Fast casual posted 11.2% growth in 2023 and 9% in 2024, outpacing every other restaurant segment. Here is what the brands that dominate this space actually do differently — and what you can steal for your own concept.
73% of restaurant operators increased tech spending in 2024. QSRs saw 5% more transactions and 8% higher profits from digital engagement. But not every technology investment pays off. Here are the ones that do — and the evidence behind them.
Chipotle's 2015-2016 food safety crisis wiped out over 50% of its stock value and collapsed net income from $475 million to $22.9 million — and then the company rebuilt through a combination of operational overhaul, leadership replacement, and digital transformation.
From Chipotle's food safety disaster to pandemic pivots that doubled sales, these documented turnaround stories reveal the counterintuitive playbook for saving a failing restaurant — and the mistakes that guarantee failure.