Taco Bell opening KC cantina

March 1, 2022

Diversified Restaurant Group, which owns nearly 300 Taco Bells, is opening its first Kansas City Taco Bell Cantina, a fast casual version of the brand that…

The Captain's Boil expands into US

February 28, 2022

Canada-based The Captain's Boil made its U.S. debut in January, implementing a point-of-sale system, kitchen display and gift card, loyalty and inventory…

Mountain Mike's franchisee purchases fleet of EVs

February 25, 2022

California-based Mountain Mike's Pizza has purchased a fleet of 20 COLO Cargo electric vehicles from ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp., according to a press…

Noodles & Co jumping on price-increase bandwagon

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

CEO Dave Boennighausen said temporary store closures and reduced operating hours caused by Covid's delta surge in the Rocky Mountain West and Upper Midwest…

Mobile orders on rise, long pickup wait times lead to frustration

February 24, 2022

Mobile orders continue to rise and customers generally approve of restaurants' apps but longer wait times for mobile pickups and orders not ready at pickup are…

RE/MAX founder opening 20 Daddy's Chicken Shacks

February 24, 2022

Pasadena, California-based Daddy's Chicken Shack has inked a 20-unit deal with Dave Liniger, the founder of RE/MAX, to open 10 locations in both Denver and…

Inspire Brands opens 1st dual Dunkin', Jimmy John's unit

February 24, 2022

Inspire Brands has launched its first co-branded unit combining a Dunkin' and Jimmy John's.

Guthrie's opens in Thomasville, Georgia

February 24, 2022

Chicken finger pioneer Guthrie's has opened a restaurant in Thomasville, Georgia, according to a press release.

Restaurant execs gambling for a good cause

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

A few hundred restaurant leaders are gathering in Nashville next month at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, where they will participate in…

Target testing drive-up for returns, Starbucks orders

February 23, 2022

Target is testing a curbside service that would let guests get a Starbucks order as well as make a return to the store via a contactless app feature.

Chipotle ties executive bonuses to environmental goals

February 23, 2022

Chipotle Mexican Grill is tying executive bonuses to its 2022 environmental, social and governance goals. The objectives, which are categorized by Food &…

How food became 'vehicle to dream' for Paris Baguette chef

by Dan Hyman

Yvette Castillo, senior research and development manager at Paris Baguette, opens up about what it takes to be both a food scientist and designer.

Clean Juice reports 'best fourth quarter ever'

February 22, 2022

Despite the ongoing global pandemic and seasonality impact, North Carolina-based Clean Juice reported its best fourth quarter ever, including a cumulative…

3 Ways to Future-Proof Your Restaurant Tech Stack

It’s clear that a digital transformation is no longer a "nice to have" but a necessity for future viability. At Qu, we believe the winning restaurants in the…

Rise Biscuit founder will be missed

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Tom Ferguson, founder of Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken, died Thursday, Feb. 17, at age 57.

Scooter's opening Atlanta-based distribution center

February 21, 2022

Omaha-based Scooter's Coffee is opening an Atlanta-area distribution center in May with Harvest Roasting, its branded, vertically integrated supply chain…

I Heart Mac N Cheese opening drive-thru location

February 18, 2022

South Florida-based I Heart Mac & Cheese is opening its first drive-up pickup window location next week in Gulfport, Mississippi. Dubbed, "FastMac," the…

Are you showing your franchisees enough love?

by Patrick Pleiss — Co-Founder, Hyperlocology

Patrick Pleiss, the co-founder of Hyperlocology, and Justin Bartek, director of Marketing for JINYA Holdings, reveal a bit about what they'll be discussing…

Shake Shack raising prices, focusing on drive-thru

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

February 18, 2022

Although Shake Shack implemented a 3% price hike last year, wage and supply inflation are triggering another round of price increases, CEO Randy Garutti said…

2 ways restaurants should prepare for the 'next reopen’

by Kelly Esten

Data suggests Omicron may be starting to subside, which should encourage more customers to come back to restaurants. Below are two ways restaurants should…