Fast casual still a force
As expected, fast casual remains the shiny spot for the industry, growing sales 8.1% in 2016. While that number is the highest among all segments, it’s the first time fast casual has dipped below double-digit sales growth in recent years. As the segment matures, emerging cuisines such as Mediterranean are gaining steam while players in larger and highly competitive spaces—like build-your-own-pizza concepts—are starting to thin out.
Though fast casual remains a relatively small segment compared to the rest of the industry, it has driven those making gains throughout to step up their service, menu, value equation and more, and will likely continue to do so. “Expansion in the fast-casual market [has] pushed operators to be more nimble, focused and convenient,” Darren Tristano, chief innovation officer for Winsight, parent of Technomic and Restaurant Business, said in a release.