Study: Effective customer service comes from kindness, not speed

January 25, 2013

Global companies seeking ways to provide a differentiated customer experience should focus on the power of emotion, according to a new study from…

Chipotle testing tofu

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

January 25, 2013

Chipotle is introducing a menu item in hopes of pleasing its vegetarian and vegan guests. "Sofritas," a tofu-based protein, said the chain's marketing…

Breadcrumb launches 'better' iPad POS hardware protection for restaurants

January 25, 2013

Breadcrumb, a division of Groupon, has launched a comprehensive overnight emergency parts replacement service and extended warranty plan for restaurants and…

OLO receives $5M in funding thanks to mobile ordering growth

January 25, 2013

OLO, a digital commerce engine for restaurants, announced a $5 million dollar Series B financing from PayPal and existing investors. The New York-based company…

Firehouse CEO Don Fox to keynote NFSCC

January 25, 2013

Firehouse CEO Don Fox will keynote The National Food Service Security Council Aug. 4-7 in Las Vegas.

Starbucks announces profitable Q1

January 24, 2013

Starbucks Corp. today reported during an investor relations call that the company ended Q1 with strong comparable store sales growth in the U.S. and Americas…

A forgotten key strategy in avoiding menu price increases

Including loss prevention in your strategies to counter higher costs may give you a competitive advantage, and add 3 to 5 percent to the top line.

McAlister's Frank Paci planning for growth in 2013

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

High-quality food and service have propelled the brand's growth.

Top 100: Fast casual trends - No. 2

January 24, 2013

No.2: Social media

Top 100: Fast casual trends - No. 1

January 24, 2013

No. 1: Growth of Fast Casual

Menu trends: Beef outsells seafood in 2012

January 24, 2013

Food dishes with protein (any type of meat or seafood) grew at a healthier clip in 2012, than food dishes without protein, according to GuestMetrics, which…

'Lent'il soup available at I Dream of Falafel

January 24, 2013

Chicago-based I Dream of Falafel is honoring the Lenten season from Ash Wednesday (Feb. 13) through Good Friday (March 29) by providing guests with two soup…

Yogurtland continues Chicago-area expansion

January 24, 2013

Yogurtland is continuing to expand throughout the Chicago area with the opening of two more locations in the city's popular Gold Coast Historic District and…

Culture trumps strategy: What I learned from Ben & Jerry's

by Erle Dardick — CEO, Monkeymedia

The company's employees connect emotionally in their communities and their group understands that waking up in the morning to do important work is not just…

Restaurant industry grew by nearly 4,500 units in 2012

January 23, 2013

There were 4,442 more restaurants in the U.S. in fall 2012 than there were in fall 2011, according to a recent U.S. restaurant census conducted by The NPD…

Cheba Hut plants itself near University of Wisconsin's campus

January 23, 2013

Cheba Hut will open its newest location on Jan. 26 at 453 Gillman St. in Madison, Wis. The restaurant will feature locally sourced beverages such as Spotted…

Au Bon Pain phasing out pork suppliers using gestational crates

January 23, 2013

Au Bon Pain is continuing commitments to animal welfare and humane treatment with its recent announcements stating that it will begin eliminating from its U.S.

Dickey's Barbecue getting social for the Big Game

January 23, 2013

Dickey's Barbecue is ready to tackle customers' game-day catering needs with Tailgate Packs and social media contests running through Jan. 31. The chain is…

Corner Bakery Cafe growing big in 2013

January 23, 2013

Corner Bakery Cafe's renewed emphasis on franchise growth paid off immensely in 2012, with the signing of 10 new Area Development Agreements, more than…

Disrupting restaurant operations: Why ShiftNote could explode in 2013

New tech may help restaurant managers communicate better with their staff.