Why restaurants should use menu-labeling delay to ensure accuracy

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Even though some public health advocates have claimed the extension is a setback for public health, the good news is the delay gives food service operators…

Trademarking 101: Can Chipotle be the 'Chipotle of the better-burger' segment?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The term "better burger" may prove difficult to trademark, however, as it's been widely used among media and other restaurant operators to describe a variety…

Heard at the Summit: Memorable quotes from Day 1

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Any time you gather some of the industry's brightest CEOs, franchisors, chefs, franchisees and vendors, there is sure to be some insightful quotes. We've…

Why you should never listen to your customers

by Jon Smith — Founder, Owner, Jon Smith Subs

"Sometimes I think the perfect restaurant would say “Mother Nature's Health Food” in big letters on the outside, but inside only serve burgers, cokes and…

How to create gift cards, promos, badges inside your restaurant

Instead of paying a third-party company to create your restaurant’s gift cards, why not save money and have complete control by investing in an in-house card…

Why loyalty programs will drive restaurants, customers to embrace mobile payments

by Tal Nathanel — Co-Founder and U.S. CEO, MyCheck

With mobile payment apps, restaurants enjoy faster transactions — tables can be turned up to 10 minutes faster — and users tip higher, spend more and make more…

CONNECT: How to get your app into the hands of millennials

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Millennials will only keep 20 apps on a phone so the challenge is creating one that makes the cut.

Will silence prove deadly for Jimmy John's?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The killing of Cecil the lion is putting big game hunting at the forefront of the public's attention, and some consumers are directing their rage at Jimmy…

Customers demand targeted, relevant marketing messages

by Vic Mahadevan — CEO, Punchh

When blended, data on purchases, frequency, preferences, social media activity forms a 360-degree customer profile that can be used to build a long-term…

4 ways to win with in-store marketing

by Kent Barkouras — EVP Restaurant Solutions, Primary Color Systems

No matter what other problems your restaurant faces, if you can consistently get enough people in the door those problems ultimately will not matter. High…

This gay-marriage thing isn't going away: what your restaurant needs to consider when taking a stance

by Nicole Troxell — Associate Editor, Networld Media Group

With increasing support for and legalization of gay marriage among the majority of Americans, particularly millennials, it's worth considering how engaging in…

Small businesses don’t 'like' the new Facebook

by Ed Zimmerman — President, pizza.com

Facebook finally adopted the publishing model of the old school media: If you want to publicize your business, you have to pay. Small business owners and…

How did Apple Pay perform in its first quarter?

by Brenda Rick Smith — Editor, Networld Media Group

Eighty percent of Panera's mobile payments came from Apple Pay in Q1 2015. But 80 percent of how much?

How to choose the best rewards for your loyalty program

by Bob Leonard — Owner, Bolen

It's important to set the minimum purchase amount at a reasonable level so customers don’t get frustrated that they are never earning punches and thus feel…

Having a loyalty app will help increase your bottom line

by Bob Leonard — CEO, iMobile3

Membership in loyalty programs is growing at a rate of 26.7 percent and loyalty programs can increase a brand’s market share by 20 percent.

Which is better for your business: A mobile website or a mobile app?

by Bob Leonard — CEO, iMobile3

Millennials expect your website to have more than just your location, hours of operation and phone number; they want to see your menu, reviews, promotions and…

Is it time for a mobile site? Check for yourself in Google Analytics

by Greg M — SM, aCTIVEmOBI

Sixty-one percent of mobile users will simply leave a website that is not optimized for viewing on their device and will move on to competition.

Taking the ambiguity out of local marketing strategies

by Nate Riggs — CEO / Owner, NR Media Group

HuHot's VP of Marketing shares how to get franchisees to weigh in on marketing decisions, and how to blend corporate standards with local store marketing…

Three ways restaurants can be smarter with local schools

by Ed Zimmerman — President, pizza.com

Online ordering is the perfect way to remind students, parents and school administrators that you care about their needs by offering them a quick and…

What are Any’tizers, Tanglers, Frisnacks or Wrappetizers?

by Darrel Suderman — President, Food Technical Consulting

Restaurants can sell snacks at premium profit margins and can be more exciting for guests than the traditional core menu.