Restaurant Business

JUNE 6, 2025

But it wasn’t quite so bad for fast-casual concepts , which outpaced other categories with 9% growth in 2024, according to Technomic. Fast-casual chicken chains, including Dave’s Hot Chicken, saw double-digit sales growth, while fast-casual pizza continued to falter. By Heather Lalley on Jun.

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Fast Casual Leadership 2025 2024 146

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

Salad is rising as the next drive-thru concept The fast-casual Greenlane is plotting growth across Florida with investor and NFL star Rob Gronkowski working the drive-thru window. But Tampa-based Greenlane is among a growing number of fast-casual concepts making freshly prepared salads a drive-thru option.

Fast Casual 161

Fast Casual Leadership Mobile Ordering Casual 161

Restaurant Business

APRIL 9, 2025

A Technomic Ignite Consumer report found a significant increase in average checks at both quick service and fast casual establishments. There was a nearly 8% increase in average check at quick service and a whopping 15% increase at fast casual establishments when kiosks were used for orders rather than employees.

Take-out 197

Take-out Technology Fast Casual Inventory 197

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

A rendering of Perkins Griddle & Go fast-casual concept. Simultaneously, the company also created a fast-casual version of Perkins called Griddle & Go, another nod to younger, on-the-go customers. News food drink Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains.

Fast Casual 184

Fast Casual Front of House Back of House Leadership 184

Restaurant Business

JUNE 25, 2025

Fast-casual Panera Bread has been going through significant change over the past two years, with multiple board and leadership changes. News leadership Fast_Casual Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.

Leadership 225

Leadership Fast Casual 2025 Casual 225

Restaurant Business

JULY 8, 2025

deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. It could have been worse: Fast-casual pizza chain sales declined 5%. Of the three, only Domino’s averaged a positive number, 1.22%. It’s not just those three.

Leadership 224

Leadership Point of Sale Fast Casual Email Marketing 224

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

For fast-food restaurants, where every second counts, this could be a particularly valuable tool, especially as more transactions come through digital channels. Retail media network “A type of advertising platform that allows retailers to sell ad space on their digital channels to third-party brands.”

Hiring 173

Hiring Mobile Ordering Advertising Leadership 173

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 18, 2024

So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. The quicker businesses can feed that information back into operations, the better, whether for personalized dining, staffing optimization, or advertising and marketing. Data, Data, Data.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Social Media Fast Casual 419

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

Joe Gale has more than 30 years of sales, operations and account management experience, including 20 years with Coca-Cola North America Foodservice where he worked closely with numerous QSR and fast casual brands. Our team also provides on-site support during the grand opening and afterwards during the first few weeks of operation.

Franchise 221

Franchise Franchising Loyalty Program Training 221

Restaurant Business

JUNE 24, 2025

Probably not The Bottom Line: The fast-casual Mexican chain remains a shockingly good value and its first-quarter sales slowdown was not out of the ordinary. Among fast-casual chains, the slowdown was more pronounced. None of this isn’t to say that there aren’t potential issues with the fast-casual chain.

Fast Casual 144

Fast Casual Leadership Point of Sale Social Media 144

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

Continue to Site >>> Menu C-stores are stealing fast-food tactics. Not quite yet An easy way to bring bold Korean flavors to modern menus From BBQ to beverages, menus are seeing a lot of action Food C-stores are stealing fast-food tactics. Sounds like the hallmarks of any solid fast-food restaurant. By Heather Lalley on Jun.

Food 275

Food Fast Casual Leadership Loyalty Program 275

Restaurant Business

JUNE 18, 2025

The New Jersey-based fast-casual chain has been acquired by private-equity firm Thompson Street Capital Partners, the company announced Wednesday. News acquisitions franchising Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.

Fast Casual 174

Fast Casual Leadership Franchising Franchise 174

Restaurant Business

JULY 16, 2025

Photos courtesy of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill With nine locations in Florida, fast-casual Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is David to Taco Bell’s Goliath. . Photos courtesy of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill With nine locations in Florida, fast-casual Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is David to Taco Bell’s Goliath. By Patricia Cobe on Jul.

Menu 161

Menu Fast Casual Leadership Email Marketing 161

Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

The fast-food franchisor is asking a federal court to sign off on its decision to terminate Paradigm Investment Group’s franchise agreement. Private-equity firm Savory Fund made a major investment in casual-dining chain Hawkers Asian Street Food. million last year, that’s more than double the next closest chain.

Operations 224

Operations Leadership 2025 Fast Casual 224

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

The industry is evolving fast, and simply relying on word-of-mouth or foot traffic isnt going to cut it. A casual brunch spot in a college town will attract a different crowd than a high-end steakhouse in a business district. Make It User-Friendly : A good restaurant website should be easy to navigate, mobile-friendly, and fast.

2025 195

2025 Marketing Email Marketing Operations 195

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

And fast-food customers Chef Jonathon Sawyer discusses his Chicago restaurant, Kindling, and his latest TV appearance Are we reaching peak chicken tender saturation on menus? Since the menu at this fast-casual chain is rooted in Mediterranean flavors, this dessert is not a big culinary stretch. Photo courtesy of Nick the Greek.

Bar 161

Bar Fast Casual Leadership Back of House 161

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 16, 2025

A few highlights: Scaling a fast-casual restaurant from a single location to 13+ stores across Texas, Louisiana, and Florida in just three years. What are some examples of campaigns you are most proud of and lessons you have learned? We’ve had the honor of working on so many incredible campaigns over the years.

Marketing 332

Marketing Social Media Email Marketing Back of House 332

Restaurant Business

JUNE 12, 2025

News technology delivery finance Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Premium Emerging Brands Pepper Lunch carves a niche in the Panda Express-dominated world of Asian fast casual The Japan-born franchise brand has 540 units globally, but only nine in the U.S.

Delivery 187

Delivery Leadership 2025 Advertising 187

Restaurant Business

JUNE 6, 2025

The eight-unit fast-casual concept Off The Hook Restaurants is beefing up its executive team as it plans growth in Louisiana. She also led a turnaround at Jamba as vice president of operations, and spent 14 years with Starbucks, rising to director of business operations. Blaze is now based in Atlanta. Have consumers moved on?

Fast Casual 146

Fast Casual Leadership Franchising Franchise 146

Restaurant Business

JULY 9, 2025

To put the new Whopper on the menu, the Miami-based fast-food burger chain had to bring in the brisket, Carolina gold BBQ sauce and crispy onions. “A A fun fact is that the brisket is actually pit smoked. Its smoked slowly over 10 to 14 hours, then shredded and blended with a traditional barbecue sauce,” Young added.

Leadership 144

Leadership Food Supply Loyalty Program Fast Casual 144

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

The convenience-retailing giant on Wednesday announced a Craveables Value Menu, pitting it in head-to-head competition with fast-food chains also looking to win consumers over with low prices. Photo: Shutterstock 7-Eleven is ready to do battle in the summer value wars.

Fast Casual 173

Fast Casual Cash Management Retail Leadership 173

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

Photo: Shutterstock DoorDash is doubling down on its advertising business. It’s part of a major expansion of the company’s advertising business, DoorDash Ads, which currently allows restaurants to buy promotions and sponsored listings within the DoorDash marketplace. For Amazon, advertising has become a $50 billion annual business.

Advertising 226

Advertising Fast Casual Social Media Leadership 226

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 31, 2025

Fast-casual visits overall were down 3.8 Strong consumer interest in prepared foods, commissary and beverage options has led convenience stores, often referred to as c-stores, to compete much more aggressively with quick service restaurants and fast-food chains. In December, QSR restaurants overall saw visits decline 2.9

Marketing 221

Marketing Loyalty Program 2024 2025 221

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 31, 2024

In RMS’ Q4 consumer survey , respondents reported dining out less across all categories – with fast casual and full service being hit the hardest. Monthly QSR Traffic by Sales Channel Delivery moved to the top-performing fast-food sales channel in November, with traffic up +25.0 Lunch traffic is down -0.1

Franchise 221

Franchise Franchising 2024 Mobile Ordering 221

Restaurant Business

JULY 15, 2025

Chris Tomasso, CEO of First Watch, and Barry McGowan, CEO of Fogo de Chao, are both joining a new board for Hawkers Asian Street Food, the casual-dining chain Savory acquired last month. By Jonathan Maze on Jul. 15, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Hawkers' board will feature two notable full-service chain executives.

Leadership 173

Leadership Food Fast Casual 2025 173

Restaurant Business

JUNE 24, 2025

News Emerging Brands technology Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Leadership 230

Leadership Food Fast Casual 2025 230

Restaurant Business

JUNE 5, 2025

News independents chefs Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Fast Casual 146

Fast Casual Leadership 2025 Loyalty Program 146

SpotOn

DECEMBER 27, 2024

Or perhaps you run a casual dining restaurant , and you want guests filling tables beyond peak hours. These are popular with chain restaurants and fast casual restaurants. Loyalty program costs might include discounts and free item redemptions, paid social media advertising, and printing costs for signage.

Loyalty Program 52

Loyalty Program Point of Sale Online Ordering Front of House 52

Restaurant Business

JULY 15, 2025

OpenTable says the bot will save customers time and will help restaurants capture more bookings by providing needed information fast. News technology consumers Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Sign up here. Get today’s need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence.

Leadership 194

Leadership Technology Book Fast Casual 194

The Restaurant Group

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

Utilizing Space for Promotions Tabletop Advertisements Highlight Specials Menus should include highlighting specials in visible spots. Controlling Ambiance and Environment Lighting Sets the Mood Bright lights work well for casual eateries, while dim lighting creates a cozy dining experience.

Loyalty Program 68

Loyalty Program Customer Experience Customer Service Email Marketing 68

SpotOn

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

If you're a fast-casual place and only offer a couple of alcoholic beverages, then "alcohol" should be enough. Digital advertising, marketing software , printed menus, signage, promotions, and loyalty programs. Those sales line items should match the ones in your POS reporting.

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License Point of Sale Insurance POS 90

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

17, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn DoorDash now offers services like reservations and advertising. Then last week, DoorDash revealed that it had acquired Symbiosys, an ad tech startup that will allow restaurants to advertise themselves on places like Google, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Is that a good thing for restaurants?

Leadership 184

Leadership Advertising 2025 Reservations 184

Restaurant Business

JUNE 5, 2025

On Thursday, the casual-dining chain promoted Lyle Tick, its president and chief concept officer, to the top job. News casual_dining Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. By Joe Guszkowski on Jun. Sign up here. Get today’s need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence.

Leadership 159

Leadership Fast Casual 2025 Franchising 159

Restaurant Business

JULY 14, 2025

News Tech Check technology Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Give them a reason to bite on whatever you’re putting out there, and let them get back to what they were doing,” he said. View All Articles by This Author Want breaking news at your fingertips?

Social Media 167

Social Media SEO Leadership Technology 167

Restaurant Business

JUNE 10, 2025

Louisville-based QSR Automations provides digital kitchen display systems for many large casual-dining brands. News technology mergers Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. chains as the restaurant tech market continues to consolidate. Sign up here.

Fast Casual 270

Fast Casual Leadership 2025 Technology 270

Restaurant Business

JULY 1, 2025

shops Value pressure comes to the fast-casual sector Financing These full-service restaurant chains opened the most locations last year In an overall down year for full-service unit growth, these five brands bucked the trend. Investors are leery about fast-food chains and they’re jumping onto a few key casual-dining bandwagons.

Fast Casual 173

Fast Casual Leadership 2024 2025 173

Restaurant Business

JULY 11, 2025

Premium Emerging Brands Olive & Finch lets diners dictate how they want to experience the brand This growing premium fast casual out of Denver is expanding with an all-day menu priced no higher than $20. But that doesn’t mean that it hasn’t changed with consumer demand.

Food 313

Food Leadership Email Marketing 2025 313