Franchising Focus: CEO confident that his Buffalo fries will hit the Spot

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Buffalo Spot CEO Ivan Flores thinks he can change how Americans order wings.

Greek from Greece Bakery-Café, Fournos Theofilos merge

January 20, 2020

Greek from Greece Bakery-Café and Fournos Theofilos have merged under the GFG Bakery-Café brand, a news release said. This month, GFG Bakery-Café plans to…

Wendy's, Fazoli's franchisee fined $157k for child labor law violations

January 20, 2020

Wendy's and Fazoli's Louisville, Kentucky-based franchisee, Manna Inc., violated child labor mandates by allowing 14- and 15-year-old employees to both work at…

RFIS 2020 Sponsor Preview: NuArx

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

NuArx's Digital Foundation offers a secure, standardized and flexible network infrastructure funded through PCI compliance to support new technologies and…

I Heart Mac & Cheese expanding Florida footprint

January 17, 2020

I Heart Mac & Cheese has signed a two-store franchise deal for Orlando, which expands the brand's footprint in the state.

Ike's CEO: Restaurant ownership is right up there with free dates, snuggling baby animals

Ike Shehadeh, founder of of Ike's Love & Sandwiches, discusses with Tim Tang of Hughes, what sparked him to leave behind his three part-time jobs and open…

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Chipotle scores partnership wtih soccer star Christian Pulisic

January 16, 2020

Chipotle has created a digital-only menu item inspired by U.S. men's soccer star Christian Pulisic, who is now the chain's international ambassador.  

Just Eat rolls out exclusive mobile food delivery with Greggs Bakery in UK

January 16, 2020

Greggs, the largest bakery chain in the U.K., is launching an exclusive partnership with app-based delivery service Just Eat, following a successful trial in…

C-Speak: Nestlé Professional president preps restaurant pros for year ahead

Restaurant brands often look to culinary & beverage product providers, like Nestlé Professional, when planning LTOs and trying to determine trends for…

Caribbean-themed fast casual opens in DC

January 16, 2020

Twin brothers Raymond and Aris Compres — whose parents opened a Dominican restaurant, called Los Hermanos, over two decades ago in Washington D.C. —  are…

Should the fast casual industry follow Taco Bell's $100K-salary lead?

by Nancy Shenker

Throwing money at a problem may be a step in the right direction as $100K will buy a brand a seasoned professional, but creating a huge pay gap between…

Wingstop finishes 2019 on a high note

January 16, 2020

Wingstop Inc. on Thursday reported a 21% increase in sales during the fiscal fourth-quarter, fueled by higher same-store sales in U.S. and a smaller increase…

Reigniting the glow over Michigan's 97-year-old Halo Burger

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Olives on burgers? Ice cream in ginger ale? Saintly looking cows? Yes, you've landed in the Halo Burger zone, a regional burger brand that has regained its…

Third-party business is booming—but is yours?

Restaurants are becoming more and more dependent on third parties like Yelp, Google and GrubHub to drive business. But these providers sometimes prioritize…

Saladworks hits 100 units

January 15, 2020

Saladworks, a Philadelphia-based concept, rang in the new year by opening its 100th restaurant. Located in Maryland, the restaurant opened Jan. 6 at 460…

Huey Magoo's joins the hundo club

January 15, 2020

Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders started the new year off by signing its 100th franchise agreement. After celebrating the grand opening of three  restaurants…

Curry Up Now opening in Southern California

January 15, 2020

Curry Up Now is opening its first Southern California restaurant Jan. 29  in Irvine at 922 Spectrum Center Dr.  The restaurant, which is known for its Tikka…

Taziki's names COO

January 15, 2020

Taziki's Mediterranean Café has promoted Mike Smith, former VP of operations, to COO. Before joining Taziki's, he was the VP of operations for Hootwinc (DBA…

Chicken Salad Chick expanding in Texas

January 14, 2020

Chicken Salad Chick is adding a location in Fort Worth, Texas' Ridglea Village. Following the brand's debut in Arlington last month, this unit marks…

Juice It Up launches to-go packs

January 14, 2020

Juice It Up has launched to-go packs that allow guests to customize six-to-12 smoothies or juices for easy pick-up and transport. At a 10% discount, the pack…