The fast casual has become a franchise phenom with the backing of an iconic brand, dedicated fan base, and growing roster of passionate operators.
These up-and-coming professionals are making their mark on the industry.
Here's how to design your brand's turnaround—from the leaders who have directed their own impressive resurrections.
Four trends that will have an impact on the bottom line in 2018 and beyond.
As the eatertainment trend continues to take hold, brands are placing a greater emphasis on food and beverage to capture customer interest.
Better-for-you brands are breathing new life into this old-school format.
A rundown of what’s new and what’s next in technology as it relates to five aspects of running a restaurant business.
How four generations of brands are celebrating a combined 725 years of limited-service success.
Brands look to alternative proteins for healthier and more sustainable meat options.
Dreaming of your brand joining the QSR 50? These three milestones will help get you there.
Operators shrink portions to satisfy health- and price-conscious consumers.
Menu innovators take a closer look at the ingredients and dishes common in healthful ethnic cuisines.
Fast casual 2.0 chains are going after the evening daypart with an arsenal of plated meals, craft beverages, and linger-worthy ambiance.
Despite a number of challenges, brands are once again exploring shipping-container design for new restaurant construction.
It's the biggest decision start-up operators have: where to expand when their hometown is just too small.
Brands turn to new better-for-you buzzwords to differentiate themselves in a quickly growing category.
Pizza brands are finding ways to deliver the cleaner ingredients and better-for-you options customers are craving.
Restaurants experiment with beacons, geofencing, and other location-based technologies to upgrade their marketing and operations.
With minimum wages on the rise and new overtime legislation soon going into effect, restaurants are searching for ways to pay more—and still make a profit.
Brands are turning to healthful beverages to quench consumers’ thirst for better-for-you products.
Restaurants are quickly discovering that technological and mobile advancements are changing every aspect of the quick-service industry—labor included.
No, the drive thru isn’t going anywhere. But the traditional drive-thru model is up against some major threats as it moves into the future.
It may not have cracked the QSR 50 this year, but Corner Bakery’s ambitious growth plan should have it there in no time.
The 15 brands that came just short of the QSR 50.
If you want to be like Chipotle—and everyone does—you just have to follow its recipe for success, which includes two main ingredients: its food and its people.
There are more differences between chain and independent restaurants than just unit count. And operators are trying to leverage them to have the best of both worlds.
The International Franchise Association’s new network unites franchisees to advocate for and defend the franchise business model.
A breakdown of what makes a successful campaign, as seen through the lens of four quick-service marketing efforts.
Roast beef chain Arby’s is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a major revitalization effort that gives the classic concept a fresh twist.
In just five years, Luke’s Lobster has carved out an industry niche despite—or perhaps because of—its elevated price point and premium characteristics.
