How fast-casual franchise Your Pie is optimizing kitchens for modern diners

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Fast-casual pizza franchise Your Pie is strategically expanding across the Southeast under CEO Ken Caldwell by blending its authentic, handcrafted Italian…

Fresh Brothers adds Wing It On to Southern California pizza menus

August 27, 2026

Fresh Brothers Pizza is now serving Wing It On wings at all of its Southern California locations, expanding the wing concept's footprint by 20 locations…

Poké House prepares for Las Vegas debut, plans Nevada expansion

August 27, 2026

Poké House will enter Nevada with Friday's opening of its first Las Vegas location at 7175 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

Shark Club takes a deliberate bite out of the US sports restaurant market

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Shark Club's recent North Texas opening sets the stage to bridge the gap between traditional sports bars and upscale casual dining.

Dave's Hot Chicken CMO reveals when and when NOT to use AI

Dave's Hot Chicken CMO Brandon Rhoten joins Fast Casual Nation to break down how the fast-growing chicken chain uses AI on the back end for customer data and…

Presented by Mountaire Farms

Restaurant traffic rebounds post Cyclospora

August 26, 2026

The newest data from Placer.ai reveals restaurant traffic is recovering from the Cyclospora outbreak.

Dillas Quesadillas to open 1st nontraditional location

August 26, 2026

Dillas Quesadillas will launch its first nontraditional location inside Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Restaurant resales fall in 2026; turnkey, franchise deals surge

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

High interest rates and construction costs are reshaping the restaurant resale market, driving buyers toward equipped second-generation spaces and proven…

National Restaurant Association: Beverages give brands daypart, sales boost

August 25, 2026

Beverages are becoming one of the most dynamic and innovative growth drivers in the restaurant industry, according to the National Restaurant Association's…

From the boardroom to the prep line: How Stonefire Grill's CEO is fueling legacy growth

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Stonefire Grill CEO David Youngberg joins the Restaurant Operator Podcast to share how his hands-on leadership, people-first culture and strategic use of guest…

How Teriyaki Madness flips franchise growth by vetting real estate before the deal is signed

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Franchise Development Real Estate Manager Jake Lowell breaks down how the fast-casual chain cut opening timelines to 18 months and secured over 80 leases in 1…

New study reveals revenue gaps from missed calls

August 24, 2026

Revmo, a provider of voice-enabled conversational AI for restaurants, released a comprehensive five-chapter report, "The State of Restaurant Calls 2026.…

Huey Magoo’s signs agreements for 60 restaurants

August 21, 2026

Orlando-based Huey Magoo's has awarded development rights to eight franchise groups for 60 restaurants across the United States.

Houston TX Hot Chicken hires Ashley Prokos as senior director of franchise sales

August 21, 2026

Franchise growth drives Hawaiian Bros’ 2026 expansion

August 20, 2026

Hawaiian Bros Island Grill continued its growth trajectory during the first half of 2026, signing development deals with experienced franchisees to support…

AI and the Future of Restaurants: From Foot Traffic to Predictive Insight

As consumer behavior and privacy expectations evolve, restaurants need smarter ways to understand diners and drive growth. Gladys Kong of Azira and Isabelle…

Presented by Azira

Firehouse Subs opens 1,500th restaurant

August 19, 2026

Firehouse Subs opened its 1,500th restaurant this week at 2608 Enterprise Dr., in Abilene, Texas. The firefighter-founded hot sub brand's newest location is…

Real talk, damn good biscuits and growing a national chain

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Lauren Coulter is co-Founder and chief biscuit eater of Biscuit Belly, the Louisville, Kentucky, brunch brand she built with her husband and co-Founder, Chad…

Pokeworks reports 10% year-over-year unit growth in Q2

August 18, 2026

Irvine, California-based Pokeworks opened five locations, has eight more under development and signed multiple-unit franchise agreements during the second…

MOOYAH Burgers inks master franchise agreement for UAE expansion

August 18, 2026

Plano, Texas-based MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes signed a master franchise agreement with Great Foods USA LLC to expand the brand in the United Arab…