Paris Baguette partners with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on drinks, prizes

September 18, 2026

Paris Baguette has partnered with ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" for the first time, introducing two beverages tied to the television show's 35th season.

Zaxbys signs 2 franchise agreements to expand in Mississippi

September 18, 2026

Zaxbys has signed two franchise agreements with brothers Alan and Eddie Gant to bring the Atlanta-based chicken chain to Winona and Kosciusko, Mississippi.

Your drive-thru isn’t broken; it’s invisible

by Michael MacLennan — Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Arc

Mike MacLennan, co-founder and co-CEO of Arc, a voice AI platform that helps restaurant operators measure and optimize the drive-thru, explains how to upsell…

The restaurant of tomorrow takes center stage at #QSRNext 2026

by Valerie Gritton — Editor, Connect Food

#QSRNext 2026 will bring together restaurant executives and industry leaders to explore the forces reshaping quick service, including AI, drive-thru…

The Gyro Project making Hell’s Kitchen debut

September 17, 2026

The Gyro Project will open its 10th location on Oct. 15 at 600 9th Ave., in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, marking its seventh unit in New York City.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe reveals brand transformation

September 17, 2026

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has unveiled a comprehensive brand transformation, redefining its concept of "tropical" as a state of mind rather than a location while…

Smalls Sliders makes college-campus debut with 2 openings

September 17, 2026

Sandy Springs, Georgia-based Smalls Sliders will make its college-campus debut with openings at the University of Central Florida in September and the…

Slutty Vegan plans 3rd Ohio opening

September 17, 2026

Plant-based burger fast-casual chain Slutty Vegan has signed a franchise agreement with Soul Republic Hospitality Group to open a restaurant in Cincinnati…

Qvinci launches RoyaltyHub to automate franchise royalty management

September 16, 2026

Qvinci Software has launched Qvinci RoyaltyHub, a new platform designed to automate the royalty management process for franchise brands, the company has…

How Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ maintains food quality across shrinking footprints

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

September 16, 2026

Crave Founder Samantha Rincione is putting more emphasis on smaller footprints, lower operating costs and takeout and delivery.

Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks making Washington DC debut

September 16, 2026

Big Dave's Cheesesteaks has secured the site for its debut restaurant in the nation's capital, revealing its address at 730 7th St., NW in downtown Washington…

Mo’ Bettahs to open 2nd Oklahoma City location

September 16, 2026

Mo' Bettahs will open a restaurant at 14020 N. Rockwell Ave., in Oklahoma City on Sept. 18. The location will be the Bountiful, Utah-based brand's second in…

Flying Biscuit Café signs two-unit development agreement for Palm Beach County, Florida

September 16, 2026

The Flying Biscuit Café has signed a multi-unit development agreement to open its first two restaurants in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Blaze Pizza celebrates 15th birthday

September 15, 2026

Blaze Pizza is marking its 15th anniversary with a one-day pizza deal for members of its Blaze Rewards loyalty program, the company announced in a news release.

How Nekter's CTO is using AI to turn more guests into regulars

Nékter Juice Bar CTO Jon Asher joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to break down how AI is reshaping guest personalization, loyalty…

Shake Shack tops loyalty study as burger chains battle for repeat customers

September 15, 2026

Shake Shack has the most loyal customer base among the nation's top burger chains, according to a study, from advertising platform Simpli.fi, offering fast…

GoTo Foods names Lucy Brady Jamba president, reshuffles additional portfolio roles

September 15, 2026

GoTo Foods has appointed Lucy Brady as president of Jamba and shifted leadership roles across its portfolio. The Atlanta-based company also named Nathan…

UFG adds 105 locations, signs 148 franchisee deals in 1H

September 15, 2026

United Franchise Group reported robust growth during the first half of 2026, adding 105 locations, signing 148 individual franchisee agreements and executing…

Restaurant traffic moderates in late August, fast-casual chains still outperform

September 14, 2026

Sweetgreen posted the strongest fast-casual performance among major chains, with visits 5.9% above its typical weekly average. Chopt visits fell 9.6% below…

Revealed: The 2026 Top 30 Movers & Shakers: Catering

In 2026, catering has become one of the fastest-growing engines of brand loyalty and scale in the restaurant industry, and a new class of leaders is rewriting…