Restaurant Design / Layout News & Media

Why Chain’s ‘pop cuisine’ concept is testing food hall format

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

The American pop-cuisine food brand is launching its newest dining format to determine the viability of different, experiential locations.

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Shark Club takes a deliberate bite out of the US sports restaurant market

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Shark Club's recent North Texas opening sets the stage to bridge the gap between traditional sports bars and upscale casual dining.

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Dillas Quesadillas to open 1st nontraditional location

August 26, 2026

Dillas Quesadillas will launch its first nontraditional location inside Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City, Louisiana.

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Healthy fast casual goes convenient: Konala, Clean Eatz redefining drive-thru, grab-and-go

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Two brands, two models — one goal: making nutritious food as fast and effortless as fast food.

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How Tony Roma's is using fast-casual strategies to reinvent itself

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

CEO Mina Haque explains how the 54-year-old brand is adapting to changing consumer habits without abandoning its casual-dining roots.

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Buffalo’s Express opens 1st standalone restaurant, expands beyond Fatburger co-brand model

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

FAT Brands' Jake Berchtold explains how the former co-located Buffalo's Express opened its first stand-alone restaurant in Washington State.

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The Melt's airport debut takes flight at SFO

July 10, 2026

The Melt has opened its first airport restaurant at San Francisco International Airport's Harvey Milk Terminal 1.

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Birdcall’s Midwest expansion strategy backed by tech, real estate

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Fast-casual chicken chain said that proprietary technology, real estate optoins and a multichannel business model will help with its Midwest expansion.

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Earl of Sandwich opens permanent Downtown Disney location

June 30, 2026

Earl of Sandwich has opened a permanent restaurant in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort after operating from temporary locations for…

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Einstein Bros bakes up growth with 300-plus U.S. locations planned by 2030

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Leslie Haver, senior director, design, said the prototype will be slightly larger in most locations to support in-store dining and offer a better customer…

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Birdcall targets 100 Midwest locations in 5-year franchise expansion

June 26, 2026

Birdcall plans to expand into the Midwest with a goal of opening 100 franchised restaurants across six states over the next five years.

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Gong cha debuts in Maine with South Portland location

June 24, 2026

Boston-based Gong cha will soon launch its first Maine location next week in South Portland, bringing the bubble tea brand to 200 Running Hill Road. The unit…

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Swig signs 10-unit franchise deal for Colorado expansion

May 6, 2026

Swig has signed a 10-unit franchise agreement with father-and-son operators Alex and Alan Knox to bring the dirty soda concept to Colorado, continuing the…

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Smoothie King CEO launches dual-lane chicken concept in Dallas

by Amy Sorter — Writer and Editor, Connect Media

Smoothie King's CEO is offering crispy and light chicken options through his fast-casual Flock & Fresh brand in Dallas.

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Huey Magoo’s serves up its smaller, lower-cost drive-thru prototype

May 5, 2026

Huey Magoo's is rolling out a smaller, free-standing drive-thru prototype with the goal of reducing franchisee development costs by up to 40%. The model…

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Smoothie King to shift menu, store design

April 21, 2026

Smoothie King has announced a brand evolution plan to support and accelerate long-term growth. The Dallas-based fast-casual chain, which has over 1,10…

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From Pilot to National Presence in 5 Years with CloudKitchens

Hawaiian Bros has grown from a single pilot to a national brand—thanks to a strategic partnership with CloudKitchens. Known for its fresh, craveable Plate…

Presented by CloudKitchens

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Best Practices When Seeking New Restaurant Locations

Although there are no guarantees that a new location will be a success, choosing the right location can increase the chances dramatically. Download this white…

Presented by FastCasual.com

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Long John Silver’s, Blaze Pizza, Slim Chickens execs talk expansion, real estate

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Restaurants executives from Long John SIlver's, Moxie, Slim Chickens and Blaze Pizza talked about expansion and the state of restaurant real estate at the…

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TikTok a powerful call-to-action tool for restaurant operators

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Three TikTok experts led a panel discussion on using the social media platform at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit in Kansas City.

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