Beyond the balance sheet: why the future of franchising is proactive, not passive

At the upcoming Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit, industry experts will share strategies for moving beyond passive bookkeeping to maximize…

Reigniting passion in your team: a blueprint for peak performance

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

Cultivating employee passion through purpose, recognition and autonomy is the key to driving superior business performance, innovation and long-term retention…

Pizza vs. Chicken: The ultimate industry 'vibe check' at RFIS

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Executives in the pizza and chicken restaurant fields will answer questions about feedback in a 'Family Feud'-style game at the Restaurant Franchising and…

Pokeworks gearing up for expansion

February 16, 2026

Pokeworks reported record-breaking performance for 2025, driven by an 18% expansion of its store system and the highest guest satisfaction ratings in the…

Fuego Tortilla Grill opening in Louisiana

February 16, 2026

Texas-based Fuego Tortilla Grill is crossing state lines to bring its "más es más" philosophy to Louisiana when it opens March 3 in Baton Rouge. The fast…

Kelli Valade tapped to lead Women’s Foodservice Forum

February 13, 2026

Kelli Valade, a veteran food industry executive with a resume spanning some of the nation's largest dining chains, has been tapped to lead the Women's…

2026 State of the Industry: 10 trends redefining the restaurant landscape

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The 2026 restaurant landscape is more data-rich than ever, but it remains a people-first business. By leveraging technology to remove friction, operators can…

Peter Piper Pizza truly engrained in the communities it serves

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

In this podcast episode, Peter Piper Pizza CMO Genaro Perez discusses how the 50-year-old legacy brand drives growth through affordable lunch buffets and a…

Wonder acquires NYC's Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken

February 10, 2026

Mealtime platform Wonder has acquired Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, a move aimed at scaling the New York City brand across its digital and physical ecosystem.

Toast, Instacart partnership to 'bridge gap between digital marketplaces, physical storefronts'

February 10, 2026

Restaurant tech giant Toast and grocery delivery provider Instacart are working together to bridge the gap between digital marketplaces and physical…

Ovation secures $3M in funding led by customers

February 10, 2026

Ovation, a guest experience and operations platform for multi-unit restaurants, has raised $3 million in a funding round backed entirely by its own customers.

Successful and struggling: The Founder paradox no one talks about

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

We explore the "founder's paradox" of being both successful and isolated, ultimately arguing that connecting with a community of peers is the essential…

Pei Wei expands Oklahoma footprint, upgrades digital experience

February 6, 2026

Pei Wei Asian Kitchen expanded its Oklahoma City-area footprint Tuesday with an opening in Yukon, debuting a redesigned interior and an updated digital…

Mason's opening 20 locations in Middle East

February 6, 2026

Mason's Famous Lobster Rolls, the largest brick-and-mortar lobster roll chain in the United States, is expanding into the Middle East, marking the first major…

Applications now open for LDEI 2026 Awards

February 5, 2026

Applications are now open for the 2026 Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) Legacy Awards, supported by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the…

Grubhub eliminating fees on orders over $50

February 5, 2026

Grubhub is moving to eliminate the industry's most persistent pain point by waiving delivery and service fees on larger orders, a shift the company will debut…

Bridging the restaurant coaching gap: LEAD announces leadership events in KC, Dallas

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

As the publisher of FastCasual.com and a proud Kansas Citian, I've always said that some of the best leadership in the restaurant industry is bred right here…

The power players: Inside the playbooks of Fast Casual’s 2026 rising stars

Discover the rising stars of fast casual dining as hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler interview three breakout brands from FastCasual.com's 2026 list of 2…

Presented by Jeff's Bagel Run

Loop AI secures $14M Series A to scale restaurant back-office technology

February 3, 2026

Loop AI, an enterprise AI platform for restaurant and retail back offices, has raised $14 million in Series A funding, according to a press release.

Wahlburgers expanding via The Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops locations

February 3, 2026

Wahlburgers, the burger chain founded by brothers Mark, Donnie and Paul Wahlberg, announced a major national expansion strategy, including partnerships with…