Birdcall’s Midwest expansion strategy backed by tech, real estate

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Fast-casual chicken chain said that proprietary technology, real estate optoins and a multichannel business model will help with its Midwest expansion.

Wonder, Zipline to launch Texas food drone delivery program

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Wonder and Zipline have partnered to bring drone food delivery to Texas.

How Joe & the Juice is scaling without losing brand identity

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Joe & the Juice combines aggressive U.S. expansion plans with maintaining the identity that factored into its growth.

How Velvet Taco CEO Chris Schultz scales a cult brand without losing its soul

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

During his keynote at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Texas, Chris Schultz will discuss restaurant growth, brand culture, leadership, international…

Paytronix, Qu launch upgraded menu, order integration for restaurants

June 29, 2026

Paytronix, a guest engagement and digital ordering solutions provider, announced an upgraded integration with commerce platform Qu to automatically sync online…

The Power of the Rearview Mirror and the Windshield: An activity of reflection and projection

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Using the metaphor of a vehicle's small rearview mirror and large windshield, columnist Kathleen Wood shares a structured framework designed to briefly…

Nick the Greek keeps rolling in Orange County with 7th opening

June 29, 2026

Nick the Greek has opened its seventh Orange County, California, location at 1313 W. 17th St., in Santa Ana.

Einstein Bros bakes up growth with 300-plus U.S. locations planned by 2030

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Leslie Haver, senior director, design, said the prototype will be slightly larger in most locations to support in-store dining and offer a better customer…

Improving restaurant food cost margins: Benchmarks, tips and expert insights

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Running restaurants is costly, but effective food cost reduction strategies can help operators protect their margins and cut their expenses.

Birdcall targets 100 Midwest locations in 5-year franchise expansion

June 26, 2026

Birdcall plans to expand into the Midwest with a goal of opening 100 franchised restaurants across six states over the next five years.

Smoothie King to open 1st Western New York location in Penfield

June 26, 2026

Smoothie King will open its first Western New York location on July 18 in Penfield as part of a three-unit development agreement. The restaurant, located at…

Freddy's joins premium beverage trend with new drink lineup

June 25, 2026

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has launched Freddy's Bevies, a beverage lineup featuring custard cream sodas, flavored teas and lemonades. The…

The Cost of Running Your Restaurant's Internal Communication on Personal Messaging Apps

Using personal messaging apps for work communication creates hidden costs for restaurant teams, from privacy risks and blurred workdays to missed tasks and…

Restaurant summer hiring soft again, projected to add 450K jobs

June 24, 2026

The number of 16- to 19-year-olds in the workforce totaled about 6 million in April, down 200,000 from the same period in 2024 and 2025. The labor force…

From kitchens to tech hubs: Inside fast casual’s digital revolution

In the latest episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, Cherryh Cansler, publisher of FastCasual.com, sits down with Luke Wilwerding, Vice President of North…

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Sweetgreen debuts in Tennessee with Nashville opening

June 23, 2026

Sweetgreen will open its first Tennessee location June 30 in Nashville's Gulch neighborhood.

Houston TX Hot Chicken flies to UK with PizzaExpress franchise deal

June 23, 2026

Houston TX Hot Chicken has signed a master franchise agreement with PizzaExpress to bring its fast-casual chicken concept to the United Kingdom. Under the…

Togo's expanding with tech-centric prototype, broker-sourced leads

June 22, 2026

Founded in 1971 near San Jose State University, Togo's Sandwiches is gearing up for a major Western U.S. expansion after partnering with Franchise FastLane's…

Former senator opening Juice It Up in Utah

June 22, 2026

Juice It Up! has entered Utah through a multi-unit development agreement with local franchisees Aaron and Nancy Osmond. The move expands the smoothie and raw…

Chipotle COO Jason Kidd reveals strategy behind tech-driven back-of-house overhaul

Chipotle COO Jason Kidd joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to break down how the 4,100-unit brand is winning and retaining the…

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