Blaze Pizza to offer dairy-free Ranch dressing

January 5, 2022

Blaze Pizza is teaming up with Primal Kitchen on a limited-time partnership to bring a new dressing to customers.

Wow Bao, Zoup, Smokey Bones leaders share tips on virtual kitchen strategy

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Fast casual leaders share insight on how and why their brands got into virtual business operations and tips on how to make it a successful strategy.

Top 100 gala to honor Excellence in Food Safety winners

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

January 4, 2022

As part of the 2022 FastCasual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list, FastCasual and Steritech, a provider of food safety assessments, will honor two runners up…

Pieology reopens in Lake Elsinore, California

January 4, 2022

Pieology has reopened in Lake Elsinore, California, under new and local management, according to a press release.

Fatburger, Buffalo's Express making Florida debut

January 4, 2022

FAT Brands Inc., parent company of Fatburger, Buffalo's Express, and 15 other restaurant concepts, is coming to Florida with a 10-store franchise development…

Restaurant gift card sales up over last 2 years

January 4, 2022

The restaurant industry sold 6% more gift cards during the 2021 holiday season compared to 2019, and 57% more than 2020, according to a Paytronix study.

Chick N Max signs 1st franchisee

January 4, 2022

Chick N Max, a fast casual franchise based in Wichita, is headed to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after signing its first franchise agreement for three…

Sweetgreen offering discounted salad 'scripts

January 4, 2022

Los Angeles Sweetgreen, a past winner of the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers, is jumping on the subscription bandwagon via Sweetpass. With a $1…

Fajita Pete's opens 25th unit

January 3, 2022

Texas-based Fajita Pete's celebrated reaching its 25-location milestone last month with the opening of a location in Las Colinas, Texas.

Bagel Boss making Jersey debut

January 3, 2022

New Jersey residents will no longer have to rely on "New York-Style bagels," according to Bagel Boss Founder Adam Rosner, who has tapped NJ residents Edward…

How AI will save the restaurant industry

by Paul Rubin — Chief Strategy Officer, PAR Technology

You know restaurant technology is becoming a very big deal when it goes viral on TikTok. In November, a user of the popular video-sharing social network…

Nominations now open for 2022 Top 100 Movers & Shakers

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

January is a time for goal setting and self-reflection, but it's also the first step in a long process of building our annual Fast Casual Top 100 Movers &…

Chipotle adding plant-based chorizo

January 3, 2022

Chipotle Mexican Grill has made plant-based chorizo available for a limited time at U.S. locations.

Nashville pitmaster creates 2nd barbecue concept

December 30, 2021

Pitmaster Carey Bringle, who launched Peg Leg Poker in 2013 in Nashville, opened a second barbecue joint earlier this month. Bringle's Smoking Oasis is not the…

Dickey's opens 700th unit

December 29, 2021

Dickey's Restaurant Brands, which owns Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Wing Boss, Big Deal Burger and Trailer Bird, opened its 700th store on Dec. 10 when it launched…

4 questions to ask when positioning your restaurant brand

by Saskia Ketz

Restaurant entrepreneurs need more than just a great menu and a good team. They must be fantastic marketers as well. While many people have some idea of where…

All DoorDash employees back on monthly deliveries

December 29, 2021

Every DoorDash employee, up to and including the CEO, are being asked to make monthly deliveries as part of the company's WeDash program, which launched in…

South Korean fried chicken chain opening in Long Beach

December 28, 2021

Mom's Touch, a 1,300-unit fried chicken chain based in South Korea, is opening in Long Beach, California. Following its U.S. debut in Gardena this past summer…

Fuzzy's hires former Backyard Burgers CEO as COO

December 28, 2021

Fuzzy's Taco Shop, which has nearly 150 locations, has hired Scott Shotter as COO, according to a company press release.

Taco Bell franchisee opening Habit Burger locations

December 28, 2021

California-based The Habit Burger Grill has signed an area development agreement with Lee Mitchell, a multi-unit Taco Bell franchisee, to bring five locations…