Fast_Casual

Portillo’s aims high with IPO at $20 per share

By Heather Lalley on Oct. 21, 2021

The 67-unit fast casual, with a menu of regional Chicago fare like hot dogs and Italian Beef sandwiches, will offer more than 20 million shares for sale starting Thursday.

Workforce

Original ChopShop wants customers to help with hiring

By Heather Lalley on Oct. 20, 2021

The 16-unit fast casual is now offering $50 referral bonuses to diners who send new hires to the chain.

Operations

Freddy’s Frozen Custard is trying to find ways to get faster

By Heather Lalley on Oct. 14, 2021

The fast-casual chain said it plans to expand a test of deploying workers with tablets to its drive-thrus to take orders and payments as it looks to move cars through the line more quickly.

Financing

Portillo’s hopes to raise about $400M with its IPO

By Heather Lalley on Oct. 12, 2021

The fast casual revealed Tuesday it intends to sell more than 20 million shares at between $17 and $20 each when it goes public October 21.

Premium

Food

Mendocino Farms carves out a new menu category with the launch of grain bowls

By Patricia Cobe on Oct. 08, 2021

Three globally flavored bowls join the fast casual’s salad and sandwich lineup, all boasting the “Mendo twist” and primed to build dinner business.

Food

Sweetgreen embraces cauliflower in new fall menu

By Heather Lalley on Oct. 07, 2021

The fast casual is adding a new Buffalo Cauliflower side dish and a Curry Cauliflower bowl to its autumnal offerings.

Workforce

Why Raising Cane’s is enlisting HQ employees to recruit fry cooks and cashiers

By Heather Lalley on Oct. 06, 2021

Half of the fast-casual chicken finger chain’s Dallas-based corporate staff has deployed around the country to hire 10,000 new workers in 50 days amid a labor shortage that’s hitting operations as the company looks to open 100 stores next year.

Leadership