among 31 first-time franchisees.

Juice It Up launches in Colton, California

February 10, 2022

Juice It Up has opened its first Colton, California location. Featuring the brand's fresh store design, the store is owned by Michael and Amanda Prieto, as…

The Hummus & Pita Co inks 3-unit deal

February 10, 2022

The Hummus & Pita Co is opening a flagship location this spring in Ohio. Planting roots on the highly trafficked Hilliard Rome Road, near several fast…

How QR Codes Can Benefit Your Business

QR codes are a huge technological advancement in the field of retail and have made product details and other information easily accessible for both customers…

Big Chicken checking out Phoenix

February 9, 2022

Big Chicken, a fast casual chicken concept founded by Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, will open 12 locations in Arizona, thanks to a partnership with Steve…

Original ChopShop same-store sales up 35%

February 9, 2022

Original ChopShop CEO Jason Morgan said the Arizona-based chain's 2021 sales results were proof that it has been meeting guests' needs to "Just Feel Good about…

4 technologies that can help manage labor shortages

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurants hoping to keep up staffing levels must pay more, which means cutting food and labor costs. Automating kitchen tasks, transforming customer phones…

Chipotle CEO open to price increases

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Chipotle's Q4 earnings mostly beat analysts' expectations, despite higher food and labor costs. Its December price increase helped to offset their impact…

Dig's loyalty program leads to higher checks

February 9, 2022

New York-based Dig, a fast casual concept with a focus on vegetable-forward cooking, is seeing solid results from the December launch of its app, which…

How to Find and Hire Great Employees Like Your Current Top Performers

It's easier than you think to build an all-star team of workers who will consistently exceed expectations. Learn how to find and hire great employees now!

LA fast casual launches with focus on sustainability

February 8, 2022

Bagel+Slice, created by food scientist, chef and business owner, Brad Kent, is more than just another restaurant opening this month in Los Angeles. The…

Modern Market moving HQs, focusing on catering

February 8, 2022

Modern Market Eatery has big plans for 2022, including moving its headquarters to downtown Denver, placing a heavier focus on a refined catering program and…

C3 running foodservice operations at Vegas hotel

February 8, 2022

Sam Nazarian's C3, a global food tech platform, is taking over daily operations of in-room dining and local deliveries at The Westin Las Vegas Hotel & Spa.

Restaurant gift card sales up in 2021, still down over 2019

February 8, 2022

Restaurant gift card sales were up 22% in 2021, compared to 2020, but still down 13% than 2019, according to Paytronix's Restaurant Gift Gard Sales Report 2022.