Blaze, Cousins, Torchy's, &Pizza, Slim Chickens CEOs: 'Chaos is the new normal'

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

In this recent Fast Casual Executive Summit roundtable, &pizza Co-founder and CEO Michael Lastoria, Blaze Pizza CEO Mandy Shaw, Cousins Subs CEO Christine…

Flynn Restaurant Group makes $816M reserve bid for NPC's Pizza Huts, Wendy's units

November 11, 2020

A large multi-QSR brand franchisee, Flynn Restaurant Group, has made a reserve, or so-called "stalking horse" offer of $816 million to buy the bankrupt Pizza…

Marco's COO relays many ways brand is 'growing' on pizza-eaters

by S.A. Whitehead — Food Editor, Net World Media Group

With 42 years of feeding pizza to the masses under its belt, Marco's Pizza is really just hitting its stride.

Paytronix debuts subscription program for restaurants, c-stores

November 11, 2020

Paytronix Systems Inc., a digital guest experience platform, has launched Paytronix Subscriptions to make it easy for restaurants and convenience store brands…

Ritual, Square partnering to help restaurants reach new customers

November 10, 2020

Ritual and Square are joining forces in an effort to help restaurants attract new digital customers. The partnership integrates orders from Ritual app users…

Your Pie adds operations, tech leaders

November 10, 2020

Athens, Georgia-based Your Pie has hired operations and technology leaders, including Mike Tillis as vice president of Operations and Support. Tillis, who…

Revel helping brands bypass third-party delivery systems

November 10, 2020

POS and business management provider, Revel Systems, has launched a restaurant delivery management platform that allows brands to bypass third-party delivery…

SMG taps Olo to give customers digital feedback

November 10, 2020

Kansas City-based Service Management Group, an experience management partner, is partnering with Olo, a food ordering platform, to allow SMG clients to solicit…

Plants dig deeper at McDonald's, Pizza Hut

McDonald's and Pizza Hut are embracing plant-based menu items.

Mountain Mike's opens 2nd Santa Maria store

November 10, 2020

Mountain Mike's is opening a second Santa Maria, California, location in the Crossroads Plaza on Bradley Road near the U.S. 101. Franchisee Gurmukh Singh owns…

Coming back from COVID-19: Tips, strategies and a silver lining

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

A panel of fast casual brand leaders shared how they're on a comeback trail post COVID-19 during the recent Fast Casual Executive Summit as well as insight on…

Grubhub, Restaurant Strong team on $2M grant support program

November 9, 2020

Grubhub, a food order and delivery platform, and The Gregg Hill Foundation's Restaurant Strong Fund, are teaming up on a $2 million support program providing…

Casey's General Stores' acquisition will bring Casey's pizza to Bucky's stores

November 9, 2020

C-store chain and Casey's Pizza provider, Casey's General Stores Inc., will acquire Buchanan Energy, which owns Bucky's Convenience Stores, in an all-cash…

Restaurant-transaction declines holding steady

November 9, 2020

Customer transaction declines at major U.S. restaurant chains held steady at -9% every week in October compared to the same weeks one year ago, according to…

Election week bears fruit for pizza brands

Domino's took a sizeable leap forward in value over the last week, while other major pizza players gained value, too, before markets closed when the winner of…

Fears of 2nd coronavirus wave halt October restaurant sales

November 6, 2020

Despite October being the best month for restaurant same-store sales growth since February, the latest resurgence of COVID-19 is not portending well for the…

Is mobile solving the wait-time problem for restaurant brands?

by Emil Davityan — CEO and co-founder, Bluedot

These days of COVID-19 make it clear that customers will not stand for restaurant brands that make them wait. Limited-service restaurateurs that intend to…

Fast casual leaders talk gender inclusivity, how females can advance

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

There are more women than ever working in the fast casual industry, but it's still quite far from being a 50-50 gender split. Three female leaders share…

Pizza Guys puts 'a little bacon' on nation's angst

November 5, 2020

Sacramento-based Pizza Guys knows a nation that needs comfort and they're hoping that magic elixir, bacon, can do it, through their new LTOs built around the…

Romeo's romances growth

November 5, 2020

Ohio-based Romeo's Pizza — matching trends in the pizza industry — found renewed customer interest and elevated popularity of pickup and delivery formats this…