Chef Bryant “Baul” Williams and Daniella Williams, the husband-and-wife founders of Atlanta-based Binky’s, specializing in soul food, and brunch hot spot Betty Sue’s, are keynoting the 20th annual Fast Casual Executive Summit, Oct. 5-7 in Austin and will share how they overcame adversity to build two popular restaurant brands. Baul is a former tour chef for music icons […]
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Cicis Pizza was awarded the Visionary in Technology Award by XRobotics, a provider of robotic solutions for pizza restaurants, at the Pizza Marketplace Top 100 Movers & Shakers awards dinner held in Las Vegas on March 25. “From AI-driven support tools to real-time digital menu boards and an integrated online ordering platform, Cicis is leading […]
Mountain Mike’s Pizza took home the top honor at Pizza Marketplace’s top brand of 2025. Cicis Pizza won a special award from Xrobotics, and David McKillips was the top executive for the year. California-based Mountain Mike’s Pizza took top honors on Pizza Marketplace’s 2025 Top 100 Movers & Shakers list and was honored last Tuesday at a […]
At the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Myrtle Beach, Maribeth dela Cruz, president North America for QSR chicken brand Jollibee, said the brand is poised to reach 350 units in the next several years. With a focus on its roots, innovation and uniqueness, the brand is beginning to franchise. In the last several years, […]
Maribeth Dela Cruz will discuss how she plans to compete with the biggest chicken chains in North America, during her keynote, “Bringing Joy to North America: A Conversation with Jollibee President Maribeth Dela Cruz,” at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, March 11-13, in Myrtle Beach. Although fried-chicken chain Jollibee was born in the Phillippines, the 2,000-unit chain […]
Nominations close Feb. 20, and winners will honored at an awards ceremony during the Restaurant Marketing Workshop, June 2-3, in Indianapolis. Ever wonder what makes a restaurant go viral while one with a similar menu fails? Two words: Amazing marketing. These winning restaurants aren’t just serving delicious food; they’re serving experiences. And more importantly, they […]
Hundreds of restaurant execs will kick off the annual summit by making over 2,000 sandwiches to help feed those in need in South Carolina. My favorite part of the annual Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit is the giveback party we host to kick off the event. Over the past seven years, event attendees, sponsors and speakers have […]
The partnership will help restaurant operators stay up-to-date with consumer demand for crave-worthy and innovative plant-based offerings. Demand for plant-based meat in the United States is forecasted to increase at a CAGR of 6.2% and reach a market value of $ 2.8 billion by the end of 2034, which means fast casual and QSR brands are looking […]
The newly created Fast Casual Index will help determine the Top 100 rankings. Nominations are open now, close Feb. 3. There are few things I love more about my job than creating the Fast Casual Top 100 report and hosting the awards gala in May in Chicago, where rankings are revealed. As the industry grows, however, it […]
The early bird deadline ends Friday, Dec. 20. The Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit is making its Myrtle Beach debut March 11-13 at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Resort & Spa at Grande Dunes. Although there are several reasons for restaurant operators and vendors to attend, I’m focusing on my Top 5. Also, we’ve extended the early bird discount […]
