Fast-casual brand collabs: Making partnership pay off

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Kelly Gray (Hot Head Burritos) Stacey Kane (chief marketing officer) Lori Primavera (Smoothie King) and Traci Graziani (Kraft Heinz) will present their…

Blaze Pizza names Tracy Stockard chief marketing officer

August 25, 2026

Blaze Pizza has appointed Tracy Stockard as chief marketing officer. A veteran marketing executive with more than two decades of experience leading national…

Blaze Pizza launches 'Practical Magic 2' inspired menu

August 21, 2026

Blaze Pizza is launching a limited-time menu inspired by the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures film "Practical Magic 2," according to a press release.

Smalls Sliders offers free dog bandanas for National Dog Day

August 21, 2026

Smalls Sliders is celebrating National Dog Day on Aug. 26 by offering a free "Can's Best Friend" bandana to guests who bring their dogs to participating…

Great Harvest unveils new branding after 50 years

August 17, 2026

Source: Great Harve Great Harvest unveiled new branding as the 50-year-old chain launches broader systemwide initiatives.

Insomnia Cookies offers free six-pack to college freshmen

August 14, 2026

Insomnia Cookies is offering incoming college freshmen a free Freshman 6-Pack of cookies as part of a back-to-school promotion. Eligible students can claim the…

Inspire doubles down on first Buffalo Wild Wings-Jimmy John’s co-brand

August 12, 2026

Inspire Brands is expanding its co-branding strategy with the Aug. 18 opening of its first Buffalo Wild Wings GO and Jimmy John's location at 5241 69th St. E…

Ziggi’s, Philadelphia Cream Cheese make beverage debuts with savory latte

August 11, 2026

Ziggi's Coffee and Philadelphia Cream Cheese have teamed up on an Everything Bagel Latte, giving both brands a beverage first, while using the limited-time…

How Tony Roma's is using fast-casual strategies to reinvent itself

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

CEO Mina Haque explains how the 54-year-old brand is adapting to changing consumer habits without abandoning its casual-dining roots.

5 menu localization myths that could hurt your restaurant brand

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

August 4, 2026

Michael Magerl, Joel Bulger, John Iannucci and Sarah Rooney are the panelists for "From Trend to Table: Operationalizing Regional Promotions in a Multi-Unit…

Café Rio debuts LTO Utah Burrito as turnaround continues

July 30, 2026

Café Rio has introduced the limited-time Utah Burrito as part of its broader turnaround effort. The state-inspired menu item debuted July 24, Utah's Pioneer…

Fast Casual Hall of Fame honoring Geoff Alexander, Mark Brezinski, Darden Coors at Executive Summit

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The 2026 Fast Casual Hall of Fame will recognize three restaurant executives whose leadership has shaped innovation, technology adoption and growth across the…

Starbucks, Delta revive mileage-earning perk for linked loyalty members

July 27, 2026

Starbucks and Delta Air Lines are relaunching a loyalty benefit that lets customers earn frequent flyer miles on their coffee purchases.

HTeaO reports Q2 growth with 10 openings, LTO launches, community initiatives

July 27, 2026

Fort Worth, Texas-based HTeaO closed out the second quarter of 2026 with 10 store openings, limited-time beverage launches and ongoing community support…

Insomnia Cookies serving 10M scoops as it launches National Ice Cream Day offer

July 22, 2026

Photo courtesy of Insomnia Cookies Insomnia Cookies served approximately 10 million scoops of ice cream across its network in 2025. Now, the…

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop launches summer menu, rewards offers

July 17, 2026

Fuzzy's Taco Shop has launched its Fuzzy's Beach Club summer campaign, featuring limited-time menu items, rewards offers, branded merchandise and a National…

bb.q Chicken partners with Stray Kids member Felix on new menu item

July 17, 2026

Fort Lee, New Jersey-based bb.q Chicken has introduced Feel Crunch Chicken, an entree developed in partnership with Felix, a member of global K-pop group Stray…

The 1:1 Personalization Playbook: Using AI to send every guest their own offer

In this session, Hang CEO Matt Smolin, whose platform powers millions of AI-personalized offers a month for restaurant brands, and Rev Ciancio, CMO of Salad…

Presented by Hang

Chicken Shack driving traffic with new chicken recipe, launching value meal

July 13, 2026

Chicken Shack is pairing its biggest menu update in more than a decade with a limited-time promotion designed to drive traffic and trial.

Smashburger simplifies summer LTO lineup to improve operations

July 8, 2026

Smashburger is taking a more focused approach to limited-time offerings this summer, introducing two burgers and two shakes as part of a broader strategy to…