Restaurant Brands International enjoys strong Q4

February 15, 2023

Restaurant Brands International Inc. ended its 2022 fiscal year with a robust Q4 as systemwide sales increased nearly 12%, and over 13% for 2022 while…

Chipotle launches bowl concept in Santa Monica

February 15, 2023

Chipotle Mexican Grill is opening a restaurant called Farmesa, at the Kitchen United Mix space at 1315 3rd St., in Santa Monica, California.

How consistency, technology affects restaurant branding

February 13, 2023

Branding is critical to a restaurant company, but how much is too much? How does a brand create clear branding guidelines and incorporate a strong culture?

Big Chicken going to 'infinity and beyond'

February 9, 2023

Shaquille O'Neal-Owned Big Chicken is planning to be the first restaurant in space, and is teaming up with Blue Origin, founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos, to feed…

Dolly Llama adding 4 locations in Q1

February 9, 2023

The Dolly Llama, a Los Angeles-based waffle and artisanal ice cream brand, is planning substantial growth within the next two months, opening its first New…

Bodega Taqueria y Tequila launching national expansion

February 9, 2023

Bodega Taqueria y Tequila — South Florida's fast casual taco joint by day and speakeasy lounge by night — is kicking off a national expansion plan for its…

Chipotle misses the mark in Q4 2022

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

February 8, 2023

Despite falling short of revenue, earnings per share and same-store sales expectations for Q4, ending Dec. 31, 2022, Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol told investors…

Unlocking Memorable Restaurant Experiences by Enhancing Brand Consistency

Customers expect standardized experiences and when those expectations are not met, it can cause confusion, misinterpretation of company values, loss of trust…

Plant-based ingredients grow on pizza market

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

The NPD Group forecasts dairy and meat alternatives to grow through 2024 driven almost entirely by Millennials and Gen Zs. Not only are they looking for…

How Pollo Campero plans to dominate in US

Blas Escarcega, director of Franchise Development of Pollo Campero, discusses how the 400-unit chain born in Guatemala, plans to thrive in the U.S.

Billy D's Fried Chicken opens in Wake Forest

February 6, 2023

Chef William Dissen has opened a third North Carolina location of his farm-to-table restaurant brand, Billy D's Fried Chicken, at Wake Forest University in…

Muscle Maker crosses $200M revenue under new subsidiary

February 6, 2023

Three months after creating a subsidiary — Sadot LLC — Muscle Maker Inc. has crossed the $200 million revenue milestone. Sadot generated $58,517,750 in revenue…

Workshopping what your guest experience is missing

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Big Chicken's Sam Stanovich, Dog Haus' CJ Ramirez and Ovation CEO Zack Oates will help attendees evaluate their customer experiences and provide dozens of…

China pulls down Starbucks earnings

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

February 3, 2023

Although Starbucks reported Thursday that Q1 same-store sales grew in the U.S. by 10%, China's lower-than-expected performance left the coffee giant 2 cents…

Restaurants expanding offerings to diversify revenue

February 2, 2023

Well over a half of U.S. restaurants, 87%, plan to expand non-core offerings, such as cooking classes and retail goods, in a quest to diversify revenue and…

Why Slapfish founder created a seafood chophouse

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Celebrity Chef Andrew Gruel, who founded Slapfish and sold it last year, has returned his focus to seafood dining with the opening of the Calico Fish House — a…

Papa Gino's, D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches raise $204K for charities

January 31, 2023

Papa Gino's Pizzeria and its sister company, D'Angelo Grilled Sandwiches, has donated $204,735.82 to local organizations through a number of campaigns…

3 ways to build a profitable restaurant by staying true to your values

Norman Wu, CEO and co-founder of Conscious Hospitality Group, which owns Just Poké, describes how he doubled the brand's presence while paying higher wages…

Nominations open for FastCasual's 2023 Excellence in Food Safety awards

January 31, 2023

Nominations close Feb. 28. Wingstop was the winner of the 2022 Excellence in Food Safety award, and past winners have included Panda Express, Chipotle and…

Donatos partners with Habitat for Humanity for 2nd year

January 30, 2023

Fast-casual pizza brand Donatos has partnered with Habitat for Humanity for a second year, according to a press release.