Meet the 6 brands taking the stage at the 2026 Perfect Pitch

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Bronx Burger Co., Dizzy Bird, PLOMO Quesadillas, Griller Bros, Redhead Burger and Tiki Bagel will compete in the 2026 competition.

The restaurant of tomorrow takes center stage at #QSRNext 2026

by Valerie Gritton

#QSRNext 2026 will bring together restaurant executives and industry leaders to explore the forces reshaping quick service, including AI, drive-thru technology, off-premises, labor, sustainability, digital experiences and beverage innovation.

Your drive-thru isn’t broken; it’s invisible

by Michael MacLennan — Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Arc

Mike MacLennan, co-founder and co-CEO of Arc, a voice AI platform that helps restaurant operators measure and optimize the drive-thru, explains how to upsell at the drive-thru.

Paris Baguette partners with ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on drinks, prizes

Paris Baguette has partnered with ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" for the first time, introducing two beverages tied to the television show's 35th season.

Accuracy is the New Loyalty

Order accuracy directly impacts restaurant profitability, customer trust and repeat business. In this webinar, Star Micronics explored where costly errors happen and how smarter labeling can improve item identification, modifiers, handoff, catering, food safety and traceability while working alongside POS and KDS platforms.

How Nekter's CTO is using AI to turn more guests into regulars

Nékter Juice Bar CTO Jon Asher joins Fast Casual Nation hosts Paul Barron and Cherryh Cansler to break down how AI is reshaping guest personalization, loyalty, and data strategy at the 200+ unit juice bar chain — plus why clean first-party data matters more than any single AI tool.

Mountain Mike's Pizza

For over 45 years, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza chain known for its legendary crispy, curly pepperonis and Mountain-sized pizzas, has been quietly building one of the largest regional pizza franchises in the West. Today we're developing coast-to-coast with 300+ restaurants, and we're primed for explosive growth nationwide

Top 30 Movers & Shakers in Catering 2026

This annual initiative shines a spotlight on the visionary leaders, innovators, and brands redefining off-premises dining. From pioneering game-changing operational strategies and overhauling kitchen logistics to introducing bold menu lines and smart fulfillment technology, this year’s honorees represent the very best in industry excellence.

2026 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers

Welcome to the 2026 edition of the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Each year, this report serves as a pulse check for the industry, celebrating the brands and leaders who aren’t just keeping pace with the market—they are redefining it.