Female-led fast casual incubator launches in NYC

March 7, 2023

Trust Bae opened this week in New York City featuring a "Japanese-style menu with Filipino flair" created by celebrity Chef Frances Tariga, who has appeared on…

Flybuy expands Olo integrations

March 3, 2023

Flybuy, a location-based customer experience platform from Radius Networks, now boasts two new integrations with the open software-as-a-service Olo platform…

Wingstop tests AI powered virtual assistants for order taking

March 2, 2023

Wingstop, a QSR brand, has introduced ConverseNow's voice-AI powered virtual assistants to handle Wingstop's phone orders in select restaurant locations under…

Restaurant industry recovering from pandemic fallout

March 2, 2023

The U.S. restaurant industry is on the mend from the pandemic, which triggered restrictions and closures, according to The NPD Group's fall 2022 restaurant…

Wow Bao amps up US grocery presence

March 2, 2023

Wow Bao has expanded its nationwide grocery presence with Hissho Sushi, which has over 2,000 sushi counters, serving sushi inside grocery stores. Wow Bao's…

Ascent Solutions and Star Micronics Revolutionize ERP for Salesforce Users

Ascent Solutions ERP has partnered with Star Micronics, a leading POS hardware company, to deliver a true POS software to Salesforce users.

Optimize your upselling and cross-selling tactics for maximum return on investment

Upselling and cross-selling strategies can increase revenue and build brand loyalty when used in conjunction with a comprehensive POS software solution

'Shark Tank' winner Cupbop’s taps Qu as tech stack partner

February 24, 2023

Cupbop, a 46-unit chain that appeared on "Shark Tank," has selected Qu as its full-stack technology partner and is consolidating its omnichannel ordering…

A Futuristic Food Brand Finds a Futuristic Tech Partner in Qu

Cupbop’s unique spin on Korean BBQ and futuristic brand plans leads to Shark Tank win and tech partnership with Qu.

Bonchon same-stores sales up 5%

February 23, 2023

South Korea-based Bonchon, which serves double-fried Korean chicken, posted positive numbers for 2022, including a 5% increase in same-store sales — a strong…

Panera Bread offering annual unlimited Sip Club membership

February 22, 2023

Panera Bread is offering an annual unlimited Sip Club membership for $119.99 per year, which offers a year's worth of unlimited beverages for the price of 1…

Former Perfect Pitch contestant lands $2.5M investment to fuel growth

February 21, 2023

Seattle-based Dué Cucina, a fast casual Italian brand that competed in the 2019 Perfect Pitch at the Fast Casual Executive Summit, has landed a $2.5 million…

Last call: FastCasual's Excellence in Food Safety nominations closing soon

February 21, 2023

Entries will be accepted until midnight ET on Feb. 28, 2023.

Famous Toastery president: '3 ways to reduce opening costs'

Mike Sebazco, president of Famous Toastery, outlines how strong vendor partnerships, a smart build-out model and purposeful incentives can cut costs for owners.

Experts explore NFTs, digital innovation, labor shortages, food insecurity needs

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Attendees will become mini experts in all-things NFT, digital innovation, fixing the labor shortages and meeting food insecurity needs. Speakers include Blaine…

Dickey's 'boosting' virtual concepts

February 16, 2023

Since launching Boost Virtual Concepts in July 2022, Dickey's Barbecue Pit is quickly expanding its virtual brands — Wing Boss, Trailer Birds and Big Deal…

Kura Sushi opening 44th, 45th US locations

February 16, 2023

Kura Sushi, a Japanese-based concept serving cuisine through a revolving sushi service model, opened last week in Edison, New Jersey, and will launch this…

Surviving and Thriving in the New Restaurant Normal

Despite recent challenges, many operators are doing more than just surviving; they’re finding ways to thrive. To find out how, the team at FastCasual.com spoke…

Presented by FastCasual.com

Shake Shack's Q4 results inch past expectations

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

February 16, 2023

Shake Shack reported Wednesday that it barely beat analysts' estimates for Q4, ending Dec. 28, 2022. Revenue was $238.5 million, inching past the $238.…

Chicken Salad Chick, Cava, Tazikis score high in Merchant Centric report

February 15, 2023

Cava, Chicken Salad Chick, Tazikis, Skyline Chili and Cheba Hut all scored high for price, value and loyalty, winning more praise than complaints in a Merchant…