Fast casuals hanging on as consumers prioritize groceries amid cuts

July 1, 2025

While U.S. consumers are spending more than twice as much on groceries as on food at restaurants, fast casual brands remain a significant portion of their…

Culinary Tides, Buona Companies, Roll Mobility leaders to give executive perspectives at Fast Casual Executive Summit

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Four speakers will give their executive perspectives in an address at the Fast Casual Executive Summit October 7, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

Jamba CBO: Snacking is becoming the main course

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Nathan Louer, chief brand officer of Jamba, reveals the brand's 'snackification' strategy.

How Fry the Coop founder traded everything for freedom (and fried chicken)

On this episode of Founderology: Built to Breakthrough, we sit down with Joe Fontana who went from being stuck in a cubicle to running one of the most…

Shake Shack: 'Home of the Braves'

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The location, which is the chain's second-largest unit, features seating for over 100, its first bar, a wall of free arcade games, kiosks and over a dozen TVs…

MilkShake Factory opens 1st Indiana location

June 30, 2025

MilkShake Factory, known for its handspun milkshakes and premium chocolates, will open its first Indiana location in Indianapolis on July 12 at 1340 E. 86th…

Cousins Maine Lobster surpasses $1B systemwide sales

June 30, 2025

Cousins Maine Lobster, a national food truck and fast-casual dining concept, has surpassed $1 billion in systemwide sales since its founding in 2012. The…

Can protein, "back to basics" approach re-energize Starbucks?

by R.J. Hottovy — Head of Analytical Research, Placer.ai

If Starbucks can give its large, established customer base new reasons to visit, it can unlock significant growth.

There is nothing 'soft' about soft skills

by Felicia White — President, CHART

The skills frontline managers require are categorized as "hard" and "soft" skills. The "hard skills" (which I noted in my initial blog post) are those focused…

Lunchbox, 1Huddle digitalize restaurant training

June 30, 2025

Lunchbox, a restaurant technology platform, is teaming up with 1Huddle, a game-based training platform, aimed at transforming restaurant employee training into…

Beans & Brews hires trio of leaders

June 30, 2025

Beans & Brews Coffeehouse CEO Doug Willmarth has expanded the leadership team, appointing Chef Becca McIntyre as vice president of supply chain and…

Grilling Season Essentials for Restaurants

To capitalize on the grilling season, your kitchen must be prepped with the right tools to serve up flavor, speed, and consistency all summer long. A…

Speaker Spotlight: Seth Larsen, chief relationship officer, Cheba Hut Toasted Subs

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Seth Larsen, chief relationship officer at Cheba Hut Toasted Subs, is one of dozens of panelists participating in the upcoming Fast Casual Executive Summit.

Qdoba opens 800th location

June 26, 2025

Qdoba has opened its 800th location in North Miami Beach, Florida, marking a significant step toward its goal of doubling its footprint to 1,600 restaurants by…

Fuego Tortilla launches watermelon margarita

June 26, 2025

Fuego Tortilla Grill, a fast casual concept inspired by Mexican flavors and the spirit of Texas, is cooling things down and cranking up the flavor with the…

Wonder serving TikTok star's cupcakes, salad

June 26, 2025

Melissa Ben-Ishay, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and founder of Baked by Melissa, has partnered with Wonder to offer her Rainbow Kale Salad and…

From Boots to biscuits: How former Marine leading growth at Vicious Biscuit

Cheba Hut plants flag in Cowboy State

June 25, 2025

After over two decades of support from Wyoming sub lovers crossing state lines to get their sandwich fixes, Cheba Hut is bringing its sandwiches into fans…

Juice It Up entering Nevada

June 25, 2025

Juice It Up, a smoothie, juice and açaí bowl chain, is entering Nevada thanks to an agreement with Marine Corps officer and local franchisee Sukhbir Toor to…

Fast casuals tapping into alcohol to boost profits

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Margaritas, in particular, have been a key driver in Taco Cabana's growth, proving that even in a fast casual setting, customers are eager for a refreshing…