Franchising Focus: CEO confident that his Buffalo fries will hit the Spot

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Buffalo Spot CEO Ivan Flores thinks he can change how Americans order wings.

Applebee's testing fast casual concept

Applebee's is on top of the casual dining sector, and its success may be due to the fact that it has leaned into the fast casual mindset.

Click this: Top 10 fast casual stories of 2019

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

It's almost bottle-popping time, but first let's take a look back at FastCasual's most popular articles of 2019.

Kansas City fine-dining experts open fast casual concept

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Chef Michael Corvino and his wife and business partner, Christina, are experts when it comes to fine dining. The owners of Corvino Supper Club & Tasting Room…

Newk's reveals new digs

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

After polling guests to learn what they wanted in their hometown Newk's, the brand has revealed its makeover in Jackson, Mississippi.

How Cousins Subs CEO knew it was time for $8M rebrand

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Cousins CEO Christine Specht reveals how she knew it was time for an $8 million rebrand and how those changes have lead to huge increases in AUVs and…

Why Aloha Poke sticks with a simple biz model

Operating a restaurant is obviously complicated, but Aloha Poke CEO Chris Birkinshaw has found that keeping things simple is the way to go.

Gott's was fast casual before 'fast casual' was a thing

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Although the term "fast casual" hadn't been coined when Gott's Roadside opened in 1999, in St. Helena, Northern California, the seven-unit chain was operating…

How 1 VP manages supply chain of 4 brands with 1,100 units

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Debbie Pagliai, VP of Supply Chain at Coffee & Bagel Brands, discusses her strategy to managing the supply chain of a 1,100-unit brand.

Potbelly's redesign streamlines ordering process

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Potbelly Sandwich Shop rolled out a redesign featuring a streamlined ordering experience with separate ordering and dining areas at its location in Logan…

Swedish college student becomes Subway franchisee

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Two years after Amira Ben Khalifa began working as a sandwich maker at a Subway in Sweden, the 25-year-old college student is now its owner.

2019 Perfect Pitch winner: 'Best fried chicken in the land of fried chicken'

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

Louisville, Kentucky brand, Royals Hot Chicken is not only a hot commodity in its fried chicken-steeped home base, but also managed to burn up the competition…

Marketing on a shoestring? Yes, it can be done

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Automatic Merchandiser

Social media gives operators with limited budgets a way to gain exposure to customers. Supporting charities and non-profits also helps, as a panel talk at the…

8 foodservice innovations that should be on your radar

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Check out eight innovative foodservice products designed to make operating a restaurant a little easier and energy efficient.

Fast casuals bliss out over plant-based ice cream

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Ice cream and frozen novelties made up $304 million of the retail plant-based market in the U.S. as of April 2019, with revenues increasing 26% over last year…

What to do when franchisees go rogue

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

As franchise organizations expand, they oftentimes find it makes sense to allow franchisees some freedom in how they market the brand. But knowing how much…

Chef Chatter: 4 ways to make your food stand out

Janet Tatarka, director of bakery logistics and training at Great Harvest Bread Co, discusses the importance of brands adhering to their values in order to…

Jon Taffer seeking franchisees to expand latest concept

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Taffer's Tavern has signed its first multi-unit franchise agreement with Five Guys Taverns to bring five locations to Georgia.

How sweetgreen execs use tech to sweeten employee training

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Although technology has gotten a bad reputation for cutting human interaction, sweetgreen is using a variety of tech tools to get up close and personal with…

3 fast casuals entering new markets

Chicken Salad Chick is opening in Virginia, Melt Shop is entering Florida and Jollibee is expanding into Calgary, Canada.