Several fast casuals named to list of Top 10 limited-service chains

January 31, 2014

A new report published this week ranked the Top 10 limited-service chains, and several fast casual brands made the cut, including Café Rio, Firehouse Subs and…

Restaurant operators report slightly softer sales, traffic in December

January 31, 2014

As a result of softer same-store sales and customer traffic levels, the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index registered a moderate…

Chipotle reports solid growth in Q4

January 30, 2014

Chipotle Mexican Grill today reported that revenue increased 20.7 percent to $844.1 million and comparable restaurant sales were up 9.3 percent during Q4…

Truth time: Fast casual leaders answer your questions

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

CEOs discuss everything from marketing and growth to washable dishes and conumer analytics.

Restaurant industry ranks high for mobile-friendly websites

January 28, 2014

The hospitality industry is best at providing mobile-friendly websites, according to new research from hibu, a provider of digital marketing solutions and…

Canada's Informed Dining program underway at handful of chains

January 27, 2014

Canada's "Informed Dining" program is being implemented at 17 restaurant chains and counting. The program, according to The Canadian Press, lists calorie…

Fast casual going global

It's up to restaurant operators to feed consumersthe more ethnic flavors they demand.

Smashburger named a Top 10 promising company by Forbes

January 23, 2014

Smashburger is ranked No. 6 on Forbes' third annual America's Most Promising Companies list. According to a news release, Forbes' list recognizes the top 10…

Breakfast sales growth linked to healthy options, coffee

January 23, 2014

More than eight out of 10 Canadian consumers (82 percent) say they eat breakfast at least sometimes, and 32 percent say that they always eat breakfast…

Report: LTOs not a big driver for majority of consumers

January 21, 2014

A new report from The NPD Group says that a majority of consumers — 70 percent — won't try a new menu item even if they're heavily promoted. Almost 30 percent…

NRA: Embracing technology, menu trends key in 2014

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The industry will employ 13.5 million in 990,000 units, and restaurant job growth will outpace the overall job growth rate.

Cowboy Chicken's intros low-cal menu

January 16, 2014

Dallas-based Cowboy Chicken has created a new Low Cal Corral Menu to help customers wanting to eat healthy. The menu offers five meals under 500 calories…

Trend watch: Potatoes are a center-plate food

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Just as the salad once moved from the sidelines to become a star entree, the potato is coming off the bench.

A look into the menu crystal ball: Top 3 trends of 2014

Why eggs, tea and local produce will grab the spotlight.

Digital agency forecasts restaurant tech trends

January 14, 2014

The team at Dreambox Creations, a digital agency for the restaurant industry, has forecasted five tech trends that restaurateurs should consider for 2014. They…

Pei Wei 'reFRESHES' menu, look

January 14, 2014

As individuals across the country make New Year's resolutions, Pei Wei Asian Diner has resolved to "reFRESH" nationwide with a new year full of new options.

United Fresh launches new quarterly report, webinar series

January 7, 2014

United Fresh Produce Association has launched "Fresh Insights for Foodservice," a new quarterly report showcasing the latest trends in fresh produce use in…

Fast casuals targeting New Year's resolutioners

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Will skinny-seeking consumers fatten up your profits?

Restaurant lunch traffic experiences uptick globally

January 6, 2014

Britain's restaurant and foodservice industry benefited from the area's mild weather with strong visit and spending growth in the third quarter, according to…

Survey shows small business optimism for 2014

January 3, 2014

ShopKeep POS, a provider of cloud-based business management software for the retail and restaurant industries, recently surveyed more than 640 small businesses…