Restaurant Business

JUNE 13, 2025

Starbucks’ latest gambit to improve operations? Private-equity firm Savory Fund made a major investment in casual-dining chain Hawkers Asian Street Food. By Heather Lalley on Jun. 13, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Upscale soup dumpling chain Din Tai Fung has the industry’s highest average unit volumes.

Operations 218

Operations Leadership 2025 Fast Casual 218

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. The good news?

Loyalty Program 332

Loyalty Program 2025 Mobile Ordering Fast Casual 332

ChowNow

JANUARY 23, 2025

The 5 Must-Have Restaurant Customer Retention Strategies for 2025 These are the absolute must-have retention strategies every restaurant operator should use if they want to grow their customer base this year. Servers or managers can casually inquire, How was everything today? or Is there anything we can do better?

2025 195

2025 Loyalty Program Operations Email Marketing 195

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 19, 2024

In the restaurant industry, advances in payment processing and payment technology are driving significant changes, influencing everything from customer experience and operational efficiency to revenue generation and security. 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

DECEMBER 31, 2024

In 2025, operators can offer elevated foodservice experiences at more affordable prices through emphasizing value in LTOs to drive sales. With 50 percent of operators launching at least one LTO in the last year, it is highly encouraged this continues in 2025.

2025 450

2025 Beverage Fine Dining Guest Recovery 450

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 8, 2025

“Restaurant operators should recognize that consumer behavior is increasingly split—some diners are cutting back due to rising costs, while others, especially higher-income and urban consumers, are still seeking premium experiences. . Fink points out that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to dining out.

2025 417

2025 Fast Casual Consumer Goods Seasonal Menu 417

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 17, 2025

There is an opportunity for restaurant operators who want to embrace the GLP-1 movement by focusing on portion sizes and crafting "GLP-1-friendly”menu items, Sally Lyons Wyatt, global executive vice president and chief advisor, Circana, told Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine. "By

Beverage 410

Beverage Magazine Education Retail 410

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 18, 2024

While restaurants that successfully pivot to address this demand for value may grow or maintain their sales, these brands could find themselves making other cost-saving operational changes, like reducing portion sizes, to account for this trend. In this competitive environment, it’s clear that we must innovate to stay ahead.

Operations 221

Operations Loyalty Program Fast Casual 2024 221

ChowNow

FEBRUARY 12, 2025

Whether youre an independent operator or part of a small chain, visibility is everything. Now, lets start with the first step every restaurant operator should take when launching a marketing campaignknowing their market inside and out. Even if your food is incredible, youre not operating in a vacuum. Study your competition.

2025 195

2025 Marketing Email Marketing Operations 195

Restaurant Business

JUNE 20, 2025

at the Italian casual-dining chain as its investments in affordability and Uber delivery paid off. 20, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Consumers are finding value in casual-dining brands like Olive Garden. Same-store sales at the Italian casual-dining chain spiked 6.9% By Joe Guszkowski on Jun. Fine dining: negative 3.3%

Delivery 236

Delivery Fast Casual Leadership Point of Sale 236

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 20, 2024

Long after the restaurant industry felt the most significant impacts of the pandemic, echoes still reverberate in the form of workforce realities and operational challenges. ” Perhaps unsurprisingly then, many restaurant operators cited a lack of qualified and committed applicants as a significant obstacle.

2025 474

2025 2024 Recruiting Employee Relations 474

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts for their views on what trends and challenges owners and operators can expect to see in 2025. So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. For the first part, click here and for the second part, click here.

2025 419

2025 Loyalty Program Social Media Fast Casual 419

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. Technology – and especially AI – is already reshaping how restaurants operate, and that impact is only going to grow.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program Franchise Franchising Fast Casual 251

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 ). Streamline the Customer Journey : Operators can learn a lot from the convenience of convenience stores.

Retail 354

Retail Marketing Fast Casual Customer Service 354

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 25, 2024

Recent experiments with pricing strategies, such as summer value promotions, yielded lukewarm results, leaving operators questioning the best approach to menu pricing. 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.

Pricing 446

Pricing Food Airlines Point of Sale 446

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 27, 2025

AI investments in customer experience are generating impact with 52 percent of brands and 84 percent of operators surveyed currently seeing high customer experience impact. Deloitte examines what is driving value, perceived challenges, and organizational readiness to scale AI effectively. Regionally, differences arose.

Loyalty Program 371

Loyalty Program 2025 Customer Experience Customer Service 371

Modern Restaurant Management

JULY 18, 2022

If you’re involved in any aspect of the Fast Casual category, you don’t need me to tell you that labor and distribution issues are real. We all also know that there is no silver bullet that will course-correct the struggles faced by owners and operators. From operations to customer service, you need to invest in your staff.

Fast Casual 493

Fast Casual Supplies Casual Franchise 493

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. Operators are thinking beyond the immediate space, considering how design elements can evolve and become recognizable brand signatures.

Fast Casual 251

Fast Casual 2025 Design Customer Experience 251

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 7, 2025

More than eight in ten restaurant operators expect 2025 sales to meet or exceed 2024 levels, but rising competition will require differentiation through experience, service, and innovation, according to The National Restaurant Association’s 2025 State of the Restaurant Industry report.

Definition 282

Definition Loyalty Program 2025 Fine Dining 282

The Rail

MARCH 31, 2025

It ensures process consistency and simplifies operations across multiple sites. Operations at Multiple Locations Technology makes managing numerous locations easier in many ways: Centralized Management Systems: Managers can manage multiple locations from one platform. Use these solutions for your daily operations if you want to win.

Technology 130

Technology Management Management Operations 130

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 9, 2025

To learn more about how restaurant operators can best set themselves up for the upcoming summer season, Modern Restaurant Management IMRM) magazine reached out Kevin Bryla, Chief Marketing Officer, SpotOn. What details should operators pay attention to when setting up a patio for dining? The result?

Outdoor 251

Outdoor Mobile Ordering Loyalty Program Fast Casual 251

Restaurant Business

JULY 2, 2025

News prices commodities Breakfast Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Investors are leery about fast-food chains and they’re jumping onto a few key casual-dining bandwagons. Sign up here. View All Articles by This Author Want breaking news at your fingertips?

Pricing 241

Pricing Back of House Fast Casual 2025 241

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 22, 2025

The uniforms worn by staff, from kitchen to counter, represent your brand in every customer interaction, making apparel a strategic business decision rather than merely an operational requirement. Functional Design Elements While aesthetic considerations remain important, functional design elements directly impact operational efficiency.

Uniforms 221

Uniforms Loyalty Program Front of House Customer Experience 221

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 22, 2025

Furthermore, CAD supports the design-build lifecycle and maintenance, ensuring continuity and precision from the initial concept to the daily operation of the completed restaurant. How Design Technology Improves Space and Guest Experience Every square foot counts when redesigning a fast-casual eatery or a fine dining venue.

Design 221

Design Technology Fine Dining Fast Casual 221

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 15, 2025

I came into the food industry after building a strong background in business strategy and operations. 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. I want our brands to be recognized as leaders in healthy, fast-casual dining.

Fast Casual 221

Fast Casual Food Franchise Franchising 221

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 238

Fast Casual Beverage Back of House Leadership 238

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 30, 2024

In a recent report shared by TouchBistro on the State of the Restaurant Industry for 2025, data provides key insights into a year marked by both significant hurdles and notable resilience for the restaurant franchising industry and quick-service restaurant (QSR) operators.

Loyalty Program 251

Loyalty Program Franchise Franchising 2025 251

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. Operational Excellence Efficiency at scale drives profitability.

Fast Casual 221

Fast Casual Franchise Franchising Sports 221

Restaurant Business

JUNE 24, 2025

Operators see customer experience as the most fertile ground for AI investment today, with casual-dining brands leading the way, according to a new Deloitte study.

Customer Experience 253

Customer Experience Casual Operations Technology 253

Restaurant Business

MAY 14, 2025

Burrito-and-bowl chains Chipotle and Qdoba have long led the fast-casual category. Here are the rising taco-focused brands that saw growth last year.

Fast Casual 207

Fast Casual Casual Operations 207

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

The key to achieving this is proper staff training, adopting and leveraging technology to enhance the dining experience and manage operations, as well as cultivating a personalized experience and welcoming environment for all solo diners. Cultivating a Personalized Experience and Welcoming Environment Casual dining or fine dining?

Customer Experience 450

Customer Experience Fine Dining Seating Catering 450

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 25, 2025

Nikka brings a wealth of experience in finance, strategy and operations that will prove invaluable as we create the blueprint to scale and grow Panera for the future.” Fast-casual Panera Bread has been going through significant change over the past two years, with multiple board and leadership changes. By Lisa Jennings on Jun.

Leadership 221

Leadership Fast Casual 2025 Casual 221

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 28, 2021

From full service to fast-casual to legacy fast-food brands, the one constant was disruption. Many brands were able to turn a profit from the lockdowns and social distancing orders by shifting operations toward drive-thru, delivery, pick-up, and curbside models. Just as one issue seemed fixed, another presents itself.

Franchise 492

Franchise Franchising 2022 Fast Casual 492

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 11, 2024

Here's some of Cortellesso's advice to other restaurant and bar operators on effective merch selections, brand alignment, staff engagement, collabs, promotion, and more. Creating pieces that look great in a casual or nightlife setting. Where did the idea to include a dedicated merch program originate?

Merchandise 419

Merchandise Sports Social Media Seasonal Menu 419

Modern Restaurant Management

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

Independent restaurants are at a pivotal moment, as the industry confronts multiple challenges including inflation, cost volatility, and extreme weather and adapts to an increasingly complex operating environment, according to the findings of the The James Beard Foundation® (JBF) 2025 Independent Restaurant Industry Report.

2024 251

2024 2023 2025 Loyalty Program 251

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 16, 2025

Internal communication, especially between front- and back-of-house staff, is one of the most overlooked drivers of operational efficiency and l asting loyalty. Internal communication in hospitality is, again, the link that holds service operations together. A well-informed team can anticipate issues before they affect the guest.

Front of House 324

Front of House Communication Back of House Fast Casual 324