How Velvet Taco CEO Chris Schultz scales a cult brand without losing its soul

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

During his keynote at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Texas, Chris Schultz will discuss restaurant growth, brand culture, leadership, international…

Krispy Kreme entering Estonia

June 29, 2026

Krispy Kreme has signed a five-year development and franchise agreement to open up to 25 units across the Baltic States between 2026 and 2030, expanding its…

Taco Bell operator Southpaw expands Midwest footprint with Columbus acquisition

June 29, 2026

Southpaw, a quick-service restaurant operator, has acquired 43 Taco Bell locations in the Columbus, Ohio, area, according to a press release.

How Church’s Texas Chicken uses real estate discipline to drive franchise growth

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Church’s Texas Chicken is bucking the fast-food trend of large, expensive experiential builds by pivoting to a "simplify and amplify" strategy, utilizing…

LV Petroleum opens 32nd Sbarro in portfolio

June 23, 2026

LV Petroleum, a developer and operator of travel centers, convenience stores and quick-service restaurants throughout the United States, recently opened a…

KFC expands Cheshire footprint with Winsford Gateway restaurant

June 22, 2026

KFC opened a new drive-thru restaurant at Winsford Gateway on Friday, creating 45 new jobs for the local community, according to a press release.

Wonder, Dave’s Hot Chicken Real Estate VPs reveal growth strategies

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Real estate strategy is central to growth for restaurant brands, and Wonder and Dave's Hot Chicken are taking different approaches to scale. In a podcast…

Krystal makes Northeast debut with 1st New Jersey restaurant in Union

June 17, 2026

Krystal, the quick-service chain known for its signature square sliders since 1932, opened its first New Jersey restaurant June 4 at 2210 Route 22 East in…

How Jae Kim is Scaling Chi’Lantro

Jae Kim emptied his $30,000 in savings and maxed out his credit cards to launch a Korean food truck in Austin in 2010. Now he is leading 13 Chi'Lantro…

What Is the Best Team Communication App for Multi-Location Restaurant Groups?

Everything multi-location restaurant groups need to know about choosing the right work chat app.

Wetzel's Pretzels opens location inside West Palm Beach Walmart

June 12, 2026

Wetzel's Pretzels is expanding its presence in Florida with a bakery inside the Walmart at 9990 Belvedere Rd. in West Palm Beach, Florida, according to a press…

70 years old and 'restarting': Shakey’s Pizza VP outlines fresh strategy for expansion

In this episode of the Pizza Marketplace podcast, host Mandy Detwiler, editor of Pizza Marketplace, chats with Sonia Barajas-Najera, vice president of…

Layne’s Chicken Fingers to open 50th restaurant in Lubbock

June 4, 2026

Layne's Chicken Fingers will reach a major growth milestone with the June 13 opening of its 50th restaurant, located at 7902 University Avenue in Lubbock…

Ben & Jerry's inks lease at Seattle's Pier 54

June 3, 2026

Ben & Jerry's has signed a lease for a shop at Pier 54 in Seattle's Waterfront District, according to a Connect CRE report.

How best friends are building their pizza and brew empire

Joey Freis and Mitchell Millar bought a pizzeria at 21. Now they lead nine restaurants and are getting ready to scale Best Pizza & Brew towards its next…

Navigating the tightest restaurant real estate market in 20 years

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Ebere Anokute, head of retail research for CBRE, during the ICSC real estate conference in Las Vegas, reveals the shifting dynamics of restaurant real estate…

Layne's Chicken Fingers opens in Mount Pleasant, Texas

June 1, 2026

Layne's Chicken Fingers has opened a location in Mount Pleasant, Texas, according to a press release.

Taco John's to open 2nd Fargo restaurant

May 27, 2026

Taco John's will open a second Fargo-area restaurant in late June. The unit will be located at 2253 S. University Drive, according to a press release.

Tim Hortons to build 80 units, renovate 400 in Canada

May 26, 2026

Tim Hortons restaurant owners and the corporate brand are investing $400 million Canadian dollars (US $289,498,000) into expanding and modernizing the coffee…

Little Caesars to expand to Malaysia

May 22, 2026

Little Caesars is expanding into Malaysia, with its first restaurant scheduled to open in Damansara on May 24, according to a press release.