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

Lavu

MAY 30, 2025

Table turnover time refers to the average amount of time it takes for a table to be occupied by different groups of guests. Turnover rate may be higher in fast-casual or quick-service restaurants compared to fine-dining establishments. Instead, follow these hot tips to speed up the turnover time tastefully.

Seating 140

Seating Mobile Ordering Customer Service Customer Experience 140

SpotOn

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

If you're a fast-casual place and only offer a couple of alcoholic beverages, then "alcohol" should be enough. This can also be referred to as operating costs. These can also be referred to as fixed costs or non-operating expenses. Those sales line items should match the ones in your POS reporting.

Point of Sale 90

Point of Sale License Insurance POS 90

Black Box Intelligence

JANUARY 16, 2025

Comp Traffic Best Region: New England Best Segment: Family Dining Best Cuisine: Breakfast Worst Region: NY-NJ Worst Segment: Fast Casual Worst Cuisine: Sandwich The December 2024 Restaurant Industry Trends + A Year in Review 2024 saw many ups and downs. The standout performers in October were the fast casual and quick service segments.

2024 52

2024 Point of Sale Front of House Fast Casual 52

Lavu

JUNE 13, 2025

In today’s fast-paced world, consumers appreciate the ease of using credit/debit cards, mobile wallets, or other digital payment options. Fast-casual restaurant Sweetgreen, part of the sustainable food movement, will go cashless in all 64 locations nationwide (excluding Massachusetts, where it’s illegal not to accept cash).

2025 78

2025 Cash Management Mobile Ordering Point of Sale 78

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 1, 2025

” Qu’s 2025 State of Digital Report identified six trends driving fast casual and QSR profitability this year: Shift from third- to first-party ordering : Forty percent of brands say first-party digital sales represent their biggest revenue growth potential in 2025, followed by catering (24 percent) and on-premises ordering (14 percent).

Pricing 251

Pricing Technology 2025 Point of Sale 251

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Out of 25 brands, 17 are QSR or casual dining restaurants, marking a significant shift in why people are primarily visiting malls – to eat. Fast food dominates takeout, with 60 percent of Americans choosing it as their preferred option for ordering meals at home. percent, while references to staff attitudes were up 21.8

Point of Sale 221

Point of Sale 2024 Mobile Ordering Consumer Goods 221

Restaurant Business

JULY 14, 2025

That means restaurants wanting to be found online may need to appeal not only to SEO, but also its new AI-powered sibling, answer-engine optimization (AEO), which refers to how businesses can get picked up in AI-generated summaries. Michelle Abdow has been thinking about AEO a lot. Get today’s need-to-know restaurant industry intelligence.

Social Media 167

Social Media SEO Leadership Technology 167

Restaurant Business

JUNE 17, 2025

The company says its goal is to grow local economies and refers to itself as a “local commerce platform.” News Tech Check technology delivery Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. It has not disclosed the size of the Commerce Platform business.

Leadership 185

Leadership Advertising Reservations 2025 185

Modern Restaurant Management

MARCH 18, 2024

Among the findings: Casual experiential dining appeals on many fronts to consumers of varying ages in different parts of the country looking for affordable culinary experiences. Chef driven fast casual restaurants feed consumers’ desires for high quality menu items delivered quickly and on the go.

2024 474

2024 Food Truck Fast Casual Allergens 474

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 15, 2020

Limited-service restaurants (those in quick service and fast casual) had a sharp acceleration in their guest check growth, as consumers likely shifted to larger off-premise orders to feed multiple people at home. Fine dining and upscale casual were the worst performing segments during March based on same-store sales growth.

2020 491

2020 Point of Sale Fast Casual Online Ordering 491

Modern Restaurant Management

JANUARY 15, 2021

This edition of MRM Research Roundup features restaurant industry year-end totals, how restaurant labor is evolving, fast-food brand intimacy and top cities for locavores. Top Fast-Food Brand Intimacy. An Unpopular Year. Doing without is no longer an option.” ” To access the report, click here.

2021 423

2021 Fast Casual Fine Dining Point of Sale 423

Goliath Consulting

JUNE 15, 2021

Meanwhile, sales at cafes, fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, and casual-dining establishments fell by 27 percent. Suppliers have trouble finding enough personnel, and fast food restaurants’ “chicken sandwich wars” have pushed demand even higher. References: [link] [link] [link] [link] [link] [link].

Supplies 414

Supplies Food Supply Front of House Fast Casual 414

Modern Restaurant Management

NOVEMBER 8, 2022

Since the pandemic, many chefs created fast-casual concepts and we see more and more tasting and prix-fix menus. More people are working from home which will offer opportunities for breakfast and lunch fast casual ideas. More creative packaging will come into play as convenience will continue to drive innovation.

Food 450

Food Book Travel Leadership 450

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

Switching from a fast-casual concept to fine dining can allow for a nice change of pace. You won't be able to refer to your previous restaurant opening playbook and follow it to the letter. You can reference and compare the key metrics from all of these locations like total revenue, profit margin, inventory variance, etc.

Management 370

Management Management Document Hiring 370

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 28, 2021

Adding to the 20 Noodles & Company locations in the metro Chicago market, the ghost kitchen will help reach a new customer base through its digital channels and give the fast-casual brand a presence in-between local locations. "We're flip'd by IHOP. Grab-and-go salads and wraps, freshly baked goods and more.

Franchise 474

Franchise Franchising Fast Casual Loyalty Program 474

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 21, 2022

Instead, as these solutions advance, companies should refer to their technology as “Smart Carts,” or something in the same vein, to give a more accurate representation of what they provide and come off as warm and welcoming tools designed to elevate hospitality.

2023 493

2023 Loyalty Program Mobile Ordering Customer Experience 493

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Tim Berry refers to this as your market-defining story and explains: “A really good market-defining story explains the need, or the want, or—if you like jargon—the so-called “why to buy.” Fast casual chain Sweetgreen's missions statement has helped it exapnd to 75 locations since it's founding in 2007.

Customer Service 370

Customer Service Fast Casual Customer Experience Back of House 370

7 Shifts

AUGUST 27, 2020

Not to be mistaken for your staff training manual , your systems and procedures section should primarily focus on references and answers rather than training and instructions, so everyone can quickly refer back to this handbook. Then you don’t have to peer over their shoulders waiting for them to hit a wrong button.

Employee Relations 370

Employee Relations Hiring Document Food Safety 370

7 Shifts

AUGUST 7, 2024

This is commonly referred to as a percentage. A restaurant that serves fresh swordfish with grilled vegetables, for instance, will probably have a higher food cost percentage than a fast-casual restaurant that serves fried fish and chips, since the fish may come frozen and the french fries can be bought in bulk.

Food 370

Food Seasonal Menu Inventory Pricing 370

7 Shifts

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Customer retention refers to a restaurant’s ability to retain, or keep, the existing customers that it has. The simplest way to collect customer data in a quick-serve or fast-casual restaurant is to have customers supply it on a sheet of paper at the register. In this guide, we’ll cover: What is customer retention.

Loyalty Program 370

Loyalty Program Social Media Customer Service Email Marketing 370

7 Shifts

AUGUST 2, 2024

Below are some key restaurant metrics you should be tracking for your restaurant: Cost of goods sold (COGS) The cost of goods sold refers to the amount it costs to produce an item on your menu. Table turnover rate The table turnover rate refers to the number of times you have served new customers at the same table.

Point of Sale 397

Point of Sale Inventory Seasonal Menu Cash Management 397

The Restaurant Times

MARCH 8, 2023

It’s important to understand the dynamics of both fast food and fast casual restaurants, whether you’re considering opening a franchise, starting your food business from scratch, or simply trying to decide what kind of restaurant to eat at while on the go. Additionally, it frequently costs less than fast-casual eateries.

Fast Casual 52

Fast Casual Casual Food Fine Dining 52

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 31, 2022

You'll have a document to reference during the planning or opening of your restaurant. Speak to what sets you apart from the pack, what food you'll serve, the service style (fast-food, fast casual, fine dining, etc.) What type of restaurant are you looking to open? you'll use, and what makes your new business special.

Point of Sale 397

Point of Sale Back of House Document Download 397

Goliath Consulting

FEBRUARY 16, 2019

The desire for convenience and the popularity of fast-casual dining remains important to diners in this new year. In addition, several fast-casual restaurants are now using “luxury ingredients” in their simply fashioned foods in order to provide quality as well as convenience. References: [link].

2019 150

2019 Fast Casual Social Media Customer Service 150

7 Shifts

JUNE 4, 2021

Fast-casual: 28.9%. Casual: 33.2%. Upscale casual: 30.4%. Customer retention refers to a restaurant's ability to retain or keep, the existing customers that it has. What Percentage Should Labor Cost Be In A Restaurant? Pizza: 31.3%. Recommended Download: Free Restaurant Labor Cost Calculator Template.

Point of Sale 416

Point of Sale Inventory Employee Relations Customer Service 416

Restaurant365

FEBRUARY 25, 2020

Fast Casual Restaurants. Fast casual restaurants, also known as fast food or quick service restaurants, involve ordering at a counter or doing some level of self-service. Although factors like franchise affiliation may affect profit margins, fast casual restaurants typically have an average profit margin of 6-9%.

Loyalty Program 183

Loyalty Program Point of Sale Fast Casual Online Ordering 183

Goliath Consulting

OCTOBER 6, 2020

Prospects continue to be bright for fast food and fast-casual franchises: Papa John’s Pizza just announced their plan to open 1,000 new stores over the next five years (1), and Whataburger hinted an offer of offering new franchising units for the first time in 20 years (2). References: [link] [link] [link] [link] [link] [link].

Franchise 418

Franchise Franchising Fast Casual Customer Service 418

Foodable

JANUARY 6, 2022

The Fast Casual Nation Podcast offers exclusive interviews with experts ranging from top chefs and brand makers to executives and restaurants who work in one of the fastest-growing segments of the restaurant industry. We refer to this as a hospitality hug or a hospitality blanket as you will. Listen to "99.

Hospitality 105

Hospitality Fast Casual Casual Food Supply 105

Modern Restaurant Management

JUNE 28, 2024

“Both full-service and fast food restaurant customers are skewing a bit more toward higher income levels and college graduates,” says Forrest Morgeson, Associate Professor of Marketing at Michigan State University and Director of Research Emeritus at the ACSI. Chains affected include McDonald’s (visits down ~2.5

2024 294

2024 Mobile Ordering White Paper Food Order 294

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

You might see this solution at fast-casual restaurants or coffee shops, where a tip jar sits on the counter and its contents are divided among the team at the end of a shift. Fast Food Restaurants. However, most fast food chains like McDonald's don't allow their workers to receive tips. Even Tip Splitting.

Tip Distribution 195

Tip Distribution FOH Front of House Restaurant Law 195

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 13, 2019

HOP® Restaurants announced plans to launch Flip’d by IHOP™, a new fast-casual concept in the U.S., “In looking at what exists today in terms of fresh, fast menu options — particularly at breakfast — there’s still tremendous opportunity for growth,” said Jay Johns, President of IHOP.

Mobile Ordering 251

Mobile Ordering Catering POS Online Ordering 251

Modern Restaurant Management

OCTOBER 16, 2019

“Fast food options usually fall into two buckets: fast, healthy, and unaffordable, or fast, unhealthy, and affordable and nothing in between. TISSL’s client portfolio ranges from independent coffee shops through to pub groups, fast food operations and Michelin starred restaurants. AdTheorent, Inc.,

Food Truck 317

Food Truck Customer Service Customer Experience Front of House 317

Lavu

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

This process, often referred to as determining the “profit margin by subtracting,” includes factoring in the cost of ingredients, labor costs, overhead expenses, and other operational expenses. Fast- Food Restaurants Fast food chains are known for their speedy service, affordable prices, and convenient locations.

Fast Casual 138

Fast Casual Fine Dining Food Truck Loyalty Program 138

EATER

JANUARY 28, 2022

Even major fast-food chains like Chipotle and McDonald’s now pay nearly double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 But this momentum has been largely led by independent restaurants and some fast-food chains, while stopping short of publicly-traded, full-service restaurant chains, like Darden. Do you think the casual dining industry.

Cash Management 246

Cash Management Restaurant Law Employee Relations Food Supply 246

Goliath Consulting

SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

The fast-casual brand Dave’s Hot Chicken has now more than 200 units committed despite its franchise initiative being just launched in October 2019 (3). References: [link] [link] [link] [link] [link] Lobdell, Jackie. The same benefit would apply to new franchise buyers. MORE RESOURCES. 2020, September 11).

Franchise 393

Franchise Franchising 2021 Fast Casual 393

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 27, 2020

Khatri said the impetus for self sign-up was simple, “Our goal is to provide restaurants with fast implementation, rather than weeks of back-and-forth, haggling over price or figuring out which option to choose. This is performed in less than a second enabling fast processing of up to 700 people per hour.

Food Safety 441

Food Safety Kitchen Safety Mobile Ordering Guest Recovery 441