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Fast_Casual

Technology

Chipotle is testing a robot to make perfectly imperfect chips

 By Heather Lalley on Mar. 16, 2022

Chippy, made by Miso Robotics, uses artificial intelligence to fry and season the fast casual’s tortilla chips so they’re craveable and don’t “lose the humanity behind our culinary experience,” the brand said.

Leadership

Charlie Morrison’s Wingstop departure raises more questions than answers

 By Heather Lalley on Mar. 16, 2022

Morrison’s abrupt resignation this week from the publicly traded wing chain he transformed over the past decade, to helm 50-unit regional concept Salad and Go, is a major industry surprise.

Technology

WOWorks adds a CIO, updates its tech platforms

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 16, 2022

The operator of four fast-casual brands hired Kyle Mark to the newly created chief information officer post.

Food

4 Rivers Smokehouse debuts an ‘Inflation Menu’ to cushion rising prices

By Patricia Cobe on Mar. 15, 2022

The budget-friendly menu saves money for both the restaurant group and its customers.

Operations

Franchising takes wing for Starbird

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 11, 2022

The 12-unit, tech-focused fast casual said it has proven out its concept and is ready to bring on franchisees as early as next month.

Financing

Portillo’s wants to be a ‘price laggard’

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 10, 2022

The fast-casual Italian beef chain, which went public in October, said it looks to take traffic while other brands are taking price. But that doesn’t mean it’s not raising prices at all.

Leadership

El Pollo Loco names Laurance Roberts CEO

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 10, 2022

Roberts has served as interim CEO and CFO since last fall, following the departure of Bernard Acoca, who left to take the top post at Zaxby’s.

Emerging Brands

How Original ChopShop is growing like a big chain while it’s still small

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 07, 2022

The 17-unit fast-casual adopted practices from bigger brands early on which have helped it navigate through the pandemic with strong sales.

Operations

Sweetgreen really wants you to get back to the office

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 04, 2022

The fast-casual salad chain revealed it has about 500 Outpost office drop-off locations, but it’s hoping to grow that business to boost its sales.

Financing

For Sweetgreen, margins remain a big hurdle

By Heather Lalley on Mar. 03, 2022

The fast-casual, in its first earnings report as a public company, said it expects its first-quarter restaurant-level margins to be between 10% and 11% despite growing sales.

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