QSR 339 May 2026

EVOLVING QUICK SERVICE FOR THE FUTURE M AY 2026 ⁄ NO. 339

®

COVER STORY:

CEO ANDREW CATHY AND CHICK-FIL-A ARE HONORING 80 YEARS

BY CELEBRATING THE PAST, SURPRISING GUESTS, AND IMAGINING A BOLD FUTURE DEFINED BY CARE.

THE ART OF

‘NEWSTALGIA’ | P. 32 |

+

EMERGING EXPERIENCE OF MOBILE

Mystery shoppers shed light on what’s next for the category. | P. 60 |

Premium ingredients pay for themselves. When your signature items look better and taste better, they sell better. ghirardelli.com/professional

LEARN MORE

MAY TA BL E OF CON T EN T S / #339

/ The National Association Restaurant Show Issue

2 BRANDED CONTENT

FE AT URE S

4 EDITOR’S LETTER

24

7 BEHIND THE COUNTER

The National Restaurant Association Show Preview

78 ADVERTISER INDEX

BY SATYNE DONER

The event returns for another year, depicting an ever-evolving industry.

INSIGHT

9 FRESH IDEAS

From the Menu to The Aisle

32

Chick-fil-A at 80: Where Memory Meets Momentum

CPG has become a profitable business for a growing number of restaurants.

BY SAM DANLEY

BY DANNY KLEIN

16

One of the industry’s most-iconic restaurants is bringing to life a “Newstalgia” campaign across 2026.

ONES TO WATCH

Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream

The rising chain creates wonder by turning science into delicious desserts.

BY BRITT ENGLER

44

Fast Casual’s Asian Frontier

BY SAM DANLEY

Chains are racing to scale cuisines that have long thrived in mom-and-pop restaurants.

52

The Battle of Better Burgers

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

NEWS

72 FRANCHISE FORWARD

A Reimagined Legacy for a New Generation of Franchisees

The segment is as competitive as ever.

A Hawaiian Bros operator embraces new strategies, but doesn’t forget the lessons he’s learned along the way.

BY BRITT ENGLER

60

74

BY BEN COLEY

The Emerging Experience of Mobile Ordering

BY DANNY KLEIN

The report is full of key trends you don’t want to miss.

ADOBE STOCK / STUDIO95

20

OPER ATIONS

Rewriting a French Classic

la Madeleine revamped its brand and looks to take advantage of growth opportunities.

BY SAM DANLEY

Scaling Dutch Bros through Clarity and Culture

The chain’s CMO gives insight into how the brand is growing awareness.

BY SATYNE DONER

80 S TART TO FINISH

Bobbie Lloyd

The Magnolia Bakery executive shares how leading with heart and creativity equals long-term success.

ON THE COVER

Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy leads a brand that doesn’t take its customers for granted.

PHOTOGR APHY: CHICK-FIL-A

QSR is a registered trademark of WTWH Media, LLC. QSR is copyright © 2026 WTWH Media, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions of columnists are their own. Publication of their writing does not imply endorsement by WTWH Media, LLC. Subscriptions (919) 945-0704. www.qsrmagazine.com/subscribe. QSR is provided without charge upon request to individuals residing in the U.S. meeting subscription criteria as set forth by the publisher. AAM member. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any fashion without the express written consent of WTWH Media, LLC. QSR (ISSN 1093-7994), USPS PUBLICATION #20387 is published monthly by WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Avenue Suite 1120, Cleveland, OH 44114. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Avenue Suite 1120, Cleveland, OH 44114.

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

1

BRANDED CONTENT EDITORIAL

V ICE PR ESIDENT EDITOR I A L FOOD, R E TA IL , & HOSPITA LIT Y

BRAND STORIES FROM QSR

Danny Klein

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QSR EDITOR

Ben Coley

IN THIS ISSUE

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FSR EDITOR

Callie Evergreen

14

cevergreen@wtwhmedia.com

22

AS SOCI ATE EDITOR

Sam Danley

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AS SOCI ATE EDITOR

Satyne Doner

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SENIOR V ICE PR ESIDENT AUDIENCE GROW TH

Greg Sanders

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MIKE’S HOT HONEY

CONTENT STUDIO

BURGER KING

The Explosive Trend That Spread from Pizzerias to Dunkin’ From niche idea to

V ICE PR ESIDENT, CONTENT S T UDIO

How Burger King is Putting Growth Back in Local Hands Local leadership is

national momentum, this spicy-sweet combo fuels LTO innovation.

Drew Filipski

W R ITER , CONTENT S T UDIO

Ya’el McLoud

ymcloud@wtwhmedia.com

SPONSORED BY BURGER KING

18

W R ITER , CONTENT S T UDIO dfilipski@wtwhmedia.com

bringing sharper execution and stronger restaurant culture.

SPONSORED BY MIKE’S HOT HONEY

Peggy Carouthers

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W R ITER , CONTENT S T UDIO

Abby Winterburn

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30

ART & PRODUCTION

SENIOR A R T DIR ECTOR

Tory Bartelt

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V P, CR E ATI V E DIR ECTOR / FSR A R T DIR ECTOR

Matt Claney

mclaney@wtwhmedia.com

RED DIAMOND

LOOMIS / ISTOCK PHOTO

SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

How to Turn Drinks Into A Growth Engine Beverage programs are becoming

a bigger contributor to guest traffic and average check growth. SPONSORED BY RED

Why the Busiest Kitchens Need a Different Kind of Cash Protection

Matt Waddell

mwaddell@wtwhmedia.com 312-961-6840

V ICE PR ESIDENT, BU SINES S DE V ELOPMENT

Eugene Drezner

edrezner@wtwhmedia.com 919-945-0705

Reduce downtime, strengthen security, and simplify daily deposits.

N ATION A L S A LES DIR ECTOR

Edward Richards

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DIAMOND

SV P, FOOD, R E TA IL , HOSPITA LIT Y S A LES A ND ACCOUNT M A N AGEMENT

N ATION A L S A LES DIR ECTOR

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ONLINE S E E T H E S E S T O R I E S A T Q S R M A G A Z I N E . C O M / S P O N S O R E D

N ATION A L S A LES M A N AGER

Guy Norcott

TECHNOLOGY

LOYALT Y

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SECURIT Y

CU S TOMER SERV ICE R EPR ESENTATI V E

Tracy Willingham

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How One KFC Franchisee Found $136,000 in Annual Savings

The switch that cut costs by 0.3 percent across 32 locations. SPONSORED BY RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.

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Behind the Systems Supporting a Fast-Growing Coffee Chain Operational upgrades and new POS capabilities are helping streamline service and prepare for new store openings. SPONSORED BY SQUARE

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

How a Denny’s Leader Reclaimed 40 Hours a Week—While Strengthening Security

Managing security, compliance, and operational consistency across a large restaurant footprint requires more than hindsight.

SPONSORED BY ENVYSION

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Webb C. Howell ADMINISTRATION 919-945-0704 / www.qsrmagazine.com/subscribe QSR is provided without charge upon request to individuals residing in the U.S. who meet subscription criteria as set forth by the publisher.

WTWH MEDIA LLC RETAIL, HOSPITALITY, AND FOOD GROUP

The Flavor of Summer is Ripe and Ready.

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A New Flavor is Here.

Say hello to Peach—the newest addition to the DOLE SOFT SERVE® true-to-fruit lineup. Versatile, craveable, and easy to serve. It’s the perfect way to freshen up your menu and give your guests a true taste of summer.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

The Trends Defining Restaurants in 2026 S OME C AT E G OR IE S A R E R ISING . O T HE RS NO T S O MUC H .

A

BCOLEY@WTWHMEDIA.COM QSR MAGAZINE

4

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

s we approach the halfway point in 2026, a few things have become clear.

Chicken and beverages are as strong as ever.

Large, mid-sized, and emerging chicken concepts, like Raising Cane’s, Huey Magoo’s, and Starbird continue to expand across the country. Customers are drawn to the variety, whether it’s tenders, sandwiches, or boneless wings, and many brands are pairing these menu items with innovative sauces to create a more distinctive experience.

We also can’t forget Chick-fil-A, which is on our May cover. Aside from its eye-popping AUV and sales numbers, what stands out about the brand is its constant focus on innovation and marketing. In March, the chain released a new Jalapeño Ranch Club Chicken Sandwich and Strawberry Hibiscus beverages, giving customers yet another reason to visit.

In beverages, numerous chains have launched their own spin on dirty soda.

McDonald’s, the biggest chain in America, plans to debut a creative drink lineup later this year after extensive testing. Taco Bell is also expanding its beverage-forward Live Más Café in Southern California and Texas. Internationally, KFC rolled out Kwench to attract Gen Z and millennial consumers.

Another big storyline is the pizza segment’s struggles. Major players Pizza Hut and Papa John’s have experienced consistent sales declines and have announced hundreds of store closures in the U.S. The fast-casual pizza industry has been hurting for years. Pie Five, once dubbed the “Chipotle of pizza,” had 100 locations in 2017 but is now down to fewer than 20 res-

taurants. Pieology declared bankruptcy in December. MOD Pizza was acquired by new ownership and saved from bankruptcy, and Blaze Pizza recently hired a new CEO to chart a new direction.

However, not all pizza chains are struggling. Domino’s, in fact, is thriving. Thanks to a combination of value, menu innovation, technology, and operational improvements, the brand continues to gain market share and separate itself from the pack. Marco’s Pizza also appears to be performing well, after opening 60 units last year and planning 80 openings in 2026.

Value remains a fascinating storyline as well. McDonald’s, which added a $3-or-less menu and $4 breakfast combo in April, is the clear leader. The burger giant is determined not to be beaten in this area, and with its incredible marketing engine and resources, few competitors can match it.

We’re also seeing lower price points from fast-casual brands, including $4.99 offerings at Panera and Smashburger, a protein cup for under $4 at Chipotle, and $1 sodas, $3 fries, and $5 shakes on Shake Shack’s mobile app.

Taken together, these trends show an industry moving quickly. In 2026, success increasingly belongs to brands that innovate while keeping prices accessible.

Customers are demanding convenience, speed, quality, and a great experience.

Expectations are higher than ever, and only the best concepts will meet the moment.

There are still many months left in the year, and anything can happen.

Ben Coley EDITOR

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BEHIND THE COUNTER

Protecting Profitability Lessons on making better decisions at the restaurant level.

ADOBE STOCK / MONKEY BUSINESS

MARGINS REMAIN THIN IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY.

HERE’S WHERE YOU CAN WATCH THE WEBINAR.

Tighter operations and sharper decision-making are defining success in quick service heading into 2026. With shifting traffic patterns, elevated food and labor costs, and continued pressure to deliver speed and consistency, operators are finding that even small adjustments can make a measurable difference across the system.

A new webinar from Restaurant365 takes a closer look at how leading QSR operators are approaching the year ahead.

The session features David Mortensen, customer success manager at Restaurant365, alongside Jonathan Martin, cofounder of Pivot Accounting.

The conversation is built around one central idea: profitability is driven at the operational level. For brands managing high transaction volumes on tight margins, visibility into performance metrics and the ability to act on them quickly are becoming essential.

The webinar breaks down several key areas where operators are focusing their efforts. That includes tracking prime costs on a daily basis to identify issues early, adjusting labor schedules based on demand patterns and peak dayparts, and improving inventory controls to limit waste and reduce variance. Each of these areas connects directly to margin protection and consistency across locations.

Mortensen brings a background in back-of-house leadership and implementation experience, working closely with restaurant teams to apply technology in a way that supports real-world operations. Martin adds a financial perspective shaped by years of advising franchisees on growth, structure, and multi-unit strategy.

Together, the session offers a practical look at how operators can move from reactive decision-making to a more proactive, data-driven approach.

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

7

BEHIND THE COUNTER

Qu’s 2026 State of Digital & Beyond: The Restaurant Technology Benchmark analyzes how restaurants are adapting their technology strategies amid economic pressure, rising digital demand, and operational complexity.

Economic Pressure is Shaping Restaurant Strategy

MORE THAN

HALF

OF RESTAURANT BRANDS NOW GENERATE OVER

• Restaurants are shifting from “growth at all costs” to strategies focused on efficiency, profitability, and margin protection.

25%

• Rising consumer price sensitivity is forcing operators to balance value perception with the need to maintain healthy margins.

TOTAL SALES

• Promotions, discounts, and limited-time offers have become the most effective tools for driving traffic and improving revenue performance.

DIGITAL CHANNELS

OF THEIR

• Inflation in food costs and rising labor expenses continue to create operational pressure, particularly for fast-casual brands.

Digital Sales Continue to Expand

• Restaurants are increasingly relying on menu innovation and demand-stimulation strategies to attract customers in a challenging economic environment.

Technology Investment Continues to Grow • Nearly half of restaurant brands expect their technology investments to increase in 2026 despite ongoing margin pressures.

• Quick-service restaurant brands are increasing their technology spending faster than fast-casual brands in order to compete in high-volume environments.

• Restaurants are shifting their digital focus away from basic adoption and toward optimization, integration, and profitability.

• Technology is increasingly viewed as essential for improving operational efficiency and supporting guest experience improvements.

• Digital channels are becoming a larger portion of restaurant revenue across the industry.

Guest Experience is Driving Technology Spending • Improving the digital guest experience is the top technology investment priority for restaurants in 2026.

• Marketing technology and loyalty platforms are also major areas of investment as brands seek deeper relationships with customers.

• Point-of-sale modernization and unified commerce systems are important investments to support seamless ordering across channels.

• However, fragmented technology systems and inconsistent data continue to limit the impact of these investments.

AI Investment is Accelerating but Results are Still Emerging • While AI adoption is growing quickly, most companies are still in the early stages of realizing measurable value from these investments.

• Restaurants are primarily investing in AI for marketing, personalization, predictive analytics, and voice ordering solutions.

• Quick-service brands are investing more heavily in front-of-house AI tools such as voice ordering and drive-thru computer vision.

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

• Quick-service restaurants are rapidly increasing their digital sales share and closing the gap with fast-casual brands.

• A s digital adoption grows, restaurants must improve system integration and operational readiness to manage the increased complexity.

Operational Complexity is Increasing with Digital Growth • The rapid expansion of digital ordering channels is creating new operational challenges for restaurants.

• Many brands report that third-party ordering platforms and first-party digital ordering systems are among the most unstable technology systems.

• Improving order flow across all channels has become the top operational priority for restaurants heading into 2026.

• A large majority of restaurant brands are investing in artificial intelligence either today or within the next year.

• Many operators report that AI currently provides limited or emerging value rather than transformative results.

• More than half of restaurant brands now generate over 25 percent of their total sales from digital channels.

• Enterprise restaurant brands are more likely than mid-market brands to use advanced tools like customer data platforms to personalize the guest experience.

• Restaurants are also prioritizing improvements in team workflows, order readiness accuracy, and real-time kitchen communication.

• Operational execution and labor challenges remain major barriers to delivering consistent guest experiences across channels.

EATING AT DIGITAL TABLE: ADOBE STOCK / ELENABSL, TECH INVESTMENT CONCEPT: ADOBE STOCK / SONG_ABOUT_SUMMER, TOUCHSCREEN SCREEN IN A FAST FOOD RESTAURANT: ADOBE STOCK / VLADIMIR RAZGULYAEV

FROM

fresh ideas M A Y

2 0 2 6

C P G

I N N O V A T I O N

WHITE CASTLE HAS MAINTAINED A PRESENCE IN GROCERY STORES FOR DECADES.

FROM THE

MENU AISLE

ADOBE STOCK / ADRIANA

TO THE

What does it take for a restaurant brand to succeed on the grocery shelf?

BY SAM DANLEY

I

n 1987, White Castle began offering microwavable sliders in grocery stores after then-CEO Bill Ingram noticed something unusual about how guests were ordering. Customers weren’t just eating sliders in the restaurant. They also were buying extra to take home and freeze for later.

That behavior sparked a simple question: if people were already turning their freezers into mini White Castles, why shouldn’t the company help them do it better?

When Ingram pitched the idea of a frozen slider line to contract manufacturers, the response was skeptical. Suppliers said the business would be too risky and complex to execute, so the company developed its own manufacturing process in-house.

Nearly four decades later, the retail division represents roughly a quarter of White Castle’s total revenue, selling a variety of frozen sliders and snacks in grocery freezer aisles nationwide.

But the frozen sliders represent more than just a second sales channel. Sarah Paulson, director of retail marketing, innovation, and licensing at White Castle, says the CPG business helps the company connect with fans who didn’t grow up with a White Castle nearby or who may have moved away from its core markets.

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

9

fresh ideas White Castle’s restaurant footprint remains concentrated in the Midwest and the New York metropolitan area. Retail products help the brand maintain relationships with consumers beyond those markets.

The company also takes a broad approach to where its products are sold. Rather than focusing only on traditional grocery chains, it distributes its frozen sliders across a wide range of retail formats, including grocery, club, and convenience stores, along with discount stores like Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.

“We really don’t try to limit where we sell,” Paulson says. “Anywhere that has a freezer door is an opportunity.”

Paulson also connects the current momentum behind restaurant-branded CPG products to the broader economic climate. With consumers facing tighter budgets and fewer discretionary dollars, more meals are being prepared at home. At the same time, shoppers still want convenience and familiar indulgences. Retailers have taken notice and are giving consumers more ways to enjoy recognizable restaurant flavors without the higher cost of dining out.

“They’re definitely tuned into that spending, and they’re continuing to add restaurant-style brands to their shelves–even to the point that there are brands that aren’t restaurants who claim ‘restaurant style’ on their packaging to help elicit quality and flavor,” Paulson says.

Restaurant brands moving into grocery isn’t new, but the pace accelerated during the pandemic, when lockdowns forced operators to rethink how they reached consumers. What began as a survival tactic when dining rooms closed has since evolved into a long-term strategy for many brands.

Consumers who became accustomed to eating more meals at home during the pandemic have continued seeking restaurantquality flavors in retail formats, driving demand for branded sauces, frozen products, and meal kits. Inflation has reinforced that shift, encouraging shoppers to look for lower-cost alternatives to dining out while still gravitating toward familiar brands.

Together, those forces have turned restaurant-to-retail expansion into a more permanent part of the industry landscape, giving

C P G

I N N O V A T I O N

brands another way to interact with consumers beyond the traditional service model.

The list of chains entering the grocery aisle continues to grow.

Walk through many supermarkets today and restaurant logos are increasingly visible on shelves and in freezer cases.

One newer entrant into the space is Dutch Bros.

The drive-thru coffee chain officially entered the consumer packaged goods market in early 2026 with the launch of its “Dutch Bros at home” line, designed to bring the brand’s signature flavors into retail and online channels. The assortment is available through Amazon and select Walmart, H.E.B., and Albertsons stores in markets where the company currently operates, with broader distribution expected to roll out across additional grocery, mass, convenience, and e-commerce retailers.

“From a strategic standpoint, CPG complements our shop business by meeting customers in retail environments they already frequent while strengthening the connection they’ve built with Dutch Bros in-shop,” says Tana Davila, chief marketing officer at Dutch Bros. “It is also helping us grow brand awareness, especially in newer markets.”

After a gradual rollout last year, the assortment is expanding to more stores and online in 2026. It includes signature ground coffee, ready-to-drink iced coffees and lattes, creamers, and single-serve coffee pods.

The five launch flavors–Vanilla Caramel, Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Caramel Mocha, Irish Creme, and Coconut Mocha–mirror the flavor combinations behind popular Dutch Bros drinks such as the Golden Eagle, Annihilator, Caramelizer, Kicker, and Cocomo.

“One of the challenges has been ensuring that we deliver the flavors our customers know and love as best as possible in the at-home format,” Davila says. “In our shops, so much of the experience comes from customization opportunities and the energy of our broistas, so bringing those familiar flavor profiles into packaged products takes thoughtful development.”

That challenge is common for restaurant brands entering CPG. Translating an in-store experience into a packaged product often

DUTCH BROS

DUTCH BROS OFFICIALLY BEGAN ITS CPG JOURNEY IN 2025.

10

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

Many Different Snacks, Many Unforgettable Moments.

We provide the snacks and frozen treats that make memories in consumers’ minds.

The ones associated with delight and good times. And they all come from one source.

Stop by booth #5607 at the National Restaurant Association Show for a free sample or visit jjsnackfoodservice.com/sample/ SCAN FOR FREE SAMPLE

HAAGEN-DAZS’ CPG BUSINESS EARNS $1.5 BILLION EACH YEAR.

requires finding ways to recreate familiar flavors and brand cues in a completely different format.

The dynamic works differently for Häagen-Dazs, where the relationship between shop experience and retail product often runs in the opposite direction.

For most consumers, the brand is synonymous with the grocery freezer aisle. Its U.S. CPG business generates about $1.5 billion in annual sales and, by the company’s measure, is the largest ice cream brand in the country, with a presence in “almost every store someone would go to,” says Rachel Jaiven, head of marketing at Häagen-Dazs.

The brand was founded in 1960 as a premium packaged ice cream company and didn’t open its first scoop shop until 1976.

Today, the shop experience exists across 212 locations in 29 states, offering what Jaiven describes as a “deeper, more immersive expression” of the brand than consumers get from a pint at home.

The retail and shop businesses should never feel like two separate brands, she says. Large national marketing campaigns drive

12

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

C P G

I N N O V A T I O N

awareness for the packaged products, creating a halo effect that brings consumers into scoop shops. In turn, the shops provide a fully sensory experience that can deepen brand loyalty, reinforce its premium positioning, and encourage guests to pick up a pint on their way home.

A few years ago, Häagen-Dazs also began redesigning its scoop shops to strengthen that connection. The brand overhauled the look and feel of its stores and has been rolling the new design across the network. Jaiven describes the effort as a way to “build that brand recognition more seamlessly from what they see on the shelf to what they see when they walk into a store.”

Innovation also flows between the two sides of the business.

New flavors are typically developed first for the CPG channel and then selectively introduced in scoop shops when space allows.

Sometimes those launches are synchronized across both channels, supported by national campaigns and local store promotions.

The shops can also function as testing grounds. When HäagenDazs upgraded its pistachio recipe to feature more real pistachio flavor, the company offered free tastings in scoop shops, helping drive roughly 75 percent sales growth for the flavor in that channel.

Through it all, Jaiven says the guiding principle is consistency.

“My job and our goal is to build love for the brand, no matter where they experience it,” she says.

For brands exploring the relationship between packaged products and brick-and-mortar experiences, Jaiven says the starting point is a clear understanding of the brand itself—and maintaining that identity across channels.

“First and foremost, it’s about that brand foundation,” she says.

“It’s about making sure that the brand experience is consistent wherever you show up, no matter what.”

For Häagen-Dazs, that principle shows up in the smallest details.

A scoop in a Brooklyn shop, she says, has to deliver the same flavor promise as a pint pulled from a grocery freezer in the Midwest.

Clarity of differentiation is just as critical when entering the retail environment. Grocery buyers evaluating new products want to know exactly what a brand brings to the shelf that competitors do not.

“When you go and speak to a grocery store chain or any kind of channel where CPG products are sold, they’re going to want to know: What are you bringing that’s unique and different to drive my sales?” she says. “That point of difference and that uniqueness needs to be very clear versus your competitors.”

Finally, she cautions against chasing distribution for its own sake. Häagen-Dazs enjoys widespread distribution across grocery retail, but Jaiven says restaurants entering CPG or new channels shouldn’t necessarily chase that kind of ubiquity out of the gate.

Similarly, White Castle’s “every freezer is an opportunity” playbook won’t make sense for every brand at every stage.

“Everything informs the brand perception,” she says. “It’s really tempting to go everywhere, but just being aware that there are different choices you make around that and having a sense of what that reflects about your brand is important.”

Sam Danley is the associate editor of QSR. He can be reached at sdanley@ wthwmedia.com.

ICE CREAM PINT: ADOBE STOCK / PASCAL HUOT, STORE: ADOBE STOCK / TADA IMAGES

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Flavor Runs In The Family.

Great menus need great flavor, but no single flavor is perfect for every menu. That’s why, when it comes to Ranch, the family behind Ken’s has spent decades collaborating with customers to craft 12 unique Ranch flavors. Whether your emphasis is fresh tangy buttermilk, savory herbs or the exciting smoky, spicy or cool flavors of Chipotle, Jalapeño or Avocado – we have a Ranch custom-built for your menu. No matter what your guests crave,

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The Explosive Trend That Spread from Pizzerias to Dunkin’

B

y now, most pizzerias have heard of—or are serving—hot honey. But what some might not know is that the national trend started in a Brooklyn pizzeria. The “swicy” pizza topping took seven years of development, starting in 2003 with a nod to Brazilian chili-infused honey. From inspiration to overnight hit, it is taking the pizza and now, quick-service restaurants at large, by storm. Mike’s Hot Honey (MHH) has proved to be the starting point for a sweet-heat movement that has expanded into beer, ice cream, sandwiches, and more—always with an eye on its roots in pizza.

Trends like hot honey show how inspired foodservice operators and employees can challenge entire industries and create lasting momentum. MHH proved its appeal early on at Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn in 2010, where Mike was working at the time. Paulie Gee, like many operators, recognized that Mike had landed on

a hit flavor combination the moment he tasted it and began serving small batches of MHH on the Hellboy pie with hot soppressata.

Today, Mike’s Hot Honey is the fastest-growing pizza topping, up 406 percent in 2025, according to Datassential, but its popularity doesn't stop at pizza.

Mike’s Hot Honey took its roots with independent small operators and applied that level of care and customer service to its national accounts while keeping an eye on its flagship customers. “Our team and our passion for our customers are a big part of our success,” says Frank Speranza, national sales manager for Mike’s Hot Honey. “We care deeply about all our customers, whether they’re independents or national accounts, and we focus on each one with the same level of appreciation and passion.”

That passion is backed by consumer interest, which helps explain the steady stream of successful LTOs with both major brands and independents over the past few years. The Dunkin’ x Mike’s Hot Honey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich was met with widespread excitement, while permanent menu additions have followed at national brands like Casey’s.

Beyond flavor, Mike’s Hot Honey has become a cultural phenomenon, earning a distinct “cool factor.” Customers recognize the bright neon signage hanging in local spots and can even play an old-school arcade game called Slice Hunter, a nod to the 1980s slice-shop era, courtesy of Mike’s Hot Honey.

Some trends flare up and fade. Others become cultural moments before reaching ubiquity. That’s the path Mike’s Hot Honey is on. “We have lofty pizza ambitions, and we hope that in five years, Mike’s Hot Honey will be everywhere pizza is available,” says Michelle Lane, vice president of foodservice sales.

In the foodservice industry, Mike’s Hot Honey is proof that one thoughtful flavor decision can change the trajectory of a menu. What began as a small batch addition in a Brooklyn pizzeria became a nationwide staple without losing its connection to the shops that helped build it. In a category driven by creativity and craft, MHH reinforces an enduring truth: independents don’t just follow trends—they create them. ◗

Learn how to become a part of Mike’s Hot Honey journey at mikeshothoney.com/pages/foodservice.

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MIKE’S HOT HONEY (2)

FROM NICHE IDEA TO NATIONAL MOMENTUM, THIS SPICY-SWEET COMBO FUELS LTO INNOVATION.

O N E S T O WAT C H

Chill-N Nitrogen Ice Cream Exploring the brand’s formula for innovative ice cream, community chemistry, and successful scalability. / BY BRITT ENGLER FOUNDER: Daniel Golik and Donna Golik (Son/Mother)

CHILL-N NITROGEN ICE CREAM WAS FOUNDED IN 2012.

HEADQUARTERS: Miami, FL YEAR STARTED: 2012 ANNUAL SALES: $6.8 Million TOTAL UNITS: 16 across Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Seven are corporate owned and the other nine are franchisees.

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process. He discovered that having humans work with the nitrogen directly regularly produced variable textures, leading to uneven or runny outcomes. Having a scientific mind, he couldn’t shake his curiosity about how to create consistency across orders for this type of dessert.

Determined to find a better approach, Golik spent 12 months developing a system that would automate the thermodynamics of ice cream. “His parents said, ‘We’ll support this as long as you promise to go to medical school if it doesn’t work out,’” says David Leonardo, CEO of Chill-N. The year of experimenting led to the development of Lola, a proprietary machine that uses a specialized algorithm to dispense bases and flavors with absolute consistency.

“The original goal of the founder was to automate the process to achieve con-

sistency and proper texture, avoiding the issues of overly hard or soupy ice cream that manual mixing could cause,” Leonardo says.

The machine reads the size, base, and flavor detailed in the order and calculates the exact amount of base needed. Different flavors interact uniquely with liquid nitrogen. For example, strawberries require less base because the fruit itself expands when it interacts with nitrogen.

When Leonardo joined as chief executive officer in 2019, his mission was to take Golik’s systemic scalability and professionalize the brand for national growth.

He recognized that the brand’s true edge was its ability to produce a high-speed emulsion and provide a health-forward dessert. The emulsion process creates a texture that sits deliciously between a soft gelato and a tra- [CONTINUED ON PAGE 78]

CHILL-N NITROGEN ICE CREAM (3)

T

ake a step into any Chill-N Ice Cream shop, and you’ll think you’ve entered the laboratory of a dessert-loving scientist. Hanging from the walls are a periodic table of flavors and a chalkboard with written equations for recommended ice cream blends. You also can’t miss a large vat of liquid nitrogen used to feed the machines, known as Lolas, assigned to create custom desserts for each guest.

Behind the counter glass is an assortment of mix-ins, along with an eager team ready to serve up sweet eats.

Here, the “Chipotle effect” is in full force.

Customers move through an assembly line, selecting from a variety of bases and flavors, then watch their creation undergo a rapid state change from liquid cream to a flash-frozen dish in under six minutes.

Chill-N was founded in 2012 after a medical degree ultimatum, a dose of curiosity, and a craving for velvety ice cream.

Danny Golik, cofounder of Chill-N and a lifelong tinkerer, found himself experimenting in his parents’ garage after tasting nitrogen ice cream from a northern Florida cafe while on break from medical school. He noticed a lack of exactness in the manual

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B

everages are no longer just a sidekick to the main menu— they’re increasingly a primary driver of traffic and check growth in the quick-service restaurant space. According to Datassential, operators are expanding beyond traditional soft drinks into more dynamic, customizable offerings that can attract new occasions and serve as a traffic driver. Research shows beverages account

To learn how Red Diamond’s OmniBrew system can help streamline operations and elevate beverage offerings, visit https://reddiamondbevservice.com/.

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

RED DIAMOND

How to Turn Drinks Into A Growth Engine

for roughly 10–15 percent of quick-service restaurant sales, and even modest gains in attachment rates can significantly lift average check.

Together, these shifts are pushing operators to rethink their role not just as food destinations, but as beverage destinations.

Within this evolving landscape, innovation, speed, and consistency are critical to capturing demand and maximizing profitability.

Solutions like Red Diamond’s® OmniBrew™ Program are designed to help quick-service restaurant brands meet rising expectations while simplifying beverage execution.

Labor shortages remain a persistent challenge for quick-service operators, and high turnover only adds to the strain in fast-moving kitchen environments. “More and more frequently, operators are having to choose between incremental profit or managing the stress of training an ever-rotating staff on a house recipe or multiple machines,” Emily Wood Forehand, executive vice president at Red Diamond Coffee and Tea, says. “It’s challenging enough to manage this in one restaurant, let alone across multiple locations. Red Diamond’s OmniBrew helps reduce that operational pressure while delivering a consistent product every time.”

Red Diamond positions its OmniBrew program as an answer to labor issues, operational stress, and space constraint while helping operators meet growing demand for variety and quality. The OmniBrew portfolio includes beverages and flavors that brew through one compatible brewer, allowing restaurants to consolidate beverage categories into a single system. “Operators can offer unsweet and sweet tea, iced coffee, flavored tea, lemonade, and hibiscus refreshers that are all freshly made," Forehand says.

OmniBrew products come in pre-measured bags designed to deliver a consistent taste with every brew. “Consistency is key, and a promise we like to keep,” Forehand says. “We offer options that brew three gallons or 1.5 gallons per batch. If set up correctly, the brewer can be run and left alone with a few pushes of buttons."

Simplifying beverage execution largely impacts employee satisfaction and retention.

“In quick-service environments, the beverage station is often the place where chaos either blooms or gets quietly engineered away,” Forehand says. “When systems get simpler, staff feel it immediately.”

As operators work to become beverage destinations, confidence in a beverage partner matters. Offering coffee and tea can help quick-service restaurants capture more of those occasions in one visit. “Customers may buy breakfast at one location and drive to another spot to purchase their drink of choice,” Forehand says. “Those are incremental dollars that are flying out the door. Offering patrons a one-stop shop leads to improved customer satisfaction, higher repeat visits, and improved margin for the operator.” ◗

With Red Diamond’s® OmniBrew™ technology, you can brew multiple high-demand beverages using one compatible brewer. For added operational ease, try our Simple Sweet™ line — featuring pre-measured cane sugar and real ingredients — to simplify execution while expanding variety.

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CMO TANA DAVILA JOINED DUTCH BROS IN 2023.

Scaling Dutch Bros Through Clarity and Culture From CPG to coffee, CMO Tana Davila reveals her playbook for building a culture-first brand at scale. / BY SATYNE DONER

T

ana Davila was not a coffee drinker.

Not for the first 30 years of her life— until one particularly tired “mom morning,” when a colleague introduced her to Dutch Bros. From then on, before heading into the office as CMO of P.F. Chang’s, she made a stop for coffee.

At Chang’s, Davila leaned into loyalty and delivery, sharpening her ability to use

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

technology as a growth engine. She even dabbled in beverage strategy—a detour that would later feel less like a side project and more like foreshadowing.

Her path to the C-suite wasn’t linear.

She began in CPG, learning how to turn the dials of marketing and revenue growth— from product promotion to the fine details of shelf placement. From there, she stepped

into the restaurant space, serving as CMO of CKE Restaurant Holdings, overseeing Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. So when the call came in 2023 to join Dutch Bros as CMO and help guide its next phase of growth, it wasn’t really a question. She had worked with key members of the leadership team before. She understood the business. Most importantly, she believed in the brand’s culture.

“It’s been a combination of experiences over time that have put me in a good place to lead Dutch Bros,” Davila says. “What I initially loved about the brand is how I’d show up and be a little happier leaving than when I came. It’s the reason people come back—and it’s our role to make the guest’s day better than when they showed up.”

In 2023, Dutch Bros was still largely viewed as a regional coffee player. But the brand had the right bones to compete nationally—particularly as consumer demand surged toward cold beverages and energy infusions, one of the industry’s hottest growth segments.

For Davila, the mandate wasn’t reinvention. It was amplification: double down on Dutch Bros’ DNA and scale it without diluting what made it distinct.

The results have been hard to ignore.

The company remains on pace to reach 2,029 shops by 2029. Dutch Bros closed 2025 with 1,136 system shops across 25 states, including its first walk-up-only location in downtown Los Angeles, which opened in November.

A recent acquisition of 20 Clutch Coffee Bar locations across North and South Carolina further accelerated that expansion. Rapid growth, however, can test a brand’s identity. For Davila, protecting it starts with clarity.

“Dutch Bros stands for positive energy, and we manifest that in different ways— whether it’s the friendly service we aspire to deliver every day or how deeply we’re ingrained in our communities,” she says.

“We go beyond a very functional beverage. As our founder would say, we’re not in the beverage business, we’re in the relationship business—and the product is love.

We don’t lose sight of that.”

Dutch Bros has captured the attention of Gen Z in a way few [CONTINUED ON PAGE 76]

DUTCH BROS

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How Burger King is Putting Growth Back in Local Hands

Local leadership is bringing sharper execution and stronger restaurant culture.

A

ing. Together, the two partnered to bring a more local, hands-on franchisee approach to the Florida market.

“At the end of the day, we’re in the people business,” Serafim says.

“Even though it’s fast food, success is driven by the people. Local ownership brings operators closer to their teams and communities.

EDUARDO SERAFIM AND WILLIE ROMEO They’re present in the restaurants, coaching employees, improving operations, and constantly elevating the guest experience. In a highly competitive industry, this level of engagement and accountability is a major advantage.”

Local presence also changes how decisions are made. “A local owner lives in the community and treats the restaurant like their own business,” Romeo says.

“That creates consistency, stronger relationships and a deeper understanding of customers.” Serfim adds: “When ownership is purely financial, it’s easy to manage from a spreadsheet—and that’s a recipe for failure.

Being local adds purpose and intention to every decision. Financials matter, but so does how we get there.”

A similar hands-on philosophy shapes Nova Shores’ leadership approach. “We focus on four pillars: people, training, processes, and culture,” Romeo says. “We acquired roughly 1,200 locations from its largest franchisee, and is invest heavily in succession planning, development, and alignment in the midst of remodeling and transitioning them to local franchise with Burger King systems. We emphasize high standards and leaderoperators ownership. ship development. We want a team of high performers aligned around This is what drew former Burger King executives Eduardo Serafim shared goals—what we call ‘one team, one dream.’” and Willie Romeo to launch Nova Shores, a South Florida-based For operators considering franchising, Serafim notes Burger King’s franchise group that now operates 33 Burger King restaurants. For current evolution makes this a particularly compelling time to get Serafim, who previously led franchising and development for the involved. “Being a part of a turnaround for such an iconic brand is brand, the move fulfilled a long-held entrepreneurial goal. “I always beyond exciting,” he says. “We serve thousands of people daily, and wanted to become an entrepreneur,” he says. “While leading franchis- even small improvements can impact their day in a meaningful way.” ing at Burger King, I saw firsthand the untapped potential of the brand Romeo agrees, adding: “Everyday we feel more proud of what we’re and how franchisees could transform their lives and communities.” building—not just our business, but Burger King as a whole. Seeing the Romeo, who also spent years with Burger King and was nearing progress in restaurants and hearing from guests makes it incredibly retirement, saw the opportunity as a chance to build something last- rewarding.” -By Abby Winterburn ◗

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

BURGER KING (2)

s one of the most recognizable names in quick service, Burger King believes restaurants perform best when they are operated by owners who live in their markets, are closest to the guest, understand their communities, and take a more hands-on approach to the business. Key to the brand’s long-term turnaround strategy, Burger King is in the middle of a major restructuring effort designed to return more restaurants to franchise ownership. In 2024, the brand

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SHOW PREVIEW

THE

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SHOW /

B Y S AT Y N E D O N E R

May 16–19, 2026

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PREVIEW

TRADE SHOW: ADOBE STOCK / ENGEL.AC:IMAGE EXTENDED BY QSR, AIRLINE TICKET: ADOBE STOCK / TUTTI_FRUTTI, TRADE SHOW, TRAVEL, AND BUSINESS ADOBE STOCK ICONS: STREPTOCOCCUS, SKYPARK

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

SHOW PREVIEW

Featured Sessions:

Keynote ’26

PRESENTED BY FINTITAN This year’s keynote kicks off with tennis legend, Olympic gold medalist, philanthropist, and education advocate Andre Agassi. Considered one ANDRE AGASSI of the most accomplished athletes of all time, Agassi will take the stage to share When: his journey—from the Sunday, May 17 pressures of competing on a 1 pm global stage to championing Where: education rights for at-risk Grand Ballroom children.

S100 Together with Michelle MICHELLE KORSMO Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association, Agassi will dive into how the mindset of a champion applies across all facets of life, motivating foodservice professionals to push boundaries, embrace change, and lead with purpose and vision.

Using examples from his career—such as completing the Career Grand Slam after a dramatic five-set comeback victory in 1999—he will teach attendees how to reframe challenges as opportunities, embrace both personal and professional evolution, and recognize the importance of giving back.

This interview-style Q&A, led by Korsmo, will explore Agassi’s career evolution, philanthropic mission, and the principles that help leaders thrive in a rapidly changing environment—offering valuable lessons in resilience, perseverance, reinvention, and leadership.

Who:

Andre Agassi, award-winning tennis player and entrepreneur; Michelle Korsmo, President and CEO, National Restaurant Association

FEATURED SESSION WITH TECHNOMIC /

Get it While it’s Hot: Driving Demand with LTOs

Ready to discover the secrets to successfully leveraging limited-time offers? This session, led

by Joe Pawlak, managing principal at Technomic, alongside three leading independent and chain operators, will give attendees a competitive edge in today’s rapidly evolving market.

Speakers will share When: Monday, May 18 strategies to identify 1 pm top-performing LTO trends— and how to integrate them— Where: Grand Ballroom using real-world examples S100 and firsthand experience.

Attendees will learn how operators are using these tools to boost sales, engage customers, and execute planning cycles effectively without overspending.

This featured session blends innovation, strategy, and practical insight.

Who:

Debbie Stroud, CEO, Whataburger; Jennifer Bell, CMO, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants; Arthur Carl II, Vice President of Culinary, IHOP, Joe Pawlak, managing principal, Technomic

DEBBIE STROUD

ARTHUR CARL II

JOE PAWLAK

W SCOTT MITCHELL

NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION (6)

JENNIFER BELL

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

25

n

SATURDAY, MAY 16 1 pm-1:45 pm

Money Matters: Food Choices in the New Financial Reality

The Culinary Experience

the National Restaurant Association, this session will analyze industry challenges, evaluate strategic responses, and help operators develop action plans for sustainable growth.

Who: Chad Moutray, Senior Vice

President, Industry Research & Knowledge, and Chief Economist, National Restaurant Association

CULINARY DEMONSTRATIONS: Are you ready to witness culinary excellence live on stage?

This year’s National Restaurant Association Show hosts food and beverage demos by restaurant masters at the top of their game. Be sure to stop by The Culinary Experience, Lakeside, Booth #12448.

Where: Room S502,

Saturday, May 16

South Building, 5th Floor

What does “value” mean in 2026?

With inflation, higher interest costs, and shifting household priorities, consumers aren’t simply trading down—they’re value-flex splurging in smaller, more meaningful ways while cutting back elsewhere.

This session breaks down how that practical indulgence shows up across dayparts and channels, arming foodservice professionals with a playbook for balancing affordability and aspiration: where to premiumize, where to protect entry-level price points, and how to communicate worth in a skeptical market.

Attendees will also explore how offers, loyalty mechanics, and signals of real value—quality, functionality, and convenience—can resonate with consumers without causing fatigue or eroding margins.

Who: Suzy Badaracco, President, Where: Room S403,

South Building, 4th Floor

The 2026 State of the Industry: Position Yourself for Success in the Face of Uncertainty It’s no secret the restaurant industry is facing unprecedented headwinds— from rising operational costs to cautious consumer spending and broader economic uncertainty.

With the right strategies, operators can navigate this complex landscape and turn obstacles into opportunities.

Using findings from the 2026 State of the Industry Report by 26

Lakeside Center / Level 3 / Booth 12448

Leah Cohen

2 pm-2:45 pm

Chef, Television Personality, Owner, Pig & Khao

AI + Predictive Marketing: Smarter Campaigns, Less Discounting

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

WHEN:

SPONSORED BY:

CJ SCHWAN’S

Less is more. This session will teach operators how to use AI to identify raw signals and pair high-intent triggers—such as daypart, weather, and local events—with the right outreach channel to avoid guest fatigue and blanket promotions.

David Ciancio and Luke Scharlatt will reveal a playbook for launching predictive messages that lift frequency, a 30-day test plan that fits inside nearly any tech stack, and a trigger-to-message matrix designed to aim—not spam.

Sunday, May 17

Chris Cosentino

Chef, Author, Cyclist, Philanthropist WHEN:

10:00 am - 10:45 am SPONSORED BY:

WARING AND CJ SCHWAN’S

Monday, May 18

Sarah Grueneberg

Who: David “Rev” Ciancio,

Chef, Television Personality, Author, Partner Monteverde Restaurant, Pastificio

Co-Founder and CMO at Handcraft Burgers and Brews and CMO at Salad House; Kenneth Scharlatt, Founder and Executive Director at Savage Orchid Hospitality

WHEN:

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm SPONSORED BY:

THE EUROPEAN UNION AND CJ SCHWAN’S

Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor

Training in the TikTok Era: Micro-Learning and New Expectations for Workforce Success With Generation Z—and soon Generation Alpha—making up much of today’s workforce, operators must understand how to train them to stay competitive. They’re younger, faster-moving, and more techdriven than ever before, and this session explores how microlearning and career-focused education can boost retention, reduce turnover, and drive higher engagement and performance.

Panelists will share what’s working, offering actionable solutions that strengthen culture and make training less challenging.

Who: Steve Madonna, VP of Culi-

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

nary, Connections; Shane Schaibly, Senior Vice President of Culinary Strategy, First Watch; Katy Velazquez, VP, Culinary Innovation at Qdoba Restaurant Corporation Where: Room S503,

South Building, 5th Floor

n

SUNDAY, MAY 17 3 pm-3:45 pm

10 Ways to Cut Food Costs Without Cutting Flavor The pressure to balance rising food costs with delivering exceptional quality and flavor is higher than ever. But operators don’t have to

sacrifice their culinary vision to protect the bottom line. In this session, guided by Erica Holland-Toll, operators will discover ways to engineer menus that highlight high-margin items, reduce waste, and work with existing supply chains to manage inventory more effectively and maximize purchasing IQ. Who: Erica Holland-Toll, Culinary

Director, The Culinary Edge Where: Room S403,

South Building, 4th Floor

Cook Up Financial Security: Safeguard Your Restaurant From Lawsuits & Taxes Slips and falls. Employee disputes. Costly tax burdens. These can threaten the financial future of

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any business—especially those in foodservice. In this session, Larry Oxenham will teach operators how to shield their businesses from lawsuits, implement tailored taxreduction strategies, and plan for long-term success with an estate and business succession checklist.

Show Floor

McCormick Place

AT A GLANCE:

Who: Kristen Corral, Co-Founder,

Tacotarian Where: Room S504,

South Building, 5th Floor

Who: Larry Oxenham, Senior Advi-

sor and Author, American Society for Asset Protection Where: Room S502,

WANTING TO KNOW JUST WHERE TO GO?

Frictionless or Forgotten: Rebuilding the Guest Digital Funnel

Who: Kenneth Scharlatt, Founder and Executive Director, Savage Orchid Hospitality; Kayla Storey, Area Director of Sales and Marketing, Zieg Hospitality Where: Room S504, South Building, 5th Floor

Training Without a Training Department: Practical Strategies for Restaurants For independent operators, franchisees, and multi-unit managers, not having a training department— or a dedicated trainer—can be a 28

How to Turn Followers into Guests in the New Era of Social Media Marketing

Scan to access the National Restaurant Association Show floor plan.

South Building, 5th Floor

Consumers want ordering, paying, and reordering to be easy. Their digital experience must be frictionless from start to finish—from discovery to first order to repeat purchase. This session breaks down how operators can streamline their and prevent revenue leakage by implementing AI upsells, smart menu routing, and QR journeys that actually work.

Attendees will leave with a playbook of low-lift steps that can be implemented across existing systems, along with a toolkit to track impact across AOV, turn times, and repeat rate through a simple KPI cadence.

knowing how to cultivate a ride-ordie fan base that keeps coming back because they care about the brand.

challenge. Strong training is a cornerstone of restaurant success, from delivering consistent service to building guest loyalty.

This ses sion will dish out actionable strategies for turning shift leaders and managers into confident, consistent trainers, building accountability through simple tools such as checklists and peer mentorship, and balancing speed and quality in onboarding and skills development—all without relying on a corporate training infrastructure.

Who: Kim Evans, Director of Training, Hopdoddy Burger Bar; Anna Mason, Vice President of People Experience, A.Ray Hospitality; Jason Lyon, COO, Wrap City Sandwich Company; Corban Nichols, Vice President of Restaurant Excellence, Piada Italian Street Food Where: Room S503,

South Building, 5th Floor

4 pm-4:45 pm

Community-First Marketing in a Tech-Driven World With an ever-increasing focus on technology and AI, the human element of marketing can get overlooked. Session host Kristen Corral didn’t grow her restaurant by chasing likes and shares—she succeeded by owning her neighborhood.

She’ll share strategies to turn local partnerships, give-back programs, and local media into steady traffic, higher check averages, and repeat visits. Attendees will leave

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

ence often dines together.

This session will explore how operators can design appealing menus and leverage trust-based, community-rooted marketing to capture this loyal and influential demographic.

Who: Troy Kempton, General Man-

ager, Wheat + Water; Carey Kyler, Senior Director of Insights, AARP Services Inc. Where: Room S502,

South Building, 5th Floor

n

MONDAY, MAY 18 2:30 pm-3:15 pm

7 Numbers Every Restaurateur Needs to Know How do thousands of likes translate into loyal foot traffic and real dining decisions? Join Hifsah Ahmed as she explores proven strategies for creating content that sticks, including short-form video, influencer collaborations, and trend-driven campaigns that deliver measurable results beyond vanity metrics.

Backed by restaurant-focused case studies and actionable frameworks tailored for multi-unit brands and independent operators, this session will show attendees how to elevate visibility, strengthen customer relationships, and maximize ROI—including how to leverage micro- versus macro-influencers.

Who: Hifsah Ahmed, Content Creator and Influencer, Hifsah Ahmed

Join Anthony Lambatos as he pulls back the curtain on the seven key metrics every restaurateur needs to know to make better business decisions. These numbers track financial health, cost controls, sales and more, tying into current industry benchmarks and realworld applications. As a bonus, he’ll reveal how these numbers can also improve company culture.

Who: Anthony Lambatos, Owner, President, Footers Catering; President, Founder, and Speaker, MIBE Leadership & Culture Education Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor

A Year of GLP-1s: Consumer Behavior That’s Here to Stay

Where: Room S404, South Building, 4th Floor

The Adults’ Table: Winning Over the 50+ Diner Consumers over the age of 50 account for more than half of all U.S. spending, yet they are often overlooked in the dining segment.

Service fees, strict table time limits, and forced tipping can strip the joy from their dining experiences and drive them away entirely. Restaurants also increasingly limit group bookings to maximize turnover, overlooking the fact that this audi-

As of late 2025, roughly 1 in 8 American adults is actively using GLP-1 medications, shaping how guests engage with the foodservice industry. After a year of observation, this session unpacks what’s changed—

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SHOW PREVIEW

SHOW PREVIEW

and what hasn’t—and explores what’s next.

Session host Rachel Royster will share practical menu and operations strategies that align with this shifting landscape while protecting brand identity and uncovering new revenue streams.

Who: Rachel Royster, Director,

Strategic Planning & Innovation, Connections Where: Room S403,

gence (CQ) functions as a business imperative, helping operators identify cultural blind spots, apply a repeatable decision-making framework and activate cultural intelligence within their teams.

The Restaurant Loyalty Roadmap for Lasting Customer Growth

Where: Discovery Theater,

South Hall, 2693

Who: Erika Cospy Carr,

Vice President at Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA)

11:30 am-12:00 pm

Mochi Innovation: Driving Business Success with Craveable Textures and Globally Inspired Comfort Foods

Where: Room S504,

South Building, 5th Floor

South Building, 4th Floor

AI in Hospitality: Keeping the Human Connection

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Artificial intelligence doesn’t have to replace human connection in foodservice. This session will empower operators to blend technology with the timeless values of hospitality—warmth, personalization and excellence.

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Cultural Intelligence as a Growth Strategy for Modern Restaurant Brands Today’s restaurant landscape is shaped by ever-evolving guest expectations, workforce dynamics and operating environments.

In this session, Erika Cospy Carr will discuss how Cultural Intelli-

3:30 pm-4:15 pm

Keeping Customers Curious: Bold Flavors and the Quest for Quality The secret to activating fearless culinary innovation is a foundation of discipline. In this session, attendees will hear how flavordriven brands design structures and processes that support creativity and cultivate long-term customer loyalty.

Tamara Keefe will explain how experiences and brand partnerships can inspire unexpected innovation and differentiate offerings in a crowded marketplace—and how to strategically market, package and time launches so they resonate with customers and turn curiosity into sustained growth.

Who: Tamara Keefe, Founder and

CEO, Clementine’s Ice Cream Where: Room S504, South Building, 5th Floor

Making Hospitality Hospitable (Again) Do your frontline teams have the right tools to deliver consistently inclusive experiences? In this session, Audrey Benet examines real-world scenarios involving language, accessibility and identity, identifying common gaps that impact both guest and employee experiences.

She’ll uncover the tools and strategies needed to provide respectful, personalized hospitality while fostering a culture of belonging across diverse teams— resulting in stronger staff retention and engagement.

Who: Audrey Benet, Associate

Professor, Valencia College Where: Room S502,

South Building, 5th Floor

Hospitality; Cannon Porter, Partner, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants; Michael Wilson, Director of Sales and Marketing, Hotel Zachary

All too often, restaurant activations generate excitement at launch but quickly lose traction.

This session teaches attendees how to segment audiences, tailor offers and messaging, and design a “whole product” experience that combines menus, operations and marketing to scale successful ideas into sustainable growth.

Attendees will also learn how to apply trust-building tools such as reviews, loyalty programs and guarantees to boost repeat-visit rates and lifetime value.

Who: Andrew Gottlieb, CEO and

Founder, No Typical Moments Where: Room S404,

South Building, 4th Floor

Sponsored by Mochi Foods and SpotOn, this session explores culinary’s next big trend: texture.

Mochi-based methods can be applied to sweet and savory menu items, boosting differentiation, social media visibility and repeat purchases.

Attendees will learn how to infuse texture into their existing menus, streamline kitchen execution and increase perceived value without adding complexity to prep time or labor.

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Mochi Foods; Isabella Lee, Global Culinary Applications Manager, Texture Innovation, Mochi Foods; Pei Wu, Founder and CEO, Mochi Foods; Kevin Yu, Chef and Owner, 2D Restaurant Where: Innovation Theater,

North Hall, 5577

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TUESDAY, MAY 19 10 am-10:45 am

Personalization Strategies for Exceptional Guest Experiences Personalization and customizable experiences are more in demand than ever. This session highlights seasoned hotel and hospitality professionals, exploring how they approach experiential, tailored customer journeys.

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Fluid Motion: Smarter Bar Techniques and Design to Improve Efficiency and Execution It’s time to get behind the bar.

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www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

29

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Abatti says Loomis carefully evaluated how safes are commonly targeted in the field and reinforced the design accordingly. “We made changes to the thickness, where the locking plates are secured, where the hinges are placed, and how the safe is anchored to the ground,” he says.

Operators, however, know security is only part of the equation. Uptime matters just as much. Unlike traditional safes, smart safes rely on bill validators with sensors, rollers, and mechanical components that 30

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

wear down over time—especially in restaurants where deposits are frequent, grease and water environments are common, and equipment is used across multiple shifts.

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80 BRAND IMPACT

CHICK-FIL-A AT

/

:

BY DANNY KLEIN

WHILE CONCRETE DATA ON THE SUBJECT IS DIFFICULT TO UNCOVER, likely because it’s so miniscule, the number of U.S. companies that make it to 100 years is theorized to be somewhere around half a percent. So maybe 1,000–2,000 nationwide, or somewhere in that range. What we do know from Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, though, is just 36 percent last a decade and a shade over 20 percent survive 20 years. It then tumbles, per the Census Bureau, to roughly 12 percent after 26 years.

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

0

BRAND IMPACT

WHERE

MEMORY MOMENTUM MEETS

One of the industry’s most-iconic restaurant chains is bringing to life a “Newstalgia” campaign across 2026—its first yearlong program in brand history. Here’s what to expect, what’s evolving, and how some things in this industry never go out of style.

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

33

BRAND IMPACT

CHICK-FIL-A CEO ANDREW CATHY DID HIS BEST TO INVESTIGATE THE POINT AS 2026—THE BRAND’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY— APPROACHED. Again, there was no definitive

ing through the door. “It started with the food and hospitality,” Cathy says. “… And, of course, over the years, that’s how he built the business.”

Closing on Sundays. That was hardly uncommon in the 1940s. Truett, to his core, Cathy explains, felt if he was open 24 hours per day, six days a week, he needed a rest. He liked to go to church and wanted employees to know they had a day off every week. They could sleep. Spend time with family. It was about assurance.

“That’s one of those things that’s timeless,” Cathy says. “The real and innate  focus on the food and excellent CHICK-FIL-A’S service is another thing.”

‘EAT MOR CHIKIN’ MESSAGING IS The capital “A” in Chick-filUNMISTAKABLE.

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

EXTERIOR: ADOBE STOCK / JOSEPH HENDRICKSON, CHICK-FIL-A (4)

NEWSCOM

 CHICK-FIL-A TURNED 80 IN 2026.

feedback, but that fact didn’t change Cathy’s sentiment. “We take that very seriously,” he says of Chick-fil-A’s longevity, “in the sense of just being grateful of the way customers care for us.”

Roughly a year before turning 80, Chick-fil-A, with help from company historians (naturally, it has those), archives, family members, and long-tenured employees, began crafting a “Newstalgia” campaign to celebrate. This includes rolling touchpoints like retro-inspired cups, 3,000 of the now-viral Gold Fan versions, where customers can win Chick-fil-A for a year, frosted sodas and floats to trigger memories, and a host of packaging, marketing, digital, and culinary experiences to come.

To understand “Newstalgia” as it pertains to the brand, Cathy says, Chick-fil-A kept returning to perspective. His grandfather, S. Truett Cathy, started the Dwarf Grill (later renamed The Dwarf House) in 1946 with his brother, Ben, in Hapeville, Georgia. That’s where Truett invented a chicken sandwich that ultimately inspired the creation of Chick-fil-A in 1967 in Atlanta’s Greenbriar Mall.

But in those early days, Cathy says, Truett and Ben placed everything on the line to be successful. The restaurant industry, even more so than those larger business realities, is unpredictable.

Any consumer-facing enterprise is a battle of trying to control the controllables while fate laughs.

Everything from the weather to elections can decide if Year 2 arrives.

Considering the hazard and delicacy of this dream, Truett and Ben focused on diners com-

A stands for “top-grade-A quality.”

And now, Cathy says, Chick-fil-A had a twofold goal on its mind for 2026. Firstly, it’s going to celebrate loyal customers who have helped the brand get where it is and honor those ideals. That means tapping the nostalgic well with launches like specialty plush cows, bringing back “Cow Appreciation Day,” and even reintroducing the “Cow Calendar” retired in 2018 after 20 years.

As Cathy puts it, the brand will “create memories and flashbacks for those who have been with us over the years.”

Chick-fil-A’s iconic “Eat Mor Chikin” phrase began on an Atlanta billboard in 1995. The cows were inducted into the Madison Avenue Adver-

tising Walk of Fame in 2007.

As for the cups, which have garnered ample social media buzz, when Cathy saw the initial versions, he recalls, red shingles transported him to the early 1980s, when he was traveling with his father, Dan Cathy (second CEO in brand history), to openings and sampling food from mall locations. The cups with the stripes resurfaced high school and the 1990s working in restaurants.

Cathy became an operator at a store in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2005. A couple of years later, he joined Chick-fil-A’s support center staff as a franchisee selection consultant and, after leading the process—famously more difficult to secure a Chick-fil-A store than it is to get into Harvard—

 CHICK-FIL-A EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK TO ITS EMPLOYEES.

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

35

BRAND IMPACT

A NDRE W C ATH Y

he joined the company’s executive committee in 2015 as chief people officer before becoming head of operations. Cathy helmed international strategy in 2016 and was named VP of operations in 2019. He was appointed CEO in 2021.

“It just sparks those memories,” Cathy says.

“For those customers, we hope that it creates fond memories as we think about experiences with Chick-fil-A. And as we continue to move into new markets and build new customers, we hope it’s a way for them to have fun with Chickfil-A and experience it in a unique way.”

The second-fold part is what Cathy referenced there at the end. When he became CEO, Chickfil-A was experiencing compelling growth. Dan

enue was $6.3 billion in 2022 and $10.3 billion in 2025. Average-unit volumes for freestanding drive-thrus climbed from $7.096 million in 2020 to $9.1 million that latter year.

Needless to say, Chick-fil-A has plenty of new customers to reach with “Newstalgia” as well as longstanding ones.

How it will do so, in addition to the playbook devised by corporate, comes down, as it always does for Chick-fil-A, to its owner-operator model that’s been going on since Truett wondered how he might be able to replicate his own success with like-minded partners 59 years ago. Chickfil-A started developing free-standing units in the 1980s as mall development slowed (the first

CHICK-FIL-A LAUNCHED A ‘NEWSTALGIA’ CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF ITS 80 TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2026. 

36

became president and COO in 2001 and CEO in 2013. He added chairman to his title following Truett’s passing at the age of 93 in September 2014. When he was first appointed president and COO, Chick-fil-A earned $1.24 billion in sales and had just more than 1,000 restaurants. By the time he became CEO, the company collected sales of $5.78 billion across 1,881 restaurants.

As Cathy assumed the reins, Chick-fil-A had closed 2020 with north of 2,600 restaurants.

This past December, there were about 3,100 domestic units open and operating.

Its systemwide sales lifted from roughly $12.2 billion in 2019 to $23.9 billion in 2025. Total rev-

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

debuted on Atlanta’s North Druid Hills Road in 1986). But wherever stores popped up, the premise was to install a local leader invested in their community who understood the value of “secondmile service.” They were on the ground, listening.

Chick-fil-A buys the land, builds the site, and provides equipment, with owner-operators paying a $10,000 initial fee and giving 15 percent of gross sales plus 50 percent of pretax profit remaining each month to corporate. In a sense, it shifts the model to where Chick-fil-A doesn’t make its living on upfront fees. It needs stores to succeed.

Truett felt transactions followed localized focus. He never lost sight of his father’s struggles during the Great Depression and often referenced his Sunday School teacher, Theo Abby, as a model for how he wanted to live his life. Truett himself taught students for years and had an ardor for giving back he wanted restaurants to embrace.

It’s why Chick-fil-A remains so selective. Franchisors can only exact so much control, from hiring to pricing. But the brand figured if it picked service-minded leaders and then taught them the business, they’d form a fleet of stores that cared about hospitality in a way that mirrored its founder. And that’s what’s happened over the decades, Cathy says. A premise of “cared-for people care for people.”

This is true of 2026’s Newstalgia cam-

CHICK-FIL-A (2)

“ For those customers, we hope that it creates fond memories as we think about experiences with Chick-fil-A. And as we continue to move into new markets and build new customers, we hope it’s a way for them to have fun with Chick-fil-A and experience it in a unique way.”

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ISSUE NUMBER

QUALITY AND SPEED FOR RESTAURANT SUCCESS

FRESH IDEAS:

Latin Flavorsp.93

 THE CATHY FAMILY GRACED THE QSR MAGAZINE COVER IN MAY 2006 .

FROSTED SODAS ARE HAND-SPUN AND COME IN SEVERAL FLAVORS. 

paign as well. Cathy says Chick-fil-A wanted operators to get excited and have latitude to interact with customers. You more generally see things like daddy-daughter date nights and other events that embed stores into markets.

“As we think about that balance of new customers and customers who have been loyal all these years, we hope this is that blended piece of making those memories of the past but also creating curiosity to come and try us for the first time,” Cathy says. Expect to see some flavor innovation, like the recent Jalapeno Ranch Club, as well.

EXPECTATIONS ACROSS BOTH AISLES

January 5 ushered in, as noted, two new beverage platforms inspired by old soda fountain favorites. Both offered a twist on Chick-fil-A’s classic Icedream dessert.

Frosted Sodas are hand-spun with the product and served with a guests’ choice of fountain drink. Floats are layered with soda and Icedream to create a fizzy, foamy option. Core flavors extend from Coca-Cola to Dr Pepper to Sprite, Fanta, Hi-C, and more.

Here, too, the timeline stretches.

Truett’s customer-facing journey dates to selling six packs of Cokes for a quarter, or each for a nickel, in the summer of 1929. He saw a crossstreet neighbor sipping a Coke each afternoon.

But she wouldn’t buy from Truett until he could ice them down during a time when many homes didn’t even have refrigerators. He set up shop in the front yard and chipped ice from his mother’s icebox to lower the temperature. His neighbor

became a regular and so did other residents.

That kind of “second-mile service” mindset— harkening to Truett’s famed commentary of being in the people, not chicken, business—has threaded operations throughout the years at Chick-fil-A. None more so than partner approval. The company last December announced it was shifting its licensed location strategy to transition “as many as possible” to the local ownership framework.

So, college campus, hospital, and theme park locations will eventually benefit from the same zeroed-in approach.

In 2023, the brand shared it picked 94 owneroperators, which was less than a half of 1 percent of the applicant pool (Harvard’s acceptance rate is roughly 4 percent, per the U.S. Department of Education).

“Fortunately,” Cathy says, given the approach and regarding Newstalgia, “we don’t have to do a lot of arm twisting on this.” “[The owner-operators] are entrepreneurial in the way they think about wanting to grow. They have a growth mindset. It’s fun to see the excitement from them as we roll this stuff out and show them what the place is and some opportunities they could use to leverage the business.”

This is the first time in 80 years Chick-fil-A has launched a year-long campaign. And as much as anything, one reality about “Newstalgia” is that it’s going to pulse across the calendar. That will give Chick-fil-A and its operators a chance to keep celebrating the company’s heritage while looking forward, and dropping experiences, merchandise, and products to generate news.

“New products and flavors and different things that reach people,” Cathy says. “There’s just genuine excitement about it. Across our business, and I spend a lot of time around the field, there’s so much optimism and excitement about some of the things coming and ways to connect with guests. That gets me really excited, too, to see their excitement for it.”

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QSR MAGAZINE, CHICK-FIL-A

THE ENDURING VALUE PROPOSITION

Internally, Cathy can’t help but reflect as Newstalgia marches on. When you start looking at companies that do last through the decades, you tend to find ones that guard purpose. Chick-filA clarified its “Corporate Purpose” in 1982 as, “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us. To have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.” The brand’s DNA of generosity, Cathy says, remembers Truett’s history of being poor, but, if he had an extra dollar, also trying to find some-

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DAYBRIGHT DEBUTED AS A STANDALONE BEVERAGE BRAND, BUT WITH THE SAME GUEST -CENTRIC FOCUS. 

one to give it to. “That’s really in the spirit of the way we want to operate our business and have the kind of impact where customers not only get great food and service but come away feeling really cared for. That’s what we hope to not only continue but also take into the future.”

These are value-frenzied times in quick service. The past couple of years have been defined by tepid traffic and a consumer shouldering the weight of inflation.

Cathy says Chick-fil-A has always approached the topic holistically, and that’s proven evergreen. The brand fosters “value” from food quality, extra levels of service, and a setting you feel good about coming to, either in-restaurant or via the drive-thru.

“If you can create an environment like that where it’s, I got a great experience, food was off the charts, really good quality, it makes you feel like you got more than what you paid for,” he explains. “That’s where we’d rather err on the side of as we think about it. We’re a premium experience, more than [thinking] about what you paid.”

It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, Cathy adds, if customers feel like they got more than they expected, they correlate it to “value.”

EVOLUTION AND FUNDAMENTALS

All this isn’t to say the Chick-fil-A navigating 2026 looks like the one from the 60s. Cathy says the blueprint remains to reinforce mission and set core values. Those should be ironclad within an organization and lived out beyond a statement. “Everything else,” he says, “has to change and evolve.”

The first Chick-fil-A was a walk-up counter 40

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with a register. Today, you have multiple channels operating within one of the highest-volume retail operations in the country. There’s a twostory, four-lane unit in McDonough, Georgia, capable of hosting 75 cars at once. Chick-fil-A is testing drone delivery. It even brought a beverage-focused “Daybright” concept to life in Atlanta suburb Hiram with options like made-fresh daily donuts and specialty coffees.

Chick-fil-A subsidiary Red Wagon Ventures (a nod to Truett’s Coke tale) was established to create new concepts and services beyond staple restaurants, with a mission of exploring fresh ideas. It also operates Chick-fil-A’s “Little Blue Menu,” which is a single venue in College Park, Maryland.

Additionally, the company expanded scope beyond the four walls in November 2024 with an entertainment-focused Chick-fil-A Play App. Cathy says the company constantly thinks about staying current, food or otherwise. There have been products over the years, like coleslaw, carrot and raisin salad, and lemon ice box pie, the brand discontinued despite years of success.

Customer preferences changed and Chick-fil-A did so alongside them. Flavors emerge now, like jalapeno, unlikely to have made it 40 years ago.

And from mall counters to double lanes to drones, Cathy says, it’s vital to meet guests on their own terms.

He likes to think of business as driving a race car (perhaps because Cathy used to race motorcycles before he got older and wiser), where everything is changing quickly. And it’s best to spend more time looking through the windshield than the rear-view mirror.

“That’s why the windshield is so much bigger,”

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And Chick-fil-A, as shown earlier with revenue growth, welcomed a lot of customers, hastily. It lost sight at times, Cathy says, of some of those “second-mile service” elements.

In parallel with “Newstalgia” drops and unique products, the company retrenched the execution and hospitality parts of the business. Whatever 42

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

it can do, Cathy says, to “create that extra wow experience for customers.”

“We’ve got to do both those things,” he says.

“It’s about the future, but food is food and service is service. And people want to have both of those. If you don’t do that, then the other stuff doesn’t matter.”

THE NEXT 80 YEARS

Given he’s just the third CEO in Chick-fil-A’s history, Cathy has a sharp sense of place. There are 12 people in his generation and 40 so far in “Generation 4.” Cathy has four children. What he hopes to instill going forward is a “spirit of stewardship.”

Cathy’s parents never pressured him to get into Chick-fil-A. He found his way to the business and grew up as his titles did. Whether it’s the family operation or not, however, Cathy wants to encourage this generation to find their callings and seek their passions.

“We’re here to try to improve, make it better, serve guests, serve our community, and use it in a way that really impacts people,” he says of Chick-fil-A. And more broadly, Cathy hopes the restaurant industry can band together and fight hunger. There are 48 million people in the U.S. today who identify as food insecure. About 20 percent are kids.

“That’s an incredible need that we can work together on,” he says. “We can be competitors in the marketplace. But we can work together to make a difference. That’s my hope from an industry standpoint.”

He feels similarly about the type of food, packaging, and experience restaurants offer customers.

There’s always room to get better.

Imagining the next 80 years, Cathy has a rough outline of what a 100-year-plan looks like for Chick-fil-A. It’s understandably impossible to envision the landscape then. But one thing he hopes customers still see from the brand in 2106 is a place they feel cared for.

“That they get great tasting food in a convenient way that meets their needs,” Cathy says. “But that we completely evolve in how that happens.

I hope there are ways that people get food that would blow our minds today because we’ve continued to stay innovative and are thinking about the future. At the end of it, though, they still feel cared for, and we’re still known for making a difference in the communities that we serve.”

Danny Klein is the editorial director of QSR and FSR. He can be reached at dklein@wtwhmedia.com.

CHICK-FIL-A

CHICK-FIL-A AIMS TO REMAIN RELEVANT ENOUGH TO ALWAYS MEET CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS. 

he says. “You’ve got to be aware of the surroundings—competitors, customers. But you have to continue spending more time thinking about the future so you can be relevant and meet customers where they are, whether it’s food, sales channels, or all of the other things.”

Yet “Newstalgia” would just be “new” if it wasn’t for the other side of the coin. Cathy says Chickfil-A brainstorms often about how it can keep up without becoming unrecognizable. It must be fanatical about that, he says. Restaurants can introduce an app, features, products, campaigns, but if somebody leaves the drive-thru with the wrong order, or they didn’t get the service they expected, food was cold, etc., you’ve lost them. “And all the new app features are irrelevant,” Cathy says.

Chick-fil-A spent ample time in recent years, especially of late as consumers continue to pull back overall QSR spending, doubling, if not tripling down, he says, on the fundamentals of what guests want.

Service and running great restaurants is something Chick-fil-A stressed alongside 2026’s campaign. Cathy admits some pillars blurred a bit coming out of COVID when the task for restaurants turned to throughput and trying to satisfy drive-thru capacity when cafes closed. Most retailers were merely hoping to figure things out.

FAST-CASUAL GROWTH

FAST CASUAL’S

THAI CHILI 2 GO

From Thai to Korean to Japanese, emerging chains are racing to scale cuisines that have long thrived in mom-and-pop restaurants. /

BY SAM DANLEY

AKS SETHI REMEMBERS the moment

FRONTIER 44

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THAI CHILI 2 GO / JOANIE SIMON

that changed the trajectory of his business.

In 2014, the entrepreneur—then four years into running Thai Chili, a sit-down restaurant in Gilbert, Arizona—walked into a Chipotle and saw the future.

At the time, Thai Chili offered a sprawling menu of items rooted in the street food traditions of Thailand. But the visit to the fast-casual giant revealed a different path forward. Sethi already had the data showing which dishes guests ordered most often. Working from that insight, he and his team cut more than 90 items down to a focused lineup of about 15 core dishes built around curries, noodles, rice, stirfries, and a handful of appetizers.

The result was Thai Chili 2Go, a fastcasual spinoff that debuted in Queen Creek, Arizona, in 2015.

BONCHON / ROBERT TSAI

BONCHON

TERIYAKI MADNESS / VALERIJERGER

TERIYAKI MADNESS

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

45

Fast forward a decade, and the concept closed out its first 10 years with 18 units and another four openings slated for the year ahead. For now, the system remains concentrated in Arizona, where Sethi says the company will continue expanding as it identifies the right sites and communities.

But the brand is also beginning to explore its first move beyond state lines. Nevada and Utah are high on the list, in part because supply chain logistics play a major role in expansion decisions. Any initial move into a new state will likely be corporate-led, with the company aiming to open about five units in the market before considering broader growth through operating partners or franchising.

Supply chain control has been central to Thai Chili 2Go’s ability to scale. After running into the tight margins common across the industry, Sethi launched Amaya Trading in 2013.

Operating out of a 25,000-square-foot warehouse, the com-

A KS SE THI

THAI CHILI 2GO WAS INSPIRED

BY CHIPOTLE’S FAST-CASUAL MODEL.

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pany imports key ingredients from Thailand—including coconut milk, palm sugar, and other staples—while also serving as a commissary where sauces, curry pastes, and other core components are produced before entering the distribution chain.

That vertical integration has helped stabilize costs and create operational consistency across the system.

“The whole supply chain and commissary piece we have developed is definitely a big competitive advantage,” Sethi says. “It’s given us the scalability that we have today. I feel really confident going into a newer market knowing that’s in our back pocket.”

Another priority for the coming year is strengthening training and human capital. Thai cuisine can be operationally complex, and Sethi says the brand has been focused on simplifying execution without sacrificing authenticity. One internal breakthrough involved reducing the number of steps required to prepare dishes—for example, finding ways to turn a five-step pad thai process into four while maintaining the same culinary standards.

That philosophy extends beyond the kitchen. Sethi believes Thai food has become significantly more mainstream in the U.S. since the company’s early days, pointing to the growing presence of Thai flavors in everyday places—from airline menus to other restaurant chains experimenting with Southeast Asian ingredients.

He also points to the everyday dining habits of American consumers as evidence of underlying demand.

Almost everywhere, he says, people have a go-to “Chinese takeout place” or “my Thai takeout place.” For Sethi, that familiarity signals an appetite that has historically been served largely by mom-and-pop spots.

Thai Chili 2Go has focused on lowering the barrier to entry for those guests. When customers walk into a restaurant, the goal is to create a familiar fast-casual environment where the ordering process feels intuitive: pick an entrée, choose a protein, select a spice level, and watch the dish come together fresh in a wok-driven kitchen.

“Our number one goal has always been to make this cuisine more approachable,” he says.

The next phase will test whether that model travels beyond its home turf. Sethi describes the coming two years as an opportunity to effectively “copy and paste” the concept into new markets and validate that Thai fast casual can scale into a multi-market brand.

Across the country, a growing group of Asian fast-casual brands share that same ambition. Operators representing cuisines from Thailand to Korea to Japan are racing to fill a long-standing gap in the quick-service landscape—bringing flavors that have long thrived in independent restaurants into scalable, modern fast-casual formats with national aspirations.

That’s the mission behind Bonchon, which also traces its roots to a full-service restaurant model.

The South Korea-born fried chicken chain was founded in 2002 and arrived in the U.S. in 2010. Like Thai Chili 2Go, it began with a traditional sit-down format but has since evolved into a two-format system that blends its full-ser-

THAI CHILI 2GO (2)

FAST-CASUAL GROWTH

vice roots with a newer fast-casual not have to water down their recipes model built for smaller footprints, to succeed in new markets. Guests today want the real thing.” faster buildouts, and greater operational efficiency. While most Bonchon That appetite for authenticity locations today remain full-service reflects how quickly consumer familrestaurants, the fast-casual concept iarity with Korean food has evolved. has increasingly become the growth “A few years ago, Korean food engine behind its national ambitions. felt new to many guests,” Tsai says.

Regardless of format, the food is “Today, diners walk in already knowprepared the same way. Bonchon ing what gochujang is or asking for has streamlined its kitchens to supspecific flavor profiles.” port dine-in, takeout, and delivery Korean cuisine in particular appears to be benefiting from a simultaneously, ensuring speed and broader cultural surge, adds Dok convenience without sacrificing quality. Technology has also improved Kwon, president and COO of Cupkitchen line builds and operational bop, a chain originating from Utah efficiency for franchisees while prethat serves customizable Korean serving the brand’s scratch-made barbecue in a cup. preparation and its signature handFrom music to television to food, battered double-fried chicken.

Korean culture has exploded into the The company’s commitment to its global mainstream. “K-Pop Demon Korean identity has also been central Hunters” became Netflix’s mostwatched animated film in 2025, to its evolution. In 2024, Suzie Tsai “Squid Game” remains the platstepped into the CEO role and quickly signaled that protecting the brand’s form’s most-viewed original series, heritage would remain a priority. and Korean food exports have conOne of her first moves was restortinued to climb year-over-year. ing the Korean letters in Bonchon’s Kwon says those cultural taillogo—characters that translate to winds lower psychological barriers “my hometown”—as a visible reaffirfor consumers encountering Korean BONCHON MOVED PAST 150 U.S. LOCATIONS IN 2025. mation of the brand’s cultural roots. food for the first time.

“The beautiful thing is that the demand profile for food is That identity has continued to resonate as the brand expands. Bonchon surpassed 150 U.S. locations last year extremely sticky—meaning once it lands, it lands,” he says. and now operates across more than two dozen states. As “Most Americans don’t know anything about Thailand except the footprint grows, Tsai says she has noticed a shift in how Thai food. They know nothing about Vietnam other than pho American consumers engage with Korean cuisine. and the Vietnam War. Yet without any kind of big cultural “Even though Bonchon has been in the U.S. for 15 years, impact or influence, the food still strikes a chord with Amerwe’re still perceived as fresh and exciting in many of these ican consumers, and it’s here to stay. With Korean, you have emerging markets,” she says. “What stands out is the level this wave of cultural influence on top of that. You couldn’t buy of curiosity and engagement. Guests aren’t just trying our that type of marketing with a trillion dollars.”

Korean fried chicken for the first time, they’re exploring our Cupbop knows something about marketing momentum broader Korean menu, experimenting with new sauces, and itself after its appearance on Shark Tank helped introduce the asking us to bring back their favorite limited-time offerings.” brand to a national audience. The concept began in 2013 as a One way the brand has leaned into that curiosity is by food truck before expanding into brick-and-mortar locations, showcasing the breadth of Korean cuisine beyond its flagship with its 2022 television appearance dramatically boosting fried chicken. Bulgogi—thinly sliced marinated beef—has long brand awareness. been on the menu but recently expanded into new offerings Today the chain still reflects its food truck roots: small like tteokbokki and udon dishes. Limited-time menu items storefronts, simple operations, and a build-your-own format have also bridged Korean flavors with familiar ingredients, where guests start with a base of rice, cabbage, and noodles including a lineup of bacon kimchi dishes such as Bacon Kimbefore choosing proteins and sauces with heat levels rangchi Fries and Bacon Kimchi Stir Fry Udon. ing from one to 10.

Even as Bonchon experiments with new items, Tsai says Last year the brand simplified its menu even further. Hisauthenticity remains non-negotiable. torically, bowl combinations carried playful names like Bebop “For us, it’s not a choice between authenticity and broad or Rockbop, which Kwon says were memorable for fans but appeal,” she says, adding that Bonchon won’t sacrifice the confusing for first-time guests. The new structure instead integrity of food in order to scale. “Ethnic food concepts should guides customers through a more intuitive process: choose a 48

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BONCHON (3)

FAST-CASUAL GROWTH

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A VAST MAJORITY OF SALES AT TERIYAKI MADNESS ARE OFF-PREMISES.

“Any brand at 100–200 units, you really hit an inflection point,” he says. “Who are you? What are the customers’ expectations? How do you maintain consistency? How do you fulfill expectations? We’re there.”

Much of Teriyaki Madness’s recent investment has gone toward strengthening the infrastructure needed to support the next stage. The company has focused on improving systems and analytics that help franchisees make better day-to-day decisions.

“We want the franchisees to be able to take the weather and historical events and recent consumer sentiment and be able to help them order correctly, or be able to have labor savings,” Haith says. “We need to have the ability to get all of our questions answered really quickly, and in the smartest way possible.”

Operationally, the brand is heavily oriented toward its offpremises business. Roughly 82 percent of sales now come through takeout, curbside, and delivery channels—a mix that has influenced everything from real estate strategy to store design.

Haith says the off-premises focus matches how consumers interact with quick-service brands today and positions Teriyaki Madness as an easy fit for the rhythms of everyday life. At the same time, he sees the concept as a “better Asian” analogue to the better-burger movement because it is centered on made-to-order meals and higher-quality ingredients rather than an expansive menu.

“We don’t offer a huge menu, but what [CONTINUED ON PAGE 79]

TERIYAKI MADNESS (2)

base bowl, select proteins, and customize flavor with sauces and spice levels. The underlying food remains the same, but the streamlined format speeds ordering and makes the concept easier for new guests to understand.

Cupbop has also broadened the platform with additions like Korean-style corn dogs and Korean wings, expanding the menu without complicating the kitchen. Kwon says the goal is always to increase variety for guests while preserving the operational simplicity of the concept’s food truck days.

The brand’s growth strategy has followed a similarly measured approach. After Shark Tank, Cupbop received a surge of inbound interest from prospective franchisees. But rather than immediately launching a franchise program, leadership spent several years strengthening supply chain infrastructure and corporate operations.

Only after key proprietary ingredients were integrated into national distribution did the company quietly begin franchising last year—relying largely on operators who had already expressed interest rather than running formal recruitment campaigns. The strategy prioritizes experienced multi-unit operators and smaller initial commitments, allowing both sides to test the partnership before expanding territories.

For Kwon, the bigger goal lies further down the road. He recalls a conversation with a major Wingstop franchisee about why the brand broke out despite being a relatively simple concept. The real inflection point, they said, came around 200 locations when it finally had the scale to invest in national marketing. From there, awareness and demand accelerated, and growth took on a different trajectory.

“Hearing that, I realized there’s a flywheel effect you only unlock at scale,” Kwon says. “Up to now, we’ve basically had no marketing budget. We’re bootstrapped, so it’s been organic social and trying to go viral on TikTok. But that Wingstop story made me think: once we get to that 200-unit range, we’ll be able to do real national marketing, and the flywheel will start to look very different.”

That milestone—approaching or surpassing the 200-unit range—is a phase that Teriyaki Madness has been navigating for a while.

The fast-casual Japanese concept, known for its Seattlestyle teriyaki bowls layered with marinated proteins, fresh vegetables, rice or noodles, and signature sauces, was founded in 2003. When CEO Michael Haith acquired the brand in 2016, he relocated its headquarters to Denver and began expanding aggressively through franchising while upgrading systems and support infrastructure across the organization.

Today the chain operates just over 200 units nationwide, with another 125 already in real estate or construction. System growth has accelerated from roughly 20 percent annually to around 25–30 percent, and the company expects to finish the year with about 250 locations.

“Franchisees are scrambling to serve the needs of the customers,” Haith says. “They’re really expanding their footprint, going from one to five to 10 units pretty quickly.”

For him, the 200-unit stage forces brands to clarify their identity and ensure they can deliver consistency at scale.

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FAST-CASUAL BURGER SEGMENT

battle

Better of

Burgers Freddy’s, Smashburger, and Bobby’s Burgers are competing on value, innovation, and experience as the fast-casual segment faces economic pressure.

| /

BY BEN COLEY

ADOBE STOCK / FRANCISCOJAVIER

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FAST-CASUAL BURGER SEGMENT

T

he fast-casual burger segment, like many other categories, finds itself in a difficult period amid inflation, a rough economy, and discerning consumers.

Quality and premium cues are still the hallmark of these chains. But the growing importance of value has pushed operators to rethink everyday affordability, menu news, digital engagement, and site selection to capture more visits.

Freddy’s, Smashburger, and Bobby’s Burgers are all fighting for market share in the space, but in different positions entering 2026.

Freddy’s is one of the largest players at nearly 600 locations.

Last year, the company was acquired by investment firm Rhône Group for roughly $700 million after partnering with Thompson Street Capital Partners for four years.

The 190-unit Smashburger promoted Jim Sullivan to CEO last year and unveiled a new brand campaign and bold red and black logo. At a higher level, the chain is owned by Phillippines-based

Jollibee, which decided to spin off its international operations into its own public entity in the U.S. Bobby’s is relatively new to the space, having been founded in 2021. It had 11 locations as of early March.

Freddy’s CMO Erin Walter frames the segment as a challenge and an advantage. Burgers are ubiquitous, which means every concept is battling for a share of stomach. It also means consumers already understand the product, so differentiation has to happen in experience and execution, not education.

But Freddy’s isn’t afraid of competition. Walter argues the most capable brands use it as fuel to create repeatable operating strengths that can withstand macro turbulence, shifting consumer expectations, and new entrants.

The chain, founded in 2002, relies on three pillars—quality, cleanliness, and genuine hospitality. All fit squarely with what guests want today, which is an elevated product, but also one that is worth their dollars.

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

53

Walter says that heightened expectations, sparked during COVID and still hanging around, have become the baseline.

“It is interesting that even five, six years later, which is so hard to believe, the COVID effect is still kind of lingering, and I think now even more, guests’ expectations are higher than ever, and it should be,” Walter says.

The CMO comes to the same conclusion that others have, which is that value is no longer just about price point. It must be bundled with product quality, hospitality, convenience, and speed. Delivering anything less than the full package is no longer accepted by guests.

“Value doesn’t always mean price, and for us, we always talk about that,” Walter says.

“It really is that experience and what you experience as a guest at Freddy’s.”

Still, Walter acknowledges that price itself has become a louder part of the conversation.

Freddy’s leaned into that reality this year with a move that would have felt unlikely for the brand a few years ago—an aggressive entry-level LTO price point used to garner attention. That item was the Smash Burger Taco, priced at $3.49.

The brand used this menu innovation to get customers in the door and emphasized in-store operations to bring customers back for more visits and further exploration of the menu.

For Walter, the key is that the headline price attracts a lot of visitors, but the instore fundamentals keep them there and bring them back.

“When you get to the restaurant, the qualFREDDY’S HAS CLOSE TO 600 U.S. LOCATIONS. ity has to be amazing,” Walter says. “The hospitality has to be amazing.”

At Bobby’s Burgers, the focus is on chef-led execution and ordering clarity, and consistency are still important.

“Value, speed, customization, quality—we want to make storytelling rooted in founder Bobby Flay, a well-known celebsure that we’re focused on those, but not one at an expense rity in the food space. to any of the others,” McGill says.

President Michael McGill sees better burger growth tied to culinary credibility and the trust that comes with it.

He adds that “Value today means delivering a premium “The fast-casual burger segment remains highly compet- experience that feels worth the spend, not simply being the cheapest option.” itive, but at Bobby’s Burgers, we’re seeing steady growth,” McGill says. “And for us, it’s really driven by our culinary creOne key to maintaining a premium position is menu innoativity and credibility. Guests are really gravitating towards vation. brands that deliver chef-driven quality, and we feel they do “Bobby is inspired by global flavors that have really influthat at an accessible price point.” enced his innovation, and that’s really throughout his career,” The executive adds that momentum is also tied to where McGill says.

Bobby’s sells its burgers.

In 2025, Bobby’s rolled out LTOs for the first time, using Airports, casinos, and other nontraditional venues have them to explore regional identities without drifting away from become meaningful battlegrounds, particularly when trav- its core. Some examples include the Greektown Burger, Litelers want recognizable brands they can trust. tle Italy Burger, Buffalo Burger, and Wild Mushroom Bacon However, McGill emphasizes that these locations cannot Burger. All are crafted with fresh, certified Angus beef and become a watered-down version of the brand. Throughput, made to order.

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FREDDY’S (2)

FAST-CASUAL BURGER SEGMENT

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menu featuring core products like the All-American Burger, Deluxe Burger, and Americana Big Dog. “If you come into a Smashburger, you’re getting an actual premium product at a $4.99 price point,” says CEO Jim Sullivan.

The executive says the brand combines this value offering with quality storytelling—a combo he thinks is hard to match in the fast-casual burger segment.

“I think that there’s a lot of space for growth within the better burger category,” Sullivan says.

“I think that we position ourselves a little different because we were built around the idea of great taste and great food.”

Smashburger cofounder Tom Ryan says lines between fast casual, fast food, and casual dining have blurred in the past five years. To him, this creates opportunity if brands are willing to compete “up, down, and sideways” rather than staying stuck in a narrow positioning lane.

Ryan views affordability as a consumer value that is reshaping every segment. He sees it as a macro force that brands ignore at their peril.

He describes Smashburger’s approach as a three-part framework: premium burger innovation, a permanent $4.99 tier, and experimentation with adjacent platforms that broaden the occasion set.

“I think we’re really well-positioned to talk about the future,” Ryan says. “I think we play the high end really well, so our strategy is to own the innovation and the continuity around premium burgers and to innovate that and bring new cool stuff to the marketplace, have a permanent $4.99 tier that lets people in that mode use this all the time, and then play with new platforms that seem to be on trend.”

Smashburger deploys tests to understand whether certain items are keepers, rotational plays, or “take it away and bring it back” drivers. Ryan uses the example of mac and cheese, which is under a microscope to see “what its legs look like and what its depth looks like,” Ryan says.

Adequately fulfilling consumers’ desires is a continuous learning process. Last year, Freddy’s implemented the largest core menu update in company history and reduced its LTO frequency. The chain later realized it needed more news to maintain momentum.

Walter’s takeaway is that core menu strength can drive profitable trade-up, but LTO energy can create buzz, FOMO (fear of missing out), and marketing content.

This helped shape the 2026 plan. Walter says influencer activity will be larger this year, especially as Freddy’s tests items that skew younger, including beverages.

Walter describes an innovation process that begins with consumer insight and rigorous testing, then moves through

BOBBY’S BURGERS LEANS ON SIMPLICITY TO MAINTAIN SPEED AND CONSISTENCY.

Even with these LTOs, operational discipline prevents complications in the back of house.

“I think the simplicity on our menu as well really helped us maintain speed and consistency while still offering the personalization,” McGill says.

Smashburger recognized consumers’ economic struggles and responded with a permanent, everyday $4.99 value 56

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

BOBBY’S BURGERS (2)

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SMASHBURGER REVAMPED ITS BRAND TO RETAKE OWNERSHIP OF WHAT IT MEANS TO OFFER A TRUE ‘SMASH BURGER.’

a cross-functional system that avoids kitchen disruption and protects operations. Additionally, Freddy’s opened a new Training & Innovation Center at its headquarters in Wichita, Kansas. The brand uses this venue to pilot menu innovations and technology.

“We have an amazing chef on staff, Rick Petralia,” Walter says. “He’s amazing, and it all starts with the data. It all begins with the consumer and what they say. What do they want?”

She also acknowledges the internal hurdle of introducing something that looks “off menu” for a burger brand.

The Smash Burger Taco became a proof point, not just for guests but for franchisees who needed to see evidence before embracing a new format. She admits that some franchisees likely thought, “Have they lost their minds?”

But success gives Freddy’s room to experiment.

“It lets us get a little bit funky,” Walter says.

Bobby’s uses a different kind of creative latitude.

The brand can lean into Bobby Flay’s name as a built-in awareness driver, then rely on operations and menu quality to convert that trial into loyalty.

“I think the great thing for our brand is everybody knows Bobby Flay,” McGill says. “And Bobby has credibility and has 58

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decades of experience and is recognized for that.”

He also mentions that Bobby’s doesn’t try to chase every social trend. The brand prefers influencer partnerships that fit the concept and help it enter new markets with local credibility.

“We selectively collaborate with influencers in ways that align with the brand and elevate the guest experience,” McGill says.

Technologies—such as digital menu boards, kiosks, and back-of-house systems—play a major role in maintaining throughput as more orders move through digital channels.

As off-premises grows, brand protection becomes a priority too, according to McGill.

“The thing that we’re really, really focused on is that we’re doing [digital sales] without diluting the in-store experience as well,” the executive says.

Freddy’s has seen meaningful progress on its digital journey. The chain didn’t have an app when Walter started four and a half years ago. It now has the infrastructure to scale, with personalization as the next frontier.

Walter believes Freddy’s is “still on the ground floor” when it comes to app awareness. The objective is to gather sharper data and send targeted messages, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

“We’re doing a nice job,” she says. “We have all the right people, partnerships in place, but that segmentation and that personalization is, I think, for 2026 going to be one of our biggest wins.”

Meanwhile, Freddy’s, Bobby’s, and Smashburger each foresee unit growth on the horizon.

As of press time, Smashburger has announced a new location in Huntersville, North Carolina, in partnership with longtime franchisee BeBurgers LLC. The operator has two other restaurants in the greater Charlotte market and has been part of the system for more than six years.

In 2025, Freddy’s opened 51 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. As of January 2026, the fast casual had 580 locations systemwide, with another seven units scheduled to open in the first quarter. The brand also signed 22 multi-unit development agreements covering more than 100 restaurants across the U.S. and Canada.

Last summer, Bobby’s hired Patrick Cunningham as chief development officer to lead expansion. It also signed a multi-unit agreement in Arizona and opened locations in Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Muckleshoot Casino Resort in Washington. Internationally, the chain inked a 65-unit agreement to grow in Canada. In February, it announced the signing of its first Canadian lease.

All three appreciate the work franchisees do to make all of their strategies, menu movements, and unit growth possible.

“We couldn’t do this without our franchise partners, and they’re just really special,” Walter says. “And of course we can have our disagreements, but for the most part, they know that our team is very much focused on their success and vice versa.”

Ben Coley is the editor of QSR. He can be reached at bcoley@wtwhmedia.com.

SMASHBURGER (2)

FAST-CASUAL BURGER SEGMENT

CONSUMER TRENDS

Mob THE EMERGING EXPERIENCES OF Smiling increased the service score by

49 points



Efficient orders were ready on time in

BY DANNY KLEIN

/

87 %

of restaurants



M O BILE O R DER

ORDERING

ADOBE STOCK / SERGE TOUCH

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MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

CONSUMER TRENDS

bile 6

With on time orders the average time spent in store was

> Access the Full Report :

mentioned app and technical glitches

2m51s





8

instances of the food preparation not starting until the customer arrived or clicked “I’m here”

Year 4 of our mystery shopper report with Intouch Insight takes a deeper look at one of the most disruptive technologies to ever hit the restaurant industry.

The skinny? There’s a lot to like about the progress so far.

90%

Focus on Mobile Order Ahead Experience for pickup in the drive-thru and in-store across nine major quick-service and fast-casual brands.

•

of mystery shoppers had clear instructions on where to pick up food



Last year’s Emerging Experiences Report—the third iteration in partnership with Intouch Insight—took us across the QSR landscape to visit next-generation designs. Were these elevated, tech-enabled builds satisfying their premise? Had AI infiltrated the guest experience? The answers were a bit mixed, as you’d imagine. What it revealed, among other things, though, was the layered reality of “innovation.”

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

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CONSUMER TRENDS

You can’t talk about asset growth without touching on topics from kiosks to drive-thru to back-of-the-house kitchen upgrades. So, this time, in Year 4, we narrowed the spotlight to one particular avenue of disruption: mobile ordering.

Giving customers what’s essentially a menu board in their pocket changed every corner of restaurant operations. Brands needed to satisfy fulfillment on the go and embrace digital storefronts to mirror dine-in experience. And while adoption has become all but ubiquitous at this point, there are nuanced KPIs spread throughout execution.

In this report, Intouch Insight evaluated the mobile order ahead experience for pickup in the drive-thru and in-store across nine major quick-service and fast-casual brands.

At the drive-thru, Chick-fil-A and Dunkin’ were tested.

Burger King, Chipotle, KFC, McDonald’s, Moe’s Southwest Grill, Whataburger, and Wingstop slotted into the pickup in-person bucket.

Mystery shoppers were instructed to place an order using their mobile device through the brand’s app or website (this is not a third-party delivery study). We visited 449 total shops, with 50 stores for each featured. Other than Dunkin’, which was shopped in the morning window (5 to 10:30 a.m.), every chain had half its stores piloted for lunch and half for dinner. Shoppers ordered one main item, a side, and a beverage. They were also asked to customize either. This took place from January to February.

AREAS EVALUATED: • Ordering and pickup experience

• Speed of service

• Friendliness

• Loyalty

• Order accuracy

• Food quality

• Overall experience Let’s get into the results.

2026 EMERGING EXPERIENCES REPORT / MOBILE ORDERING

KFC

DUNKIN’

2%

96 % 96 % 94 % 94 % 92 % 92% 90 % 88 % 88%

McDONALD’S

4%

CHIPOTLE

6%

DUNKIN’

6%

WHATABURGER

CHICK-FIL-A

8%

BURGER KING

WINGSTOP

CHIPOTLE

BURGER KING

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

WHATABURGER

CHICK-FIL-A

10%

KFC

CHIPOTLE

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

McDONALD’S

BURGER KING

10%

WINGSTOP

McDONALD’S

12 %

30+40 4+66u 40 +1248u 46 +1248u +846u 66%

30%

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

QUICKER THAN EXPECTED

48%

4%

62

WINGSTOP

CHICK-FIL-A

DUNKIN’

12%

Speed Perception:

449 total shops, with 50 stores for each featured.

Study took place from January to February 2026.

KFC

Order Accuracy:

CHIPOTLE

Technical Glitches:

WINGSTOP

8%

McDONALD’S

BURGER KING

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

WHATABURGER

30% 30% 26 % 24 % 24 % 24 % 18 %

DUNKIN’

71 %

CHICK-FIL-A

98% 94% 92% 92% 90% 90% 88 % 86 % 78%

WHATABURGER

PICKUP IN-PERSON:

10098+94100+ 92100+ 90100+ 90100+ 90100+ 88100+ 86100+ 78100+ 71100+ 30100+ 30100+ 26100+ 24100+ 24100+ 24100+ 18100+ 8100+ 12100+ 12100+ 10100+ 8100+ 6100+ 6100+ 6100+ 4100+ 2100+ 96100+ 96100+ 94100+ 94100+ 92100+ 92100+ 90100+ 88100+ 88100+ Personalization:

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

DRIVE-THRU WINDOW:

Pickup Instructions:

KFC

Intouch Insight mystery shoppers were instructed to place an order using their mobile device through the brand’s app or website.

Shoppers ordered one main item, a side, and a beverage.

They were also asked to customize either.

40%

12 %

AS EXPECTED

48%

SLOWER THAN EXPECTED

40%

12%

46%

46%

8%

CONSUMER TRENDS

Firstly, before unraveling topics, here were some insights that emerged.

EFFICIENT ORDERING FLOWS MATTERED The greatest impact on pickup satisfaction owed to frustrations with ordering flow. Main drivers included technical glitches and unclear pickup instructions.

SOME ORDERS WERE STILL COMING LATE One in five shops were not ready on time. Pickup satisfaction plummeted when that happened—from 97 to 76 percent.

GOOD SERVICE SAVED A CLUNKY EXPERIENCE Even in today’s digital arena, humans had a chance to right wrongs. When orders were late, but service was still classified as “friendly,” pickup satisfaction was 80 percent. Late orders with a “neutral/not friendly” service rating touted 61 percent satisfaction. On the topic of flow efficiency, one in five stores had some level of frustration. Seventy-eight (17 percent) were slow or reported a minor hitch; 16 (4 percent)

were labeled as frustrating. That had the biggest impact on pickup satisfaction.

When ordering flow was deemed efficient, the order was ready on time in 87 percent of restaurants. When it had hitches, the number fell to 53 percent. Inefficient and the percentage slid to 38 percent.

Whenever flow was inefficient and the order was not ready within a promised time—a combination of negative triggers— pickup satisfaction cratered to 20 percent.

Moving on to issues with flow, ordering process frustrations leveled the largest overall impact on pickup satisfaction.

Out of the 14 comments left by shoppers who were frustrated, six mentioned app and technical glitches (like apps crashing, failure to submit orders, duplicated orders after error messages, or lack of estimated pickup times).

Another six noted pickup logistics and delays. A friction point was the handoff—pickup areas that were unused or ignored by staff, or orders that were not ready at the promised time.

10079+77100+ 70100+ 68100+ 65100+ 61100+ 59100+ 58100+ 55100+ 98100+ 96100+ 94100+ 94100+ 92100+ 76100+ 76100+ 76100+ 74100+ 100+84100+ 80100+ 80100+ 76100+ 72100+ 54100+ 33100+ 8100+ 98100+ 87100+ 84100+ 82100+ 81100+ 79100+ 78100+ 77100+ 70100+ 100% 84 % 80 % 80% 76 % 72 % 54 %

McDONALD’S

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

CHIPOTLE

DUNKIN’

KFC

76% 76 % 74%

98% 87% 84% 82% 81%

McDONALD’S

WINGSTOP

BURGER KING

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

KFC

CHIPOTLE

DUNKIN’

CHICK-FIL-A

DUNKIN’

CHICK-FIL-A

33% 8%

WHATABURGER

Parting Remark:

DRIVE-THRU LANE

BURGER KING

WHATABURGER

WINGSTOP

KFC

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

McDONALD’S

CHIPOTLE

WINGSTOP

98% 96% 94 % 94 % 92 % 76 %

59 % 58 % 55 %

Designated Pickup Area:

IN STORE LOCATION

CHICK-FIL-A

BURGER KING

WHATABURGER

CHIPOTLE

DUNKIN’

KFC

BURGER KING

McDONALD’S

WINGSTOP

CHICK-FIL-A

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

79 % 77 % 70% 68% 65 % 61%

WHATABURGER

Employee Interaction:

Order Confirmation:

79% 78% 77 % 70%

44+34 16+40u 53 +2640u 26 +1037u 52 +3836u +2028u 40%

44 %

16%

40%

34 %

26%

37 %

10%

53%

36%

38%

26%

26%

52%

20%

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | MAY 2026

63

CONSUMER TRENDS

Five mentioned missing items and accuracy. Four tacked on staff service and attitude.

When there were technical glitches, 74 percent of stores were viewed as inefficient or slow versus 16 percent when there weren’t any. And when pickup instructions were unclear, 43 percent were seen as inefficient or slow compared to 18 percent.

A straightforward way to put this is, restaurants suffer when there are compounded effects of friction. When ordering flow was efficient, speed of order was as expected or quicker in 94 percent of stores. Add in hitches, though, and it plunged to half.

When flow was frustrating and inefficient, 69 percent of restaurants were labeled as slower than expected. Pickup satisfaction was just 18 percent.

So, fixing operational friction is a multiplicative measure. It will improve speed perception and overall satisfaction alongside allowing for more orders.

Going deeper into time and expectations on arrival, as noted, one in five shops did not have orders ready when shoppers arrived. When there were technical issues, 34 percent of orders were late versus 20 percent when things ran smoothly.

Shops were more frequently late for in-store pickup (24 percent) than drive-thru (10 percent).

The average time spent in store for orders ready on time was 2 minutes and 51 seconds. When the order was late, it leapt to 7 minutes and 10 seconds. For drive-thru, the numbers were 4 minutes and 39 seconds and 7 minutes flat, respectively.

One point to note: there were eight comments complaining about food preparation not starting until the customer arrived or clicked “I’m here.”

Customer service still matters in order-ahead. For late orders, one in three had a neutral/not friendly service rating.

With on-time orders, it happened in 16 percent of locations.

These issues often centered on showing up, waiting, and never being acknowledged by an employee.

Again, friendly service can mitigate late orders (pickup satisfaction coming in at 80 percent when that was the case).

Satisfaction dipped to 61 percent in the absence of it.

Apologizing for being late, managers stepping in, and other acknowledgements of an issue went a long way in keeping the interaction positive despite delays.

And how do you define “friendliness?” Eye contact and

10+90+0u 8+4+88u 10+2+88u 14+8+78u 22+78+u 20+4+76u 20+4+76u 24+2+74u 28+8+64u Flow & Efficiency:

10

%

PERFECTLY SMOOTH AND EFFICIENT

MOSTLY SMOOTH, BUT FELT SLOW/HAD A MINOR HITCH

8%

0

%

FRUSTRATING AND INEFFICIENT

4%

10

%

2%

FRUSTRATING AND INEFFICIENT

90%

88%

14 %

88%

22 %

8%

20%

0

%

FRUSTRATING AND INEFFICIENT

78%

78%

4%

76

64

76%

24 %

20%

%

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

4%

28%

2%

74

%

64

%

8%

Experience your brand like your customers do.

Customer experience comes down to getting the basics right.

We help you strengthen execution, simplify operations and deliver on the fundamentals your customers expect, every time.

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CONSUMER TRENDS

pleasant demeanor had the largest impact on perception.

Service was rated as friendly 59 percentage points more frequently when the employee made eye contact. That happened 54 percentage points more often when an employee carried a pleasant demeanor.

Additionally, smiling increased the service score by 49 points. Saying thank you lifted it 30 percent.

When employees did none of the above, pickup satisfaction fell 35 percent.

Mystery shoppers also investigated what having a dedicated lane for pickup at the drive-thru changed. Thirty-three percent of visited Chick-fil-A restaurants and 8 percent of Dunkin’ stores had the separate option. The Chick-fil-A stores with a dedicated lane proved 49 seconds faster than when the extra lane wasn’t set aside (5 minutes and 23 seconds compared to 6 minutes and 12 seconds).

Meanwhile, Dunkin’ restaurants with a dedicated lane got a bit slower, by 16 seconds, at 4 minutes and 7 seconds versus 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

Regarding Chick-fil-A, pickup satisfaction with dedicated

lanes was higher, reaching 100 percent (up from 97 percent).

Service improved, too, with every shop deemed friendly (91 percent in non-dedicated lane locations).

RESULTS The data broke apart into five sections—app ordering experience and usability; pickup interaction and logistics; speed of service; accuracy and quality, and friendliness, personalization, and satisfaction.

With the first topic, high-level results showed apps, by and large, were performing reliably, with 92 percent of users reporting a glitch-free ordering experience, a 2 percent improvement year-over-year. Additionally, the barrier to entry was low for loyalty program sign-up through the app, with 95 percent of new users saying the process to onboard was easy.

Apps appear to successfully replicate in-store order modification capabilities. Ninety-five percent of users said nothing blocked them from doing so. The few issues reported were due to missing special instruction boxes rather than technical failures.

100+100+98100+ 96100+ 96100+ 96100+ 96100+ 96100+ 94100+ 10084+80100+ 76100+ 74100+ 72100+ 70100+ 64100+ 63100+ 52100+ 94100+ 92100+ 82100+ 80100+ 77100+ 77100+ 76100+ 74100+ 68100+ 98100+ 98100+ 96100+ 94100+ 94100+ 94100+ 92100+ 86100+ 80100+ MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

WHATABURGER

McDONALD’S

BURGER KING

KFC

307 s 5:07 mm:ss

CHIPOTLE

WHATABURGER

WINGSTOP

303 s 5:03 mm:ss

McDONALD’S

McDONALD’S

WHATABURGER

266 s 4:26 mm:ss

DUNKIN’

CHIPOTLE

246 s 4:06 mm:ss

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

Overall Satisfaction:

201 s 3:21 mm:ss

WINGSTOP

66

74 % 68 %

167 s 2:47 mm:ss

CHICK-FIL-A

BURGER KING

KFC

CHIPOTLE

WHATABURGER

94% 92 % 82 % 80% 77 % 77 % 76 %

KFC

CHICK-FIL-A

CHIPOTLE

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

BURGER KING

WINGSTOP

DUNKIN’

BURGER KING

139 s 2:19 mm:ss

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

356 s 5:56 mm:ss

CHICK-FIL-A

232 s 3:52 mm:ss

IN STORE LOCATION

MOE’S

63 % 52 %

Friendliness:

DRIVE-THRU LANE

CHICK-FIL-A

DUNKIN’

84 % 80% 76% 74 % 72 % 70 % 64 %

96 % 94 %

Speed of Service (Total Time): DUNKIN’

McDONALD’S

WINGSTOP

BURGER KING

KFC

CHIPOTLE

WINGSTOP

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL

McDONALD’S

WHATABURGER

DUNKIN’

CHICK-FIL-A

100% 100% 100% 98 % 96 % 96 % 96 %

KFC

Suggestive Sell by Brands:

Food Temperature:

98% 94 % 92 % 92 % 90 % 90% 88% 86% 78%

2019

$312.1M

$307M

$294.1M

$274.1M

$248.4M

$222.5M

$185.6M

$350M

$300M

$250M

$200M

$150M

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

CONSUMER TRENDS

The user interface is also, mostly, bridging the gap between the digital order and physical location. Ninety percent of customers said they were provided with clear instructions on how and where to pick up meals. Still, there’s room to improve.

The frequency of upsells in this order-ahead study was 71 percent. That represented an improvement over legacy benchmarks. The drive-thru study was 58 percent and onpremises 60 percent, reinforcing, Intouch Insight explained, how mobile apps are more consistent at executing the “ask” than human staff. Similar results were reported from the voice-AI ordering segment of 2025’s Drive-Thru Study (also 71 percent).

In sum, technology continues to serve as a revenue generational lever.

For pickup interaction and logistics as a measure, mobile orders had a designed pickup area or lane 65 percent of the time. Results varied significantly across the study. One brand was 100 percent while others were as low as 8 percent.

Interactions with an employee during the pickup process were widely very common (86 percent of mystery shoppers saw this). The interaction rate was high across all brands,

ranging from 74 to 98 percent.

An improvement area emerged with order confirmation at pickup. Employees confirmed the order before finalizing the transaction only 66 percent of the time. Rates scaled from a high of 79 percent to a low of 55 percent.

And despite the promotion of advanced features such as “ready on arrival” or “mobile-thru lanes,” adoption of “arrival technology” to identify customers when they show up remains low in drive-thru and in-store pickup methods. There’s a “digital check-in” gap.

Progressing to speed of service, Intouch Insight evaluated the duration of the pickup experience. For orders being picked up in the drive-thru, the time started when the mystery shopper entered the lane. For in-store pickup, it was upon store entry.

The average time for the 2026 study was 4 minutes and 53 seconds—faster than the 5 minute and 35 second average from the Drive-Thru Study (so, order-ahead pickup is, relatively, a quicker experience). Leveraging mobile ordering to remove the ordering portion of the experience, the study showed, can enable brands to increase throughput, espe-

10+3+87u 9+5+86u 3+85+12u 12+6+82u 14+7+79u 23+77+u 18+6+76u 9+4+9573u 33+67+u Loyalty Sign Up:

VERY EASY

SOMEWHAT EASY

NEUTRAL

9.5%

3.3% 0% 0%

10%

4.8

%

5.9 % 0% 0%

14.3%

VERY DIFFICULT

78.6

76.9

9.1%

33.3

%

4.5 % 9.1 %

33.3%

4.5 %

DIFFICULT

76.5%

68

VERY DIFFICULT

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

72.8%

VERY DIFFICULT

0%

NEUTRAL

0% 0%

VERY DIFFICULT

%

5.9 % 0% 0%

23.1%

7.1 % 0% 0% DIFFICULT

%

NEUTRAL

84.4 %

DIFFICULT

82.3

0% 0%

VERY DIFFICULT

85.7 %

%

3.1 %

12.5%

DIFFICULT

VERY DIFFICULT

11.8%

VERY DIFFICULT

0% 0%

DIFFICULT

86.7 %

DIFFICULT

66.7 %

DIFFICULT

VERY DIFFICULT

0%

NEUTRAL

0% 0%

DIFFICULT

VERY DIFFICULT

$1.63m AVERAGE UNIT VOLUME*

AND THIS ISN’T JUST OUR TOP 25% OF RESTAURANTS

a fresh-pressed

Business Opportunity pancheros.com/franchise

JOE GALE

Director of Franchise Development 319.600.2027 | joeg@pancheros.com

*Average gross sales volume of all 67 restaurants in operation for three full calendar years from 2023 to 2025 as reported in Item 19 of our 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document.Individual results may vary. There is no guarantee you will make as much. Please refer to our 2026 FDD for additional information.

This does not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer of a franchise can only be made through the delivery of a franchise disclosure document. Certain states require that we register the franchise disclosure document in those states. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. This communication is not directed towards the residents of those states. If you are a resident of one of these states, we will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise disclosure document to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law.

CONSUMER TRENDS

cially during peak periods.

Picking up orders inside restaurants also showed quick results, with an average experience time of 3 minutes and 53 seconds.

The majority of shoppers were satisfied with the speed of their order. Eighty-four percent stated it was either quicker than expected or arrived exactly as expected.

While the perception of speed results varied by location and brand, expectation levels ranged from as high (faster than expected) as 66 percent claiming their order was “quicker than expected” at one brand to 38 percent noting it was “slower than expected” at another.

Accuracy and quality was a strong area, as you’d expect for order-ahead that turns input into a digital process. Mobile orders were filled correctly 92 percent of the time—a sizable gap above the Drive-Thru Study (87 percent).

A solid portion of mystery shoppers said the appearance and taste of their food exceeded their expectations. Very few across the study reported their meal looked or tasted stale.

Maintaining the expected food temperature was also a strength for mobile ordering. Three brands hit perfect scores

in this year’s study.

On the final measure, most mystery shoppers described the ordering process as perfectly smooth and efficient. While many brands maintained high efficiency ratings, a large performance gap existed between the top-performing leaders and those at the bottom.

Although basic greetings were common, more advanced personalization (loyalty member recognition, for instance) remained low industry wide.

There was a measurable drop in the frequency of parting remarks, year-over-year. Some chains still excelled, but the larger industry seems to be focusing less on the final customer interaction.

And mobile ordering, sentiment wise, continues to be highly regarded. A large majority of shoppers reported they were likely to recommend the service to others. Overall satisfaction with the pickup experience was notably high across drive-thru and in-store methods.

Danny Klein is the editorial director of QSR and FSR. He can be reached at dklein@wtwhmedia.com.

37+2+61u 44+1+54u 46+2+52u 54+46+u 54+2+44u 60+4+36u 64+4+32u 66+4+30u 60+12+28u Food Quality:

EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS (looked and tasted exceptionally fresh)

37 %

61%

DID NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS (Looked tired or tasted stale)

44 %

54%

2

%

54 %

M ET EXPECTATIONS (looked and tasted standard/as expected)

46 %

52%

1

%

60 %

54%

0%

2%

DID NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS

44

46%

36%

%

4%

2%

64 %

30%

70

30%

4%

4%

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

60 %

66%

28%

12%

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HAWAIIAN BROS OPENED ITS FIRST RESTAURANT IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

A Reimagined Legacy for a New Generation of Franchises

After decades of family history with legacy brands, one operator is finding success by embracing the menu simplicity of modest brand, Hawaiian Bros. / BY BRITT ENGLER

I

n franchising, a successful legacy is marked by longevity and store count, a reality Zach Fugate, cofounder of Ohana Restaurant Group, which owns and operates seven Hawaiian Bros franchises across multiple markets, understands well.

Over fifty years, his grandfather built an empire of roughly 150 Pizza Hut and 75 Taco Bell locations, creating a model

72

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

for multi-unit advancement in small-town markets. Fugate began his career under his grandfather’s guidance, gaining decades of knowledge and insight into the restaurant industry. After his grandfather’s passing in 2025, Fugate wanted to explore entrepreneurship for himself. This led to the formation of the Ohana Restaurant Group, a collaboration with his cousins,

Nick and Nathan Blasi. The group’s launch began by franchising with Hawaiian Bros, a fast-growing brand best known for its Hawaiian lunch plates.

Partnering with Hawaiian Bros was both a strategic and personal decision.

Fugate wanted to find a brand that matched his operational expertise while introducing something new to the community. “Hawaiian Bros, being that it got its start in Kansas City, was close to home,” Fugate says. “Their volumes were great,” he notes, adding that the corporate team was excellent to work with and the restaurant culture was infectious.

Fugate found the simplicity of the Hawaiian Bros’ menu and growth model to be appealing. In an industry challenged by ever-expanding menus and inventory complexity, this brand offered a clear alternative. “The ease of menu was one thing that I really like as an operator,” Fugate says. “We don’t have a super extensive menu... we don’t have as many SKUs as other brands.” This simplified process not only reduces stress on team members but also drives the brand’s main competitive advantage: speed. As guests’ need for quick service continues to rise, Hawaiian Bros has designed its kitchens to match or exceed those of some of the industry’s fastest competitors.

The Ohana Restaurant Group sets precise operational targets. While many brands aim for drive-thru times under three minutes, Fugate’s team strives to be even faster. “From the time an order is placed... in each window, our goal is 30 seconds,” Fugate says. “You might have 30 seconds in the pay window if there are two, and then 30 seconds to get the food out. I mean, it’s lightning fast.”

Achieving this efficiency requires a full commitment to the “people business” philosophy he inherited from his grandfather.

“He would always say that we’re in the people business, we serve tacos and pizza, but this is a people business,” Fugate says. He now focuses that approach on his Hawaiian dishes.

The attention to fostering genuine connection has helped the group grow across Oklahoma City, Northwest Arkansas, Southwest Missouri, [CONTINUED ON PAGE 76]

OHANA RESTAURANT GROUP (3)

F R A N C H I S E F O RWA R D

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O P E R AT I O N S

Rewriting a French Classic / BY SAM DANLEY

l

a Madeleine’s chief executive doesn’t talk about the bakery and cafe chain like it’s just any other job. For John Dillon, it’s personal.

“I grew up on la Madeleine,” he says.

“I’m from the Dallas area, where the brand was founded in 1983, so it’s been part of my life for a long time. It was my mom’s favorite brand, my mother-in-law’s favorite brand, and my wife’s favorite brand. My daughter even worked at la Madeleine in high school.”

When he and his wife moved to South Carolina years ago for his role at Denny’s, she asked him to look into opening a la Madeleine franchise there because she missed the tomato basil soup so much.

So, when Dillon stepped into the CEO role at the beginning of 2025, it felt less like a career move and more like a full-circle moment.

“It really felt like it was meant to be,” he says. “I have a strong passion for the history of the brand, but even more for where we can grow. We like to say the brand is 43 years young.”

Dillon spent his early months in the role focused on understanding exactly where the brand stood. He immersed himself in the business, talking with team members across the system and spending time inside cafes observing day-to-day operations.

Those conversations, paired with both qualitative and quantitative surveys of managers, helped him build a clear picture of the brand’s strengths and pain points.

What emerged was a concept with deep emotional resonance among guests and a notably long-tenured workforce. At the

74

MAY 2026 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com

LA MADELEINE CONSCIOUSLY CHANGED ITS POSITION FROM ‘FRENCH’ TO ‘FRENCH-INSPIRED.’

JOHN DILLON

same time, he identified a clear opportunity around relevance. la Madeleine had strong brand equities and a loyal following, but some of those strengths had grown dated and needed to be refreshed for a new generation of guests.

He also saw complexity as a barrier.

The menu spanned multiple categories and carried more operational weight than a typical counter-service concept, which limited the brand’s ability to innovate.

Simplifying the menu, he believed, would allow the company to execute at a higher level while reopening the door to more focused, consistent innovation—something that had been relatively limited for nearly a decade.

“I knew it was a brand with a story to tell and tremendous DNA, but some of those equities needed to be dusted off and made more relevant for today,” he says.

“We needed to aggressively age down the

brand from a relevancy standpoint.”

One of Dillon’s first moves was repositioning the chain from a “French” brand to a “French-inspired” brand.

“It’s just one word,” he says, “but it’s a small, subtle change with a very big impact.”

In Dillon’s view, the old positioning risked making the brand feel intimidating to everyday guests.

“French can be powerful, but it can also feel limiting and unapproachable—people think escargot, caviar, white tablecloths, high prices, and menu items they can’t even pronounce,” he says.

The new language is meant to widen the target without abandoning the core identity.

“We’re very proud of being Frenchfounded and French-inspired, but we also need to be more approachable,” he says. “‘French-inspired’ [CONTINUED ON PAGE 76]

LA MADELEINE (3)

la Madeleine is charting its next chapter under CEO John Dillon.

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

FRANCHISE FORWARD / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 72

OPERATIONS / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 74

legacy beverage brands have. It strikes a balance between commerce and culture, curating content and products that reflect what its core customer is thinking and feeling.

From viral straw toppers to car magnets and sour candy straws, Davila spends time on social media watching what customers share, like, and comment on.

Inspiration often comes from adjacent categories—ice cream, candy, and mixology—while ideas also flow organically from the brand’s ambassador program.

“The next generation of consumers values customization, which is central to what we do,” Davila says. “Going deeper, there’s this concept of ‘come as you are,’ and we’re very inclusive in everything we do. That resonates with a generation coming of age in a very wild world. Positivity that transcends drinks connects with this group and drives our success.”

Yet behind the personalization is operational discipline. Davila notes that the commercialization of customization is highly structured, allowing the brand to deliver consistent product quality at scale.

While drinks can be customized, there are guardrails around how beverages are built and executed in shops, supported by infrastructure designed for consistency.

Now, with the rollout of its official CPG platform, Dutch Bros is building awareness at scale in parts of the country where its footprint is still growing. For Davila, it’s a full-circle moment, given her start in CPG. “73 percent of our transactions go through the loyalty program, so we have a very one-to-one connection with our guests,” she says. “We want to be where our customers are and offer options for different occasions.”

Whether through drive-thru, walkup, or a grocery shelf, Davila maintains a people-centric approach as those touchpoints evolve.

Even with order-ahead, the model is designed for a physical handoff—an intentional moment of connection that reinforces the brand’s identity.

In CPG, that connection extends to purpose, with a portion of proceeds supporting the Dutch Bros Foundation.

Kansas, and soon in Kentucky. Fugate stresses that managing multiple locations depends on hiring quality people who aren’t afraid to own their role and lead where they excel. “That’s just the most important thing in our business is who you hire and how you hire and the people that are taking care of stuff because when you have multiple locations, it’s not like you can be there every day for everything that happens,” says Fugate.

As the group has expanded, it has adapted to changes in technology and customer behavior. Fugate observes that while his grandfather’s era focused on dine-in experiences, today’s customers are often looking to eat on the run. This shift has led to the full embrace of thirdparty delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Although first-party ordering through their Toast-powered POS system is more cost-effective, Fugate chooses to meet customers where they are. “There are people who get their food every day... there’s no reason to fight that customer and try to get them out of their habits,” Fugate says. The Ohana Restaurant Group also leverages these platforms for marketing, offering regular deals to generate brand awareness.

This process is being tested as the Ohana Restaurant Group prepares to launch Hawaiian Bros in Kentucky. Its market entry strategy combines active community outreach with intensive training. Fugate’s team prioritizes grassroots marketing before the official opening. “We like to get into the markets and really do whatever we can with local schools, local businesses,” Fugate says. This includes delivering free food to colleges, hospitals, and first responder stations during opening week.

The name “Ohana,” meaning family, reflects the foundation of Fugate’s partnership with Nick and Nathan.

While Fugate leads operations, the cousins collaborate on all aspects, from construction to marketing. “We all really work together in a lot of it,” Fugate says, emphasizing that their joint commitment to the “people business” ensures a strong relationship.

opens the aperture for innovation and lets us introduce more craveable, relevant items while still staying true to our roots.”

That shift started coming to life in the middle of last year, when la Madeleine rolled out an all-day brunch platform that leans into familiar favorites through a French-inspired lens. The addition of items like French toast—something guests intuitively associate with the brand—was a move to meet expectations in a more accessible way.

The chain followed with items like avocado toast, new sandwiches and salads, and a line of refreshers, which are fizzy, iced drinks that blend fruit flavors with housemade lemonade, iced tea, or club soda.

“These aren’t inherently French, but they live in that sweet spot of Frenchinspired and American craveable flavors,” Dillon says. la Madeleine has also shown a newfound willingness to move quickly when trends align with its DNA. When Parisian hot chocolate started taking off on TikTok, the brand leaned into the moment.

“We leaned into our roots, put it on the menu, and saw great success,” Dillon says. “That’s the kind of thing we can uniquely pull off because of our Frenchinspired DNA.” Behind the scenes, he is pairing that creativity with a more structured approach to menu cadence and complexity. Limited-time offers now refresh the menu about five times a year, alongside a couple of core menu updates.

The early indicators suggest that story is landing. la Madeleine closed last year with four straight periods of positive sales and traffic, and Dillon says the brand is seeing continued momentum this year. Guest satisfaction scores and Google ratings are moving in the right direction, and franchise interest is picking up alongside the new prototype and positioning.

“There’s a general buzz that la Madeleine is back,” he says. “This has always been a beloved brand, especially among people who grew up with it, and you can feel that energy returning.”

Satyne Doner is a staff writer for QSR. She can be reached at sdoner@wthwmedia.com.

Britt Engler is a staff writer for QSR magazine. She can be reached at brittanyfengler@gmail.com.

Sam Danley is the associate editor of QSR. He can be reached at sdanley@wthwmedia.com.

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ditional hard ice cream.

The menu continues evolving with a priority on sustainable sourcing, such as the recently tested macadamia base, which is dairy-free and sweetened with monk fruit.

“It’s really cool to partner with people who are about sustainable growth. They support the local communities, the farmers, and their employees,” Leonardo says.

This devotion to quality is also strengthened by a “cow to cup” initiative that the brand has been rooted in for years. “From the time it gets milked from the cow to the time it gets processed... you’re pretty much getting it in your cup within seven to 10 business days,” Leonardo says.

Beyond the proprietary algorithms and cryogenics, Chill-N is engineering a different kind of bond—community happiness.

Through a partnership with “The Kindest Co,” the brand has launched a positive reinforcement program that turns every visit into an experiment in altruism. In February, guests were introduced to the “Me-We-Us” challenge. Via a printable handout, guests were given featured activities that ranged from speaking kindly to yourself to caring for nature. To invigorate this movement, children act as ambassadors, awarding kindness-spotting stickers to friends caught in the act of doing good.

These stickers serve as a currency of goodwill, redeemable online for a free Kindest Cup of ice cream. This campaign is one that Leonardo is truly passionate about, and each month will bring a new set of things to try. “The fact that I get to do a job that is promoting happiness makes me the happiest guy in the world,” Leonardo says.

His goal for the next five years is to achieve a systemwide EBITDA optimization of 20 percent or more, a milestone several franchisees are already achieving.

With an objective of reaching 50 stores in the next five years by filling voids across Florida, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, and South Carolina, Chill-N is proving that its unique scientific approach to sweets and nurtured chemistry with the community are the formulations for success.

Britt Engler is a staff writer for QSR magazine. She can be reached at brittanyfengler@gmail.com.

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Accurate Box..........................................................73

Kent Precision Foods Group................................ 3

973-345-2000 | accuratebox.com

800-442-5242

Anchor Packaging...................Inside Back Cover

Kitchen Brains.......................................Back Cover

800-467-3900 | anchorpackaging.com

800-243-9271 | KitchenBrains.com

Burger King..................................................... 22, 23

Loomis...............................................................30, 31

franchising.bk.com

713-435-6700 | loomis.us

Coates Group..........................................................47

MerryChef...............................................................41

coatesgroup.com

merrychef.com

Dallas Group of America, Inc.............................59

Mike’s Hot Honey.......................................... 14, 15

800-367-4188 | magnesol.com

mikeshothoney.com/sample

DIRECTV for Business..........................................17

Pancheros Mexican Grill.....................................69

207-395-6539 | DTV.BIZ/NATIONAL

319-600-2027 | pancheros.com/franchise

Envysion..................................................................75

Red Diamond.................................................. 18, 19

envysion.com

800-292-4651 | reddiamondbevservice.com

Frozen Beverage Dispensers............................51

RF Technologies, Inc.......................................5, 79

210-637-2800 | fbdfrozen.com

800-598-2370 | rfdrivethru.com

Ghirardelli Chocolate............Inside Front Cover

Robot Coupe...........................................................79

ghirardelli.com/professional

800-824-1646 | robot-coupe.com

Global Display Solutions.....................................57

Stratas Foods.........................................................43

gdsdisplays.com

stratasfoods.com

Golden Chick...........................................................67

Tronex Company....................................................21

972-831-0911 | goldenchick.com

tronexcompany.com

Go-Pak International...........................................39

Texas Pete...............................................................37

210-204-6093 | go-pakgroup.com

texaspete.com

Hawaiian Brothers................................................49

UNOX, Inc. ...............................................................55

hawaiianbros.com/franchise

unox.com

Intouch Insight ......................................................65

VITO Fryfilter, Inc. ................................................77

intouchinsight.com

407-377-7769 | vitofryfilter.com

J&J Snacks..............................................................11

Welbilt......................................................................27

jjsnackfoodservice.com/sample/

877-375-9300 | welbilt.com

Ken’s Foodservice................................................13

Wienerschnitzel...................................................... 6

800-633-5800 | kensfoodservice.com

wienerschnitzel.com

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FAST CASUAL’S ASIAN FRONTIER / CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50

we do have is fresh cut vegetables, fresh chicken, the best rice and noodles we can find, and our own sauces that we make,” he says. “That’s what people look for, and that’ll always be what we do.”

Across the fast-casual landscape, Asian cuisine still represents one of the most fragmented categories. While independent operators have long introduced American diners to flavors from across the continent, only a handful of national chains have emerged so far—leaving significant room for more brands to scale.

Tsai believes the category is still in its early innings. Asian fast casual spans an enormous range of cuisines—from Chinese and Japanese to Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, and emerging Southeast Asian flavors—and much of that diversity has yet to be translated into scalable fast-casual formats. Long-term winners, she adds, will be the brands that pair authenticity with operational discipline and a deep understanding of their guests.

“Brands that protect the integrity of

their food, execute consistently, and adapt to evolving consumer expectations will rise above the noise,” Tsai says.

Kwon believes the brands that break out nationally will be the ones that build a deeper emotional connection with customers. He points to breakout chains like Crumbl, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Raising Cane’s, and Chick-fil-A as examples of brands that have moved beyond simply selling food to building passionate followings with customers who feel a genuine connection to the brand.

“People can copy your menu, and you can’t patent food,” he says. “The real moat is brand love—how people feel when they think about you. Once you become somebody’s favorite brand, that relationship is incredibly hard to dislodge. You can have all the capital and all the systems in the world, but if you don’t have that, it’s very hard to build something that lasts.”

Sam Danley is the associate editor of QSR. He can be reached at sdanley@wthwmedia.com.

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79

S TA R T T O F INISH

What was your first job?

I started working in the hospitality industry at 15.

My very first job was at Cal’s Roast Beef in Elgin, Illinois.

What’s your favorite menu item at Magnolia Bakery?

It’s hard to choose just one, so I’ll pick two! I really love the Chocolate Chip Caramel Sea Salt Cookie and the Double Fudge Brownie.

Favorite cuisine beyond Magnolia Bakery?

Besides sweets and pastry, I love Mediterranean food, especially Lebanese or Greek.

Who inspired your leadership? I have been

LLOYD

CHIEF BRAND OFFICER AND CHIEF BAKING OFFICER / MAGNOLIA BAKERY

I

can’t remember a time when I didn’t love baking and cooking, coming up with new recipes, whipping things up in the kitchen and sharing those dishes with others. I grew up outside of Chicago and started baking with my mom and grandmother when I was very young, making some of our favorite family recipes like Jammy Thumbprints for the holidays and my father’s favorite weekly chocolate fudge cake.

As I grew up, I got more interested in what I could do in the kitchen and took my first cooking class at age eight. I learned how to make easy dinners I could replicate at home so I could pitch in at dinnertime when my mom was working.

In my junior year of college, I made the decision to pursue my dream of becoming a chef and moved to Boston to attend the Modern Gourmet Cooking School. Two years after graduating, I opened American Accent in Brookline, MA, a restaurant cafe with a retail bakery. Our motto was, “if it’s on the table, we made it!” – from the savory dishes and bread to ice cream and all of

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the desserts.

After gaining so much experience at established restaurants, I partnered with a group of restaurant industry friends and we opened It’s a Wrap, NYC’s first gourmet wrap sandwich, smoothie, and juice restaurant. I opened the space in my Upper West Side neighborhood and loved being part of the broader community.

In 2006, I joined Magnolia Bakery as President and Chief Baking Officer, working across operations, production, finance, and everything in between to bring the beloved bakery to new locations, recipes, and fans around the world. While dessert is my first passion, I’m equally passionate about developing our team and spreading the joy of Magnolia Bakery to new places and ways.

This year we’re excited to open new franchise locations across the U.S., including Salt Lake City, Philadelphia, Louisville, Cleveland, Fairfield County, CT. Las Vegas, Detroit area and more.

What’s one piece of advice restaurant executives need to hear? This wise advice

was given to me by Mark: “Leave room for magic. Don’t let logic control you.” And, “your secret ingredient is people.” It’s most important to recognize and invest in your people; the return is priceless.

Interests outside of work? I love to cook, read,

travel, garden and run. I have ran 11 marathons in the US and close to 50 half marathons.

MAGNOLIA BAKERY / JOSE TUTIVEN

Bobbie

lucky to have many mentors in my career.

Danny Meyer, who I worked with at Union Square Cafe in the late 80’s, taught me sincere hospitality and how to always make the guest and your staff the most important part of running your business. Today I work closely with Mark Ramadan, former CEO of Hu’s and co-founder and CEO of Sir Kensington’s, who always provides thoughtful advice from a new perspective.

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