Snack bars experiencing double-digit growth opportunities

February 12, 2014

Convenient, portable and often better-for-you, snack bars' appeal as a snack or meal replacement has made this a double-digit growth category across…

Who will be left standing when fro-yo battle is over?

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Fro-yo's segment's growth and appeal are sustainable in the longterm but will lead to maturation in larger markets.

Consumer trend report explores popularity of soup and salad

February 6, 2014

A new consumer trend report from Technomic reveals insights into consumer preferences for soup and salad. According to a news release from the company, more…

Report: Consumption shift in beef requires more cost control

February 5, 2014

Rabobank has published a new report on the U.S. cattle industry, calling for changes in the way beef is produced in order for the industry to remain…

Fast casual only restaurant segment to grow traffic in 2013

February 5, 2014

Fast casual restaurants continue to be a bright spot for the foodservice industry, which has yet to fully recover from the Great Recession, according to The…

Multicultural alliance recognizes restaurant industry's Black CEOs

February 5, 2014

According to the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, this year's Black History Month is more significant thanks to a milestone achievement in…

Surging wages and digital ordering

by Noah Glass — CEO, Olo

My last byline asked readers to consider the idea of "surge pricing" — charging higher prices based upon real-time high demand — as applied to the restaurant…

Chipotle embracing mobile payments

February 4, 2014

Chipotle said it will invest $10 million to redesign its technology network and add mobile payments to its app, according to Chris Arnold, the chain's…

Study: Restaurant consumers want more focus on sustainability

February 4, 2014

Sustainability and social responsibility are taking on greater importance within the foodservice industry, according to a study just completed by research firm…

Americans' dining out habits changed by recession

by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

A new report indicates that food-away-from-home spending has dropped by nearly 13 percent.

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 — Editor, 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…