Papa Johns senior VP of development talks growth, sales increases

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Papa Johns new store openings have been the best the brand has experienced in the past five years. Editor Mandy Detwiler talks to the company's new SVP of…

WOWorks, Craveworthy Brands, Cousins Maine Lobster execs talk menu optimization, strategy

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Adam Terranova, senior director of growth for WOWorks, Jeremy Theisen, chief growth and development officer at Craveworthy Brands and Annie Tselikis, director…

Kelly's Roast Beef goes from casual beach fare to New England legacy franchise

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Kelly's Roast Beef has four company-owned restaurants, two licensed airport units in Boston Logan International Airport and five franchised in New England and…

Will the joint-employer ruling destroy restaurant franchising?

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

"The rule upends employment policy, adopting a far-fetched definition of 'employer' based on 'indirect or potential influence' of an employee and then fails to…

Krispy Krunchy Chicken: 'You haven’t seen anything yet'

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Krispy Krunchy Chicken has been long-time player in the chicken space, but with 2,800 units and growing, it's poised to be a major player in QSRs as well.

Qdoba exec to speak about restaurant evolution at one-day QSR event

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Kyle Moses, Senior Director, Operations Services & Training & Development for Qdoba, will speak at #QSRNext on Nov. 8. The half-day event is designed for the…

#QSRNext Keynote: Unlocking the secrets of menu innovation with Frisch's CEO

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

James Walker, CEO of Frisch's, will give the keynote address on menu innovation at the #QSRNext half-day event for restaurant executives on Nov. 8 at 10 a.m.

Haven Hot Chicken wins The Perfect Pitch at the Fast Casual Executive Summit 2023

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Haven Hot Chicken won The Perfect Pitch concept competition at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Louisville, Kentucky on Oct. 9.

How diversity became Shake Shack's key ingredient

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

Shake Shack set big goals for diversity. At the Fast Casual Executive Summit, Idris Stover, director of diversity, equity inclusion and engagement, discussed…

Scooter's Coffee exec: 'The whole point of innovation is growth'

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Nathan Lester, senior director, drive-thru innovations for Scooter’s Coffee, spoke about pairing innovation and growth during the keynote address kicking off…

Transforming your old restaurant: Expert insights on nailing the perfect makeover

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

When a QSR starts to feel tired and out of touch with contemporary dining trends, it's essential to implement a well-thought-out strategy to breathe new life…

AI won't replace restaurant employees, it will make CX better

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

A panel at the Interactive Customer Experience Summit in Charlotte from Sept. 11 to 13 tackled AI head on and how its real benefit is to improve the customer…

Should restaurants enter the Metaverse?

by cooper, Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

What is the metaverse good for? A panel at the Interactive Customer Experience Summit debated this topic.

Redefining QSRs: How PDQ journeyed to superior quality, service

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

PDQ - short for People Dedicated to Quality - has 63 traditional units as well as sports arenas and airport locations. The brand is a people-first…

How to cut costs with delivery

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

Third party delivery got big during COVID-19 but can also cost restaurants a lot. How can restaurants save money?

How Dave's Hot Chicken wins with authenticity

by Bradley Cooper — Editor, Connect Media

Dave's Hot Chicken went from a parking lot pop-up to a fast casual juggernaut. The opening keynote at the Interactive Customer Experience Summit in Charlotte…

Subway confirms sale to Roark Capital

Subway has sold to Roark Capital for an undisclosed amount.

'It's a revolution': Jars by Fabio Viviani brings playfulness back to desserts

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Jars by Fabio Viviani is a dessert concept that could be coming to a town near you. Though the brand has one unit open in Chicago, it has sold more than a…

Del Taco launches unit inside Circus Circus Hotel & Casino

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Del Taco has lauched a unit inside the Circus Circus in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mexican QSR brand plans a unit in the Excalibur soon.

Introducing FastCasual's 2023 Perfect Pitchers

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Founders of Haven Hot Chicken, Mahana Fresh, Pizzawala, Pucci Brothers Fresh Italian and Sankranti Indian Kitchen will take the stage on Oct. 9 to pitch their…