FCES15: Beverage smarts: What’s on trend

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Beverages are an important aspect of the consumer dining experience and play a critical part of a restaurant’s branding efforts. Being on trend is key to…

FCES15: Why design is key to customer engagement

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

Design is a key aspect for the customer experience and plays directly into the "corporate soul" and building a relationship with customers.

Restaurants scaring up Halloween promotions

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

Several chains are celebrating Halloween with various promotions.

Why giving back should be part of your business strategy

Corporate social responsibility is a vital part of a brand’s identity, especially to the increasingly impactful millennial generation.

How location-based marketing helped Cousins Subs increase sales

by Travis Wagoner — Editor, Networld Media Group

The chain increased app downloads by 42 percent, increased mobile ordering traffic by 63 percent, and increased limited-time-only sales online and in-store for…

Franchise focus: Can Captain D's hook fast casual market share?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

While many may still consider the seafood restaurant a quick service restaurant, CEO Phil Greifeld said that in 2011 the chain began transitioning from a QSR…

Why Chipotle is wrong about loyalty

by Jitendra Gupta — Mobile CRM Director, Punchh

Mobile technology is changing the way guests engage with restaurants and is on its way to becoming an indispensable source of competitive advantage for brands.

Why agile insights is the secret sauce of restaurant success

Rachel Schwartz of Crowdtap shares three ways that agile research tools aligned with millennials’ digital consumption habits can help QSR and fast casual…

2 experts, 7 points about emerging social media for your restaurant

by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

When should you incorporate emerging social media channels into your restaurant marketing strategy? Where do you start and what if it goes wrong?

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…

Success pours from Buffalo Wild Wings' beer program

by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

The surprising element of success at Buffalo Wild Wings is not just the restaurant's wings, according to CEO Sally Smith in her BAR Keynote Speech at the…

3 lessons restaurants can learn from ad agencies

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Retailers, marketers and business owners can learn a lot from ad agencies.

Extra! Extra! How the odd pairing of newspapers and pizza built a successful brand for Pizza Press

by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Read about how two seemingly unrelated concepts - pizza and newspapers - have merged together to create a brand experience at…

Starbucks suspends 'Race Together' campaign amid criticism

by Josh Fischer — Editor, NetWorld

Hoping to encourage a dialogue around race-related issues, the Seattle-based coffee giant devised the now partially dismantled "Race Together" campaign where…

6 must-do strategies attracting millennial diners

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Want a piece of millennials $1.7 trillion in spending power? Here are six ways you can grab it.

Is Panera 2.0 starting to pay off?

by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

Panera will report on its Q4 and FY 2014 earnings on Feb. 12, and the question on everyone's mind is, "How's that 2.0 thing going?" We sat down with Panera's…

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.

Building genuine customer engagement in an Instagram world

Instead of exhausting yourself trying to change customer behavior, take the necessary steps to minimize the distractions cell phones can present.

Executive round table: Fast casual segment leaders make their 2015 predictions

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

Local marketing, local sourcing, mobile technologies and customer service initiatives are all expected to move to the front burner in the New Year.

Rearview 2014: Mobile helps brands reduce friction, stay connected

by Brenda Rick Smith — Editor, Networld Media Group

Mobile technology helped brands reduce friction and connect with customers in 2014.