Fast_Casual

How Fabio Viviani is expanding his restaurant empire into the sweet side

By Patricia Cobe on Jul. 06, 2023

The Italian-born chef’s newest venture is JARS, a fast-casual dessert concept ready for franchising.

Raising Cane's global flagship restaurant opens in NYC's Times Square

By Patricia Cobe on Jun. 27, 2023

The “coming soon” sign had been lit up for two-plus years, but the 8,000-square-foot location finally opened Tuesday, with blocks-long lines of fans waiting to get in.

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Emerging Brands

Indian food is finally carving a niche among U.S. fast casuals

By Patricia Cobe on Jun. 22, 2023

Several forces are coming together to push Indian mainstream through the fast-casual model after years of fits and starts. But the major players are going slow, following a path of smart growth.

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Financing

A labor-saving effort by Clean Juice puts its franchisees in a bind

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 21, 2023

The fast-growing juice chain sold franchises on its idea of house-made, cold-pressed juice. But last year the company shifted to a pre-bottled option. Franchisees say it revealed long-held problems with the brand.

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Financing

Will Cava Group be the next Chipotle or the next Noodles & Co.?

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 16, 2023

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual Mediterranean chain is the latest to draw enthusiasm from investors hoping they’ve found a company that could come close to Chipotle’s return.

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Operations

Boston restaurateurs build fast-casual future in Los Angeles

By Lisa Jennings on Jun. 16, 2023

Tim and Nancy Cushman are known for their higher-end concepts like O Ya and Bianca in Boston. So what are they doing in a West Coast food hall?

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Emerging Brands

Peter Piper changes its model to grow outside its core markets

By Jonathan Maze on Jun. 13, 2023

Parent company CEC Entertainment recently opened a fast-casual version, Peter Piper Pizzeria, in a bid to differentiate itself from sister chain Chuck E. Cheese.

Operations