2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers

7/26/2019 2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers

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2014

Who smashed it this year?

The top brands, people, trends and technologies shaping the fast casual segment
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2014

The Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers is about more than

how much revenue a restaurant can make in a year. Otherwise,

the list would be all about math. Although profits certainly are

taken into consideration, compiling this list takes a bit more

finesse than just hammering out numbers.

Our methodology allowed our readers to nominate the brands

over a six-week process, an egalitarian approach that often allows smaller yet innovative

brands, to make the cut. From there, a panel of judges narrowed them down afte

many discussions and some debating.

The competition, in its ninth year, was fiercer than ever, as we had nearly 900 nominations

from which to choose. Luckily, we had a few experts to help us evaluate the nominations

for the ultimate rankings. Joining me as judges were Darren Tristano, EVP of Technomic

Nate Riggs, president of NR Media Group; Rob Dorsi, executive corporate chef at Food

IQ; and Joni Doolin, CEO and founder of People Report.

We applied multiple criteria against the nominees, including innovation, unit and revenue

growth, use of technology and social media, branding and marketing and overal

contribution to the industry.

This years Top 100 also recognized the industrys 25 most influential people, the years

top 10 technologies and menu trends and the five most interesting marketing campaigns

As always, its an honor to present this years Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers.

Thanks for reading.

Cherryh Butler

Senior editor

FastCasual.com

Top 100: Fast casuals

are growing up

The 2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers &Shakers. 2014 Networld Media Group LLC.13100 Eastpoint Park Blvd., Louisville, KY 40223.(502) 241-7545. All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced withoutthe express written approval of the publisher.

Viewpoints of the columnists and editors aretheir own and do not necessarily represent theviewpoints of the publisher.

Publisher

Kathy Doyleexecutive vice president and publisher,

Networld Media [email protected]

EditorCherryh Butler

[email protected]

Editor at large

Joseph [email protected]

Contributor

Christen Everett

Top 100 panel

Cherryh ButlerSenior editor of FastCasual.com

Darren TristanoEVP of Technomic

Nate RiggsPresident of NR Media Group

Rob D'orsiExecutive corporate chef at Food IQ

Joni DoolinCEO and founder of People Report

Table of Contents

4 Top 50 restaurants

20 Top 5 marketing campaigns

22 Top 10 menu trends

25 Top 10 technologies

29 Top 25 people
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2014

Recognized as one of the first to take on the better-burger con-

cept, Smashburger is No. 1 on this years Top 100 list. With more

than 250 restaurants worldwide and plans to open another 70 to

80 units by the end of 2014, the Denver-based chain is obviously

a smashing success. In fact, it recently ranked No. 6 on Forbes

third annual Americas Most Promising Companies list, which rec-

ognizes the top 100 privately held, high-growth companies with

compelling business models and strong management teams, as

well as notable customers and investors.

The chain, founded in 2007, named a new CEO in November 2013,

a move that sometimes can halt a companys growth. Smash-

burger, however, still is going strong with Scott Crane at the helm.

Hes no stranger to the brand, having led its operations for the last

six years as president. The former Pizza Hut and Taco Bell exec

is looking to grow the company in his new role, seeking domestic

and international franchise partners throughout a variety of mar-

kets, including Chicago, Miami, Seattle and Canada.

The chain stays focused on menu innovation, said Crane, who

pointed out that over the last year it has introduced several unique

1 Smashburgermenu offerings, including its burger and craft beer pairing. Tha

item has the chain partnering with local craft breweries to pair loca

brews with select burgers.

The brand continues to be on trend for what todays foodies are

seeking, said founder Tom Ryan.

Smashburgers modern, premium approach to Americas favorite

food resonates with consumers on multiple fronts, he said. From

our juicy and delicious Certified Angus Beef Smashburgers, rose

mary-and-garlic-seasoned Smashfries, chicken sandwiches andsalads, and Hagen-Dazs shakes to our fast, friendly service and

modern decor, Smashburger represents the burger restaurant fo

the next generation of burger lovers.

Last year: No. 18

CEOScottCrane
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2014

With more than 1,600 units, theres no doubt that

Chipotle is one of the most recognized fast casual

brands in the world, but that doesnt stop the company

from continuing to spread its gospel of fresh ingredients and

sustainable practices.

It recently made history when it debuted its original comedy

series, Farmed and Dangerous, on Hulu and Hulu Plus. The four

webisodes provide a satirical look at the lengths the agriculture

industry goes to manage perceptions about its practices.

Our goal in making the show was to engage people through

entertainment and make them more curious about their food and

where it comes from, said Mark Crumpacker, chief marketingand development officer at Chipotle and an executive producer

of the show. Its not a show about Chipotle, but rather integrates

the values that are at the heart of our business. The more people

know about how food is raised, the more likely they will be to

choose food made from better ingredients like the food we

serve at Chipotle.

The brand also got a lot of attention in September 2013, when

it released The Scarecrow, an arcade-style adventure game

2 Chipotle

3 Fazoli'sFor the last few years, Fazolis has been on a roll. At the end of 2013, franchisees had

reported same-store sales increases in 41 of the last 43 months, and although the

chain now has about 220 units in 27 states, CEO Carl Howard wants those numbers

to grow. In fact, 2014 will see a total of 14 new units, which include three locations

of the brands new fast casual concept called Venti Tre.

The success of the brand, which got its start as a QSR more than 25 years ago, has

stemmed from its revamped menu and look, which repositioned it as a fast casua

brand. Expanding beyond its usual spaghetti, lasagna and fettuccine alfredo

offerings, the menu now includes oven-baked pasta entres, fresh chopped

salads and sandwiches and limited-time offerings, including Chicken with Marsalaand cheese-stuffed Mezzaluna Ravioli.

Along with the better food offer ings, Howard pointed out that having employees

deliver meals to tables and using real plates and silverware instead of disposable

options gave the brand the fresh, upscale feeling that consumers now demand

Although Fazolis has rebranded itself as a fast casual brand, its not ready to forget its origins. In

fact, the chain is embracing them by expanding into nontraditional locations. While Howard still is opening

traditional units, plans are underway for six franchises to open inside retail centers anchored by fueling

stations this year, and the chain also is opening an 800-square-foot unit inside a Colorado convenience

store. Another unit soon will open in the student union of Texas Tech University, proving that the brand can

thrive as both a fast casual and a QSR.

Last year: No. 5

Last year: No. 1

for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Players fly through the fictional

city of Plenty to transport confined

animals to open pastures, fill fields

with diverse crops at Scarecrow Farms

and serve wholesome food to the citizens of Plenty.

Chipotles commitment to unbranded marketing helps it

resonate with consumers, said Danielle Winslow, who works in

public relations and marketing for the chain. For example, both

Farmed and Dangerous and The Scarecrow are meant to

drive awareness about modern food production and industriaagriculture in an engaging way.

Our use of unbranded content is a proven and impactful way to

tell the companys food culture story, and this format allows the

subject matter, issues and information about industrial agriculture

to stand front and center, she said. We hope that the more we

engage people, the more curious they will be about where their

food comes from and the more inclined they will be to choose a

restaurant like Chipotle.


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2014

We also worked very closely with Micros to design an elaborate

state-of-the-art POS system with multiple printers and large-

screen KDS monitors, he said. The moment an order is entered

into the system, every kitchen workstation and every cook knows

what he needs to do to fill that order. Weve improved efficiency

and reduced ticket times.

Now that operations are streamlined, the company is ready to

expand. Four new stores are set to open within the next fou

months in California, but the brand isnt focusing only there. Lowe

has developed a multistore management system that includes

opening in Texas. Dallas/Fort Worth soon will be home to a cluster

of Luna Grills, with

the first opening

this summer in

Flower Mound.

growth, said Keith Davis, CFO.

Despite Freebirds goal of increasing profits and accelerating

growth, count on it remaining true to the free-spirit, rock n rol

attitude its founders ex-hippies had in mind. From piercings

to tats, employees are free to look how they please, while giving

guests the freedom to eat whatever they want even if that

desire ends up being a seven-pound Monster Burrito.

Luna Grill6

4

Burger 21, owned by Front Burner Brands, which also operates The Melting

Pot franchise, has been building on its momentum since opening three years

ago. By the end of 2013, it had signed eight new franchise agreements and

opened another 14 locations. In addition, the companys average unit volume

grew from $1.47 million to $1.75 million, a 19 percent increase from 2012, said

Mark Johnston, president of Front Burner Brands.

Burger 21 plans to open 10 new units across five states in 2014, seeking to

expand the franchise program it launched two years ago. The strategy has

resulted in deals with 13 entities in nine states with plans to develop more than

20 franchised restaurants.

5 Burger 21

Freebirds World BurritoLast year: No. 3

Last year: No. 22

Last year: N/A

Opening only two new units in 2013, the San Diego-

based Mediterranean brand is now on a growth mission to

become a national chain. The plan is to double its 10 stores to

20 in 2014, and then again by 2016, said Dan Lowe, director of

operations, who joined the brand last year after working several

years for Chipotle.

The chain took a break from expansion plans last year to implement

a new POS system and to focus on a redesign, featuring an open

kitchen that allows guests to walk down the line and watch chefs

prepare their handmade meals, said Enrique Lombrozo, chief

development officer.

When it comes to fast casual Mexican fare,

Freebirds100 locations may seem small compared with

some competitors, but the chain is growing. In 2013, it opened 12

locations and will open seven more by the end of 2014. In a move

toward pushing growth, its parent company, Tavistock, recently

hired former Chipotle exec Bobby Shaw as its SVP of operations.

Shaw spent the last decade with Chipotle during its explosive

growth, which Freebirds executives predict will come in handy.

His experience and hands-on management is just the kind of

leadership we need to optimize our operations and accelerate


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2014

Modmarkets commitment to sustainability and healthful, creative meals landed it on

this years Top 100 list. With seven locations now serving its farm-to-table cuisine,

the Colorado-based chain is looking to open three more units by the end of the year.

Each location has clean, modern designs, uses real plates and silverware and serves

food the way it was hundreds of years ago: raw, grilled or cooked in a stone hearth

oven, said co-CEO Anthony Pigliacampo, who created the concept with a friend in 2009. The brand avoids

preservatives and artificial sweeteners, making everything from scratch and using locally sourced and

organic ingredients whenever possible. Because the menu relies on seasonal fruits and veggies, it changes

often, giving customers new items to sample.

Since offering healthy food is such a priority at Modmarket, the website includes nutritional info for each

menu item and allows customers to click on any ingredient to find out where its sourced. Gluten-free and

half-size portions also are available.

7 Modmarket

When it comes to embracing new menu trends, Zos Kitchen isnt afraid to be the industrys guinea pig. Last

year, for example, it was one of the first restaurants to test quinoa when it launched its Quinoa Salad, made

with tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, fresh greens, celery, feta, green onions and light lemon vinaigrette.

We are always looking for ways to provide our guests with balanced Mediterranean meals that they can feel

great about eating, said Lauren Hopkins, director of brand.

Menus arent the only place where innovation is key at Zos; the chain also takes a fresh approach when

it comes to marketing. The chain ended 2013 with the creation of Fresh Takes, a recipe book with easy-to-

make, healthful recipes that feature take-home sides from the chain to help families create easy and healthy

dishes at home. To increase awareness for the book, the chain invited customers to create and pin their

favorite Fresh Takes recipes on Pinterest for an opportunity to win a variety of prizes.

One of Zos most notable campaigns of the year, however, was its Zo

Goes Running partnership with ultra-distance runner Zoe Romano,

who set out in June to become the first person to run the Tour deFrance. She hoped her 2,000-mile run would encourage others to

donate funds to the World Pediatric Project, an organization that aims

to save the lives of critically ill children. Inspired by her lofty goal, Zos

Kitchen launched a two-week campaign giving guests who donated

$5 to WPP a mobile app goodie for $5 off any menu item.

After finishing the Tour by running 30 miles a day for nine weeks,

Romano ended up raising more than $160,000, of which more than

half came from Zos guests.

8 Zos Kitchen

Last year: N/A

Last year: No. 10


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2014

Since it was founded in 1989, McAlisters has been an industry leader, putting

its innovative spin on everything from sandwiches, spuds and soups to salads,desserts and sweet tea. Today is no exception, which is why its a perennial

presence in the Fast Casual Top 100. The brand, under the direction of CEO

Frank Paci, is always on the cusp of consumer demand. For example, it recently

launched a light menu, featuring more than 200 options under 600 calories.

The brand, which has corporate offices in both Alpharetta, Ga., and Ridgeland, Miss., now

has more than 320 restaurants in 24 states with more on the way. It recently developed a partnership with

Balboa Capital, marking its 10th franchise financing partnership in the last year to help existing and new

franchisees grow and improve their businesses.

9

Firehouse Subs had a record year in 2013: It opened 155 new restaurants, added 111

new franchisees and ended the year with 722 locations. It also increased its footprint to

38 states, setting up shop in Maine, Idaho, Wisconsin and Washington.

Maintaining our No. 1 ranking in so many key areas of the business, even during a

period of rapid growth, is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of our franchise

community and headquarters team, said CEO Don Fox.

Also remarkable for the year was the success of its charity, Firehouse Subs Public

Safety Foundation. It donated more than $2.2 million in equipment and resources to firstresponders and public safety organizations.

10

11

Firehouse Subs

Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill

McAlisters Deli

Last year: No. 4

Last year: No. 15

Last year: No. 2

to launch a digital catering platform to handle everything from

operations and sales to improving customer experience and staff

development.

We are very excited about these new applications as they allow us toelectronically store our sales database, move orders easily between

locations and fully integrate our online ordering sales backend and

guest frontend, Mor said. Our goal is to have 80 percent of catering

come from online ordering in the next few years.

Garbanzos April rollout of LevelUp, a mobile payments and loyalty

platform solution, is another way its taking business operations to

the next level.

Guests can pay, receive instant digital receipts and unlock loyalty

rewards all from their smartphones, Mor said.

The Mediterranean fast casual concept is not

only growing its footprint by opening new units,

its also expanding its presence by going digital

with business operations. The chain, which has 19company-owned units and nine franchises, plans to have

40 units open by the end of the year, 75 by 2015 and 120 by

2016, saidAlon Mor, Garbanzo founder, president and CEO.

To pull off those numbers, Mor knew it was time to invest in

upgrading not only the companys catering channel but also

its mobile offerings.

Utilizing some of the latest technology plays a large part

in how Garbanzo stays ahead of the industry curve, said

Mor, who recently partnered with MonkeyMedia Software
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2014

12 MOOYAH Burgers,Fries and ShakesLast year: No. 8

Although MOOYAH opened 16 new units in2013, thats nothing compared to its goal of

launching 40 by the end of this year. CEO

Rich Hicks said the chains 2013 success

was due in part to a passionate and am-

bitious team of multi-unit franchisees. And

hes not done looking for new recruits.

In order to continue propelling our brand

forward throughout 2014, we are looking

for prospective operators that possess the

experience and enthusiasm necessary for

long-term growth with MOOYAH, he said.

Proving itself to be a Mover and Shaker,

MOOYAHs goal for 2014 is to achieve do-

mestic and international growth, whether

developing in existing markets with high

demand or introducing the MOOYAH ex-

perience to new territories, said Michael

Mabry, vice president of franchise develop-

ment and operations.

This twofold strategy, coupled with an ex-

ceptional product, will allow MOOYAH totruly assert ourselves as the leader in the

competitive burger segment, he said.

The nearly 60-unit brand has plans to con-

tinue its sustained expansion, already pre-

dicting that the brand will add more than

1,000 jobs to local communities through its

restaurant openings in 2014.

13 Pie Five Pizza Company Last year: No. 40While pizza as a fast casual concept is still

new, the team behind Pie Five seems tohave worked out a winning strategy. CEO

Randy Gier, who is also CEO of parent com-

pany Pizza Inn, runs the 3-year-old chain

and has grown it to 19 units with plans to

develop 150 over the next five years.

To hit that number, Gier knows he has to

help create a demand for the product,

which is why the chain recently launched its

first TV campaign, starring a couple of Dal-

las sports stars. The spots, which included

hockey legend Mike Modano and Texaspitcher Derek Holland chatting about their

favorite Pie Five creations, ran this spring

during prime time on AMC, Comedy Cen-

tral, Fox Sports Southwest, Discovery, FX,

TBS and TNT.

All of us at Pie Five are big fans of both

local stars, and we were happy to know

theyre fans of our pizza, too, Gier said.

Although the publicly traded company is

looking to expand quickly, Gier is a sticklerwhen it comes to franchisee selection.

We are very discriminating in selection of

franchisees only those with significant

capital and successful restaurant operating

backgrounds, he said.

14 Rubio's Last year: No. 41With a passion for protecting the ocean and

offering high-quality seafood for its famous

fish tacos, Rubios has grown to nearly 200

restaurants across the West Coast since its

inception in 1983.

Without the ocean, there would be no fish.

Without fish, there would be no Rubios.

This is why were so passionate about

serving sustainable seafood, said Rubios

Co-Founder Ralph Rubio.

Rubio is so passionate about the ocean that

he and his ad agency, barrettSF, recently

launched an extension to the chains ad

campaign To The Ocean. The new ele-ment is a commercial linking the ocean to

Rubios use of fresh ingredients and grilled

seafood sourced sustainably when possible

In addition to promoting sustainable sea

food, Rubios is an active participant in

World Oceans Day, an annual event dedi-

cated to celebrating and educating the

public on the protection of the worlds

oceans, and also hosts CoastFest, an an

nual beach cleanup and party in San Diego

The ocean is an incredible resource. It pro-

vides much of our food, and also serves as

inspiration for our coastal menu, as well as

the ambience of our restaurants, Rubio said

15PizzaRevLast year: N/AL.A.-based PizzaRev is revving up for a

year of growth. The eight-unit chain wi

open four units by the end of the year

and Co-CEO Irv Zuckerman projects that

number to be in the hundreds in the nex

five years.

The chain plans to meet its growth goal via

franchising and corporately owned stores

said Zuckerman, who said the 2-year-old

chain launched its franchising program las

year, naming Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. its first

partner. The franchise relationship is no

typical, however, considering BWW also

holds a stake in the pizza chain.

BWW brings a variety of positive items, including history, credibility, connections and

economies of scale, which all add to ou

positioning and growth potential, Zuck-

erman said. Since BWW has success

fully navigated the franchise and corporate

store model, we can take full advantage

and separate ourselves from some withou

that wealth of experience.


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2014

Zuckerman believes that customers will

see the same potential that BWW saw

with the chains complete customized

craft-your-own model that not only givescustomers control over pizza toppings but

also allows them to select their sauces

and beverage choices via the Rev it Up

condiment and sauce center and Free-

style Coca-Cola machines.

We are one of the few to add kids meals

to broaden the family appeal, especially in

dense neighborhood locations. In the end,

we are proud to offer a complete service

model for our guests, partners and fran-

chise partners, Zuckerman said.

16Blaze Fast-Fire'd PizzaLast year: No. 19Pizza is a hot ticket in fast casual these

days, and Blaze Fast-Fired Pizza is heat-

ing up, said Jim Mizes, president and

COO. The chain started in 2014, with

12 units but expects to finish the year

with nearly 50, a feat Mizes says will

require innovation.

We are building a unique and special

brand that targets millennials and connects

with many others, offering quality fast-fired

pizza in a comfortable, hip, urban environ-

ment at an affordable price for lunch and

dinner. We see as much business duringthe lunch daypart as we see at night and

even for late night.

Staying busy during the lunch daypart

sometimes can be a challenge for pizza

chains that often cannot accommodate

customers stopping in for quick lunch

breaks, but Mizes said the chains dedica-

tion to scalability has solved that problem.

It took a lot of work up front to create res-

taurants that are this smooth to operate,

while delivering an exceptional product

over and over again, he said. Basically,

were selling a $15 pizza for just over $7.

We spent a lot of time sweating the small

stuff up front, in terms of our recipes, our

operations and our store design.

From restaurant No.1, Mizes said his team

knew it was embarking on something big.

So from the beginning, we were focused

on finding ways to scale the concept while

consistently delivering excellence in our ex-ecution, he said.

17 FreshiiLast year: No. 6Freshii is used to making headlines, whethe

they feature info about the chains growth oFounder Matthew Corrins unique business

practices. The Canada-based chain, which

opened in 2005, has 100 open stores and

60 more in construction across 40 cities in

eight countries. The brands recent press

including Corrins appearance on the

CBS TV series Undercover Boss, along

with features on The Food Network and in

Fortune Magazine is continuing to at-

tract new franchise partners.

One of those partners is Raddah Investments, which recently signed a deal to

open 20 units throughout Saudi Arabia

Two Freshiis already are open in Dubai.

The day I opened the first Freshii location

at age 23 was the first day I ever worked in

the restaurant industry, Corrin said. Weve

worked hard as a team to create a compel-

ling business model for the franchise indus-

try and an innovative brand for our custom-

ers. As each year passes we continue to

attract best-in-class partners, who divideand conquer in our quest to bring healthy

fast food to the masses.

18 Blazing OnionBurger CompanyLast year: No. 20

Since launching the first Blazing On

ion Burger Company with his wife, Lorri

in 2007, CEO David Jones has been on

the forefront of technology. Each of thebrands six locations is outfitted with self-

service ordering kiosks to speed up the

ordering process, and each also has 3-D

televisions, Coca-Cola Freestyle machines

and LRS pagers to help staff quickly deliv

er food to tables. Next up is guest-initiated

ordering via iPads, which will be secured

to each table at every restaurant by the

end of the year.

BlazingOnion


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20 Sweetgreen Last year: N/AIts not every day that GQ Magazine fea-

tures restaurant execs, but thats business

as usual for the founders of sweetgreen,

Nate Ru, Jonathan Neman and Nick Jam-

met. The trio, which in 2007 founded the

fast casual chain offering healthy and sus-

tainable food options, told GQ about how

they launched the concept while attending

Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.Their target market was customers seek-

ing a healthy lifestyle, and they combined

their passion for design, music and sustain-

ability to create a fast casual concept that

serves salads and wraps made from locally

sourced and organic ingredients.

If that wasnt innovative enough, they again

combined their passions and launched the

Sweetlife Festival, an annual event hon-

oring flavorful music, wholesome food

and thoughtful living. This years concertwrapped May 10 and featured a variety

of popular and up-and-coming artists, in-

cluding Bastille, Lana Del Ray, Foster the

People and 2 Chainz.

With 22 units currently operating and six

more confirmed to open by the end of the

year, its no doubt that these friends are liv-

ing a pretty sweet life.

21 Cowboy Chicken Last year: No. 25Not bucking tradition is how Dallas-based

Cowboy Chicken has thrived over its 30-

year history, said the brands president

Sean Kennedy.

We are so set in our ways, and proud of

our heritage, that we are still cooking with

wood, he said about the chains signature

way of perfecting its chicken, which is al-ways all natural and hormone free.

Although the chain opened in 1981, it didn

start growing until 2003, when Kennedy

and his partner, Gillian Menter, purchased

the single-location brand. The duo since

has expanded the brand to nine locations

and recently signed three new develop

ment agreements for five stores each. More

deals are coming, Kennedy said.

We learned the brand, expanded the menu

enhanced systems and built our first new

prototype store in late 2004, he said.

Kennedy opened a third corporate unit in

2008 and began franchising in 2009, open-

ing two franchises in 2010, one each in

2011 and 2012 and one franchise and a

corporate store last year.

Technology aside, Jones next goal is fran-

chising; he opened his first franchised loca-

tion last year and is looking to open three

more by the end of 2015.

We are moving slowly to learn how to be a

great franchisor, he said. We think the slow,

careful learning is better in the long run.

19 Burgerfi Last year: N/AWhile most fast casual burger joints still

are fighting to be king of the better-burger

segment, Burgerfi doesnt want the title.

Instead, the 50-unit, Florida-based chain

claims to have picked up where better

burger companies left off, offering all-

natural Angus beef, free of antibiotics and

hormones. The menu also features spe-

cialty items, including Kobe beef hot dogs,

gourmet toppings, desserts, craft beer

and wine.

Burgerfi isnt just strict with its dedication to

healthy food practices; its also committed

to the environment. Every unit is built ac-cording to environmentally sustainable best

practices, featuring earth-friendly elements,

including chairs made from recycled Coke

bottles, tables made out of compressed

recycled wood and large fans that use

66 percent less electricity. The chain also

boasts a low carbon footprint and main-

tains strict recycling programs for oil, card-

board, bottles and cans.

Simply put, sustainability is important to

us because we want to be a good neigh-bor, preserve resources for future genera-

tions and best of all we dont have to give

up quality in our food, or the aesthetics

to do it, said Josh Lorence, COO. Why

waste anything if you dont have to? The

more businesses that follow sustainable

practices, the more consumers will be edu-

cated about it and hopefully carry forward

the same practices in their everyday lives.

CowboyChicken


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2014

I think growth happens in stages, Kenne-

dy said. The first stage is slow and steady.

It takes time to build a business with a good

reputation, a great story and solid financialperformance.

22 MAD GreensLast year: N/AFor a relatively small chain, the 11-unit,

Colorado-based brand specializing in sea-

sonal salads and sandwiches is doing big

things. The 10-year-old concept not only

has its own mobile app that allows cus-

tomers to pay via smartphones, it alsohas a nutrition and allergy calculator on

its website. Both help the chain meet its

goals of offering healthy, fresh choices in a

speedy environment.

We believe that our unwavering commit-

ment to sourcing as many local products

as possible has always been at the front

of the fast casual space, said Dan Long,

president and co-founder. For a concept

like ours for whom a large part of the val-

ue proposition is based on serving super-fresh, high-quality ingredients, what better

way to ensure that this happens?

Last year the chain took that commitment

one step farther and created its own farm

in partnership with Golden, Colo.-based

Agriburbia.

We source a majority of our kale, toma-

toes and cucumbers and some other

things from our farm for a good part of the

summer and fall, Long said. We intend to

not only continue this commitment but to

increase it as we grow.

MAD Greens expects to have about 14

units open by the end of the year and hopes

to add 50 units over the next five years.

23 Wildflower BreadCompanyLast year: No. 11

Less is more at Wildflower Bread Com-pany, which never adds preservatives or

additives to its fresh-baked bread. The

baking technique is an art form, said CEO

Louis Basile, which is why it takes 16 to 24

hours for the bread to rise. And choice is

key at Wildflower; although it offers a va-

riety of standard choices such as bagels

and rolls, it also has more unique selec-

tions, including Caraway Rye, Ciabatta,

French Baguette, Friday Challah, Herb,

Honey Oat, Levain, Nine Grain and Pasilla

Chili Rye.

Besides being known for its bread selec-

tion, the Arizona-based chain, which serves

sandwiches, salads, soups and breakfast,

also earns attention for its dedication to

helping its community with the annual Wild-

flower Cares Campaign. Each fall, it raises

money with its customers to benefit three

charities: Share Our Strength, Susan G.

Komen for the Cure and Communities. This

year, the goal is to raise $45,000.

24 Giraffas Last year: No. 13Brazilian and Latin American flavors unite

at this Brazilian-born concept that entered

the U.S. market in 2011. The concept of-

fers healthful choices for family-style cui-

sine, serving Pichana, a special cut of

meat giving steaks and burgers a more fla-

vorful and delicious taste, said CEO Joao

Babosa. The concept operates 410 units

in Brazil and nine in the U.S. He plans to

have 14 American locations by the end of

the year, and 200 by 2020.

Giraffas comes to the market offering a dif-

ferent cuisine from the traditional most pop-

ular styles in the U.S., Babosa said. We try

to bring some of the Brazilian experience like

the music, the vibe, being casual, colorfu

and happy. We do a blend between Brazil-ian food and the food Americans are used

to eating like steaks and burgers. We add

our Brazilian twist to the overall experience.

Although U.S. Giraffas units are only in

south Florida, that will change by 2015

said Barbosa. Plans are to open soon in

Washington, D.C, New York, Boston and

Philadelphia. Babosa's goal is to be pres-

ent across all of North America within the

next few years.

25 Giradino Last year: N/AFlorida-based Giradino doesnt just se

salads, said CEO Kenny Lugo. The con-

cept is built around what he calls nutri-

tional empowerment.

Our gardener chefs serve the widest vari

ety of premium ingredients we offer the

highest number of salad combinations fromany other concept, Lugo said. This wide

variety of offerings allows us to empower ou

guests to make the choices that are suitable

for their levels of health and lifestyles.

Gardener chefs also receive a massive

amount of training, Lugo said, which allows

them to guide guests during the process o

building their perfect meals.

The chain, which has eight locations, ex

pects to open two or three by the end of the

year and hopes to add five more in 2015.

Were focusing on healthy growth, not fas

growth, throughout Florida and the South

east, Lugo said.


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2014

One thing that should help fuel that growth

is that the concept offers franchisees one

of the lowest capital costs of entry in the in-

dustry, said the former firefighter. He and hiswife, a former teacher, launched the busi-

ness 10 years ago with dreams of making it

accessible to other potential entrepreneurs

who want to grow with the company.

26 Blue Lemon Last year: N/AUtah-based Blue Lemons motto is pure

clean food, with a twist, which means it

takes fast casual to its finest, said CEO

Aaron Day.

The food quality, fresh ingredients, unique

flavor combinations and gourmet plat-

ing sets Blue Lemon apart from the rest,

he said. Nobody does fast casual quite

like us. Our refined, blended service style

provides the table touches and quality of

a full-service restaurant, yet allows for the

speed that would rival some fast-food

establishments.

The four-unit concept specializing in arti-

san sandwiches, salads and bakery items

made from local sources will open another

location this year but is positioning itself

for rapid growth in the West over the next

few years.

Our goal is to open seven to 10 units in

the next three years, Day said.

27 Uncle Maddio'sPizza JointLast year: N/A

Led by a founder of Moes Southwest Grill,Uncle Maddios Pizza Joint hit the fast ca-

sual scene five years ago and since has

opened 18 units in six states. Still thriv-

ing, it saw 214 percent growth in 2013,

has 165 more units in development and

will open 35 units by the end of 2014, said

CEO Matt Andrew.

The secret to the chains popularity is its va-

riety of choices, said Andrew, who boasts

that more than 5 million pizza combinations

are available, allowing guests to specify

their exact pizza preferences in six minutes.

Its franchising success comes from be-

ing able to attract multi-unit franchise op-

erators, including current and former op-

erators of high-profile chains such as Moes

Southwest Grill, Papa Johns Pizza, Jimmy

Johns, Arbys, Subway, Burger King, Dairy

Queen, Firehouse Subs, Tin Drum Asia

Cafe, Marble Slab Creamery, Golden Cor-

ral, Penn Station Subs, Great Wraps andQdoba Mexican Grill, Andrew said.

Additionally, while most pizza places do the

majority of their sales at night, Uncle Mad-

dios earns 53 percent of its sales at lunch

and 47 percent at dinner, setting it apart

from others in this competitive market.

Uncle Maddios understands what our

customers want fresh, fast and afford-

able, Andrew said. We offer a high-qual-

ity gourmet and customizable pizza that isready in six minutes.

28 Panera Bread Last year: No. 29Theres no question that Panera Bread

is one of the industrys biggest players,

with its 1,777 bakery-cafs in 45 states

and Canada, operating under the Panera

Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co. or Paradise

Bakery & Cafe names. And the chain isntslowing down, according to Mandy Burns

who said plans call for opening 115 to 125

locations systemwide in 2014.

Part of Paneras success stems from

quickly embracing new food trends. Fo

example, to better serve customers looking

for an alternative to white flour, the chain

now offers a sprouted-grain bagel made

with rye, spelt and oat groats. Last year, it

launched a hidden menu, featuring foods

full of protein and low processed-carbitems, that customers could order from

only if they previously knew about its exis-

tence. Options included a Power Breakfas

Egg White Bowl with Roasted Turkey and a

Power Breakfast Egg Bowl with Steak.

Although menu innovation is key at Pane-

ra, its dedication to social responsibility

also keeps customers and employees re-

turning to the cafs. Besides operating a

couple Panera Cares locations, where al

food orders are free and rely on customedonations, the chain also has several othe

programs to help feed the hungry. At the

end of each day, for example, Panera do-

nates all unsold bread and baked goods

to local hunger-relief agencies and chari

ties as part of its local Day-End Dough-

Nation program. Collectively, Panera bak-

ery-cafs donated a retail value of abou

$100 million of unsold bread and baked

goods in 2012.

29 Elevation Burger Last year: No. 24With 34 domestic and 10 internationa

units, Elevation Burger is gaining quite a

bit of attention for its healthy and environ-

ment-friendly practices. In fact, author

publisher and television personality David


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2014

Zinczenko mentioned it in his new book,

Eat It to Beat It!, pointing out that the

chain is becoming a leader in the industry

because it offers people the opportunityto enjoy their favorite foods while cutting

calories by making smarter decisions.

The chain, which plans to open 22 units

by the end of the year and 25 in 2015,

cooks its fries in heart-healthy olive oil and

offers a variety of fresh toppings, includ-

ing 6-month-aged, unprocessed ched-

dar cheese, organic bacon, caramelized

onions, mushrooms, hot pepper relish

and balsamic mustard, said Cynthia

Hess, the brands training and humanresources director.

We have vegetarian, vegan, Paleo and

gluten-free options available as well be-

cause people told us they want these op-

tions, she said.

Theres plenty of space here for growing

brands like Elevation Burger to take mar-

ket share, said Rick Altizer, the chains

new CEO and former McDonalds execu-

tive. Some of the other companies, they

dont necessarily have the same envi-

ronmental position and organic sourcing

standards that we have, so we do offer a

superior product.

30Boston Market Last year: N/AAlthough Boston Market has been around

for 25 years, its new design and rebrand-

ing have revived it. In fact, the chain

opened its first new location last year in

seven years.

Boston Market [opened] our first new res-

taurant in seven years now because were

positioned for growth, said Sara Bittorf,

chief brand officer. Weve had almost three

years of positive comp sales, were finan-

cially healthy again, and we are ready to start

building restaurants that drive people in to

experience a great Boston Market meal.

The brand, which has more than 460 lo-

cations, plans to open five new units this

year and has signed a 10-year agreement

with the Army & Air Force Exchange Ser-

vice to operate licensed locations on mili-

tary bases around the country.

We want to bring the brand back to its

former glory and bring that emotional con-

nection back to our customers, Bittorf

said. The second task is getting the wordout that Boston Market is back. Were

back and were back in a big way. Were

back with new products; were back with

an enhanced experience. Were open for

business and were inviting people into our

restaurants.

31 Bean Sprouts Last year: N/AWhile many fast casual chains are offeringmore healthy kid options these days, Se-

attle-based Bean Sprouts has taken it to

another level, focusing its menu and entire

culture on kids and babies, said founders

Shannon Payette Seipand Kelly Parthen.

We are filling a niche few others are right

now by looking at the restaurant experi-

ence through the eyes of kids, Payette

Seip said. We have a wholesome and

whimsical menu that focuses on playful

presentation and gets kids moving and in-

volved in the caf with silly activities.

A customer favorite, for example, is the

Bean There, Ate That gong that kids bang

when they try new foods.

Its a dining experience like few others

for kids today in the fast casual industry

we designed it from what we as moms

were hoping to find for our kids when dining

out but never could, Payette Seip said

The chain, which serves sandwiches

shaped like spiders and flowers, salads and

pizzas served on waffles called Wazzles

has three locations located in kid-friendly

or family destinations, including the Seattle

Center, campus of the Space Needle; the

Bay Area Discovery Museum in the San

Francisco Bay Area and Chabot Space &

Science Center also in the San Francisco

Bay Area.

We plan to open an additional 75 compa-

ny-owned cafs by 2018, primarily at family

destinations similar to the places we are in

now, Payette Seip said.

32 Wow Bao Last year: No. 46Although Wow Bao has only four brick

and-mortar stores, it conducts business

in several nontraditional ways, including

selling its fare at US Cellular Field, wherethe Chicago White Sox play; at Camden

Yards, the stadium of the Baltimore Ori

oles; and at Century Link Field, home to

the Seattle Seahawks. It also operates a

food truck in Chicago and sells some o

its top menu sellers in frozen form in more

than 25 Chicago area grocery stores.

AnnePetersen,https://www.flickr.com/photos/opacity/

WowBao
http://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/www.linkedin.com/pub/shannon-payette-seip/7/620/b07http://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/www.linkedin.com/in/kellyparthenhttp://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/www.linkedin.com/in/kellyparthenhttp://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/www.linkedin.com/pub/shannon-payette-seip/7/620/b07http://hennypenny.com/http://fastcasual.com/


15/3615

2014

Under the direction of Geoff Alexander,

the chain will open three more brick-and-

mortar locations in the next 12 months and

then three per year for the next five years.

What often sets the chain apart from com-

petitors is its dedication to quickly meeting

customer needs however and whenever

possible, Alexander said. He pointed out

that it can serve 300 people each hour us-

ing a variety of technologies, including self-

ordering kiosks, mobile and online ordering,

mobile gift cards, a mobile loyalty program,

iPad inventory systems and online training.

The chain also offers catering options andbicycle delivery and even will ship six packs

of Bao overnight to customers not in the

Chicago area.

33 Bruegger's Bagels Last year: No. 9While other bakeries are busy trying to

complicate and perfect their recipes,

Brueggers Bagels hasnt changed the

five-ingredient formula of its New York-style bagels in its 30-year history. And why

should it when customers still are creat-

ing such a demand that the 300-unit chain

is on an upswing after three decades?

Already spanning 26 states, Brueggers

plans to open 13 locations this year, 22 in

2015 and another 100 by 2018.

Although the chain hasnt touched its ba-

gel recipe, it has modernized its design

and added new menu items in the last few

months. All new stores, for example, haveopen-kitchen designs featuring a visible

bake theater, said Judy Kadylak, director

of marketing.

The open kitchen and plate-glass win-

dows allow guests inside and out to watch

bagels being freshly baked, celebrat-

ing our artisan heritage, she said. But

this design element is also very much on

trend industry experts predict by 2020

the division between the front and back of

the house could disappear.

Along with the new physical design, thechain has updated its logo, point-of-pur-

chase materials and to-go packaging and

is in the process of updating the cater-

ing packaging. The menu also is getting

an upgrade, including an espresso bar

staffed by a full-time barista. Other new

offerings include salmon and Hot Smoked

Wild Salmon, appearing in new salads and

breakfast and lunch sandwiches.

34 Veggie Grill Last year: No. 16Veggies are all the rage these days, a con-

cept on which Santa Monica, Calif.-based

Veggie Grill is capitalizing. With 23 loca-

tions across the state, the chain features

only 100 percent plant-based soups,

salads, burgers, hot sandwiches, bowls,

homestyle plates and desserts.

CEO Greg Dollarhyde and the rest of his

team must be eating their spinach basedon how quickly theyve grown the con-

cept since it opened in 2007 in Irvine, Calif.

By the end of the year, Dollarhyde hopes to

hit 29 units.

Fueling that growth is Dollarhydes focus

on improving customer experience. At

the end of last year, the chain rolled out

its own mobile app that allows guests to

snap a picture of their receipt and earn

points for every dollar spent. Extra points

are earned when members Share theLove by inviting friends to download the

app. In addition, the app includes online

ordering functionality that allows guests to

locate their nearest Veggie Grill, browse

the menu and place an order for pickup.

35 I Dream of FalafelLast year: No. 36With five stores in operation and plans to

add up to three more by 2015, this Chicago-based Mediterranean concept is thriv-

ing. In an effort to stay fresh, the chain is

revamping the brand with a new look and

menu this year that includes healthier op-

tions, said Co-founder Imran Kasbati.

We felt our brand was lacking brand eq

uity with our current look. We wanted a

refreshed look to the brand, gearing and

educating customers on the health aspec

of the Mediterranean diet, Kasbati said

We have a funny and whimsical name, sothe challenge is to show that we are seri-

ous about what we serve. And I think we

will accomplish that with our new look.

As for the new menu, one of the main

challenges in a create-your-own concep

is to make sure every combination tastes

great, said Kasbati, who pointed out that

the Mediterranean diet is still new to a lo

of customers. Since educating them on

how flavors work together is so important

the chain recently implemented a chef-

inspired menu that helps new customers

with the ordering process.

We limited some of the options, yet

broadened our menu with healthier op

tions that enables customers to create a

different meal, Kasbati said.


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2014

New menu additions include Organic Chick-

peas Quinoa Salad, Greek Yogurt Tzatziki

Salad, organic hummus, organic salads,

cage-free chicken, organic falafels, several

gluten-free options and vegan items.

36WingstopLast year: No. 17Boasting 10 years of same-store sales

increases, a small footprint and a simple

operating platform, Wingstop has become

a leader in the fast casual industry. The

chain, known for its fresh, cooked-to-or-

der chicken wings and bold flavors, has

more than 620 locations and plans to hit

1,000 by 2017.

The chain, founded in 1994 in Dallas,has enjoyed some national attention from

one of its more famous franchisees, rap-

per Rick Ross. In 2009, he namedropped

Wingstop in a song, MC Hammer from

his album Teflon Don. His affinity for the

brand inspired him to invest in the chain,

and he opened his first location in 2011

in Memphis. His favorite wing flavor:

Lemon Pepper.

37 Five GuysBurgers & FriesLast year: No. 27

While many fast casual chains strive to

stand out from the competition by re-

branding, updating dcor or adding to

their menus, Five Guys is dedicated to

keeping its brand the same as it was whenit opened in 1986. Pretty smart, consid-

ering it has nearly 2,000 locations, which

includes five in the UK and 60 in Canada.

We are so flattered and humbled by our

loyal customers, said Molly Catalano, di-

rector of marketing. I think they continue

to come back for the reasons they came

back when we first opened in 1986. We

serve a high-quality burger, fresh board-

walk-style fries in a no-frills atmosphere

and we have not veered from that focus.

The chain plans to open between 125

and 150 units each year over the next few

years in the U.S. and Canada and at least

20 in the UK, Catalano said.

We know people come for our food and

we put all of our focus there, she said.

Simply, we have tried not to lose touch

with why people want to eat at Five Guys.

38 Moe's Southwest GrillLast year: No. 39Describing growth at Moes can be done

with one word: rapid. The chain finished

2013 with $526 million in systemwide

sales, a 12 percent increase from 2012

and enjoyed a 4.5 percent increase in

same-store sales, said Paul Damico, pres-

ident of Moes.

With 540 locations, the chain is on trendto open nearly 100 new restaurants and

sign 200 franchise agreements in 2014

beginning with an 18-unit agreement in

Northern California.

2013 was great for us in terms of sales

and unit growth, and we anticipate

even stronger results in the next year,

Damico said.

The brand also has deals for new restau

rants in other markets, including DallasLas Vegas; Springfield, Mo.; and Omaha

Neb. And plans are in the works for furthe

development in markets such as Chicago

Philadelphia and Orlando.

Prospects are increasingly looking to

Moes because of our outstanding growth

potential in an industry segment that is by

no means saturated, Damico said. We

have a fun, irreverent brand that people

want to be a part of.

39 GRK Fresh Greek Last year: N/ATraditional Greek cooking in a fast casua

setting describes Manhattans GRK Fresh

Greek. The New York restaurant will open

two more new units this year that each wi


17/3617

2014

offer its pitas and yeeros, built from lo-

cally sourced veggies, as well as authentic

Greek yogurt imported daily from Greeceusing the countrys centuries-old strain-

ing method and locally purveyed meat,

butchered in house and then marinated

in a special blend of aromatic spices and

Greek extra virgin olive oil. Finally, the yee-

ros are layered and roasted on a traditional

rotating spit.

Consumers are increasingly demanding

healthier, higher-quality fresh foods, said

Christopher Potter, director of strategic de-

velopment. These demands are changing

the restaurant and the food industry. GRK

offers a unique alternative, combining the

best products of Greece with the countrys

cultural and culinary standards. Its not just

another twist on a burger or a taco.

40 Dickey's Barbecue PitLast year: N/AWith 500 units set to open by the end

of the year and plans for 2,000 over thenext five years, Dickeys Barbecue Pit is

on a mission to take fast casual barbecue

across the nation.

This has never been done, said Roland

Dickey Jr., the brands president.

He said the organization looks at innova-

tion as two halves of a whole. What that

means is that the brand not only focuses

on core values and traditions but is intense-

ly focused on providing high-quality serviceand food in every restaurant.

On the other half, we are bringing a level

of sophistication to the barbecue industry

through big data, allocation of resources

and predictive analytics that will allow us

to serve our customers with a degree of

modern precision, Dickey said.

41 Schlotzsky's Last year: N/AWhen it comes to rebranding, few res-taurants have seen as much success as

Schlotzskys. Last year, it launched its All

round, Lotz better campaign, which fo-

cused on improving the service model and

the look and feel of the brand as opposed

to overhauling the menu. Other than add-

ing fresh salads, Schlotzskys left the food

alone and worked on adding messaging

that focused on its made-from-scratch

round buns, as opposed to the subs served

in most restaurants. Those round buns in-

spired the chains new design, which incor-

porates circular elements everywhere from

on the walls and the lamp shades to cups

and bags, said CEO Kelly Roddy.

The design also incorporated fresh, modern

colors, including apple green, sky blue and

bright red mixed with some earth tones.

Its just a cool, hip look, said Roddy,

who believes the upgrade has helped give

back the brand the relevance it had lost.The chain has 350 units but plans to add

25 before the end of the year.

If you want to be a relevant brand, you

have to look like it, behave like it, he said.

Roddy also attributes Schlotzskys growth

to its cobranding strategy, where it added

Cinnabon Express inside about 200 of its

locations and Carvel Ice Cream in 30.

When we add these brands, we are moreof a complete package, Roddy said. We

may be selling ice cream to one out of 10

customers during the day, but its more

about creating family events at night. It

helps bring in more families. Weve seen

a nice little bump in the Carvel stores

at dinner.

42 Jimmy John'sGourmet SandwichesLast year: N/A

Best known for its dedication to freaky

fast delivery times, Jimmy Johns also

could boast about its freaky fast growth

rate. The chain, which has nearly 2,000

units, has added about 200 locations pe

year over the last three years and created

about 45,000 jobs across the U.S. since it

opened in 1983. The system, with vendors

and affiliates, exceeds 50,000 employees

according to the company.

The chain is built around sustainable prac

tices, not only striving for efficiencies in food

delivery times but also in packaging and

materials. Jimmy Johns, which is EPAct

Green-e and Constellation Energy certifiedrequires that all bulk ingredients come in

reusable containers, and 35 percent to 50

percent of the cardboard it uses is recycled

Jimmys meats supply chain is a Top 15

percent food producer in the SAM Sus

tainability Yearbook and has earned AM

awards for safety records and environ

mental matters management. The chain

periodically requires suppliers to describe

their sustainability progress and has com-

mitted to reduce landfill and water usageand increase energy efficiency.

43 JJ's Red Hots Last year: N/AWhile its the smallest brand on this years

list when it comes to its number of units (two


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2014

plus a hot dog cart called Frank the Tank),

JJs Red Hots is focused on growing the

brand over the next five years. CEO Jona-

than Luther, however, said he wont sacrificethe brands two-word mission statement,

Create joy, for the sake of growth.

While we dont really have a specific num-

ber of units in mind, I could see us with 25

locations by 2020. But to be very clear, we

will only grow if we can continue to deliver

on the quality/service/value brand promise

upon which we were founded, he said.

That being said, 2014 will be a year of

growth when it comes to the chains ca-tering business, and its also discussing

a variety of points-of-distribution models

that may include additional stores in adja-

cent markets, more carts and smaller for-

mats in nontraditional locations, including

airports and colleges.

The nice thing about our product is that

it can scale down efficiently, said Luther,

who is pretty innovative when it comes

to using social media to market the con-

cept. Despite having only two locations,

it has 1,400 twitter followers, more than

3,000 Facebook friends and 823 Insta-

gram followers.

For a small brand, we make quite an

impact locally in the social media realm,

Luther said. More than that, our content

is fun, and a true extension of our brand.

We are not just focused on social media

as a promotional device. We believe it to

be one of the best ways to build our brandfrom a lifestyle POV.

44 Muscle Maker Grill Last year: No. 14When Muscle Maker Grill was founded in

1995, Rod Silva was already the owner of

a smoothie store. Silva found that custom-

ers were just as interested in the healthy

lunches he brought for himself as they

were in his smoothies. Inspiration hit Sil-

va, and Muscle Maker Grill was born with

the goal of helping other healthy eaters

have a quick and healthy alternative to fast

food. After partnering with Arthur Gunther,

former president of Pizza Hut, the Muscle

Maker Grill concept became popular in the

franchise community due to its dedication

to taste, competitive pricing and conve-

nience, Silva said.

The franchise has grown into a 64-unit

chain with 20 to 25 more stores expectedto open in the next year. Muscle Maker

Grill now has the muscle power of 19

years in the food industry behind it. This is

a concept that will only continue to grow.

45 Boneheads Grilled Fish& Piri Piri ChickenLast year: No. 27

Boneheads opened in 2006 after a seren-

dipitous meeting between two chefs, who

discovered that their ideas about fresh foodand great taste intersected. With nine cur-

rent locations, 10 more opening this year

and 50 planned in the next five years, the

Atlanta-based concept is on its way to be-

coming a premier fast casual destination.

In the last year, it partnered with James

Beard Award-winning Chef Mark Miller and

has continued to incorporate fresh flavors to

the menu. Miller has put his own expertise in

chilies and spices and more than 30 years

experience into enhancing the customer experience. By using fresh seafood and chick

en, Boneheads has tapped into a consume

base that enjoys great taste along with the

benefits of healthy convenience.

46 Fresh Brothers Last year: N/AFresh Brothers line of innovative pizza

choices landed it on this years Top 100

list. The California-based pizza chain of-

fers gluten-free crusts, skinny crusts, a

kids special sauce, vegan cheese and

Matzah Pizza (introduced last year fo

Passover), and it recently added Kings

Hawaiian Meatball Sliders launch.

Founders Adam and Debbie Goldberg

have partnered with Michael Greenberg

president and co-founder of Skechers, to

expand its footprint. Since adding Green

berg as a strategic partner, Fresh Broth-

ers has added four units and sales haveincreased year over year. Mature Fresh

Brothers stores have increased in sales

by 15 to 20 percent, Debbie said about

the chain that has 12 units and plans to

open two more later this year and five

more stores within the next year.

Within five years, there will be 50 Fresh

Brothers locations, Debbie said.

47 Jason's Deli Last year: N/AJasons Deli boasts more than 240 loca-

tions across 28 states and strives to pro-

vide innovative recipes along with healthy

choices. Its website, for example, includes

a nutritional calculator along with its Spe-

cial Diets Wizard that allows customers to

enter which ingredients they need to avoid


19/3619

2014

due to allergies. The chain was one of the

first to ban trans fats, MSG and high-fruc-

tose corn syrup.

Besides its dedication to good food, the

chain also is dedicated to finding and help-

ing good employees. In 2005, its founder

and president, Joe Tortorice Jr., created the

Leadership Institute for his employees. It of-

fers free classes about money matters, eth-

ics, marriage, conflict resolution, emotional

intelligence and the brands core values.

He also started a program called The Fish-

ing School to empower hourly employees

to better themselves professionally by be-

coming managers and leaders.

In addition, Jasons has a non profit foun-dation to help employees in crisis.

Employees are not simply human capi-

tal or resources; they are the future of the

company, Tortorice said. We care for

and grow our people.

48 Which Wich? Last year: N/AWith 300 locations open or in develop-

ment across 38 states and four countries,

Which Wich? is already a major-league

player in the sandwich space, but CEO

Jeff Sinelli is ready to hit a home run with

his expansion plans.

We expect no less than 25 percent unit

growth every year for the next five years,

he said about the Dallas-based brand that

boasts a fun ordering system that his cus-

tomers love.

Guests use red Sharpies to mark up pre-printed menus on sandwich bags. They

select a sandwich from one of 10 cat-

egories, then choose the bread, cheese,

spreads and toppings. The sandwiches

are prepared to guests exact specifica-

tions, toasted to perfection and delivered

in the now-personalized sandwich bags.

After theyve enjoyed their 'wiches, guests

are encouraged to draw on their bags us-

ing red Sharpies and hang their artwork on

the community wall.

49 The Bistro - Marriott Last year: N/AAs the first hotel to make the Top 100 list,

The Marriott has proven it belongs in the

fast casual industry. Its concept, The Bis-

tro, serves sandwiches, salads and lattes

inside 800 Marriott locations and will near

1,000 by 2016, said Lon Southerland, se-

nior director global of food and beverageof Marriott International.

It has been a tremendous amount of

fun leading my team in doing something

transformational and actually disruptive in

our industry, Southerland said about the

chains opening of 200 units a year for the

past three years. Weve sort of flown un-

der the radar and popped up way ahead

in many respects, and it is gratifying to see

the team being recognized in the industry.

Transition from the hospitality industry stan-

dard buffet to a fast casual concept was a

sharp turn away from the Marriotts compe-

tition, but Southerland was confident The

Bistro would resonate with guests.

Within a couple of years after our launch,

a number of the savvy competitors did

their own research and learned what we

realized early on; they then turned to fol

low us, he said.

Another first The Bistro takes credit fo

was posting calories on menus; it made

the info available June 1, 2010.

We take pride in making this decision to

post calories well ahead of national legisla

tion, being fully transparent and enabling

our customers to make informed choices,

Southerland said. In my opinion this was

the right thing to do, and when you do the

right thing with the customers' benefit in

mind you seldom make a mistake.

50 Genghis Grill Last year: N/ATouting itself as a full-service experience

with a fast casual price point and service

model has led to Genghis Grills rapid

growth. Its up to 109 units with plans to

add up to 10 more this year, said CEO

Al Bhakta. He believes the menus 80

plus options for build-your-own stir-fry allow people with a variety of diets to eat

at Genghis, and the full-service bar helps

make it feel like a dinner destination as op-

posed to fast casuals that do most of thei

business over lunch.

Taking customization a step further, the

chain recently opened its first fresh ca

sual location with a fast casual approach

in Mira Mesa, Calif., Bhakta said.

This is a first of its kind as we have oursignatory Build Your Own option from ou

Fresh Market bar along with a YOU Build

It option, where fans can order our che

-crafted, Asian-influenced tacos, salads

noodle bowls and skewers and pay a

the table via our tabletop devices called

Presto, he said. Or they can pay at the

counter, and we will deliver their bowls o

menu items to their tables.


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2014

Last year, Zos Kitchen, a Mediterranean fast casual restaurant, sponsored Zo Romanos

historic 2,000-mile run not bike of the Tour de France. She made the trek on foot to

draw support for the World Pediatric Projects mission to give medical care to children in

need. With help from Zos, Romano ran the race on foot over a nine-week period. The

concept raised more than $87,000, more than half of the more than $160,000 her run

brought to the cause.

Zos customers had the opportunity to support the projects mission by participating in the Give $5, Get $5

campaign. For those making a $5 donation to WPP, Zos Kitchen sent a mobile coupon for $5 off any menu item

during the next two-week period.

To get the word out, the chain used table menus with healthy meal options as well as social

media. More than 7,000 social fans followed Romanos story, with the promotion reaching

almost 320,000 Facebook followers.

1Zo Goes Running

Chipotle has had success with cause marketing before, and it

scored another hit with its recent promotion for better farming meth-

ods. The concept employed video, a website and an app-based

game to teach millennials in particular that there are more sustain-

able, humane and healthful ways to go from farm to burrito.

The chain relied heavily on social media and other buzz to promote the content. Its game

allowed players to earn points toward special offers by helping animals in a city called

Plenty. The video, The Scarecrow, showed the titular character learning about better

farming methods. The campaign intentionally de-emphasized the Chipotle brand to

better appeal to the targeted demographic, which responds poorly to overly com-

mercial messaging.

2 Chipotle's campaignon better farming


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2014

In June, Red Mango introduced its Summer of Super Biotic

Smoothies and launched a marketing campaign to highlight them

as well as its other patented probiotic offerings. According to the

chain, they are stronger and more effective than the generic pro-

biotics commonly found in ordinary yogurt.

The items come in a variety of flavors in four lifestyle-centered

categories: Body Balance, All Fruit Harmony, Twisted Fruits and

Just Kiddn, which are snack-sized smoothies made especiallyfor kids, according to the company.

Each participating Red Mango store gave limited-edition Super

Biotic and superhero-themed items to the first 250 guests who

ordered a Red Mango smooth-

ie on its launch day (June 29).

The addition of those Super

Smoothies more than doubled

Red Mangos menu, taking the

number of items from 14 to 36.

To add excitement to the cam-

paign, Red Mango used Face-book and Twitter to leak info about giveaways

and special promotions at various locations.

4 5Panera BreadsLive Consciously, Eat DeliciouslyOrange Leaf's

Go Orange for No Kid Hungry

Campaign

3

Red Mango's Summer

of Super Biotic Smoothies

Panera Bread Company kept

its 2013 focus on its Live Con-

sciously, Eat Deliciously cam-

paign. The simple message ex-

pressed the companys brand

values, purpose and culture. In

addition to TV advertising, Pane-

ra launched a social media effortcalled Food Chain Reaction that asked individ-

uals to join with others to create online circles of five friends

on Paneras Facebook page. For every circle of five friends

created, Panera worked with its foundation to provide a bowl

of its low-fat vegetarian black bean soup to people in need in

more than 75 markets.

To help raise awareness of childhood hunger in America, Orang

Leaf launched its Go Orange for No Kid Hungry campaign

September. Each location sold limited-edition Go Orange com

memorative cups for $1, with 75 cents of each sale going to Shar

Our Strengths No Kid Hungry campaign. Customers who par

ticipated also received a coupon for three free ounces of froyo o

their next visit.

The campaign, tied to the opening of the chain's 300th store,

surpassed its $50,000 goal, selling more than 100,000 cups

and raising $80,000

for the program, said

Reese Travis, CEO of

Orange Leaf.


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2014

2

1 Bite-sized food and snacks

Beverage innovation

Restaurants looking for a small way to add big excitement to their menus

found much success with bite-sized food and snacks this year.

Just over 50 percent of respondents to a Technomic survey say they

snack at least twice a day. One-third of them said they are doing so more

than they were just two years ago.

One super-snacker this year was French Fry Heaven, which opened its first

location in October 2011 and now has more than 60 franchise deals signed

to bring fries nationwide. It was named one of the hot franchises in 2013 by

USA Today.

In addition to snacks, restaurants like Salsaritas are finding bite-sized success in desserts.

The chain released its newest item, called Poquitos, in September. These miniature churros

bring big happiness to customers who are in need of just a little something sweet. (Poquito

means little in Spanish.)

As consumers continue to count calories and monitor caffeine intake, soda alternatives continue to

pop up all over menus. Specialty drinks that include fresh fruit and teas are growing in popularity,

and fruits and veggies that have an exotic image are becoming more popular. Jamba Juice helped

consumers fill their need to be exotic with the addition of acai berries

and coconut water to its menu, and in September, Smashburger

added organic Honest Tea to its beverage lineup in response to the

growing demand for noncarbonated beverages.

For those still needing a cola fix, products such as the Coca-Cola

Freestyle machine fill the need for something different by giving

people the ability to create their own soda concoctions from more

than 100 flavors.


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2014

3 Organic/grass-fed/hormone-freeTerms such as organic, grass-fed

and hormone-free are becomingmore important for consumers each

year. With more people caring where

their meals originate, fast casual

concepts that develop accordingly are

nding greater success. Elevation Burger,

sweetgreen and Chipotle, are three

examples. Chipotle uses organic and

local produce when possible as well as

meat and dairy from animals that are free

from antibiotics or added hormones, andElevation prides itself on cooking its fries in

heart-healthy olive oil and offering a variety

of fresh toppings, including 6-month-aged,

unprocessed cheddar cheese, organic

bacon, caramelized onions, mushrooms,

hot pepper relish and balsamic mustard.

BurgerFi, a fast casual burger concept

out of Florida, promotes the fact that the

company sells only grass-fed, never frozen

beef. The natural Angus beef sold toBurgerFi customers is free of antibiotics,

hormones and additives, providing a more

healthful and flavorful beef.

What these concepts are figuring out is

todays consumers like to splurge every

once in a while, but providing high-quality,

better-for-you meals brings customers

back day after day.

4Concentrationon breakfastDietitians and your mother have said

for years that breakfast is the most impor-

tant meal of the day. Now its become truer

for fast casual restaurants, too. Proof: the

many bakery-cafs such as Einstein Bros.

that are continuing to see market growth.

And as other concepts take notice, those

cafs are having to differentiate by offering

a broader menu selection.

Uncle Maddios is an example of a con-

cept experimenting in the space. The chain

dipped its toe into the breakfast pool in De-

cember by testing a breakfast menu at its

Charlotte, N.C., location. The test included

breakfast pizzas, panini and Break-zones,

which are breakfast calzones.

We are very excited to now offer breakfast

at Uncle Maddios Pizza Joint in uptown

Charlotte, said Jerry Licari, Uncle Maddios

Charlotte-area franchise owner. Our cus-tomers are craving more from Uncle Mad-

dios, and we are happy to deliver with in-

novative and creative new breakfast items,

along with fresh fruit, premium coffee and

fresh-squeezed juices.

5 Farm-to-table andlocally grown produceIf the old saying you are what you eat

continues to ring true, todays consum-

ers definitely are homegrown. The farm-

to-table, locally grown concept is bigger

than ever. Funky Chicken, a new fast ca-

sual concept out of Houston, is showcas-

ing its focus on using only local, farm-to-

table ingredients. The restaurants chefs

use only chickens that are fed organically

and cared for humanely. The burger in-

dustry also is going local. The owners of

b. good, a Boston-based burger compa

ny, are holding on to their commitment tolocally grown even as the concept plans its

35-unit expansion over the next five years

Credit Chipotle Mexican Grill for helping

pioneer the trend. In 2012 the chains goa

was to serve 10 million pounds of locally

grown produce. It increased the goal fo

2013 by 50 percent, to 15 million pounds

6 Fast casual pizza

Pizza always has been a great dinner option

but until the addition of fast casual pizza, it

wasnt always a practical lunch choice. Fas

casual concepts such as Top That!, Blaze

Pie Five, Fresh Brothers, The Pizza Studio

and Uncle Maddios, however, are proving

pizza can be quick, customizable and af-

fordable all things lunch-goers demand.

The model allows guests to order individ

ual-sized pies, choosing from thousands

of pizza combinations that can be ready

in just a few minutes. Even companies

that have been traditional pizza joints are

looking to get into the fast casual pizza

markets; California Pizza Kitchen founders

Larry Flax and Rick Rosenfield announced

their plan to create a new fast casua

pizza concept.


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2014

7 Embracing beerand alcoholDuring 2013, more alcohol appeared on

menus across fast casual concepts all over

the country. Chains such as Starbucks

started experimenting with beer and wine,

and Chipotle debuted craft beers and mar-

garitas in some markets.

Millennials are ordering more premium and

above-premium beers and liquor, which

is driving many places to increase their

selections. Research shows millennials

like craft beers more than traditional do-mestic beers. In July, Buffalo Wild Wings

began offering a new craft beer that was

designed specifically to be enjoyed with

wings. BurgerFi opened its first location to

feature a fully stocked bar and a menu that

included alcoholic varieties of its popular

dessert concretes.

8 CustomizationWe want what we want, how we want it

and when we want it. In other words, fastcasual patrons love customization. Playing

to that fact was key to the success of many

brands. Froyo giants such as Pinkberry, Yo-

gurtland and Red Mango are seeing suc-

cess because they give the customer the

ability to control exactly what goes on their

sweet treats without looking picky when

placing their orders.

The idea behind customization is driving

pizza as a fast casual concept as well. The

fact that customers now can design their

own pizzas opens a whole new pizza ex-

perience, said Randy Gier, CEO of Pie Five.

You never have to share again, he said.

Customization doesnt just stop at the

menu. Everything from the food to the mu-sic is controlled by consumers. Apps such

as Googles Roqbot replace traditional

background music at restaurants by al-

lowing customers to vote for their favorite

songs to be played while they are dining.

9 QuinoaUntil recently, few people outside of South

America had heard of quinoa. Now news of

the superfood is spreading, with consum-

ers attracted to its high fiber, amino acids,

proteins and lack of gluten. Sounds great,

but does it taste good? The answer is yes,

according to several fast casual restaurants

that tested it last year.

Zos Kitchen introduced quinoa to its

customers with the debut of The Quinoa

Salad, which fit in perfectly with its Medi-terranean menu. Burger joints also are

adopting it. BurgerFi added a quinoa veg-

gie burger in September. And Fresh & Co

created an entire bar around it last year.

Customers can create their own com

plete customizable quinoa bowls including

meats, veggies and sauces.

10 Healthy kids menusWe all want our kids to eat healthfully. Un

til recently, however, finding healthful menu

choices that kids wanted to eat was a

challenge. Thankfully, thats changing. The

National Restaurant Associations Kids

LiveWell program is being adopted by res-

taurants such as Mama Fus that realize a

high standard must be met in order to be

included on the organizations dining guide

McAlisters Deli made strides to provide op

tions to kids by adding a garden salad and

a kids baked potato to its menu. But the

leader when it comes to this space, howev

er, is arguably Seattle-based Bean Sprouts

Founders Shannon Payette Seipand Kelly

Parthen offer a wholesome and whimsica

menu that focuses on playful presentation

and gets kids moving and involved in the

caf with silly activities, Payette Seip said.

A customer favorite, for example, is the

Bean There, Ate That gong that kids ring

when they try new foods.
http://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/www.linkedin.com/pub/shannon-payette-seip/7/620/b07http://www.fastcasual.com/blogs/www.linkedin.com/pub/shannon-payette-seip/7/620/b07http://hennypenny.com/http://fastcasual.com/


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Not only have mobile apps revolutionized the way we do busi-

nes

Documents

2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers