The Melt's airport debut takes flight at SFO

July 10, 2026

The Melt has opened its first airport restaurant at San Francisco International Airport's Harvey Milk Terminal 1.

Qdoba inks deals for over 100 franchised restaurants

July 10, 2026

Qdoba is expanding its franchise footprint with new development agreements that will open over 100 restaurants across the Southeast and West.

Clean Eatz credits solid Q1 to '5-revenue stream business model'

July 9, 2026

Company officials credited the gains to Clean Eatz's five-revenue-stream business model, which includes meal plans, grab-and-go meals, café dining, catering…

Slutty Vegan signs franchise deal to open in Ohio

July 9, 2026

Atlanta-based Slutty Vegan is expanding into Ohio after signing a franchise agreement to open its first locations in Columbus and Cleveland. Soul Republic…

Café Rio to open 2nd restaurant in St. George, Utah

July 9, 2026

Café Rio will open its second restaurant this week in St. George, Utah, at 4609 S. Pioneer Road. The restaurant expands the brand's presence in the city where…

Juice it Up opens California location

July 9, 2026

Juice it Up has opened a new location in Roseville, California. Local husband-and-wife franchisees Paul and Sonja Grotke own and operate the store at 97…

Why Chipotle is funding these 6 emerging brands

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

July 8, 2026

The chain's Cultivate Next will fund Benchmark Labs, IMIO, Clean Crop Technologies, Athian, SIMPLi and PopID.

HTeaO to host grand opening celebration in Lowell, Arkansas

July 8, 2026

Iced tea franchise HTeaO will host the grand opening of its first Lowell, Arkansas, location on Saturday, July 11, according to a press release.

Your Pie targets Wilmington for North Carolina franchise expansion

July 8, 2026

Your Pie, an Atlanta-based fast-casual pizza franchise, will expand its footprint in North Carolina, targeting Wilmington and the Cape Fear region for its next…

Smashburger simplifies summer LTO lineup to improve operations

July 8, 2026

Smashburger is taking a more focused approach to limited-time offerings this summer, introducing two burgers and two shakes as part of a broader strategy to…

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers ending 2026 with over 60 openings

July 7, 2026

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is on track to open about 60 restaurants in 2026, pushing the fast-casual chain close to the 600-location milestone.

Pokeworks seeking Texas real estate for expansion

July 7, 2026

Pokeworks is ramping up its Texas expansion, having sold out franchise availability across nearly every major market in the state.

Swig signs 13-unit Chicago development agreement

July 7, 2026

Swig, a dirty soda brand, has signed a 13-unit franchise agreement to expand into Chicago's southwest suburbs.

'The Office' actor Leslie David Baker opens HoneyBaked franchise in California

July 7, 2026

Tony Vennie, courtesy of HoneyBaked Actor Leslie David Baker and entrepreneur Tony Vennie have opened a HoneyBaked franchise in Sherman Oaks…

South Block to open Tenleytown location July 11

July 7, 2026

Fast-casual acai bowl and smoothie chain South Block will open a location in Washington, D.C.'s Tenleytown neighborhood on July 11. The restaurant, at 452…

Yogurtland's AUVs climb 27%

July 6, 2026

Yogurtland's traditional store average unit volumes climbed to $934,959 in 2025, marking a 27% increase over a two-year period and placing the frozen dessert…

Tiki Taco adding KC location

July 6, 2026

Tiki Taco, a Kansas City-based independent restaurant brand, is expanding north of the Missouri River with the opening of its sixth location on July 7.

Smalls Sliders launches Soda Shakes, Coca-Cola’s new concentrated syrups

July 6, 2026

Smalls Sliders is rolling out two new beverages for the summer season. The company has announced its new line of Soda Shakes, featuring Fanta and Barq's Root…

Zaxby's taps Russell Holland to lead development strategy

July 6, 2026

Zaxby's has named Russell Holland chief development officer, formalizing his leadership role. The move comes as the fast-casual chicken chain continues…

Chicken chains rule the roost with summer LTOs

July 2, 2026

Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, Houston TX Hot Chicken, Huey Magoo's and Wingstop are leaning into menu trends, including value meals and sweet and hot flavors.