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Who smashed it this year?
The top brands, people, trends and technologies shaping the fast casual segment
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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
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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
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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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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
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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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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
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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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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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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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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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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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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.
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