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…

How Schlotzsky's, Auntie Anne's, Krystal, Huey Magoo's bring technology to the table

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The final panel at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Louisville made it clear that chains need to tackle the challenges of online ordering…

How Mooyah, Which Wich use freebies to drive traffic, attract customers, grow sales

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Offering limited-time freebies will nearly always increase traffic in the short term, but restaurant brands failing to transform those extra bodies into higher…

Why 4 is the magic number in customer retention

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Repeat visits are top of mind for every brand but few may realize how critical the fourth customer visit is and why it requires a specific strategy.

Cowboy Chicken, Modern Market and the omnichannel digital experience

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Sean Kennedy, president of Cowboy Chicken, and Modern Market Technology Director Brian Anderson shared insight and tips on crafting a digital experience…

Former Food Network exec offering marketing tips at Fast Casual Executive Summit

Susie Fogelson, the driving force behind the Food Network and Cooking Channel brands for 15 years, a judge on "Next Food Network Star," and founder of F&Co, is…

What fast casual leaders should know about the blockchain

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Bradley Cooper, editor of Blockchain Tech News, gives restaurant leaders the lowdown on how to make the blockchain work for them.

Millennials: 'Give us big discounts, cut the small talk'

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

One of the more eye-opening sessions at this Fast Casual Executive Summit in Nashville this month was a quick, question-filled hour-long chat with a varied…

Webinar: The Halal Guys shares 3 loyalty lessons with big pay-offs

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

The Halal Guys Marketing Director Andrew Eck related valuable information in the hour-long session, including three principles that he said brands must keep in…

Study: Billions wasted on loyalty efforts that bomb

by Sherry Yang

Restaurants invest a lot in loyalty programs, but one massive study just completed by operational strategy company, Accenture, says a lot of that money is…

Franchise Focus: Togo's exec pulls back the curtain on loyalty strategy

by Matthew Harper — Intern, Networld Media Group

Cultivating brand loyalty is a key component to running any successful restaurant, but implementing it is easier said than done. Despite the difficulties, one…

Pei Wei CMO opens up about chain's growth spurt

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Fueling the growth is a new loyalty campaign, a more customizable menu, a localized restaurant marketing program and a refresh of some of the chain's older…

Panera exec: Payment, mobile innovations achieving major success

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Panera's still full throttle in expanding payment strategies to reduce consumer friction points and enhancing the customer experience.

Living the brand: How &pizza CEO has inspired customers to wear its logo forever

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

&pizza is the name of the Washington, D.C.-based pizzeria co-founded by Michael Lastoria and Steve Salis in July 2012. Since then, it's expanded to 1…

10 fresh restaurant marketing ideas for 2016

Today there are marketing techniques that won't break the bank and will help you save time. Use these restaurant marketing ideas to take your business to the…

Building the brand culture: It’s all about empowering employees

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Establishing a 'cult' philosophy in building a robust brand culture isn't a bad thing. In fact, it's one of several valuable and viable approaches.

Going beyond the discount with new approaches to spur brand loyalty

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Fast casual operators want to reward guests with more than food. There are new loyalty program trends to attract new customers, boost revenues and provide…

Email marketing is far from a dead marketing tool

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Email is ubiquitous personally and professionally, which means email marketing is far from dead.

6 dos and don’ts of successful loyalty programs

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Loyalty programs are a standard form of marketing in restaurants these days, whether they’re done digitally or via old-fashioned punch cards. All programs are…

How restaurants are using gamification to increase engagement in loyalty apps

by Brenda Rick Smith — Editor, Networld Media Group

Restaurants are discovering the power of leveraging apps, loyalty programs and games to engage customers and drive traffic.