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Fast Casual

Food

Noodles & Company moves menu in a heartier direction with its first baked entree

 By Patricia Cobe on Sep. 12, 2023

Behind the Menu: Executive chef Nick Graff developed Chicken Parmesan to offer guests a classic Italian main dish at a fast-casual price point.

Food

How Chicken Salad Chick is shaking up the menu with its first warm sandwich

 By Patricia Cobe on Sep. 07, 2023

CMO Tom Carr describes the new Chick Melt and the chain’s drive to innovate while continuing to please its many chicken salad-loving customers.

Emerging Brands

Chicago-based Meatheads Burgers to be absorbed by Epic Burger

By Lisa Jennings on Sep. 07, 2023

The acquisition will allow the "more mindful" Epic Burger to more than double in unit count and will bring drive-thru locations into the fold. But Meatheads will be no more.

Leadership

Former Topgolf exec joins Velvet Taco as CFO

By Lisa Jennings on Sep. 06, 2023

William Davenport also served a 13-year stint with Brinker International. He joins the Dallas-based taco chain as it pushes for growth into new markets.

Workforce

Chicagoland chain Dollop Coffee Co. defends customer-only restroom policy

By Lisa Jennings on Sep. 05, 2023

The local chain prompted a social media firestorm after two police officers were declined restroom access because they were not customers. It wasn't meant to be political, the CEO said, but it soon became political.

Food

Taco Bell tests Baja Blast gelato

By Reyna Estrada on Aug. 30, 2023

The chain is teaming up with Mountain Dew to offer its beloved soda flavor with a summery twist.

Operations

Panera Bread to test smaller menu at some locations

By Joe Guszkowski on Aug. 25, 2023

The cuts are designed to boost speed and simplify operations. They follow years of menu expansion at the bakery-cafe giant.

Operations

Salad concept Green District files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

By Lisa Jennings on Aug. 24, 2023

The fast-casual chain was born in Kentucky and had big plans for franchise expansion before rising interest rates put a damper on growth, the company said.

Food

Smashburger's S'mac & Cheese Burger smashed LTO expectations

By Patricia Cobe on Aug. 24, 2023

Behind the Menu: The mashup of two favorites—mac ‘n cheese and burgers—took two years to perfect but became the chain’s best-selling limited-time item of the past two years.

Operations

Veggie Grill has closed 12 restaurants in 'right sizing' of portfolio

By Lisa Jennings on Aug. 22, 2023

The remaining 17 units will focus on revitalization and menu innovation. CEO and co-founder T.K. Pillan said the plant-based movement has been "over-hyped" and is now becoming "normalized."

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