Restaurant Business

JULY 2, 2025

Fast-casual Condado Tacos—which prefers calling itself “next-gen casual”—has long had a bar program with a selection of conventional margaritas and beers to go with its Mexican-style menu and vibe. Investors are leery about fast-food chains and they’re jumping onto a few key casual-dining bandwagons. By Patricia Cobe on Jul.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 5, 2025

Premium Food Saladworks goes all in on pickles and ranch for limited-time summer menu Behind the Menu: The fast casual is offering a salad, melt and wrap inspired by the ingredients’ tangy flavors and crunch, each elevated with house-made pickle ranch. But that strategy raises some real questions.

Catering

Restaurant Business

JULY 22, 2025

Click here to complete your profile Multimedia How Cracker Barrel chef Matt Banton is expanding the flavor portfolio Tyler Florence dishes on San Francisco and David Burke puts his pastrami to the test Happy Hour value and summer flavors The summer of spritzes The Latest Leadership Wendys names Pete Suerken president of its U.S.

Loyalty Program

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 7, 2025

Kfoury is the founder and CEO of Naya, a 37-unit fast-casual concept with a Lebanese menu that recently announced a significant investment that sets the New York-based chain up for a new phase of growth. So in 2010, he decided to reinvent Naya with a similar fast-casual format. It worked. A second unit came four years later.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 22, 2025

Legacy owner Amol Kohli will become chairman of Brix, and the Brix leadership team, including CEO Sherif Mityas, will remain in place. News franchising acquisitions finance Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Sign up here.

Franchising

Restaurant Business

JUNE 27, 2025

News Emerging Brands franchising Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. But the goal is to grow and to get bagels into communities that don’t have a good fresh-baked bagel.”

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 8, 2025

Continue to Site >>> Menu Papa Johns focuses on its pizza, and sales make a comeback Newsletter Search Restaurant Business Search Login Subscribe Newsletter Login Subscribe Topics Consumer Trends Food Beverage Emerging Brands Operations Technology Marketing Workforce Leadership Financing Data Top 500 Chains Top 100 Independents Future 50: Emerging (..)

Fast Casual

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. Segment leader Chipotle Mexican Grill rose to No.

Fast Casual

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. By Lisa Jennings on Jun.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

Retail media network “A type of advertising platform that allows retailers to sell ad space on their digital channels to third-party brands.” In this case, restaurants are the advertisers. Vaporware “A computer-related product that has been widely advertised but has not and may never become available.”

Hiring

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 7, 2025

Dutch Bros has improved its use of paid advertising, which has helped with brand awareness. Premium Food Saladworks goes all in on pickles and ranch for limited-time summer menu Behind the Menu: The fast casual is offering a salad, melt and wrap inspired by the ingredients’ tangy flavors and crunch, each elevated with house-made pickle ranch.

Point of Sale

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

Restaurant Business

JULY 8, 2025

It could have been worse: Fast-casual pizza chain sales declined 5%. 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. deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. It’s not just those three.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 7, 2025

07, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Photograph: Kraft Foodservice We recently connected with James Beard Award semifinalist ® Chef Lamar Moore to talk about originality, consistency, and what it really takes to lead a kitchen.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 29, 2025

Our goal was to create made-to-order meals that won’t break the bank but keep the freshness and consistency we’re known for,” said Fred Slater, director of R&D and executive chef of the 102-unit fast casual. There are six combo meal boxes, with prices starting at $9.99.

Menu

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

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 5, 2025

On behalf of the entire board, I want to thank Drew for his steady leadership and service,” said Jeff Jones, board chair. We’re pleased he will continue to provide guidance as a board director, given his vast industry experience and leadership as we have undertaken our brand revitalization work to date, and he has our full support.”

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

Private-equity firm Savory Fund made a major investment in casual-dining chain Hawkers Asian Street Food. Starbucks’ latest gambit to improve operations? Giving store managers ownership over testing early-stage ideas and sharing the results systemwide. Members help make our journalism possible. It’s a unique spin on Southern comfort.

Operations

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. Premium Technology DoorDash wants to be everywhere Tech Check: The delivery company is gobbling up more of the restaurant tech ecosystem.

Food

Restaurant Business

JULY 21, 2025

In its announcement, Subway noted that the company under his leadership had 17 straight quarters of same-store sales growth. The private-equity firm owns a controlling stake in Fitzpatrick’s former company Driven Brands, which owns auto repair franchises like Maaco, Meineke and other brands. Whether theyre working is another thing.

Loyalty Program

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

Restaurant Business

JULY 22, 2025

Click here to complete your profile Multimedia How Cracker Barrel chef Matt Banton is expanding the flavor portfolio Tyler Florence dishes on San Francisco and David Burke puts his pastrami to the test Happy Hour value and summer flavors The summer of spritzes The Latest Leadership Wendys names Pete Suerken president of its U.S.

Franchising

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. By Patricia Cobe on Jul. 16, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Lime Fresh Mexican Grill launched two limited-time pizzas at the beginning of July.

Menu

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. Tomasso has more than 30 years of leadership experience, including the past seven as CEO of First Watch. By Jonathan Maze on Jul.

Leadership

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

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. Photo: Shutterstock.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 11, 2025

I thought, let’s do a fast-casual version of what I’ve done, from the Cuban restaurant, to the bakery to the coffee shop. News Emerging Brands coffee franchising Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. He opened a bakery.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

AUGUST 8, 2025

But that strategy raises some real questions.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JUNE 23, 2025

Since the menu at this fast-casual chain is rooted in Mediterranean flavors, this dessert is not a big culinary stretch. Frozen Greek yogurt is layered with pistachio butter, crisp kataifi, a chocolate shell and a pistachio cream drizzle. Nick the Greeks Pistachio Cream “Dubai Chocolate” Froyo. Photo courtesy of Nick the Greek.

Bar

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. leadership News executive change Want breaking news at your fingertips? By Restaurant Business Staff on Jun. Blaze is now based in Atlanta. Members help make our journalism possible. Sign up here.

Fast Casual

Restaurant Business

JULY 25, 2025

Meanwhile, dine-in visits have increased in fast-casual and fast-food restaurants, while takeout and drive-in orders are down. Nevertheless, 28% of weekend breakfast eaters are looking for “breakfast options that are inexpensive,” up from 22% in 2021.

Mobile Ordering

Restaurant Business

JULY 9, 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.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JUNE 11, 2025

After fast-casual chain &Pizza heard from customers that its prices were too high , it lowered them late last month and simplified its menu structure to highlight affordable options. Wendy’s launched a 100 Days of Savings summerlong promotion, serving up a variety of deals through its app. It’s a unique spin on Southern comfort.

Fast Casual

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

Restaurant Business

JUNE 24, 2025

The growth capital firm behind the food-and-games brands Puttshack, F1 Arcade and Flight Club has added more restaurant industry firepower to its leadership team. brings unmatched expertise and a proven track record of leadership across some of the most well-known brands in the restaurant industry,” said Focht, in a statement.

Leadership

Restaurant Business

JULY 29, 2025

The casual-dining chain is introducing two new menu categories, bowls and bites, featuring a selection of items ranging in price from under $10 to $16. News casual_dining earnings Menu Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. By Joe Guszkowski on Jul. Sign up here.

Pricing

Restaurant Business

JULY 25, 2025

market Subway names Jonathan Fitzpatrick CEO The late chef Michael Chiarello's estate files lawsuit to prevent alleged hostile takeover of assets by investors Leadership BJ’s Restaurants, Shake Shack, Bonchon and more make executive moves Executive Summary: Here are the latest leadership changes in the restaurant industry.

Leadership