Jersey Mike's hires 1st chief people officer

September 30, 2025

Jersey Mike's Subs has named Betsy Mercado as its first chief people officer, the company announced Monday.

Jimmy John's relaunches loyalty program

September 30, 2025

Jimmy John's is replacing its Freaky Fast Rewards loyalty program with JJ Rewards, shfting from a "visit-based" model to a more flexible, spend-based system.

Chipotle launching Red Chimichurri sauce

September 29, 2025

Chipotle Mexican Grill is adding a new sauce to its menu, a limited-time offering called Red Chimichurri.

Qdoba promotes VP to CMO of Marketing

September 29, 2025

Qdoba has promoted Jon Burke to chief marketing officer.

MOD Pizza partners with Disney on TRON: Ares movie promo

September 29, 2025

MOD Pizza has joined forces to celebrate the theatrical release of TRON: Ares, according to a press release.

Texas-based fast casual deploys Birdcall's proprietary tech platform

September 26, 2025

Birdcall, a Denver-based craft chicken franchise, announced its proprietary technology platform, Poncho, has launched for the first time outside of the…

Wingstop, Crumbl franchisee adding Lola Beans to portfolio

September 26, 2025

A Crumbl and Wingstop franchise group will bring Lola Beans Coffee to the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a 15-unit deal.

Slice House by Tony Gemignani to enter Idaho

September 26, 2025

Slice House by Tony Gemignani will open in Meridian, Idaho, in November, it's first entry into the state, according to a press release.

Fatburger returns to Japan

September 25, 2025

Fatburger is returning to Japan thanks to a deal with Green Micro Factory Inc. to open four locations over the next five years in Okinawa. The first will open…

Panini Kabob opens 27th location, plans expansion

September 25, 2025

Panini Kabob Grill, a Mediterranean scratch kitchen chain, has opened its 27th location at the Mershops North County Mall, marking a continued expansion across…

Starbucks shuttering stores, eliminating 900 jobs

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

September 25, 2025

Starbucks is undergoing a significant corporate restructuring and rationalization of its North American store portfolio, announcing the elimination of nearly…

Loyalty program fueling growth at Pokeworks

September 24, 2025

The updated program resulted in an 80% increase in members acquired through digital channels and double-digit loyalty sales growth every month since its launch.

Yoshinoya opens 1st double drive-thru unit

September 24, 2025

Yoshinoya, a Japanese fast casual concept, has opened its 101st location in Compton, California, featuring its first double drive-thru.

Founders' Collaborative launches as free community for restaurant entrepreneurs

September 23, 2025

A free virtual community for founders called the Founders' Collaborative launched this week, powered by industry publications FastCasual and QSRWeb and…

Swig boosting ratings with real-time guest feedback

September 23, 2025

In an effort to collect better customer feedback, Swig, a drive-thru chain known for its dirty sodas is partnering with Ovation, a guest experience and…

Pepper Lunch opening in Arizona

September 23, 2025

Pepper Lunch, a Japanese fast casual chain, is celebrating the grand opening of its first Arizona location this weekend at Arizona State University.

Portillo’s CEO stepping down

September 23, 2025

Chicago-based Portillo's Inc. announced Monday that its board of directors has appointed Chairman Michael A. Miles Jr. as interim CEO, effective immediately.

Penn Station partners with Barstool, Virtual Dining Concepts on LTO

September 23, 2025

Penn Station East Coast Subs is collaborating with Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast and Virtual Dining Concepts to introduce a menu item, the Mega…

Blaze Pizza offers free pizza during grand opening in Linden, New Jersey

September 22, 2025

Blaze Pizza will offer a free 11-inch pizza at its newly constructed location in Linden, New Jersey on Sept. 30 in a grand opening celebration, according to a…

Shake Shack names brand chief, plans Hawaii expansion

September 22, 2025

Shake Shack Inc. announced two major moves this month as it prepares for its next phase of growth: the appointment of Michael Fanuele as its first chief brand…