The 177% Lift: How Condado Tacos Used Mystery, Gamification to Redefine the LTO
Condado Tacos turned a standard margarita promotion into a mystery‑flavored, gamified limited‑time offer called the *Mystery Marg*. Guests guessed the flavor via the brand’s app, generating nearly 2,000 entries and a year‑long free‑taco prize for five winners. The campaign delivered a 70% lift in sales volume and a 177% increase in return rate compared with typical LTOs, while also boosting average ticket size. Building on the success, the brand plans another unique margarita launch in late April, extending the interactive model.
Toast Launches Integrated Drive-Thru Platform for Quick-Service Restaurant Chains
Toast introduced Toast Drive‑Thru, an integrated platform that unifies point‑of‑sale, digital menu boards, kitchen display and AI voice‑ordering for quick‑service restaurants. Targeting over 140,000 U.S. drive‑thru lanes, the solution streamlines order capture and reduces hardware fragmentation. Early adopters report faster...
Slice Factory Launches Wood-Fired Mexican Street Concept Leñasada
Slice Factory, the Chicago pizza franchise, launched Leñasada, a wood‑fired Mexican street‑food concept, inside its 8800 Grand Ave location. The 2,200‑sq‑ft co‑branded space offers tacos, burritos, quesadillas and bowls featuring wood‑fired proteins such as asada, chicken, al pastor and shrimp....
Chipotle Relaunches Loyalty Program to Capture Younger, Rewards-Driven Diners
Chipotle Mexican Grill has relaunched its loyalty program as “Rewards on Repeat,” targeting younger, rewards‑driven diners. The revamped scheme, now live in the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec), expands benefits for its 21 million members, including a one‑year point expiration, monthly...
Blaze Pizza, Farmer Boys, Mike's Red Tacos, HigherMe Experts Discuss Recruitment, Retention
At the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in San Diego, a panel of franchise leaders from Blaze Pizza, Farmer Boys, Mike’s Red Tacos, and Edible Brands discussed how people, not technology, drive profitability. They emphasized rapid candidate communication—responding within 24 hours—to win...
Meet the Top 30 Movers & Shakers: Restaurant Marketing
FastCasual.com’s publisher Cherryh Cansler announced the 2026 Restaurant Marketing Top 30 Movers & Shakers, to be honored at a Boston workshop June 2‑3. The honorees span chains from Wing Shack to Velvet Taco and showcase how data‑driven loyalty engines, AI‑powered insights, and...
Little Caesars VP of Franchise Development Talks Brand Growth, Solid Operations
Little Caesars’ vice president of franchise and business development, Bryan Ketelhut, discussed the brand’s growth strategy on the Pizza Marketplace Podcast. He highlighted the company’s long‑standing focus on value, quality and convenience, anchored by the Hot‑N‑Ready model launched more than...
Resilient but Restless: Fast Casuals Outpace Industry as 2026 Competition Heats Up
Fast‑casual restaurants outperformed other dining segments in 2025, posting a 3% traffic gain in the U.S. and a 0.8% global increase despite inflation and cautious consumer spending. Growth stemmed mainly from brand expansion and higher‑quality menu offerings, while average visits...
Bango: From a 300-Square-Foot Acai Shop to Leading a 'Better for You' Movement
Ryan Thorman turned a 300‑square‑foot açaí shop into Bango, a "better‑for‑you" food franchise now operating ten locations with two more under construction. The company is shifting to a franchise model that’s gaining traction along the East Coast. Thorman attributes the breakthrough...
Gregorys Coffee Partners with Craveworthy to Perk Interest in Franchises
Gregorys Coffee has teamed with Craveworthy Brands to launch a franchise drive for its specialty coffee concept. The partnership will host a series of open‑house events from April 7 to April 9 in Washington, D.C., Old Bridge and Paramus, New Jersey,...
Playa Bowls Launches 1st Canadian Location
Playa Bowls, the superfruit bowl chain based in New Jersey, opened its first Canadian restaurant in downtown Toronto on April 6, 2026. The 1,700‑square‑foot store is located in The Well mixed‑use development at 486 Front St. West, under a master...
Turn up the Volume: How to Use Storytelling to Build an Unstoppable Company Culture
Jim Knight argues that storytelling is the missing ingredient for turning a good company into an unforgettable one. By framing values, vision, and lessons as narratives, leaders can make culture emotionally resonant and up to 22 times more memorable than raw...
Starbucks Revamps Partner Incentives: 3 Lessons for the Fast Casual Industry
Starbucks is rolling out a new partner incentive program that adds quarterly micro‑bonuses, expands digital tipping, and shifts hourly staff to weekly pay. Baristas can earn up to $1,200 a year by meeting sales and service targets, while digital tip...
Shake Shack Launches Digital Overhaul to Fuel 1,500-Unit Expansion
Shake Shack announced Project Catalyst, a multiyear digital overhaul aimed at supporting a 1,500‑unit expansion. The initiative partners with commerce platform Qu to replace POS and kitchen displays with edge‑computing technology, while embedding AI‑driven operational insights across its restaurants. A...
Prince St. Pizza Partners with Dave’s Hot Chicken Franchisee for National Expansion
Prince St. Pizza has teamed up with Lawrence Kourie, the founder and largest franchisee of Dave’s Hot Chicken, to launch a national expansion of its Sicilian‑style square pies. Kourie will use his multi‑state operations and disciplined franchising approach to open...
