Building unity through community

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

By fostering shared experiences and intentional connections, the restaurant industry serves as a vital "community connector" that accelerates growth for…

Speaker Spotlight: Liz Williams, CEO, El Pollo Loco

Liz Williams, CEO of El Pollo Loco, shares a look at her career, her achievements and industry trends ahead of her appearance at the Restaurant Franchising …

La Madeleine eyes accelerated growth following 'Ignite the Joy' turnaround

February 20, 2026

French-inspired bakery-cafe la Madeleine is entering 2026 with its strongest expansion pipeline in nearly a decade, following a year of operational…

Can Dave’s Hot Chicken leaders conjure magic from Mike's Red Tacos?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Mike's Red Tacos, a beef birria concept born just four years ago, has deals in place to open more than 200 locations. While the rapid expansion is turning…

Family owned Mickey’s Deli opening 2nd location after 70 years

February 19, 2026

Mickey's Deli, a 70-year-old brand in California, has opened a second location North Redondo Beach.

Scaling sweet success: How Rita’s Italian Ice navigates franchise growth

When Lawrence Brown, Chief Development Officer at Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard, joined Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler on Fast Casual Nation, he brought…

Philadelphia-based Spread Bagelry entering Atlanta

February 18, 2026

Philadelphia-based Spread Bagelry is bringing its honey-boiled, wood-fired bagels to Buckhead next month, marking the brand's first entry into the Atlanta…

Wingstop's Q4 earnings: The good, the bad, the X-Factor

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

While 2025 saw the brand’s first same-store sales decline in over two decades, leadership is betting on a transformational operational shift and a new loyalty…

Jeff's Bagel Run: From garage bagels to 30 and growing

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

On this episode of the Founderology — Built to Breakthrough podcast, I talk with Jeff Perera, co-Founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run and a member of the inaugural…

The 10-25 Unit Playbook: Scale Without Chaos

Unlock the proven systems top restaurant operators use to scale without chaos. If you’re stuck juggling fires across 10–25 locations, this guide shows you the…

Presented by SynergySuite

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 — Publisher, 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 — Publisher, 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, Connect Media

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…