Building unity through community

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

By fostering shared experiences and intentional connections, the restaurant industry serves as a vital "community connector" that accelerates growth for…

Speaker Spotlight: Liz Williams, CEO, El Pollo Loco

Liz Williams, CEO of El Pollo Loco, shares a look at her career, her achievements and industry trends ahead of her appearance at the Restaurant Franchising …

Supertasters and Cicerones: The sophisticated science behind Regents Pizza’s success

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

Driven by the culinary legacy of a "supertaster" chef and a rigorous, 23-level merit-based labor system, Regents Pizza transformed from a twice-failed local…

Jeff's Bagel Run: From garage bagels to 30 and growing

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

On this episode of the Founderology — Built to Breakthrough podcast, I talk with Jeff Perera, co-Founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run and a member of the inaugural…

Beyond the balance sheet: why the future of franchising is proactive, not passive

At the upcoming Restaurant Innovation and Franchising Summit, industry experts will share strategies for moving beyond passive bookkeeping to maximize…

Reigniting passion in your team: a blueprint for peak performance

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

Cultivating employee passion through purpose, recognition and autonomy is the key to driving superior business performance, innovation and long-term retention…

2026 State of the Industry: 10 trends redefining the restaurant landscape

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

The 2026 restaurant landscape is more data-rich than ever, but it remains a people-first business. By leveraging technology to remove friction, operators can…

Peter Piper Pizza truly engrained in the communities it serves

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group

In this podcast episode, Peter Piper Pizza CMO Genaro Perez discusses how the 50-year-old legacy brand drives growth through affordable lunch buffets and a…

Swipe fees could cost consumers $683M on Valentine’s day

February 10, 2026

Credit card swipe fees could cost consumers more than $683 million given expected higher prices for Valentine's Day gifts, according to the Merchants Payments…

Successful and struggling: The Founder paradox no one talks about

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

We explore the "founder's paradox" of being both successful and isolated, ultimately arguing that connecting with a community of peers is the essential…

Applications now open for LDEI 2026 Awards

February 5, 2026

Applications are now open for the 2026 Les Dames d'Escoffier International (LDEI) Legacy Awards, supported by The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the…

Yum Brands reports Q4, year-end results; Pizza Hut to close 250 units

February 5, 2026

Yum Brands, Inc. released its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended Dec. 31, 2025, highlighting significant profit growth and a…

The Super Bowl of restaurant operations: Why game day is every day for pizza chains

by Christian Wiens — Co-Founder & CEO, Loman AI

Super Bowl Sunday serves as a high-stakes stress test that reveals whether a restaurant has built the scalable, automated systems necessary to turn extreme…

Grubhub eliminating fees on orders over $50

February 5, 2026

Grubhub is moving to eliminate the industry's most persistent pain point by waiving delivery and service fees on larger orders, a shift the company will debut…

Bridging the restaurant coaching gap: LEAD announces leadership events in KC, Dallas

by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

As the publisher of FastCasual.com and a proud Kansas Citian, I've always said that some of the best leadership in the restaurant industry is bred right here…

East Village Pizza offers heart-shaped pizzas year-round

February 3, 2026

While some pizza brands offer heart-shaped pizzas for a limited time around Valentine's Day, Manhattan's East Village Pizza offers them year-round, according…

Loop AI secures $14M Series A to scale restaurant back-office technology

February 3, 2026

Loop AI, an enterprise AI platform for restaurant and retail back offices, has raised $14 million in Series A funding, according to a press release.

Slice House by Tony Gemignani opens in Boulder

February 2, 2026

Slice House by Tony Gemignani has opened in Boulder, Colorado, according to a press release.

Pizza Nova donates $18K Student Nutrition Ontario through Coins for Breakfast program

February 2, 2026

Pizza Nova recently donated $18,108 to Student Nutrition Ontario through its ongoing Coins for Breakfast fundraising program. This contribution brings Pizza…

Thriving through uncertainty: the power of resilience in leadership and business

by Jim Knight — Founder & CEO, Knight Speaker

Resilience is the essential "superpower" for navigating modern uncertainty, serving as a developable skill that enables individuals and organizations to…