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 — Editor, 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, Networld Media Group

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 — Editor, 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 — Editor, 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 — Editor, 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.

Mongolian Concepts CEO forms restaurant brand platform

January 27, 2023

Gregg Majewski, CEO of Mongolian Concepts and formerly the COO, CFO and CEO for Jimmy John's, has created Craveworthy, a parent company overseeing Wing It On…

Paris Baguette, Lavazza offering 'authentic Italian coffee experience'

January 27, 2023

Paris Baguette is partnering with Lavazza to create an authentic Italian coffee experience at its 100-plus locations nationwide

Wing It On moving up the pecking order with growth plans

January 26, 2023

Fresh off a year in which it grew by 70%, Waterbury, Connecticut-based Wing It On is adding a location to the Orlando metro area, which joins a ghost kitchen…

What Is Artificial Intelligence, And How Does It Impact Your Point-Of-Sale?

AI has become increasingly engrained in the modern technology we use every day, from our smartphones to our point-of-sale (POS) systems. Incorporating AI POS…

Blaze Pizza's growth accelerated by openings, franchise agreements in 2022

January 25, 2023

Blaze Pizza opened 13 restaurants and signed seven multi-unit development agreements in 2022. The development agreements over the past 12 months will add 2…