Recent Posts
News•Feb 18, 2026
Jeff's Bagel Run: From Garage Bagels to 30 and Growing
Jeff Perera, co‑founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run, recounts how a garage‑started bagel shop expanded to nearly 30 locations with new openings each week. The Founderology podcast episode reveals the pivotal choices that moved the brand out of the "stuck zone," including turning down a meeting for months, rejecting the CEO title, and relinquishing a large equity slice. Hiring software engineers before restaurant operators gave the franchise a technology edge, while an "award‑only" franchising policy safeguards long‑term brand health. These insights illustrate the nuanced trade‑offs required for rapid, sustainable growth.
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 18, 2026
The 10-25 Unit Playbook: Scale Without Chaos
SynergySuite released an eBook titled “The 10‑25 Unit Playbook: Scale Without Chaos,” targeting restaurant groups expanding from ten to twenty‑five locations. The guide outlines practical frameworks, real‑world data, and a unified technology stack to eliminate inventory bleed, improve labor forecasting,...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 17, 2026
Las Palapas Taps Paytronix for Digital Overhaul, Adds Mobile App
Las Palapas, the San Antonio Tex‑Mex chain celebrating its 45th year, has partnered with Paytronix to replace its legacy systems with a unified digital platform. The rollout introduces the LP Club mobile app, migrating over 100,000 loyalty members and adding...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 17, 2026
Beyond the Balance Sheet: Why the Future of Franchising Is Proactive, Not Passive
The Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit in San Diego will feature a session called “The Money Map: Navigating Your Franchise to Peak Profit,” urging operators to treat unit economics as a dynamic narrative rather than static spreadsheets. Panelists stress proactive...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 17, 2026
Pizza Vs. Chicken: The Ultimate Industry 'Vibe Check' At RFIS
At the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, FastCasual hosted a game‑show style "Feedback Family Feud" pitting pizza leaders against chicken executives. The unscripted showdown forced senior marketers, HR heads and digital innovators to answer rapid‑fire questions about diner expectations. Participants...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 16, 2026
Capriotti's Launches '50-50-50' Franchise Incentive Program
Capriotti's Sandwich Shop is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a aggressive expansion plan, unveiling a "50-50-50" franchise incentive that can save qualified partners up to $50,000 in royalties and fees. The brand announced the opening of 20 new locations and...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 16, 2026
The Melt Doubling San Fran Footprint
The Melt, a San Francisco‑based fast‑casual chain, is set to double its Southern California presence in 2026, adding eight new restaurants and raising its regional total from six to 14. The rollout targets high‑traffic retail hubs such as Brea Mall,...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 16, 2026
Urban Plates Expands Grass-Fed Burger Lineup
Urban Plates is adding three chef‑crafted, 100 % grass‑fed burgers—Bacon Cheeseburger, Avocado Cheeseburger, and Crispy Onion Cheeseburger—bringing its grass‑fed options to four. The new items, priced between $13.25 and $14.75, debut on the latest seasonal menu at all 22 California locations...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 13, 2026
Speaker Spotlight: Eddie Flores, Co-Founder L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Chairman of L&L Franchise, Inc.
Eddie Flores, co‑founder of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and chairman of L&L Franchise, Inc., will deliver the opening keynote at the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in San Diego on March 16‑18, 2026. In his talk, “Franchising the American Dream,” he...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 13, 2026
Kelli Valade Tapped to Lead Women’s Foodservice Forum
Kelli Valade has been appointed president of the Women’s Foodservice Forum, succeeding Therese Gearhart. Valade arrives from a string of C‑suite roles, most recently as CEO of Denny’s and previously leading Red Lobster, Chili’s Bar & Grill, and analytics firm Black Box Intelligence. In her new...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 12, 2026
2026 State of the Industry: 10 Trends Redefining the Restaurant Landscape
The National Restaurant Association projects 2026 sales to hit a record $1.55 trillion, marking the most data‑rich year in the sector’s history. Operators face rising food and labor costs, prompting a shift toward AI‑driven kitchen automation, robotics for back‑of‑house tasks, and...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 12, 2026
T-Pain Drops Buffalo Wild Wings-Themed Anthem to Promote LTO
Buffalo Wild Wings teamed with Grammy‑winning artist T‑Pain to launch a brand‑specific anthem, “Let’s Go Buffalo Wild (A Pick 6 Love Song),” promoting its new Pick 6 Meal for Two. The meal bundle, priced at $19.99 nationally, includes two entrées, two sides,...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 11, 2026
Freddy’s Frozen Custard Names Todd Paladini as CIO
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers announced Todd Paladini as its inaugural chief information officer. Paladini, a veteran with over two decades leading IT for brands like Cafe Rio and Cinemark, will oversee modernization of the chain’s technology infrastructure. The hire...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 11, 2026
Currito Opening 11 Locations in 2026
Currito, the Cincinnati‑based fast‑casual bowl chain, will open 11 new restaurants across the Midwest and Mid‑Atlantic in 2026, following a record year that saw 25 franchise units sold in the past 18 months. The expansion targets markets such as Dayton,...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 11, 2026
Peter Piper Pizza Truly Engrained in the Communities It Serves
Peter Piper Pizza operates about 115 restaurants across Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and northern Mexico, offering a $10.99 all‑you‑can‑eat lunch buffet aimed at workers, families and budget‑conscious diners. Chief marketing officer Genaro Perez emphasizes targeting different demographics at various times...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 10, 2026
Starbird Appoints Greg Levin as CEO
Starbird announced former BJ's Restaurants chief Greg Levin as its new CEO and board member. Levin, who grew BJ's from 45 to over 200 locations and boosted revenue from $140 million to $1.4 billion, will lead the “super‑premium” chicken brand’s national rollout....
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 10, 2026
Wonder Acquires NYC's Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken
Wonder, the mealtime platform, announced the acquisition of Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, taking full ownership of the iconic NYC brand and its East Village location. Financial terms were undisclosed, but the deal aligns with Wonder’s strategy to absorb beloved restaurant...
By Fast Casual
News•Feb 10, 2026
Ovation Secures $3M in Funding Led by Customers
Ovation, a guest‑experience platform for multi‑unit restaurants, closed a $3 million funding round funded entirely by its own customers, bringing its total capital to $12 million. Nearly a dozen restaurant owners and operators, including leaders from Dave's Hot Chicken and Cheba Hut...
By Fast Casual