3 tips to minimize the effects of minimum wage increases

There are three fundamental ways to keep costs low, despite rising wages: improve workforce productivity, reduce waste, fraud and abuse and increase menu…

R Taco adds 2 franchise partners

January 17, 2018

R Taco, a fast casual street taco chain backed by Buffalo Wild Wings, announced today the addition of two franchise groups. The agreements will result in…

Freshii to Subway: Let's partner to succeed

January 17, 2018

Freshii founder and CEO Matthew Corrin has written a second letter to Subway Restaurants, proposing that the two brands partner to work through Subway's recent…

Modern Market opening on Notre Dame campus

January 16, 2018

Modern Market opened its first university campus location this week in the Duncan Student Center at the University of Notre Dame. The newest restaurant makes…

Maui Wowi inks deals to open 8 units

January 16, 2018

Maui Wowi has announced four partnerships to open eight units in high-traffic venues in Alabama, California, Florida and Texas, according to a company press…

Caliburger customers can order, pay with a smile

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

January 16, 2018

Caliburger rolls out AI-enabled self-service kiosks using NEC facial recognition technology.

Zoes Kitchen unveils new design, beverage menu

January 16, 2018

Zoes Kitchen opens the doors today of its new restaurant prototype. Located at 6004 Falls of Neuse Rd., Suite 100, in Raleigh, North Carolina, the store…

6 ways craft beer can pour profits into your bottom line

by Amanda McNamara — Content Marketing Specialist, Toast Inc.

Editor's note: This is part of a series called, "Now trending." Each story will dissect an upcoming fast casual trend.

Blaze Pizza opening NY, California and Illinois locations

January 15, 2018

Thursday is a big day for Blaze Fast Fire'd Pizza when the chain opens the doors to three units across the country. Locations include a 2,500-square-foot unit…

Halal Guys gives customers 5 LTOs in 10 weeks

January 12, 2018

The Halal Guys is getting the new year going with five LTOs, each a new concoction that will be available for two weeks at locations nationally, a news release…

Captain D’s converts Church's Chicken restaurant in Houston

January 12, 2018

Captain D's has grown its footprint in Texas with the conversion of a former Church's Chicken to its newest franchised location opening today in Houston…

Rush Bowls to open 6 in Tempe, Denver

January 12, 2018

Rush Bowls has signed a multi-unit franchise development deal for three restaurants in greater Tempe, Arizona, and an additional three locations in Denver…

Chicken Salad Chick does 10 giveaways on 10th anniversary

January 12, 2018

Chicken Salad Chick is 10 years in the fast casual game this month and is celebrating with an amped-up annual Guest Appreciation Day, a news release said. 

Restaurateurs will see 'immense operational changes' in 2018

January 12, 2018

Operations platform, Fourth, sees what it calls "immense operational changes" happening across the restaurant industry as tech of all kinds is deployed…

Small Iowa town begs for HuHot

January 12, 2018

Years ago HuHot Mongolian Grills put a location suggestion link on its website which produced about one request per day.

Franchise Focus: Irish burger joint rocketing to success

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Rocket's plans include expansion throughout Europe and beyond.

Toast partners with SpeedETab to offer white label app

January 11, 2018

Restaurant technology providers Toast and SpeedETab have partnered to offer restauranteurs a white label app solution with order-ahead technology. "In our…

LevelUp launches broadcast service to drive restaurant discovery

January 11, 2018

LevelUp has launched a broadcast service to help restaurant brands reach consumers within a network of highly trafficked digital channels, including Facebook…

Freshii CEO, founder keynoting 2018 Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit

Early bird registration ends Friday.

PJ's Coffee creates Mardi Gras-inspired drinks

January 11, 2018

PJ's Coffee of New Orleans is kicking off the Mardi Gras season with a king cake-flavored skinny protein velvet ice, along with its king cake lattes, hot…