La Madeleine opens 1st Tennessee restaurant

March 19, 2026

La Madeleine opened its first Tennessee restaurant March 18 at 105 Legacy Pointe Blvd. in Mt. Juliet. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting are scheduled for…

How San Pedro Fish Market built a $30M legacy

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Speaking at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit Tuesday in San Diego, Michael Ungaro shared the gritty, tenacious history of his family's brand …

Fueling growth from 1 cup to 100+ locations

Brandon Knudsen, co-founder and CEO of Ziggi’s Coffee, shares critical advice on how he bootstrapped Ziggi's from a single coffee shop to more than 10…

Square report: Neighborhood customers generate 6 times more revenue for local businesses

March 18, 2026

Community "regulars" are key profit drivers for local businesses, generating six times more revenue than transient customers through higher tips and repeat…

Beef costs jump 32%, burger prices rise 14% since 2023

March 18, 2026

Hamburger menu prices increased 14% from January 2023 to December 2025, while federal Food Away From Home inflation rose about 13% during the same period…

The accidental franchisor: Eddie Flores Jr. kicks off Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit with candid look at L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

March 17, 2026

Eddie Flores Jr. transitioned from real estate to become the franchisor of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, building a legacy based on the "aloha spirit" and family…

Bambu opens inside Colorado Walmart Supercenter

March 17, 2026

Just over a month after announcing a partnership with Walmart stores, Vietnamese dessert chain Bambu has opened a inside a Walmart Supercenter in Westminster…

Clementine’s Ice Cream secures $6M for expansion

March 17, 2026

Clementine's Ice Cream landed $6 million in funding to support its national expansion strategy. Next Phase Capital, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, led…

Measuring the impact of culture change in the workplace

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

To successfully transform company culture, organizations must move beyond mission statements by tracking specific metrics — such as engagement, turnover and…

WaBa Grill reports 10% increase in systemwide sales

March 16, 2026

WaBa Grill closed 2025 with strong systemwide performance, including 7.1% in same-store sales growth. The momentum has continued into 2026, as the Anaheim…

Port of Subs franchisee opens 1st of 14 additional units

March 16, 2026

Franchisees Shane and Kirstin Shaw opened their first Port of Subs restaurant on Feb. 3 at 1316 S. Sossaman Road. in Mesa, Arizona. The Shaws plan to develop…

McAlister’s Deli continues expansion, operators to open 265 restaurants by 2032

March 13, 2026

McAlister's Deli, headquartered in Atlanta, is expanding its presence in 2026, striking multi-unit franchise development agreements in Alabama, Florida…

Blaze Pizza partners with Reality Based Group for mystery shopping

March 13, 2026

Reality Based Group and Blaze Pizza have entered a partnership to implement a mystery shopping program across the restaurant chain's franchise locations…

Professor Green teams with Hero Brands to launch PG in UK

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

PG Fast Food is shunning the traditional burger-and-fries blueprint in favor of a "naughty but nice" menu that emphasizes choice. Offerings include the "UFO" …

Dog Haus planting flag in Mexico

March 12, 2026

Dog Haus is heading south of the border.

&pizza serves up romance with Pi Day weddings

March 12, 2026

&pizza will host free wedding ceremonies and receptions for four couples on Saturday, March 14, continuing a brand tradition for Pi Day, according to a…

Grubhub, Wonder, Dexa launch 1st drone food delivery program in New Jersey

March 12, 2026

Grubhub, Wonder and Dexa will launch a drone delivery test program, beginning March 18, bringing delivery innovation to customers in New Jersey for the first…

Chili Shack promotes Elizabeth Orona to COO

March 12, 2026

Chili Shack, a Denver-based chain known for its green chili-smothered Mexican-American fare, has appointed Elizabeth Orona as chief operating officer to lead…

Everytable launches national franchise program

March 12, 2026

Los Angeles-based Everytable, a mission-driven food company with 35 units, has launched a core franchise program seeking single- and multi-unit operators to…

Panera expands caffeinated, caffeine-free options

March 12, 2026

Panera Bread has launched two beverage lines, Frescas and Energy Refreshers, introducing four flavors infused with real fruit. The launch comes alongside a new…