3 fast casuals conquering 'the munchies' on 4-20

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

To celebrate the holiday known as 4-20 in cannabis culture, several fast casual brands are offering special menu items and marketing campaigns.

Walmart embracing fast casuals, local services as store-based tenants

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

With the departure of McDonald's and Subway operators from within its storefronts, Walmart aims to fill in-store leased space with "relevant" tenants, ranging…

Virtual experiences + '90s nostalgia = perfect Valentine's Day for Shake Shack, Panera

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Shake Shack and Panera bread are combining virtual experiences with '90s nostalgia to win customers' hearts on Valentine's Day.

HMS Host COO to restaurateurs: Stop trying to do it all

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

HMS Host COO Joe Thornton relayed a case study around his experience transforming Jamba as a prime example of how restaurant leaders can be more effective by…

Fast Casuals honoring Pride Month with LTOs, donations

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Although a parade may not be in the cards this year because of COVID-19, restaurants are still finding ways to honor LGBT Pride Month.

Webinar offers insightful strategy for retailers in the 'new normal' of business

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

A free on-demand informative webinar, sponsored by LogMeIn, offers critical insight for retailers getting back to business in the wake of COVID-19.

Restaurants offering creative promos to drive traffic during social distancing

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Whether its slashing delivery fees, offering funny promotions or expanding services to include grocery delivery, fast casual brands are finding ways to survive…

Qdoba, California Tortilla upping their app games

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

California Tortilla and Qdoba have launched mobile app upgrades.

Fast casual in it to win it on Super Bowl Sunday

Restaurant brands are gearing up for the big game with specials and LTOs.

Starbucks goes all in on AI-enabled espresso machines

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Starbucks is rolling out 4,000 AI-enabled espresso machines.

Why Florida fast casual brand doubled down on mobile marketing

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

By implementing a mobile proximity marketing strategy, EVOS Restaurants in Florida saw a 9% lift in sales and increased website visits by over 110%.

A bitter pill: Jack in the Box, Chicken Salad Chick's, Mutt's Canine Cantina leaders discuss responding to reviews

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

You might well say that restaurant success today is actually "written in the stars," since those stars are the measurement of the positive and negative reviews…

Best practices for integrating carryout

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

By envisioning the carryout business as a component of an emerging, integrated digital ecosystem, restaurant decision makers can allocate resources in a way…

Dog Haus, Ike's, Zoup leaders say being trendy is definitely not 'where it's at'

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

The name of the game now in limited-service menu innovation has less to do with following the waves of trends that regularly sweep through food service and…

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…

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…

'How Chipotle Turned Free Burritos into Lasting Customer Relationships' focus of Oct 24 free webinar

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

Basketball and burritos are a pretty unbeatable mix. But when that duo is also paired with digital engagement as Chipotle did last spring, it is even more…

Is the honeymoon over for the fast casual segment?

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

The steady growth of recent years is tapering off, as growth for the top 500 U.S. restaurant companies for the most recent year slipped to 3.3% compared to the…

The do's and don'ts of a franchise store remodel

by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

When introducing a remodel, franchise organizations need to have a plan that includes soliciting input from franchisees as well as keeping employees informed…