Success story: Camille's Sidewalk Café

February 22, 2006

How many people can say they work in peace and harmony with their spouse day in and day out? In the restaurant business, where stress and "Type A…

The truth behind organic and all-natural foods

Organic foods are a growing trend, but USDA fines restaurants up to $10,000 for misuse of the regulated term.

FC restaurant receives organic certification

February 14, 2006

LOS ANGELES — Organic to Go, an all-natural and organic cafe and corporate meal delivery service, is the first fast-casual restaurant and retailer to receive…

Einstein Brothers set up at Pearl Harbor

February 14, 2006

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Sailors and their families will be saying 'Aloha' to bagels this spring when Sodexho opens an Einstein Brothers on the Navy base at…

Starbucks serves in China's 2nd-tier cities

February 13, 2006

HONG KONG — Starbucks Corp. is pinning its future growth strategy on an aggressive expansion into China's lesser-known cities, according to chairman Howard…

Taco Del Mar keeps on growing and growing

In 2005, Taco Del Mar grew from 111 restaurants to 189.

Panera Bread inks southeast Texas development deal

February 5, 2006

Panera Bread announced a new agreement with John and Randal Oudt and Bob Stewart to develop bakery-cafes in the San Antonio and Austin markets in Texas.   The…

Kahala Corp. announces 10-unit development agreement

February 2, 2006

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kahala Corp, the Scottsdale-based franchisor of Frullati Café & Bakery, announced the signing of an area representative agreement with…

uWink: a new FC concept in L.A.

February 1, 2006

uWink announced the opening of a new Los Angeles restaurant with at-the-table touchscreens, which customers will use for ordering food. uWink will offer…

Knowfat adds menu items

January 30, 2006

BOSTON — KnowFat! Lifestyle Grille, the Massachusetts-based chain of fast-casual restaurant, introduced five new salads and two new burgers to its menu. The…

Fast Casual's Top 100 Movers and Shakers

January 25, 2006

It wasn't long ago that you had to look up the definition of "fast casual" to understand the meaning of this unique restaurant concept that is a hybrid of the…

Bennigan's introduces express concept in Mexico

January 24, 2006

PLANO, Texas — Bennigan's Grill and Tavern has opened its first Bennigan's Express restaurant in the Diversia Fun Center in Monterrey, Mexico. The express…

Camille's sales up 9 percent

January 23, 2006

TULSA, Okla. — Camille's Sidewalk Café, the Tulsa-based franchisor of fast-casual coastal influenced cafés, reported a 9-percent same-store sales increase. …

Rubio's announces new franchise agreement

January 19, 2006

CARLSBAD, Calif. — Rubio's Restaurants announced the signing of a new franchise agreement and its 2006 development plans.    Rubio's and Food Courts of Nevada…

Panera opens stores in Ohio

January 16, 2006

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Panera Bread announced new agreements with Breads of the World LLC to develop additional bakery-cafes in both the Columbus and…

Panda Express brings fresh-wokked dishes to college campuses

December 11, 2005

Fast-casual restaurant chain expands in non-traditional venues including six new university locations in 2005 and more on the way.

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill plans to open first in-arena restaurants

December 4, 2005

Carlsbad-based Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill (RUBO) will open its first two in-arena restaurant locations in early 2006 at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif.…

Provence Breads & Cafe plans a batch of sites

November 28, 2005

 Provence Breads & Cafe has about a dozen stores in the oven for the Nashville area as it turns up the heat on local rival Bread & Co. and national…

The Cheesecake Factory opens Grand Lux Cafe in Garden City, New York

November 20, 2005

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated recently announced the opening of its sixth Grand Lux Cafe restaurant on November 17, 2005 at Roosevelt Field in Garden…

Kahala Corp to develop Surf City Squeeze in the Hawaiian Islands

November 20, 2005

Kahala Corp, announced today that is has entered into a new area representative agreement with Shaun Khan, an entrepreneur from Orlando, Fla., to open 10 Surf…