Top Fast Casual News

Pie Five Pizza Heads to the Beltway

Pie Five Pizza Co. announced that it has awarded 38 franchise units to ALC Hospitality, a restaurant management company owned by Alyse Cohen, who will bring the concept to Northern Virginia, Southern Maryland, and the District of Columbia. At Pie Five, guests can choose from many combinations of pizzas and a variety of specialty pie […]

Pieology Pizzeria Lands in the Centennial State

Colorado Pie LLC announced it will launch the first Pieology Pizzeria in the Denver area in January 2014. The successful California-based, fast-casual restaurant will offer easy, fast custom pizzas for Coloradoans just in time for the New Year. Colorado Pie LLC is owned and operated by entrepreneurs Jeff Gordan and Jay Goldstein, who are known […]

Tampa Bay Gets Ready to Roll

Tampa Bay, Florida, will soon be rolling with How Do You Roll?, the custom sushi shop. Franchisee Chris Martin, operating as M Concepts LLC, signed an agreement and is looking for a location in the University Parkway, USF, Gulf Coast Towncenter, or Mercato areas. “Sushi is one of my favorite foods, and I would like […]

Boneheads Dives into 2014 with Expansion Plans

Since the economic downturn, fast casual has been a growing segment of the restaurant industry. According to Technomic, annual sales have reached $23 billion in recent years. From a consumer's perspective, fast casual provides a dining destination that offers a quality experience with added convenience and value. This year, Boneheads Grilled Fish and Chicken offered […]

Masala Wok Heats Up Lone Star State

Masala Wok’s “Aromatic Spices & Sizzling Stir Fry” is now available at a fourth location in the greater Dallas area. The fast-casual Indian and Asian chain announced the opening of its newest restaurant at 6106 Luther Lane in Dallas. The new Dallas location is owned and operated by Masala Wok Holdings and is the sixth […]

Mama Fu’s Opens First Unit in Buckeye State

As the growth of the fast-casual Asian segment continues to gain popularity throughout the country, Mama Fu’s is feeding consumer demand for Asian cuisine with its expansion into the Midwest, opening the first Mama Fu’s location in Ohio on December 13. With 16 locations throughout Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas, Mama Fu’s is opening […]

Uncle Maddio’s Expands into Northern Georgia

With 13 Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint locations operating in Metro Atlanta, the fast-casual pizza franchise plans to expand into North Georgia. A new development agreement with franchisee Briann Welborn is doing just that. After 25 years managing quick-serve restaurant concepts for franchise owners with Subway, McDonald’s, and Taco Bell, Welborn is branching out on his […]

Corner Bakery Inks Agreements with Existing Partners

Corner Bakery Café announced the company has signed three additional multiunit restaurant development agreements with existing franchise partners to introduce the signature bakery café to Idaho and eastern Washington state, northern Baltimore, and Westchester and Suffolk counties in New York. The new development commitments will add a total of 18 new cafes. Feast Foods LLC […]

Islands Restaurants Licenses Beanstalk’s Software

Islands Restaurants and Beanstalk Data jointly announced a licensing and servicing agreement for the beach-inspired casual-dining restaurant company to utilize Beanstalk’s new CRM Marketing Master product.  The CRM Marketing Master is a real-time software-as-a-service (SAAS) module that offers business-to-consumer companies like Islands a simple, unique, and effective way to aggregate all of their existing silos […]

Smashburger Continues Growth in Westchester County, NY

Smashburger continues its Westchester County expansion with the opening of its newest restaurant located at the Midway Shopping Center, 913 Central Park Ave., Scarsdale, New York, on Monday, December 9. Owned and operated by Smash Partners, Smashburger brings its burgers that are smashed fresh, served along with its Haagen-Dazs shakes, and regional menu items crafted […]

Amsterdam Falafelshop Inks Development Agreement in TX

Amsterdam Falafelshop is set to satisfy the munchies of the local fast-casual restaurant scene with a team of North Texas restaurant operators. The brand announced it has signed a franchise development deal with area entrepreneur Chris Kline and a team of his business partners. The developers see Amsterdam Falafelshop as a good fit for Dallas-Fort […]

Newk’s Announced Year-End Growth

With eight new restaurant openings scheduled for completion within the fourth quarter of 2013, Newk’s Eatery is undergoing exponential growth. Newk’s first restaurant was opened in Oxford, Mississippi, in 2004 by founder, Chris Newcomb. Today, the Newk’s Franchise Company has grown to include nine company-owned and 54 franchise-owned restaurants. “Guests are drawn to the flavorful […]

Smashburger Franchisee Inks Deals for Latin America

QSR International, the master franchisee of Smashburger in Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of South America, has entered into a development agreement with Corporacion Hamburgo S.A. de C.V. to develop three Smashburger restaurants in El Salvador. QSR International has also entered into a development agreement with Carlos Eduardo Lopez to develop 15 Smashburger restaurants […]

Tin Drum Brings Pan Asian Cuisine to Marietta, GA

Tin Drum Asiacafé announced its newest franchised location in Marietta, Georgia, in the Barrett Creek Plaza shopping center. The 1,800-square-foot unit, which is the first in Cobb County, will open the week of November 24. The unit will be operated by franchisee Hamad Mazhir, who already owns the Georgia State University Tin Drum. Barrett Creek […]

Marcona Gears up for Thanksgiving

Los Angeles gourmet sandwich shop, Marcona, is getting a head start on Thanksgiving celebrations by running a $5-a-piece turkey sandwich special on Friday, November 22. The $5 promo is good for two Thanksgiving-themed sandwiches created just for this occasion, during main lunch hours, between noon and 4 p.m. Marcona’s resident chef, Andy Sonnefeld, is offering […]

Schlotzsky’s Opens Co-Branded AR Location with Cinnabon

Schlotzsky’s, home of the Original round-toasted sandwich, announced the opening of its newest location at 1605 Stadium Drive in Jonesboro, Arkansas. The new restaurant brings more than 40 jobs to the local economy. Schlotzsky’s will kick off its grand opening on Tuesday, November 19, with doors opening to the public at 10 a.m. The event […]

Pollo Tropical To Break Ground on First Texas Location

Pollo Tropical, the Caribbean-inspired fast-casual concept, will break ground on its first Texas location on Monday, November 18. The 3,400-square-foot restaurant will be built at 5290 Belt Line Road, with a planned opening in April 2014. It is located near the corporate offices of parent company, Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc., which also owns the Taco […]

Former Chipotle CFO Joins Native Foods Café

Native Foods Café, a plant-based restaurant concept, announced the addition of John Miller, former CFO of Chipotle Mexican Grill and several other fast-casual concepts, to its executive team. “John is a perfect fit for Native Foods Café, with the know-how, commitment, and care to take us to the next level while practicing our shared values,” […]

California Tortilla Cools Off with Test Fro-Yo Offering

Fast-casual chain California Tortilla is serving up a new addition to its menu with Yo! Tort frozen yogurt. Yo! Tort debuted last week when the restaurant chain’s 41st franchise opened in Lorton, Virginia. Best known for its award-winning signature burritos, quesadillas, and salads, California Tortilla is testing the frozen yogurt line as a new potential […]

Mama Fu’s Sizzles with New Franchise Deal in Houston

As the national growth of the fast-casual Asian food segment continues to sizzle, Mama Fu’s Asian House is feeding the demand in Houston with 18 openings in the next 10 years, the first of which will open on November 20 at 1574 West Gray St. Introducing Mama Fu’s to Houston and leading the expansion plans […]

100 Montaditos Plants Its Flag in Iowa

100 Montaditos, the Spanish fast-casual chain, opened its doors Thursday, November 7, at 5141 Utica Ridge Rd. in Davenport, Iowa, marking a significant milestone in its expansion in the U.S. The brand’s signature product, a crunchy, baked-to-order tapas-sized roll known as the Montadito, is charting new territory in the states. Named after its signature product, […]

Rachel’s Kitchen Grows to Six Las Vegas Locations

Since November of 2012, Rachel’s Kitchen in Las Vegas has opened four new locations, the newest of which is positioned in the McCarran International Airport D-Gates and is the collaboration of founder Debbie Sofer-Roxarzade and franchisee Kent Asaki. Asaki also owns two Rachel’s Kitchen full restaurants in the north Summerlin area, which opened in November […]