How Velvet Taco CEO Chris Schultz scales a cult brand without losing its soul
by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media
During his keynote at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Texas, Chris Schultz will discuss restaurant growth, brand culture, leadership, international expansion and why protecting a fast-casual brand's identity matters more than opening the next location.
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How Church’s Texas Chicken uses real estate discipline to drive franchise growth
by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media
Church’s Texas Chicken is bucking the fast-food trend of large, expensive experiential builds by pivoting to a "simplify and amplify" strategy, utilizing smaller, hyper-efficient restaurant footprints that cut construction costs in half, open new urban markets and boost operational efficiency and franchise growth.
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Rita’s Italian Ice opens 1st of 4 planned DFW drive-thru locations
Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will open its doors July 1 in North Richland Hills, marking the beginning of an expansion across North Texas, according…
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From kitchens to tech hubs: Inside fast casual’s digital revolution
In the latest episode of the Restaurant Operator Podcast, Cherryh Cansler, publisher of FastCasual.com, sits down with Luke Wilwerding, Vice President of North America Sales at Elo Touch Solutions, to unpack the highly anticipated FastCasual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list.
The Power of the Rearview Mirror and the Windshield: An activity of reflection and projection
by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners
Using the metaphor of a vehicle's small rearview mirror and large windshield, columnist Kathleen Wood shares a structured framework designed to briefly reflect on past lessons and proactively plan for future personal and professional success.
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The 1:1 Personalization Playbook: Using AI to send every guest their own offer
In this session, Hang CEO Matt Smolin, whose platform powers millions of AI-personalized offers a month for restaurant brands, will walk through the playbook to start personalizing your own offers right away.
