La Madeleine eyes accelerated growth following 'Ignite the Joy' turnaround

February 20, 2026

French-inspired bakery-cafe la Madeleine is entering 2026 with its strongest expansion pipeline in nearly a decade, following a year of operational…

Can Dave’s Hot Chicken leaders conjure magic from Mike's Red Tacos?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Mike's Red Tacos, a beef birria concept born just four years ago, has deals in place to open more than 200 locations. While the rapid expansion is turning…

Family owned Mickey’s Deli opening 2nd location after 70 years

February 19, 2026

Mickey's Deli, a 70-year-old brand in California, has opened a second location North Redondo Beach.

Jeff's Bagel Run sprinting past 30 units

February 19, 2026

Jeff's Bagel Run is leaping past the 30-location milestone this month, announcing a four-shop expansion that pushes the Florida-born brand into the Alabama and…

Scaling sweet success: How Rita’s Italian Ice navigates franchise growth

When Lawrence Brown, Chief Development Officer at Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, joined Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler on Fast Casual Nation, he brought…

Philadelphia-based Spread Bagelry entering Atlanta

February 18, 2026

Philadelphia-based Spread Bagelry is bringing its honey-boiled, wood-fired bagels to Buckhead next month, marking the brand's first entry into the Atlanta…

Wingstop's Q4 earnings: The good, the bad, the X-Factor

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

While 2025 saw the brand’s first same-store sales decline in over two decades, leadership is betting on a transformational operational shift and a new loyalty…

5 ways QR codes help grow restaurant catering

by Kelly Grogan — Founder, Crumbs

QR codes are one of the most underutilized tools in catering marketing. They're inexpensive, trackable, and they meet your guests exactly where they already…

Jeff's Bagel Run: From garage bagels to 30 and growing

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

On this episode of the Founderology — Built to Breakthrough podcast, I talk with Jeff Perera, co-Founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run and a member of the inaugural…

Las Palapas taps Paytronix for digital overhaul, adds mobile app

February 17, 2026

San Antonio-based Tex-Mex chain Las Palapas is celebrating its 45th anniversary with a digital overhaul, partnering with Paytronix to launch a new mobile app…

Beyond the balance sheet: why the future of franchising is proactive, not passive

At the upcoming Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit, industry experts will share strategies for moving beyond passive bookkeeping to maximize…

Reigniting passion in your team: a blueprint for peak performance

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

Cultivating employee passion through purpose, recognition and autonomy is the key to driving superior business performance, innovation and long-term retention…

Pizza vs. Chicken: The ultimate industry 'vibe check' at RFIS

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Executives in the pizza and chicken restaurant fields will answer questions about feedback in a 'Family Feud'-style game at the Restaurant Franchising and…

bb.q Chicken streamlines operations via Deliverect

February 17, 2026

bb.q Chicken, a Korean fried chicken franchise, has implemented Deliverect's digital ordering and menu management platform across its more than 250 U.S.

Capriotti's launches '50-50-50' franchise incentive program

February 16, 2026

Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is marking its 50th anniversary with a major expansion push and a new incentive program for franchise partners following a year of…

Pokeworks gearing up for expansion

February 16, 2026

Pokeworks reported record-breaking performance for 2025, driven by an 18% expansion of its store system and the highest guest satisfaction ratings in the…

Fuego Tortilla Grill opening in Louisiana

February 16, 2026

Texas-based Fuego Tortilla Grill is crossing state lines to bring its "más es más" philosophy to Louisiana when it opens March 3 in Baton Rouge. The fast…

Urban Plates expands grass-fed burger lineup

February 16, 2026

Urban Plates is expanding its grass-fed burger lineup with the introduction of three new chef-crafted burgers, Bacon Cheeseburger, Avocado Cheeseburger and…

The Melt doubling in Southern California

February 16, 2026

The Melt, known for its "World's Meltiest Burger," is open eight Southern California locations in 2026, more than doubling its footprint in the region.

Speaker Spotlight: Eddie Flores, co-founder L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, chairman of L&L Franchise, Inc.

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

In his RFIS keynote Eddie Flores will share "unconventional" strategies that led L&L Hawaiian Barbecuse to eight consecutive #1 Asian food franchise rankings.