339 stories · last 30 days by relevance
Houston TX Hot Chicken is opening a second U.K. location in London's Brunswick Centre through a master franchise agreement with PizzaExpress, signaling potential for U.S. hot chicken concepts to gain
Bowl formats are expanding beyond health-focused niches to compete across more meal occasions, signaling a shift in how QSR operators are positioning the category.
Chipotle is simultaneously launching two limited-time offerings—a reformulated Pollo Asado and new Chili Lime Chips—marking the first time the chain has run dual LTOs at once, suggesting a bid to driv
Panera replaced its surprise-and-delight rewards model with a points-based program featuring premium tiers, shifting toward predictable redemption value and member control.
Sweetgreen introduced lower-priced wraps to boost traffic and value perception after a weak first quarter, but faces fresh operational challenges that may limit the strategy's impact.
7 Brew has made a $143 million offer to acquire 73 Salad and Go locations in bankruptcy, outbidding Dutch Bros for the assets.
Panera Bread has launched a tiered, points-based loyalty program designed to increase perceived value and member engagement through clearer reward mechanics.
Cava's same-store sales grew 9% in the second quarter, driven by a 5.3% traffic increase, despite a temporary consumer pullback from salad.
Chipotle opened its first Asian location in Seoul through a joint venture with Sangmidang Holdings, signaling a strategic test market for potential further regional expansion.
CAVA's second-quarter results showed newly opened locations performing strongly, existing stores driving increased traffic, and top-performing units suggesting headroom for sales growth above current
Chipotle is relaunching its Chipotle IQ trivia game for Rewards members in the U.S. and Canada, offering over $1 million in free food as prizes—a move that signals the brand's continued focus on deepe
Chipotle opened its first Asian location in Seoul, South Korea, through a partnership with Sangmidang Holdings, signaling an expansion beyond North America.
Slutty Vegan has signed multiple franchise agreements and opened in Florida.
Quality Fresca, a Florida-based Moe's Southwest Grill franchisee that operated 69 locations at its peak in 2021, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after closing dozens of underperforming stores.
Sweetgreen's Q2 earnings are being evaluated alongside other modern fast-casual chains, suggesting investor interest in how this segment is performing relative to broader QSR peers.
Original ChopShop is launching a dinner-focused promotion called 'Feel Good Nights' featuring new bowl options and a loyalty offer to drive weeknight traffic.
Cava reported 9% same-store sales growth and a 5.3% traffic increase, suggesting the fast-casual chain has weathered recent food-safety concerns better than peers in the segment.
Sweetgreen's 2026 challenges extend beyond food safety, with traffic and pricing pressures prompting a shift toward lower-priced wraps, signaling potential margin and growth tensions in the premium ca
Jimmy John's secured an official sponsorship partnership with ESPN's College GameDay, gaining presence at the show's stops throughout the college football season and relaunching its Fan Feast meal as
Evergreens, a Seattle-based fast-casual chain founded in 2012, has launched a franchise program targeting 12 Western states, signaling a shift from company-operated growth to franchisee-led expansion.
Evergreen is offering reduced royalty rates to attract its first franchisees, with the chain's top-performing company-owned locations (excluding airports) averaging over $1.45 million in annual sales
Salad & Go's bankruptcy resulted from multiple pressures including a Cyclospora outbreak, rising costs, rapid expansion, weak consumer demand, and declining fast-casual traffic—suggesting that single-
Chipotle has relaunched its Chipotle IQ trivia game, offering Rewards members chances to win free entrée codes and points.
Teriyaki Madness hired Jake Lowell as Franchise Development Real Estate Manager, a newly created position, signaling the chain's active focus on site selection and franchise expansion infrastructure.
WOWorks, which operates six restaurant brands including Saladworks and Zoup!, has opened 23 locations year-to-date with 15 more in development, signaling continued momentum in its multi-brand expansio
Chicken Salad Chick appointed Drew Travis as CFO, continuing a recent round of C-suite hires that includes a new CMO and CDO.
Flytrex and Nash have partnered to offer delivery options combining drones and traditional couriers, signaling a shift toward hybrid logistics that lets restaurants choose delivery method by order.
Minor Food and Serruya Private Equity have completed their acquisition of Bonchon, the Korean fried chicken chain.
CAVA reported 31.3% revenue growth and 9% same-restaurant sales growth driven by traffic increases in Q2 2026, signaling continued customer acquisition momentum in the fast-casual segment.
Cava reported 31% revenue growth driven by consumer demand and new menu items, though it is managing near-term challenges from a Cyclospora outbreak while investing in operational efficiency.
Graze Craze reported a 65% increase in same-store sales for the first half of 2026 compared to the prior year, signaling strong consumer demand for the charcuterie franchise format.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is approaching 100 locations following strong first-half 2026 performance, signaling continued momentum in the fast-casual Mediterranean segment.
El Pollo Loco's CEO announced the chain is doubling its development pace year-over-year and exploring fried chicken additions, signaling accelerated expansion and product diversification following a b
Potbelly is opening its first Georgia location on September 1, marking the chain's expansion into a new state market.
Former fitness entrepreneur Steele Smiley exited his 900+ franchise fitness business to launch CRISP & GREEN, a healthy fast-food brand now operating 53 locations; the move signals entrepreneur convic
Panera modified its rewards program structure, signaling an effort to deepen customer retention through revised earning mechanics.
Chipotle has opened its first location in Seoul, marking the start of its expansion into Asia.
A Toast survey shows fast casual operators remain growth-focused despite cost and labor headwinds, signaling confidence in the segment's resilience amid near-term operational pressures.
CAVA reported Q2 results above expectations with higher sales, net income, and EPS, alongside restaurant unit growth and menu expansion, raising questions about whether the gains are already reflected
Panera has revamped its loyalty program to include a points system, tiered membership levels, and expanded reward options, signaling a shift toward more granular customer engagement and potentially hi
Panera launched a redesigned points-based MyPanera rewards program, signaling a shift toward flexible redemption models that may help brands compete for repeat transactions in a crowded loyalty landsc
CAVA reported a Q2 beat driven by strong traffic and continued expansion, though rising costs in food, labor, and delivery are squeezing margins—signaling operational leverage challenges even as top-l
Cava reported 9% same-restaurant sales growth in its fiscal second quarter, signaling that consumers continue to dine out despite broader spending caution—a data point that may indicate resilience in
Chipotle posted traffic gains in Q2 and guided to low-single-digit comparable sales growth for 2026, though third-quarter softness may test whether the turnaround is sustainable.
CAVA exceeded Q2 earnings and revenue expectations driven by increased customer traffic and restaurant unit expansion, though margin pressure from elevated food, labor, and delivery costs signals pers
CAVA reported 9.0% same-restaurant sales growth led by increased customer traffic rather than price increases, signaling the chain is expanding by volume rather than margin optimization.
CAVA opened 94 new locations, expanding its store base by nearly 20%, with the new restaurants performing better than expected; this suggests the chain is maintaining unit-level economics while scalin
Cava reported better-than-expected Q2 2026 earnings driven by same-store sales and traffic growth, signaling strong operational execution amid competitive fast-casual dining.
Cava Group reported second-quarter revenue and customer traffic that exceeded analyst expectations, lifting shares roughly 10% and signaling sustained growth momentum for the fast-casual chain.
CAVA Group beat Q2 revenue expectations and posted strong same-restaurant sales and traffic growth, signaling sustained consumer demand for its Mediterranean fast-casual concept.