Fast_Casual

Financing

California cites I Heart Mac and Cheese for franchise violations

The state said that the fast-casual restaurant chain of customizable macaroni and cheese bowls failed to provide proper disclosures on its franchise documents. It’s the second state to take action against the business.

Food

Panera decides its DNA is really soups, sandwiches and salads

The bakery-cafe chain is rolling out a new menu that plays up core menu lines rather than searching for a new breakthrough menu category.

Same-store sales at restaurants slowed markedly in the second half of 2023. But for all the concern about fast-food brands like McDonald's, it was casual-dining restaurants that had the biggest problem.

The fast-casual burger chain is plucking the Papa Johns chief executive to take over for Randy Garutti in May. Ravi Thanawala will become the pizza chain’s interim CEO.

The fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain is also giving general managers and longtime employees a one-time equity grant. The stock split, the company's first in its history, will take place in June.

The fast-casual brand was in freefall before it filed for bankruptcy last year. But improved operations and marketing, and a lot of hard work, have helped the chain turn the corner.

Longtime former employees exited the company as stores closed or paychecks stopped showing. But they’ve since been hit with surprise medical bills, and they’ve found themselves unable to file taxes or collect unemployment benefits.

The Washington, D.C.-based chain has a (sort of) new CEO who has made lots of changes. His message to workers: Uncover those neck tattoos and crank up the music. You can be you.

A Deeper Dive: Chris Dharod, CEO of the fast-casual chain, joins the podcast to discuss its comeback from last year’s bankruptcy filing.

The owner of the rotisserie chicken chain also had his second bankruptcy filing terminated over technical issues, and this time is banned from filing another one.

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