Restaurant Business

JUNE 2, 2025

Sales in the segment far exceeded industry trends, boosted by growth brands like Chipotle, Wingstop, Raising Cane's and Jersey Mike's Subs. But some brands were left behind.

Fast Casual 175

Fast Casual Casual 2024 Operations 175

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 13, 2025

Examples of brands successfully reaching Gen Z include: Chili’s : Everyone’s favorite 90’s casual dining chain is back and better than ever, thanks to smart, targeted marketing efforts, menu streamlining, and a renewed focus on executing the fundamentals of hospitality.

Social Media 426

Social Media Sustainability Customer Experience Sourcing 426

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 8, 2025

“AI should be introduced where it adds the most value—fast food and fast casual restaurants can benefit from kiosks and automated ordering, while full-service restaurants should focus on enhancing hospitality and personal service rather than automation,” said Fink.

2025 417

2025 Fast Casual Consumer Goods Seasonal Menu 417

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 19, 2024

When customers can pay quickly and without friction, it enhances their experience and shortens wait times, leading to improved customer satisfaction—particularly in fast-casual settings where speed is essential. According to Statista , the global online food delivery market size was valued at $151.5

2025 447

2025 Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Online Ordering 447

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 9, 2025

After successfully opening a second location in Kernersville, NC, and planning for a third one, the fast-casual gourmet slider brand has started franchising and plans to grow strategically in the Southeast region. Most recently, he co-founded Sammy's Sliders with chef Sammy Gianopoulos.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program Franchise Franchising Fast Casual 251

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 14, 2025

based diners who recently ordered from a QSR, fast-food or fast-casual chai also found that value is about more than just price. Guests are significantly pulling back their discretionary spending, which is directly influencing when, how, and what they choose to order at quick-service and fast-casual restaurants.

Loyalty Program 332

Loyalty Program 2025 Mobile Ordering Fast Casual 332

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 17, 2025

" While dining out, GLP-1 users skew their dollar spend toward quick-service restaurants, but they shift toward grocery foodservice, casual dining, and midscale restaurants during their first year on the medications, the report found.

Beverage 410

Beverage Magazine Education Retail 410

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 3, 2025

Restaurant industry challenges are pushing operators to be more creative and efficient with many opting for more multifunctional spaces – especially in a fast-casual setting. At Maria Empanada, a fast-casual Latin concept the team is working on right now, the to-go boxes are artfully displayed, blending function and branding seamlessly.

Fast Casual 251

Fast Casual 2025 Design Customer Experience 251

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 18, 2025

For high-volume restaurants, whether it's a fast-casual spot in New York or a Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris, automation isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about stability. A well-run kitchen means fewer mistakes, less staff burnout, and better guest experiences.

Airlines 434

Airlines Hospitality Waste Food Order 434

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

If you visit a casual dining pizza chain near your office, you expect fast service and a good pizza at a consistent and affordable price. Customers are more likely to justify a higher price that is also higher than the added cost of the extra ingredient.

Pricing 446

Pricing Food Point of Sale Airlines 446

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 22, 2025

Fine dining venues benefit from understated elegance through embroidered logos on professional attire, while fast-casual concepts can leverage more dynamic graphics and color palettes to reflect their energetic atmosphere. Strategic use of color should inform uniform design decisions.

Uniforms 221

Uniforms Loyalty Program Front of House Customer Experience 221

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 15, 2025

Over time, I transitioned into the fast casual space, where I now lead Fast Fresh Brands, which includes Bee Healthy Cafe and Nature’s Table. What sets us apart is our commitment to offering healthy, fresh meals in a fast-casual environment that doesn’t feel niche or exclusive.

Fast Casual 221

Fast Casual Food Franchise Franchising 221

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 18, 2024

So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. – Sarah Moore, CMO of Cracker Barrel Chef Driven Fast Casual Chef driven fast casual restaurants feed consumers’ desires for high quality menu items delivered quickly and on the go and will continue to gain momentum.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Social Media Fast Casual 419

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

There may be many reasons for this, including the fact that QSRs' fast, casual, and affordable nature may appeal to younger generations and individuals whose eating habits have changed post-pandemic. In 2025, QSRs should continue adapting to changing consumer habits, focusing on speed and convenience.

2025 474

2025 2024 Recruiting Employee Relations 474

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 12, 2025

This represents a larger increase than those increasing visits to fast-casual (14 percent) or full-service (11 percent) restaurants and is on par with those visiting QSRs more frequently (24 percent) ( RMS Q1 2025 Dining report ). The 2,000 U.S.

Retail 354

Retail Marketing Fast Casual Customer Service 354

Goliath Consulting

FEBRUARY 8, 2025

Additionally, he launched Big Chicken, a fast-casual concept that combines his love for comfort food with high-quality ingredients. Shaqs hands-on involvement in branding and expansion has made Big Chicken a rising player in the competitive fast-casual market.

Fast Casual 221

Fast Casual Franchise Franchising Sports 221

Restaurant Business

JUNE 2, 2025

As the fast-casual Dave's moves into its next level of growth with a $1 billion private-equity deal, some see an IPO in its future. But can the chain maintain the magic that brought it this far?

Fast Casual 266

Fast Casual Casual Operations 266

Restaurant Business

APRIL 28, 2025

Despite a nationwide slump in wine sales, wine-centric casual-dining chains like Sixty Vines and Postino are booming. Heres their recipe for success.

Casual 246

Casual Dine-in Operations 246

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 19, 2025

based architecture and design firm / /3877, newly-available real estate offers prime locations and cheaper rent for fast casual restaurants such as taco shops and upscale burger joints. This has led to a growing appeal for unique dining experiences and fast-casual concepts. According to the hospitality experts at Washington D.C.-based

Fast Casual 221

Fast Casual Customer Experience Design Casual 221

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 147

Fast Casual Leadership 2025 2024 147

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

percent) than they do in casual restaurants (16.5 Tipping on fast casual is going strong : In spite of the “tipflation” backlash, diners haven’t stopped tipping in fast casual restaurants, though the median tip size is still hovering under 9 percent—well below the 17.32 percent at fast casual restaurants.

Fast Casual 493

Fast Casual Fine Dining Employee Relations Customer Service 493

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 22, 2025

How Design Technology Improves Space and Guest Experience Every square foot counts when redesigning a fast-casual eatery or a fine dining venue. Whether emulating a fine dining experience, refurbishing a fast-casual concept, or adapting to new food trends, 3D modeling empowers you to execute your vision confidently and clearly.

Design 221

Design Technology Fine Dining Fast Casual 221

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 9, 2025

In cities like New York, you’ll find eateries that mirror the bistro’s casual sophistication, while Tokyo’s intimate wine bars reflect a similar ethos of warmth and simplicity. Similarly, the rise of casual fine dining echoes the bistro’s knack for blending refinement with accessibility.

Fine Dining 221

Fine Dining Influencer Dine-in Innovation 221

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 16, 2023

For casual dining habits at restaurants like Olive Garden: 56 percent said they ate at casual restaurants frequently or occasionally. 29 percent said they rarely ate at casual restaurants. More likely to occasionally eat at casual restaurants. When we asked about fast food: 29 percent said they eat fast food frequently.

Fast Casual 531

Fast Casual Fine Dining 2023 Consumer Goods 531

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 11, 2024

Creating pieces that look great in a casual or nightlife setting. For instance: Apparel : T-shirts and hoodies with clean, bold designs that reflect our logo and color palette, while incorporating current and retro pop culture.

Merchandise 419

Merchandise Sports Social Media Seasonal Menu 419

Goliath Consulting

MAY 26, 2025

A trendy, fast-casual spot will likely need very different content than a fine dining experience. Prioritize Brand Fit The best content creators feel like an extension of your team. Ensure their tone, aesthetic, and values align with your restaurants vibe.

Hiring 221

Hiring Social Media Fast Casual Email Marketing 221

Restaurant Business

JUNE 4, 2025

But the fast casual's CEO Jonathan Neman sees room for 1,000 Sweetgreens domestically, tapping technology that he says will help beat competitors on price. Labor costs are expected to continue to rise across the industry.

Fast Casual 236

Fast Casual Casual Technology Pricing 236

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

This is especially important to 90 percent of fine dining operators and 87 percent of casual dining operators. The majority of operators say increasing traffic on-site and getting diners back in their seats will be more important to their restaurant's success in 2025.

Definition 282

Definition Loyalty Program 2025 Fine Dining 282

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 162

Fast Casual Leadership Mobile Ordering Casual 162

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 199

Take-out Technology Fast Casual Inventory 199

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 185

Fast Casual Front of House Back of House Leadership 185

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 9, 2025

And for more casual outdoor setups – think outdoor bars, beer gardens, or counter-service patios – QR code ordering is a no-brainer. Fewer mistakes, faster ticket times, and higher check averages. That’s more revenue with less labor, and for restaurants operating on slim margins that’s essential.

Outdoor 251

Outdoor Mobile Ordering Loyalty Program Fast Casual 251

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 176

Fast Casual Leadership Franchise Franchising 176

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 18, 2025

Let’s look at the reasons that full service/fast casual restaurants may have music issues. They noted that the guests who stayed longer didn’t spend any more money, but they did leave bigger tips, and they theorized that up-tempo music may mean tables are turning faster so the restaurant can serve more people in less time.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program License Customer Experience Restaurant Law 251

Restaurant Business

MAY 15, 2025

Boerema replaces Joe Hummel as chief of casual-dining company Twin Hospitality Group, which went public earlier this year.

Hiring 251

Hiring Casual Hospitality Leadership 251

Restaurant Business

JUNE 4, 2025

After years of trying to be everything to everyone, the casual-dining chain is narrowing its focus to a handful of core menu items in hopes of standing out in a crowded market.

Casual 209

Casual Dine-in Menu Marketing 209

Modern Restaurant Management

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

The fast casual restaurant segment has seen tremendous success and growth in recent years. CREST®, while overall restaurant traffic was down four percent in 2022 compared to 2019, fast casual traffic was up nine percent. Why should fast casuals work on improving with young families? According to Circana, Inc./CREST®,

Fast Casual 493

Fast Casual Entertainment Casual Employee Relations 493