FastCasual is a publication in Burnaze's franchise knowledge graph, mentioned since 2015. 592 stories link here, each summarized from the original publisher. * Chicken Salad Chick has surpassed 350 restaurants across 27 states, awarding over 100 franchise units this year, with almost 350 locations in its development pipeline [[2026-11-02 Chicken Salad Chick Surpasses 350 Restaurants (6ec302)]]. * Craveworthy Brands has appointed Keith Kravcik as its new chief financial officer to oversee financial operations and expansion [[2026-11-02 Craveworthy Brands hires industry veteran Keith Kravcik as CFO (401b5b)]]. * Starbucks plans 4% growth in fiscal 2027 with new store formats and technology, including AI that helps baristas take drive-thru orders [[2026-10-30 4 operations moves behind Starbucks' 2027 growth plan (59ac4d)]]. * Rock N Roll Sushi will open its 81st location in Lake Charles, Louisiana on November 2 [[2026-10-30 Rock N Roll Sushi to open in Lake Charles, Louisiana (d58fa1)]]. * Paris Baguette will open its 30th Texas café in Missouri City on October 31, creating 45 jobs [[2026-10-30 Paris Baguette opens 30th Texas café in Missouri City (7886cb)]]. * Urbane Café opened its 46th restaurant in Goleta, California, marking its entry into Santa Barbara County [[2026-10-30 Urbane Café opens first Santa Barbara County restaurant (7662bd)]]. * Starbucks ended its fiscal year with a 7.2% increase in global comparable coffeehouse sales for the fourth quarter, driven by a 5% increase in average ticket and a 2.7% increase in comparable transactions in North America [[2026-10-29 Starbucks closes fiscal 2026 with 7.9% North America comp gain (9a894f)]]. * Chipotle reported a 9.6% revenue growth to $3.3 billion in Q3, despite missing Wall Street's forecast, and is implementing various growth strategies including AI-enabled tools and catering programs [[2026-10-29 From AI to catering 8 ways Chipotle is retooling for growth (4f1b39)]].
Also known as Fast Casual
CEO Suzie Tsai details how the Korean fried chicken chain is leveraging AI for supply chain forecasting, localized marketing, and kiosk operations to boost profitability.
Existing franchise partners are driving growth for the poke concept, which now operates 85 locations across 22 states following a strong second quarter.
The Texas-based burger franchise has signed a master franchise agreement with Great Foods USA to develop locations across Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The plant-based burger chain expands into Florida and Michigan while announcing its first franchise owners for the brand's flagship Atlanta location.
Minor Food and Serruya Private Equity have split global ownership of the Korean fried chicken chain, with Serruya taking over the brand's entire Americas portfolio.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is expanding its Middle Eastern footprint with its first restaurant opening in Saudi Arabia later this month through a partnership with Alshaya Group.
The beverage chain reported a 9% jump in same-store sales for July, fueled by menu innovation and continued franchise network expansion.
Industry leaders at the Fast Casual Executive Summit highlight why internal culture is more critical than recruiting tactics for reducing costly turnover.
Orlando-based Jeff’s Bagel Run is expanding into South Carolina through a three-unit agreement with experienced multi-unit operators from the Hungry Howie’s Pizza system.
Emerging fast-casual concepts like Konala and Clean Eatz are gaining traction by merging health-focused menus with traditional convenience formats like drive-thrus and ready-to-eat meal planning.
The 50-unit fast-casual brand achieved total franchisee participation in a new pricing strategy by using data-driven insights to protect margins without hurting traffic.
Major fast-casual brands including Panera and Starbucks are launching pumpkin-flavored seasonal menus in early August to capture consumer demand ahead of the fall season.
Qu’s seventh annual report, surveying 168 brands representing 91,000 locations, examines how digital innovation is impacting operational efficiency and guest experiences in the restaurant industry.
The Marth Group has acquired commercial printer Sandy Alexander, creating a national production network serving major restaurant, automotive, and retail franchise brands.
Following a challenging second quarter, Sweetgreen leadership is focusing on core store execution and transaction-led growth to improve profit margins and restaurant traffic.
Revenue Management Solutions reports 36% of consumers spend more on restaurants in Q2 2026
Qdoba has "proactively" removed jalapenos from its menu after the FDA recalled fresh jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to wholesalers and restaurants nationwide.
Jeff's Bagel Run is expanding into Pennsylvania after signing a 10-unit franchise agreement with Jay and Amy DeLuca, Eric Clark and Nadia Hankin.
Chipotle Mexican Grill has reiterated that jalapeños identified from a common lot remain the focus of its internal investigation into a salmonella outbreak affecting several foodservice retailers, including restaurants in Minnesota.
CEO Mina Haque explains how the 54-year-old brand is adapting to changing consumer habits without abandoning its casual-dining roots.
Rōti Modern Mediterranean is offering financial incentives to franchisees as it looks to accelerate development across the U.S.
Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday it has removed jalapenos from some of its restaurants after identifying the peppers as a potential ingredient linked to a salmonella outbreak, replacing them with supplies from different growers.
Savory Fund invests in Zao Asian Grill for national growth
Michael Magerl, Joel Bulger, John Iannucci and Sarah Rooney are the panelists for "From Trend to Table: Operationalizing Regional Promotions in a Multi-Unit World" at the Fast Casual Executive Summit, Oct.