News

Nominations now open for The Fast Casual Top 100

December 4, 2013

The editors of FastCasual.com are now accepting nominations for The 2014 Fast Casual Top 100.

The annual publication is a mix of rankings compiled from industry nominations as well as a panel of industry experts.

Categories include:

• The Top 50 Fast Casual Concepts
• The Top 25 Most Influential Fast Casual Movers & Shakers
• The Top 10 Menu Innovations
• The Top 10 Technologies
• The Top 5 Marketing Campaigns

Past winners include Fazoli's, Smashburger, Firehouse Subs, MOOYAH Burgers, Au Bon Pain, Chipotle and Panera Bread.

"This list is always hard to narrow down because innovation is a staple in the fast casual industry," said Cherryh Butler, editor of FastCasual.com. "This year, we have added a new category to recognize the industry's top marketing campaigns. Winners could include anything from creative ads and social media contests to funny slogans or Youtube or Vine videos. We want to showcase those campaigns that have really led to increased traffic and sales.

Nominations, which can be made here, close Jan. 7, and Butler pointed out that the selection process isn't necessarily about how many times a brand is mentioned, or even about sales figures.

"We also look closely at why each brand is nominated, so make sure you give specific feedback on the survey," she said. "Mere revenue growth is not enough, either. We like to see how the brand contributed to the overall growth and evolution of the fast casual segment."

Now in its 10th year, the 2014 ranking will be revealed May 18 during a banquet that coincides with NRA show in Chicago.

Read more about the Top 100, and make your nominations here.