Fast Casual Nation

Data-driven survival: Unpacking the economic forces reshaping fast casuals

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Dr. Chad Moutray, Chief Economist at the National Restaurant Association, to unpack the economic forces reshaping the restaurant industry.

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March 11, 2026

In this episode of Fast Casual Nation, hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler sit down with Dr. Chad Moutray, chief economist at the National Restaurant Association, to unpack the economic forces reshaping the restaurant industry.

From shrinking profit margins and the K-shaped economy to the rise of technology adoption and long-term demographic pressures, Moutray delivers a data-driven look at what operators are facing right now and what they need to do to survive and grow in an increasingly divided consumer landscape.

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