2023 fast casual
Innovative restaurant brands and executives shaping the fast casual segment
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2023
Every few years, a new food category
emerges as the leader in the fast
casual industry.
Tom Harper
Executive chairman
tomh@networldmediagroup.com
Kathy Doyle
CEO
kathyd@networldmediagroup.com
First, it was better burgers. Then came
pizza followed by fro-yo and breakfast
foods, which brings us to 2023 and the
better-chicken brands are at the top of
the pecking order.
That’s why it’s no surprise that our
judges chose chicken concepts to
fill the top three spots in this year’s Fast
Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers.
Cherryh Cansler
VP of events, editor of FastCasual
cherryhc@networldmediagroup.com
A few things every brand on this list, chickenfocused or not, have in common, however, is a
dedication to innovation, nimbleness and creativity.
Mandy Detwiler
Managing editor
mandyd@networldmediagroup.com
Those three attributes were top of mind as judges sifted through the hundreds
of nominations. After hours of deliberation, the panel settled on 75 brands and
25 executives to round out this year’s Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers list.
Christen Everett
Contributing writer, FastCasual
christene@networldmediagroup.com
We are honored to feature their stories.
Kimberly Wright
Digital client services director
kimw@networldmediagroup.com
Congratulations to all our winners.
Cheers,
Cherryh Cansler
sponsored by
Editor, FastCasual
VP of events
Networld Media Group
ABOUT THE SPONSOR
The 2023 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers &
Shakers. ©2023 Networld Media Group LLC.
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3
Top 75 Brands
#1 DAVE'S HOT CHICKEN
Dave’s Hot Chicken may have gotten its start in 2018 as a parking lot pop-up in Hollywood, but
those days are long gone. It celebrated its 100th opening in 2022 and has commitments to open
742 stores, of which 75 will come by year’s end.
Such fast growth isn’t possible, however, without a lot of operational support, which is why Dave’s
implemented a cloud-based technology stack using Revel for POS, kitchen display systems
and credit card processing. Olo aggregates third-party delivery companies and online ordering,
Givex handles gift-card processing, and Restaurant365 supports back-office and accounting.
Harri allows for applicant tracking, onboarding employees, scheduling and timeclock/payroll
compliance, while Restaurant Analytics Delivered is the company’s data warehouse and
business Intelligence tool, which consolidates 13 data sources. Lastly, Dave's uses Tattle for
Guest Feedback.
“Dave’s Hot Chicken has become a phenomenon thanks to the company’s hot-and-juicy chicken,
fun and inviting restaurants and our best-in-class franchise partners, all of which deliver a
tremendous experience for our guests,” CEO Bill Phelps said. “We recognize that to maintain
our growth trajectory, we need to continue to deliver an experience that blows our guests’ minds
across flavor, product quality and overall enjoyment.”
The five-year-old chain, which is backed by celebrities, including singer Drake and actor Samuel
L. Jackson, is attracting a lot of industry and media attention. A story about Dave’s expansion,
for example, was FastCasual’s most read story of 2022, and Drake fans took notice when Dave’s
released its first advertising campaign in late 2022 featuring Instagram posts by Drake offering a
free slider or tender on his 36th birthday. From there, Dave’s started pushing ads with the slogan,
“Don’t Die Before You Try.”
4
Top 75 Brands
#2 CHICKEN SALAD CHICK
Chicken Salad Chick has remained true to its roots while thriving amidst the changes across the dining
landscape over the last several years. With system-wide sales growing 20% from 2021 to 2022, finishing at
over $306 million, CSC has had positive comps in 24 of the last 28 quarters, including the last eight straight
quarters. The average unit volume was over $1.4 million in 2022 –
a record for the company.
Focused on made-from-scratch ingredients and service from the heart, unit count grew 10% over
the past year with a total of 225 restaurants in 17 states at the end of 2022. Throughout the past year,
CSC opened 24 locations, including market debuts in Indiana and Chicago. Additionally, it signed 24
franchise agreements to develop 38 restaurants in the coming years.
Delivery and online orders now account for between 15 and 20% of sales. Rather than cramming
a shelf with to-go bags, the restaurants have designated pickup areas and train workers to ensure
accuracy. The growth in digital channels (marketing helped take delivery from 0 to 8% in just over
a year) has been transformative in driving up AUV.
CSC plans to add over 40 units this year across the Southeast and Midwest regions.
“There is always pressure in the industry to grow and be large, but Chicken Salad Chick continues
to be smart and disciplined about our growth,” CEO Scott Deviney said. “We know we have a great
company, and we focus on keeping it great and growing in a measured way that doesn’t stretch the
boundaries of supply chain or marketing reach. I’m really proud of our team for their continued focus on the core Chick experience.
They deliver excellence every day in our restaurants, making everything from scratch with fresh ingredients.”
#3 BIG CHICKEN
It’s no surprise that Big Chicken is set up to be the next big thing,
considering it was founded by Shaquille O’Neal, is run by a pair
of powerful ownership group partners, Authentic Brands and JRS
Hospitality, and serves food inspired by O’Neal’s home-cooked
childhood favorites crafted by Las Vegas chefs Matt Silverman and
Matt Piekarski.
Although it’s barely five years old, Big Chicken has nearly 20
locations open and over 200 locations in development, with stores
open in Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Austin; Kansas City; New York City;
Dayton, Ohio; Renton; Seattle; and on three Carnival Cruise ships.
Although Big Chicken will add 20 locations by year’s end, serving
food in space is its ultimate goal. It recently signed an agreement
with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin to open a restaurant in space, making it the
first restaurant to have an intergalactic deal in the works.
To pull off its lofty goals, Big Chicken has tapped several
technology partners, including PAR Technology, to streamline its
digital platforms, as well as OneTouchPoint’s marketing and brand
management platform, U.Connect,
which gives franchises access
to marketing promotions, point
of sale assets and branded
templates. The chain
has also launched Olo
to streamline third-party
operations and piloted
Ovation, a guest feedback
platform.
Big Chicken recently
launched a proprietary
loyalty program with the
goal to allow different consumer types and generations to “choose
their own adventure” in how they collect and redeem loyalty points,
while creating a frictionless guest experience. Lastly, it opened its
first drive-thru location and added a breakfast menu.
5
Top 75 Brands
#4 WOW BAO
Wow Bao, which was The Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers No. 1 brand in 2022, is the only
brand to have taken the honor more than once. It also won in 2019 and has spent the past year
proving its worthiness.
The Chicago-based chain, available in 700 locations, not only launched e-commerce via walmart.
com and rolled out hot food vending machines last year but also joined the metaverse a few
months ago by creating an NFT-based extension of its Bao Bucks rewards program and launching
metaverse vending machines.
“Wow Bao has been innovating and evolving for over a decade,” CEO and President Geoff Alexander
said. “We have always been a leader in restaurant technology, a maverick in social media, a pioneer
in the virtual/ dark kitchen space; and now we are leading the way in web3 with our enhanced NFT
loyalty program, and vending machines in the metaverse.”
The chain will open within two airports by the end of 2023 and will also add 250 virtual locations
using its dark kitchen strategy developed two years ago by Alexander, which allows nearly any
restaurant brand to add Wow Bao menu items to its offerings. It’s also expanding its retail presence
as its bao, potstickers, egg rolls and rangoons are available from 1,000 sushi counters at national
grocers, with additional regional locations opening this summer.
#5 FAZOLI'S
Since being acquired last year by FAT Brands, Fazoli’s has inked 18 agreements to open 61
restaurants across the U.S., and the Kentucky-based chain is planning to add 300 to 500 locations
over the next five to 10 years.
Even with the aggressive expansion plans, the executive team continues to make its people a
priority. Franchisees, for example, have access to programs to make orientation and training
seamless, from full IT support to extensive operations training and ongoing marketing assistance.
The chain also applies a similar focus when it comes to fighting the labor crisis. Last summer, for
example, it hired a staffing specialist, who has been hiring 16 to 18 team members per week, a
rate that would equate to nearly 35% of the company’s total hourly hires each year.
For recruitment, the chain uses mass media, social media, job boards and guest loyalty
databases. Applicant flow has been year-over-year positive for nine consecutive months and
up 8.4% year-to-date. An online application process is no longer optional, and to cut dropout
rates, the chain implemented chatbot technology to incorporate a brand-engagement touchpoint
during the completion stage, which has led to a 55% reduction in dropouts. Nearly 20% of all job
applicants are interviewed the same day they apply for employment.
6
Top 75 Brands
#6 BONCHON
South Korea-born Bonchon, which translates as “my hometown,” has seen tremendous
growth in sales and locations over the past year. Its AUV, for example, has increased by
24.7% to $1.57 million, and it has a five-year restaurant growth rate of 21%. This doesn’t even
include a pipeline of over 120 future restaurants. Over the past 12 months, it hit several other
achievements, including opening its first delivery and carryout-only concept, giving operators
four restaurant formats from which to choose.
The brand, which has over 400 locations, is also launching a partnership with Future Kitchens,
a Korean startup focused on developing unmanned automated kitchen platforms to allow
food orders to be taken automatically. The production of food may also be completed through
this automated chicken-cooking system that can do everything from selecting broiler parts to
coating chicken batter and frying the chicken.
“Maintaining brand relevance, interest and growth especially internationally and throughout
the U.S. for that many years is not an easy feat,” said Flynn Dekker, CEO of Bonchon. “As we
look to the future, we are focused on staying at the forefront when it comes to technology
and innovation. We know that sticking to this strategy is what will continue to fuel our growth.
Everything we do is working towards being known as the best Korean fried chicken brand in
the U.S.”
#7 DICKEY'S BARBECUE PIT
While 2022 was marked for many as a year of recession, Texas-based Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
surpassed the previous year’s sales and set records in catering (15%+), app-based purchases
(7%+), and international store sales growth (increased 7 times over the previous year).
In addition, the brand focused on profit building and launched a branded cookbook, an
inventory technology tool, menu enhancements, and the WD Provisions Sausage Plant to
head off supply chain issues.
The changes are paying off as digital sales are exceeding pre-COVID performance by over
99%, and restaurant sales for the entire system were same-store sales positive for the year.
Dickey’s also created Boost Restaurant Concepts, made up of its four virtual brands licensed
as a virtual package to existing restaurateurs outside of Dickey’s. By July 2022, the brand had
nearly 170 Boost locations and is on track to double that by year’s end.
In addition to domestic growth, Dickey’s has its eye on international expansion, including
Canada, Singapore and Pakistan. Projections for future growth by the end of 2023 will see 40
additional international stores, and over 800 total stores in the footprint.
7
Top 75 Brands
#8 BURGERFI INTERNATIONAL
Florida-based BurgerFi International Inc., which owns BurgerFi and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza
& Wings, has always been a leader when it comes to technology. Sure, it has a mobile app, selfordering kiosks, QR codes and several virtual kitchens, but it also began testing Patty, the kitchen
robot, late last year in Jupiter, Florida. Patty delivers food to tables and returns trays. BurgerFi is
also measuring the success of in-car ordering, thanks to a partnership with MAVI.io’s OnMyWay
Mobile Retail Network, which brings shopping options to the dashboards of customer vehicles.
Lastly, it has tapped Radius Networks to deploy Flybuy Pickup, which triggers notifications to
app users when they are nearby or at a point of interest inside the restaurant.
“BurgerFi has been leveraging and testing technologies to keep up with evolving customer
demands and remains at the forefront of innovation as part of its commitment to provide the best
restaurant experience, while continuing its aggressive expansion along the Eastern seaboard,”
said Karl Goodhew, chief technology officer of BurgerFi.
Customers seem to dig the technology as BurgerFi recently reported that 2022 Q4 revenue was
up 29%, to $45.2 million, surpassing the consensus of $44.9 million.
#9 THE HALAL GUYS
The Halal Guys, which started as a food cart in NYC, has opened 100 locations and has over 400
global franchises in development, with 20 opening by year’s end.
The chain, which has a mobile app with over 50,000 lifetime downloads, recently won over the
New York Yankees, signing a deal with the professional baseball team to give fans the opportunity
to order The Halal Guys’ chicken and beef gyros and platters while watching games at Yankee
Stadium in NYC.
It also ended 2022 by landing a title sponsorship of The Clash, a college basketball event, where
it aired its first national commercials on Fox in primetime. The strategy has been instrumental in
engaging college-age fans as it continues to open locations near college campuses across the
country.
“We’re committed to providing a unique brand of delicious Halal food that no one else can
compete with, and we’re poised to continue to dominate this space as we work towards opening
the more than 400 locations we have in development,” CEO Ahmed Abouelenein said. “2022 was
our biggest year yet, one that saw us grow our national profile like we’ve never done before. 2023
will be the year Halal Guys truly becomes a household name.”
8
Top 75 Brands
#10 CAPRIOTTI'S/WING ZONE
Since Capriotti’s acquired Wing Zone in 2021, it has continued to set growth, revenue and
profitability records throughout the pandemic. The sister brands have over 250 locations, and this
year are adding 50 Capriotti’s and 25 Wing Zones domestically and 15 Capriotti’s and 25 Wing
Zones internationally.
Growth without buttoning up labor issues isn’t possible, however, which is why the company rolled
out software that helps franchisees sponsor posts, drive traffic, implement assessments and more.
It also created a cooking methodology, dubbed Capriotti’s 3.0, to cut cooking time of cheesesteaks
in half, tripling the number of orders restaurants can fulfill.
This past year was also a trailblazing one as far as technology goes. The company launched a SOCi
and Olo integration, combining its marketing and POS platforms, partnered with Epsilon to gain
brand-specific consumer profiles and insights, set up Olo Wisely to enable personalized marketing
and tracking, and launched an all-new website.
Capriotti’s and Wing Zone have also established a reliable supply chain with integrated inventory
management systems like ArrowStream, giving franchisees visibility into their product spend and
inventory levels.
Plus, the team is exploring ways to add more convenience for customers, such as testing voice
artificial intelligence ordering and installing order kiosks.
#11 SLIM CHICKENS
Offering high-quality food with a focus on fresh, delicious ingredients, Slim Chickens prides itself
on its southern flair and commitment to hospitality. Food is cooked to order, and the differentiated
menu features chicken tenders, fresh salads, sandwiches, chicken and waffles, chicken wings and
unique side items, alongside 17 house-made dipping sauces.
Placing adaptability at its very core, Slim Chickens was able to flip distribution models during
COVID-19. Through its drive-thru, delivery, curbside, pickup and catering options, the brand
became nimble and was able to accommodate 100% off-premise sales. Its ability to quickly
maneuver its systems and operations enabled it to achieve over 40% positive comp store sales
growth in the last three years and systemwide revenue growth of over 35%.
This momentum secured in 2022 helped Slim Chickens achieve several milestones, including the
opening of its 200th store, opening more stores than any other year, and entering 15 new markets.
With the lucrative year on its ledger, the brand created new history with 150 development deals in
the United States and more than 150 internationally.
By year’s end, Slim Chickens is slated to sign over 200 unit restaurant deals and open 70 plus
locations, with more than 55 locations domestically and over 15 internationally. As it continues its
burgeoning momentum and upward trajectory, it’s looking to extend its southern hospitality and fuel
the demand for its hand-breaded, cooked-to-order tenders across the United States as well as both
sides of the Atlantic in countries such as France, Spain, Germany, Poland, Turkey, and the GCC.
9
Top 75 Brands
#12 POKEWORKS
Pokeworks is the undisputed leader in the poke category. With the highest AUVs ($900,000+),
most units (70 operating units), and uncompromising food quality top down, Pokeworks is the
gold standard in the poke space, which is expected to double over the next five years. In 2022,
same-store sales comps continued in a positive direction and have surpassed pre-COVID
sales.
The brand plans to open at least 20 units in 2023 and expects its AUVs to exceed $1 million. In
2022, Pokeworks launched a state-of-the-art tech stack featuring a new website and integrated
with Olo & Punchh, enhancing the guest experience.
“From a quality, consistency, AUV and leadership perspective it is very easy to see why
Pokeworks is the undisputed category leader,” CEO Steve Heeley said. “We continually invest in
people, technology and innovation.”
In 2023, the brand plans to continue to strengthen its leadership team with the best and
brightest as well as continually sourcing the best people at all levels of the organization. The
new tech stack launched in February will continue to evolve, all while product innovation will
stay at the top of the priority list.
#13 CRAVE HOT DOGS & BBQ
With a record-breaking number of franchise agreements in 2022 (35 agreements sold), Crave Hot
Dogs & BBQ expects to more than double that in 2023. Crave assists its franchisees with real estate
and acquiring SBA loans, and oversees the development of the locations. It has an in-house general
contractor to help with a quick and efficient opening as well as multiple trainers and operations
individuals on staff for 24/7 assistance.
Crave, based in New York, also adds the latest technology each year and continues to implement trends
onto its menu to stay relevant. Its self-pour beer wall with RFID technology, which allows customers to
sample craft beers and pay by the ounce, is a customer favorite.
“At Crave we always strive to be the best and give the best,” said Co-founder and CEO Samantha
Rincione. “We will push ourselves to have the hottest food and technology trends, follow customer trends
and keep up with the changing world we live in. Our support staff is 24/7, and is always available to our
franchisees. We assist with many things that other franchises want, but that’s what makes us great. We
will take risks and push hard for the success of the brand and the success of our franchisees, or as we
call them, our Crave Family.”
With 42 locations in development, the brand is definitely growing but is also passionate about its
non-profit, Crave-Saves, which works to combat child trafficking in the United States by focusing on
awareness through local restaurants as well as nationwide.
10
Top 75 Brands
#14 TROPICAL SMOOTHIE CAFE
Tropical Smoothie Cafe rounded out another year of impressive growth in 2022 with 158 cafe
openings, the most the brand has opened in a single year, as well as 258 executed franchise
agreements. The brand also achieved its 11th consecutive year of positive same-store salesgrowth and over the past five years, 70% of new locations came from existing Tropical Smoothie
Cafe franchisees.
Additionally, Florida-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe strengthened its non-traditional growth
with a new airport location and locations on five military bases. The brand also debuted a new
prototype, with its double drive-thru location in Oklahoma City.
Finally, to increase engagement and the guest digital experience, Tropical Smoothie Cafe
redesigned its app and launched the improved Tropic Rewards program.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s strategic growth plan includes expanding in key territories, including
the Midwest, Northwest and South, with quality franchisees that are aligned with the brand’s
culture and values.
#15 SALADWORKS
Founded in 1986, Saladworks has grown from its original location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, to
over 160 locations in 25 states and Canada. It encourages guests to be original, giving them
the option to choose from salads, soups, warm grain bowls, wraps and sandwiches or paninis.
The brand offers 60-plus ingredients including fresh vegetables, fruits, proteins and dressings,
making its menus customizable to any diet or lifestyle choice.
The chain’s parent company, WOWorks, was formed in 2020 with a mission to help guests pursue
their passions and live their best lives by serving a variety of healthy, nutritious and flavorful
meals. The company has grown into a multi-brand powerhouse in the better-for-you restaurant
category and includes Frutta Bowls, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, The Simple Greek,
Barberitos Southwestern Grille and Cantina, and Zoup Eatery.
The brand’s growth numbers continue to reflect the robust demand for fresh, flavorful and
healthy fast casual dining options.
In 2022, Saladworks had a same-store comp sales growth of 2.3% and opened seven ghost
kitchen locations through its partnership with Combo Kitchen. It announced its menu is now
available for on-the-go meals, takeout and delivery through partnerships with two new Kitchen
United Mix Food Hall locations in Columbus, Ohio.
11
Top 75 Brands
“With all the waves of inflation hitting the
restaurant industry, our unique concept
has proven that it can withstand even
the toughest of times,” CEO Nour Rabai
said. “Our brand continues to stay
energetic, humble, hardworking, and
nimble enough to pivot to our customers’
needs and demands.”
16. Smashburger
Colorado-based
Smashburger’s
menu innovations
and adaptations of customers’ service
and culinary desires led to an increase
of same-store sales by 19% vs. prepandemic, and over 4.7% 2022 vs. 2021.
The main goal for the brand was to meet
their customers’ needs through innovative
menu offerings, expanding access and
occasions, and creating an enhanced
dining experience.
Throughout 2022, the chain launched
several dishes that went beyond what the
brand is most known for -- burgers. Some
of these innovations included the rollout of
non-dairy shakes made with Eclipse plantbased ice cream, chicken tenders and
bone-in wings in four flavors. Within the
first eight weeks of the wing launch, wing
sales generated over $758,000 in revenue.
Wing purchases were largely incremental
to the business and increased the samestore sales trend by over 5.5 percentage
points. Additionally, the wings didn’t
affect burger sales, as most guests simply
added the wings to their orders rather than
replacing their go-to burgers.
In 2023, Smashburger is looking into
smaller locations where customers can
pick up their food and go and also plans
to increase the number of locations across
the country, while rolling out more drivethrus. By year’s end, the brand will have
added 10 to 15 locations.
17. PITA
Mediterranean
Street Food
A favorite for fresh,
made-to-order
Mediterranean cuisine,
PITA Mediterranean Street
Food welcomes guests to an open kitchen
boasting rotisseries full of gyro, kabobs
flaming on the grill, and the aromas of
cumin and olive oil wafting through the air.
Founder Nour Rabai has created a
hospitable dining experience where
guests can feel at home while enjoying
authentic, freshly prepared Mediterranean
cuisine with friends and family. The secret
to PITA’s success is that each order is
freshly made in front of the guest, as pitas
are warmed, olive oil-drizzled hummus
is scooped, and sizzling rotisserie meats
are hand-carved.
Georgia-based PITA Mediterranean Street
Food currently has numerous locations
in the greater metro Atlanta area; in other
Georgia cities including Augusta, Warner
Robins and Columbus; and out-of-state
locations in Montgomery, Alabama and
Greenville, South Carolina.
In 2022, the brand Integrated more digital
innovations with an app and new POS
provider, which have helped battle the
cost of labor inflation by running a leaner
operation at the store levels.
18. Jersey Mike's Subs
Jersey Mike’s,
headquartered in
Manasquan, New Jersey,
remains one of the leaders
in technology for the restaurant business.
Its recent upgrades of the POS system
and app have allowed employees to move
seamlessly to accommodate more online
orders and third-party delivery. The chain
also combined all legacy systems into a
unified platform with the ability to follow
a customer’s journey, with all information
connected and in one place (online
ordering, loyalty points, etc.).
From the marketing side, this helps
provide customers with personalized
offers targeted to their likes and needs.
This also provides an easier experience
for store employees.
Growth is the byproduct of Jersey Mike’s
culture of taking care of franchisees, crew
members and its communities. In 2022,
the brand hit a milestone 2,400 locations
nationwide in 49 states and $2.68 billion
in systemwide sales. It also opened a
record-breaking 308 locations, up from
252 stores in 2021.
12
Top 75 Brands
Founder and CEO Peter Cancro said the
brand is driven by the mission of making
a difference in someone’s life. Last year,
Jersey Mike’s raised $20 million for the
2022 Special Olympics USA Games and
Special Olympics State Programs during
the company’s 12th annual Month of
Giving fundraising campaign in March.
And in one weekend in November, it
raised $3.6 million for Feeding America.
Finally, the brand introduced a new
leader, William Armstrong, as chief brand
officer. Armstrong comes to Schlotzsky’s
with extensive restaurant operations
and a strong vision leading the brand
into the future.
This year, the company expects to open
300 locations.
menu items available only on the loyalty
app, The Velvet Room. The taco brand
collaborated with Thanx, a provider of
guest engagement technology, to offer
non-traditional perks in hopes of enticing
guests to order directly, rather than from
third-party delivery channels. Velvet Taco
projects that growth in direct ordering
versus third-party would mean hundreds
of thousands of dollars in savings from
commission fees.
20. Velvet Taco
19. Schlotzsky’s
In 2022, Schlotzsky’s
launched a new menu
platform - Calzones
- and created Bare Naked Pizza, whose
innovative campaign made headlines
and turned heads with its OnlyFans page
featuring videos of the menu items as well
as coupons. It also created a lot of buzz
when it teamed up with NSYNC’s Joey
Fatone to launch the Fatone Calzone, an
Italian-inspired calzone with ham, salami,
cheese and marinara dipping sauce.
From an operations standpoint,
Schlotzsky’s opened the first location of its
1,000-square-foot prototype in Oklahoma
City. The smaller store can fit on .69 acres
of land and is strategically designed
without indoor seating but with two
drive-thrus on each side of the restaurant.
It allows franchisees the flexibility to
develop with competitive real estate in
urban areas as well as prioritize the shift
in consumer demand from in-restaurant
dining to off-premise business.
Velvet Taco has stayed
true to expansion plans,
attributing its ability to
grow outside of Dallas to
its innovative leadership
team. In 2023, the brand,
which has more than doubled its footprint
over the past two years, plans to open
over 10 locations with one or two new
market entries, totaling more than 40
locations by the end of the year.
“The success of our brand, centering
on factors beyond profitability, can
be attributed to our leadership and
creativity,” CEO Clay Dover said. “Since
Velvet Taco’s beginning in 2011, we’ve
worked hard to continuously seek new
opportunities for menu innovation and
culinary achievements through our
weekly taco specials, and supply chain
management. The embodiment of a Fast
Casual Top 100 Mover & Shaker can be
found in Velvet Taco not only due to our
brand’s impressive growth plan execution
but also because we value innovation
above all else.”
In 2022, Velvet Taco launched the
“Hidden Menu’’ featuring six secret
21. Dog Haus
California-based Dog Haus
expects 2023 to be the
biggest year in company
history and has launched
“Absolute Würst” plans for significant
expansion across the nation. The gourmet
hot dog, sausage and burger concept is
coming off a jam-packed year in which it
collaborated with a half-dozen renowned
chefs on creative menu innovations,
donated to No Kid Hungry, opened six
restaurants, and earned no fewer than 15
industry awards and recognitions.
The chain, which launched The Absolute
Brands in 2020, composed of several
virtual brands including Jailbird, Bad-Ass
Breakfast Burritos and Bad Mutha Clucka,
is working to establish partnerships with
existing restaurant brands to license and
sell the popular products under other
concepts beyond Dog Haus. It’s also
exploring brick-and-mortar restaurants for
Bad-Ass Breakfast Burritos.
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Top 75 Brands
Dog Haus is bringing the hottest links in
2023 with its Absolute Würst Sausage
Series. Creating a string of innovative
sausages all year long, Dog Haus’
Würstmacher Adam Gertler is putting his
freshest and wildest culinary ideas to the
test. From sushi to beef and broccoli to
al pastor sausages, small batches will
be showing up at your local Dog Haus
in the form of a different perfectly grilled
sausage each month.
ordering, third-party delivery and Google
Food Ordering & POS integration.
Finally, the brand has continued to
grow in dual brand venues alongside
sister brand Auntie Anne’s. In 2022, for
example, eight of Jamba’s store openings
were co-branded with an Auntie Anne’s
branded unit, bringing a thoughtfully
paired, convenient format to consumers
looking for a snack break with options
for everyone.
In 2023, Dog Haus is adding 20 locations
as well as several restaurants via ghost
kitchens and nontraditional sites.
of the country’s provinces over the next
several years. The brand’s non-traditional
footprint continues to expand with its
latest addition in Friant, California’s Table
Mountain Casino, and its second walk-up
and drive-thru only location opened in
Tucson, Arizona. Freddy’s has technology
incorporated within all locations, and in
2022, launched an improved and updated
app that includes a digital loyalty program
and mobile ordering. Online ordering
through the website also became
available.
Freddy’s has nearly 20 restaurants
slated to open in the first quarter of 2023
and plans to open over 60 locations
nationwide throughout the year.
23. Freddy's
Frozen Custard &
Steakburgers
22. Jamba
Since joining Focus
Brands in 2018,
Jamba has evolved
by investing in menu innovation and
continuing to prioritize accessibility and
convenience. Last year, it opened 29
locations in the United States, including
new venues like hospitals and travel
plazas, and is continuing to test Jamba
by Blendid, making it the first smoothie
brand to introduce robotic kiosks. UCLA
became the third college campus to
welcome the restaurant.
Additionally, Jamba launched a
collaboration with Revive Superfoods to
ship smoothie kits directly to customers’
front doors. The chain also boasts a
best-in-class loyalty program with over
3 million members, featuring online
Wichita, Kansas-based
Freddy’s Frozen Custard
& Steakburgers is a
rapidly growing franchise that continues
to enter markets, implement technology
systemwide and serve high-quality menu
items. Its commitment to providing highquality, cooked-to-order menu items
with genuine hospitality has helped the
company maintain consistent growth and
hit over 458 locations in 36 states across
the nation.
Over the past year, Freddy’s added 32
restaurants, including its first locations
in North and South Dakota, and signed
multi-unit agreements with new and
existing franchisees, adding 140 units
to its pipeline. As a result of the brand’s
2022 agreement signings, Freddy’s
will make its entrance to Canada, with
plans to open restaurants across nine
24. Shake Shack
NYC-based Shake
Shack’s purpose
is to “Stand for
Something Good,” which it manifests
with its premium ingredients, employee
development, inspiring designs and deep
community investment. Today, these core
values are more important than ever as
consumers increasingly make purchasing
decisions based on how much a brand
reflects their interests and supports
causes they care about.
With nearly 450 locations around the
world, Shake Shack’s global expansion is
just heating up. It’s targeting 40 Shacks
in 2023, which includes 25 to 30 new
licensed Shacks and 10 to 15 drive-thrus.
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Top 75 Brands
In 2022, Shake Shack continued to seek
out fun and unexpected ways to push
the envelope on what a modern-day
“roadside” burger stand can look like.
It launched nationwide LTOs that drove
foot traffic, app downloads and sales,
including a Buffalo Chicken menu,
a sweet and savory Bourbon Bacon
Cheddar menu made in partnership with
Maker’s Mark, and a spicy Hot Ones
menu made with First We Feast’s viral
YouTube series, Hot Ones.
Shake Shack also launched its first
brand campaign underlined by fans’ love
of premium ingredients and uplifting
experiences and a test market run.
offers assistance identifying optimal store
locations and robust consumer marketing
and advertising programs.
successful business model, in-depth
franchisee support and expert
leadership team.
The chain’s adaptability has helped it
maintain an aggressive growth trajectory
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and
today’s economic uncertainty. Gong cha
shops require low capital investment,
minimal buildout, low equipment costs,
a small labor footprint, and limited food
preparation, and virtually all ingredients
have a long shelf life, producing very little
waste. Gong cha’s sealed-top packaging
also lends itself exceedingly well to
takeout and delivery.
One way Teriyaki Madness has supported
its franchisees is through an employee
training program called Mad University,
powered by PlayerLync, a mobile digital
workplace. Each training module on the
platform contains a video, a specs page
and a quiz. The courses are broken up
into sections, and once new employees
complete the Mad U modules, the
classes are still available for them to
review at any time. Everyone has a login
and can access Mad U at all times from
their phone or any other device.
Lastly, Shake Shack opened nine
drive-thrus in 2022 to expand upon
convenience and enhanced guest
experience, and is on pace to double its
drive-thru count in 2023.
25. Gong Cha
With its premium
product, simple and
scalable operational
model, innovative
franchise program
and strong corporate
support, Taiwanbased Gong cha is
one of the fastestgrowing bubble tea
brands, with 190
stores in the United
States and over 1,900 locations in the
world. It plans to hit 2,000 locations by
year’s end, with 270 being in the U.S.
Gong cha’s commitment to quality starts
with its name, “Gong cha,” meaning to
offer the best tea to the emperor from all
of one’s possessions. Gong cha sources
teas from the finest estates across Asia
and ships its products directly from
Taiwan, ensuring consistency. It also
26. Teriyaki Madness
Colorado-based Teriyaki
Madness has been making
some pretty big moves in
recent years by creating value
for franchisees, guests and employees
alike. With over 125 shops across three
countries, the numbers don’t lie.
27. Blaze Pizza
Last year, TMAD grew its footprint by
an impressive 21%, with over 100 units
awarded to franchisees. With the vast
majority of current franchisees expanding
into additional units, TMAD expects
nearly 50% systemwide growth again this
year, opening 59 units in 2023.
Blaze Pizza, which
opened 10 years ago,
has over 330 restaurants
across 38 states and six countries. The
brand saw steady growth throughout
2022 in key target markets across
the country, opening 13 restaurants
and signing seven development
agreements. These deals will add 27
restaurants across Maryland, Georgia
and Tennessee, positioning the brand for
continued nationwide expansion in 2023
and beyond.
Despite the obvious challenges of COVID,
supply chain, and rising inflation that
everyone experienced over the last few
years, Teriyaki Madness has continued
to thrive due to its simple, proven and
To meet consumers where and how
they want, Blaze Pizza has also been
seeking opportunities to expand with
non-traditional restaurants. In 2022, for
example, it debuted on the campus of
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Top 75 Brands
Tarleton State University in Texas, and
this year, it’s expanding across airports
and other non-traditional venues as it
explores smaller restaurant prototypes.
Additionally, the company has prioritized
meeting the evolving demands of today’s
consumers – from dietary preferences to
ordering habits and more. Over the past
12 months, for example, Blaze has rolled
out keto and gluten-free crust as well as
non-dairy dressings and vegan meats.
The chain has also broadened its digital
and technology capabilities as offpremise dining and mobile ordering have
become the standard and has learned to
gather data to help it cater to its audience
in a more effective and efficient manner
across social media and the Blaze app.
In 2023, Blaze Pizza plans to open 15
locations across the U.S., including in
Texas, Colorado, Virginia and key regions
throughout the Northeast.
including SSS and TSS increases of
approximately 25% since 2020.
The chain also reported that AUV of its
top 25% of locations reached over $1.3
million, with the top 50% of locations
reporting an AUV higher than $1.15
million. Robust digital sales via online
orders, the WaBa Rewards App, and
third-party delivery continue to rise and
represent over 25% of total sales.
WaBa Grill’s entire menu of fire-grilled
options became even more accessible
last year as the brand’s digital channels
continued to thrive. In 2022, the brand
unveiled the WaBa Text Club, which
directly engages with a new host of
WaBa fans, tailoring how they prefer to
receive their news and offers. The brand’s
promise of “Always Low-Cost Delivery”
continued to drive positive guest
feedback scores.
Franchise momentum and expansion also
helped to fuel WaBa Grill’s phenomenal
year. The brand opened four locations
in 2022 and is expected to hit its
200-restaurant milestone in 2023. WaBa
Grill has 61 restaurants in development,
having cemented major multi-unit
development deals in 2022, including an
agreement to open 20 stores throughout
Northern California.
niche in a saturated segment with its
almond-wood smoked chicken and
wings, chef-crafted sandwiches and
golden fried tenders.
In its first full year of franchising, Chick N
Max had a momentous year highlighted
by three franchise development deals
that will expand the next-generation
fast casual chicken franchise concept in
Kansas, South Dakota and Texas. The
deals will introduce 53 restaurants to
these markets, including 25 across the
state of Kansas, three in Sioux Falls, and
25 throughout the Houston area.
With this momentum, Chick N Max is well
on its way to achieving its goal of opening
five to seven restaurants in 2023 and at
least that many each year thereafter.
Max Sheets, founder and CEO of Chick
N Max, said the chicken segment is no
doubt crowded, but Chick N Max has
perfected a niche that truly differentiates
it from the competition.
“Our signature smoked chicken, which
is smoked over almond wood from
California, takes center stage at Chick
N Max and provides a healthier take on
chicken,” he said. “It’s unlike anything
else in the segment.”
28. WaBa Grill
Since 2006, WaBa Grill
has experienced steady
momentum and is one
of the nation’s leading healthy rice bowl
chains. 2022 brought with it another year
of growth for the brand, which reported
a 2.3% increase in same-store sales and
a 3.8% increase in total system sales
over the prior year, and built upon recordsetting numbers from 2021. Last year also
marked the continuation of WaBa Grill’s
24-month gains across the sales spectrum,
29. Chick N Max
Founded in 2017 and
franchising since 2021,
Wichita, Kansas-based
Chick N Max is carving out a unique
30. Fatburger
For over 70 years, Los
Angeles-based Fatburger
has stayed true to its
burgers and fries roots while
also pushing the envelope to enhance
16
Top 75 Brands
the guest experience — whether that is
through a new menu item such as the
Impossible Chicken Nuggets or playing
into its audience with an edgy 4/20
campaign. Looking back 20 years ago,
Fatburger was only a 40-unit brand,
primarily located in California; it recently
hit its 200th location. Now across 15
states and 14 countries, Fatburger is
committed to changing the narrative from
being a West Coast burger chain to a
leading international burger player.
In 2022, the brand debuted in France,
Mexico, the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and Marrakesh, Morocco, along
with leaning into another one of its key
growth pillars — expanding into nontraditional venues, opening in Las Vegas
casinos, The Venetian and The Excalibur,
in addition to opening at Six Flags Great
Adventure.
The pipeline for Fatburger has never
been stronger. Out of parent company’s
FAT Brands’ 17-concept portfolio, the
brand leads the way from a development
perspective. In 2022, for example, it
added 86 stores to the development
pipeline, many of which will introduce it
to new markets, including Florida and
Puerto Rico.
31. Torchy's Tacos
Torchy’s Tacos strives
to be “Damn Good” in
everything it does, from scratch-made
recipes to its culture and people.
In 2022, Torchy’s focused on the
customer experience and guest service
to elevate Torchy’s to the next level.
The brand engaged customers through
surveys, guest touches and rewards,
which led to its making operational
changes to drive a more consistent
pickup experience.
“We have remained intensely focused
on innovation, serving up the best
Damn Good Tacos you’ve ever tasted,
while continuing to elevate the guest
experience through initiatives like handmade tortillas, made-to-order, piping hot
tacos, optimized kitchen designs, and
delivering exceptional hospitality every
time you visit,” said Founder and CEO
Mike Rypka.
Rypka said having the right people in the
right place at the right time is necessary
to deliver on the Torchy’s commitment
to its guests. In this difficult hiring
landscape, Torchy’s has innovated to
utilize technologies like programmatic
job distribution to hit maximum ROI and
reach as broad an audience as possible.
Because of this, most restaurants have
achieved staffing levels similar to prepandemic.
32. Taziki's
Mediterranean Cafe
In the face of heated
competition for the
consumer’s restaurant spending in 2022,
Birmingham, Alabama-based Taziki’s
began a comprehensive review of its
menu and brand positioning. The first
element in the exercise was developing
and adopting a new mission statement
and purpose. Using this as a guiding
force, Taziki’s started testing new menu
items, including Spicy Harissa Hummus
and Spicy Harissa Chicken, Baklava
Cheesecake and the Athens Cobb Salad.
Test results were positive and the Harissa
Chicken Gyro became the second-most
popular gyro sold in test locations,
bringing in 78% of what the regular
chicken gyro sold. Plus, all Harissa test
items accounted for 22% of the sales
in comparable items. Results were so
positive that the chain is rolling out the
offerings to all stores by year’s end.
Taziki’s opened two locations in January
2023 and has 10 additional restaurants
scheduled to open soon, which will
expand its footprint to New Orleans; St.
Louis; and Jackson, Tennessee. Plus,
it will continue expansion in existing
markets like Atlanta; Birmingham;
Nashville; Dallas; and Raleigh, North
Carolina.
Taziki’s implemented daily pay for
employees, greatly increasing employee
retention, with 46% of its employees
adopting it.
33. Clean Juice
Recently expanding to
its 203rd unit in 33 states
in less than seven years,
Charlotte-based Clean Juice
continues to focus on the personal guest
experience while offering a line-up of
certified organic superfood-ingredient
17
Top 75 Brands
smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, salads,
juices, acai bowls and more.
Year over year, Clean Juice continues
to demonstrate strong growth, while
exceeding expectations across the
franchise’s key performance indicators.
Last year, for example, it reinvigorated
and simplified its operations by moving
from in-house bottled cold-pressed juice
production to the latest innovation in
centralized high-pressure processing on
an organic farm that is distributed across
all stores. The move to HPP processing
provided an impact on several levels.
First, it brought Clean Juice closer to
the farms where the brand’s all-natural,
certified-organic ingredients are nurtured,
grown and harvested to ensure the
freshest ingredients. Secondly, the
move simplifies its operations, enabling
franchise partners to focus less on supply
chain, labor and production and more
on serving the guest with a premium
experience.
Lastly, it reduced the price by nearly 20% of
one of the brand’s most popular products,
while enhancing its nutritional value by
reducing the sugar content by 25% and
reducing the calorie intake by 34%.
34. Ike's Love and
Sandwiches
Ike’s Love and
Sandwiches is well
differentiated in the
sandwich category
with its always-warm sandwiches that
have funky, fun names and combinations
of ingredients that you won’t find
anywhere else. Previously an institutional
San Francisco-Bay Area brand, Ike’s is
now exploding throughout California,
Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Utah, Texas
and beyond. These communities are
responding strongly to the brand’s
amazing food, super fun restaurant
design, and genuine love and service.
Vice President of Real Estate and
Development Adam Rinella said Ike’s
plans to open 20 to 25 new corporate
stores in 2023.
“Ike’s belongs on the Top 100 because we
are revolutionizing the sandwich category
and communities are responding all over
the West,” RInella said.
The brand targeted 30% growth last year,
adding 30 locations in Los Angeles,
Orange County, San Diego, Northern
California and Phoenix.
thanks to the leadership of Chief Brand
Officer Tory Bartlett.
After launching a comprehensive program
to review everything from restaurant
operations to menu offerings, Moe’s is now
testing improvements in markets across
the country. For example, it enhanced its
catering program in order to drive growth
and doubled down on its loyalty program,
leading to a 680,000 increase in members
of the Moe Rewards program.
In 2023, Moe’s Southwest Grill is
launching a new prototype with digital
menu boards and has a number of
remodels and renovations in the works.
The chain has nearly 650 locations.
“Our rapid expansion is fueled by our
loyal Ikesters who love our world-famous
dirty sauce and huge variety of meat,
vegan and vegetarian sandwiches,”
CEO Michael Goldberg said. “We have
put in place an energetic and seasoned
executive team that has enabled
successful growth even in these trying
economic times.”
35. Moe's
Southwest Grill
Moe’s Southwest Grill,
owned by Focus Brands
and headquartered in
Atlanta, spent the past
year refreshing the look and feel of its
branding through the customer journey,
36. Brooklyn
Dumpling Shop
New York’s Brooklyn
Dumpling Shop and
its unique approach to
service and innovative
technology has pioneered
a “zero human interaction”
option that appeals to the newer
generations and creates an even faster
18
Top 75 Brands
process than your typical fast casual
restaurant. This approach is not only
convenient for customers but also follows
the current trend of contactless service.
Texas, four in California, and one in
New York City. More openings are on
the horizon, with 10 to 12 stores opening
in 2023.
The menu features an extensive
selection of hot and cold, sweet and
savory dumplings, as well as a new
Asian Chop Chop bowl. The ordering
process is straightforward: Customers
place their orders using their phones or
a touchscreen kiosk and receive a text
message with a QR code once the food
is ready. This code unlocks a special
heated or cooled locker in the automat,
where the customer can retrieve their
food and be on their way. This process
reduces waiting time and makes it easy
for customers to pick up their food.
“We are the biggest and baddest Indian
Fast/Fine Casual brand in the United
States with presence in five states. We
are growing rapidly and are creating
the Indian segment in the Casual dining
space, ” said CEO Akash Kapoor.
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop has rapidly
expanded its presence with three existing
locations and over 70 in development.
In the near future, it plans to open seven
more locations, with an ambitious goal of
opening over 25 locations in 2023. The
company has recently secured its first
international expansion deal in Canada
and aims to continue this rapid growth
trajectory in 2023, with goals to expand
further internationally and along the
west coast.
37. Curry Up Now
Curry Up Now, known as
one of the fastest-growing
Indian fast casuals in the
U.S., opened eight stores
in 2022, including three in
In 2022, Curry Up Now launched
Attentive and started to work with a new
agency for social media and marketing.
It is continuing its partnership with Local
Kitchens to launch outposts around
California and also has opened two ghost
kitchens with Kitchen United.
Kapoor has led Curry Up Now since he
founded the brand in 2009 with his wife
and personally leads Curry Up Now’s
bar program called Mortar & Pestle. He
has been able to create a very classic
Americana bar alongside a fast casual
restaurant that has its own following while
completing the Curry Up Now restaurant.
38. Panera Bread
Panera has long been
an industry trailblazer
in guest experience,
consistently pushing boundaries and
using technology to lead the restaurant
industry forward. This past year was
no different as the brand created new
menu offerings including pizza and
baguettes, and launched new designs
to stay hyper-focused on a personalized
and convenient guest experience.
For example, urban store formats,
off-premise dining options, drive-thru
service, and experimenting with cuttingedge technologies – like AI - give
customers access to service however
they want it.
In August, Panera began testing AI
technology in drive-thru lanes via a
partnership with OpenCity’s proprietary
voice AI ordering technology, called
“Tori.” Guests pull up to their Panera
drive-thru, place their order as usual with
assistance from Tori, and pay the Panera
associate at the window. The addition of
this technology will help to cut down wait
times, improve order accuracy, and allow
associates to focus on freshly preparing
guests’ orders.
The chain also allows MyPanera
members to order via Alexa on Echo
Show devices and is testing Amazon One,
a palm identity and payments technology,
at select bakery-cafes in its hometown
of St. Louis and plans to expand the
deployment in the coming months.
39. Nekter Juice Bar
Founded in 2010, Nekter
Juice Bar has been on
a mission to nourish
America’s increasing
appetite for plant-based,
healthy food options. With a steady eye
19
Top 75 Brands
on innovation, the health and wellness
brand offers a menu of freshly made,
clean and nutrient-rich juices, superfood
smoothies, acai bowls, wellness shots,
cold-pressed “Grab N’ Go” juices,
healthy snacks, and several natural
cleanse options to help guests “Keep It
Real.” At its core, Nekter believes that
healthy food can taste great, be easily
accessible, and be affordable.
Now, with 330 locations open or in
development, Nekter is seeking
franchise partners, including single-unit,
multi-unit and multi-brand operators,
to help it expand.
CEO Steve Schulze said the chain’s
low initial investment, competitive
franchise fees, exceptional support
from an experienced team and robust
loyalty program, which has over 1 million
guests, make it easy for franchisees to
partner with the California-based brand.
Veterans will also benefit from a 10%
reduction in franchise fees among other
incentives.
40. ClusterTruck
ClusterTruck, a ghost
kitchen concept based
in Indianapolis, has
delivered over 3,500,000
orders since it first opened its kitchen
in April of 2016 and is now negotiating
franchise agreements to expand its
footprint. The five-unit brand is focusing
on digital marketing for customer
acquisition and is working toward the
long-term goal of improving efficiencies
to enable the sustained profitability of its
current kitchens and company.
The brand’s kitchens are vertically
integrated using Empower Delivery’s
proprietary software, which enables
customer orders to flow into kitchens.
Meals are routed automatically to
necessary cook stations, while drivers
are queued and ready for the immediate
transport of orders upon packaging. On
the back end, employees are able to track
inventory, cost recipes, monitor product
mix and more with the data captured
from every transaction flowing through
this system.
President Janet Monroe said ClusterTruck
is truly unique.
“Delivering fresh food fast is a seemingly
easy task that has proven to be an
insurmountable hurdle for nearly every
player in the industry of prepared food
delivery, but ClusterTruck,” she said.
“Our success is born on the foundation
created by brilliant minds who completely
rethought how delivering meals ondemand should work - inventing a new
way, the right way, in which consumer
orders, delivery drivers and kitchen
operations seamlessly synchronize
through vertical integration.”
41 . Starbird
Forged with an industry
disruptor mentality,
Starbird has embarked
on a journey to define a completely
new segment within the industry since
CEO Aaron Noveshen founded it in
2016. The 12-unit chain, backed by
restaurant consultants from The Culinary
Edge, is reimagining America’s fastfood experience and has reinvented the
traditional crispy chicken concept. It has
continued to tout same-store sales comps
above 25% for the past four years in a row,
and came in right at 25% in 2022.
For the California-based chain, 2022
proved to be a year of strong restaurant
growth, with two restaurant openings
including Southern California’s first
streetside location in Hermosa Beach.
Starbird also operated two pop-up
kitchens in Los Angeles to seed the
market for its expansion over the next
few years. In 2023, the brand has plans to
open five to six more locations.
Fueled by its financial success,
Starbird has also made strides on the
development front and launched its
franchise development program in 2022.
The development team is in discussion
with multiple applicants for regions
across the country, primarily focusing on
the West Coast to start.
To support the brand’s continuous
growth, Starbird was fortunate enough
to bring on 13 corporate employees in
2022 in marketing, technology, culinary,
operations, construction, HR and
development – more than doubling its size.
42. Juice It Up
For the past 27
years, Juice It
Up has been an
innovator in the booming raw juice bar,
smoothie and superfruit bowl category
20
Top 75 Brands
the company succeed,” said Ampex
Brands CEO Tabbassum Mumtaz. “After
acquiring the brand, we recommitted
to our franchisees with infrastructure
and resources to support growth. Then
we recommitted to guests with our
‘Cafe of the Future,’ built with a deep
understanding of customer’s needs and
preferences to provide exceptional guest
experiences.”
and has maintained its momentum in
2022 following a record-breaking sales
year in 2021.
In 2022, total system sales jumped
nearly 6.2% from the previous year –
surging past $41 million for the second
consecutive year. Since being acquired
by SJB Brands LLC in early 2018, the
brand has experienced record sales,
momentous growth and major milestones
under the leadership of President and
CEO Susan Taylor along with owners and
co-chairmen Chris Britt and Ed St. Geme.
Helping franchisees grow AUV has been
a top priority since the acquisition, and
the efforts continue to pay off; 2022 AUV
grew 2% over 2021 and AUV has grown
over 50% since 2019.
Juice It Up, based in Irvine, California, is
on track to open 10 franchised locations
in 2023 and will continue its remodel
program to update existing stores to its
refreshed store design. The brand will
also open its first two Arizona locations
in 2023, marking the brand’s entry into
the Grand Canyon State. With over 100
locations open or in different stages
of development across California,
Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Texas,
Juice It Up is strategically awarding
franchise opportunities that include
area development, single-unit, and nontraditional storefronts in markets primed
for its healthy fast casual concept.
43. Au Bon Pain
Boston’s Au Bon Pain
is paving the way
toward a bright future
with fresh ways to enhance customer
experiences and grow the business.
Since Ampex Family of Brands acquired
it in 2021, its leaders have added
stability and set the restaurant chain
up for success.
Au Bon Pain recognized substantial
revenues in its first year under Ampex
ownership, with 300% growth in catering
and 15 locations in its first 18 months. In
Q3 2022, it unveiled its Cafe of the Future
store design and a modernized kiosk to
accommodate growth in universities and
hospitals, a target opportunity for the
brand. It also signed several agreements
in 2022, including a 10-unit deal with
existing franchisee Sid Sohail for
continued development in the Northeast.
Key growth initiatives for 2023 include
introducing a mobile app and adding
delivery partners to reach new
customers, and it will focus on future
openings in its most profitable segments
of hospitals and universities while
conducting strategic, intentional store
closings to enable healthy growth.
“Au Bon Pain’s incredible culture and
people bring energy and want to see
44. McAlister's Deli
McAlister’s Deli, owned
by Focus Brands
and based in Athens,
Georgia, is continuing to prioritize system
size growth and overall performance in
2023 across its customer engagement
channels, including in-restaurant dining,
tableside dining, To-Go, curbside pickup
and drive-thru. It recently introduced
new prototypes, each of which is built
for ultimate guest convenience and staff
efficiency, that will allow it to open in
unique formats across new communities
in 2023.
In 2022, the brand opened 27 locations
and continued to build its catering
platform. It also relaunched breakfast
catering, which has led to a steady lift in
catering sales for this daypart.
With the brand’s prioritization of digital
technology and building a competitive
loyalty program, McAlister’s Deli gained
over 1 million loyalty members in 2022,
21
Top 75 Brands
The chain, which opened 12 stores last
year, is planning to add 14 locations by
year’s end across Oklahoma, Missouri,
Kansas, Utah, Texas and Las Vegas.
bringing the total number of loyalty
members to over 3.6 million.
The chain known for its genuine
hospitality, sandwiches, spuds, soups
and McAlister’s Deli Famous Sweet Tea
is on track to be a billion-dollar brand by
2024. It has over 530 locations.
46. Mo'Bettahs
45. The Great Greek
Mediterranean Grill
Although The
Great Greek
Mediterranean Grill
has a fast casual service model, it uses
real plates, cutlery and fresh, high-quality
food that is made to order and served
as a staged meal like at a full-service
restaurant.
The chain, which has 48 locations
in development, is accelerating its
franchise plans after signing 24
franchise agreements and 16 multi-unit
development agreements in 2022. It will
have 282 locations open over the next
few years, with 35 to 45 restaurants
opening by year’s end.
This past year, The Great Greek
Mediterranean Grill rolled out its “Nice
& Easy” initiative, which integrated
technologies to improve the brand’s
speed of service and labor efficiencies for
its operators. This initiative is still ongoing
as The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill is
looking to ensure a best-in-class mobile
and online customer experience journey
for both new and loyal customers.
Mo’Bettahs opened its
first location in Utah
in 2008, thanks to
brothers Kimo and Kalani Mack’s dream
of sharing their strong Hawaiian culture of
aloha (love) rooted in ohana (family) with
people all over the U.S. Fast forward 15
years, and the brothers are on their way
to doing just that. With over 40 locations,
the menu offers Teriyaki Chicken or
Steak, Kalua Pig, Pulehu Chicken, Katsu
Chicken, and Shrimp Tempura served
with white rice and macaroni salad, along
with a range of delicious sauces.
To continue to innovate, Mo’Bettahs
recently embarked on a redesign to
deliver a taste of home.
“From the décor to the colors to the
fonts, every element pays homage to the
founders’ roots and aunties who were
incredible cooks,’” Kimo said. “There is
often a misunderstanding about Hawaiian
food and culture. Pineapples, tiki torches,
hula skirts — that isn’t the real Hawaii
that we grew up with. As Mo’Bettahs
has grown, we have taken great care to
protect the brand identity.”
The rebrand strives to offer a modern and
fresh feel but with a vintage, nostalgic
heart. The brothers worked with the
in-house creative and marketing teams
at Savory Fund, its primary investor, to
create a playful and powerful look that
they’ve implemented in all new stores
since late 2022.
47. Mici
Handcrafted Italian
Since being named to Fast
Casual’s Top 100 Mover
& Shaker list in 2022,
Mici Handcrafted Italian
continued its momentum and innovation
by increasing its store count 36% in 2022.
It recently completed a rebranding that
included an upgrade to its entire tech
stack to improve digital storefronts, POS,
and loyalty programs.
The Colorado-based brand began 2023
by opening its second Arizona location,
and has more units planned across
multiple states, anticipating a possible
doubling of its unit count in 2023.
President Jeff Miceli said Mici Italian
has always held a lot of promise but is
starting to realize its full potential as it
expands across the United States.
“By successfully launching the brand in
three new regions this year, we’ve taken
the first steps on an exciting journey of
growth,” Miceli said. “Growth isn’t just
about new units, however, it is also about
making early investments to set the
brand up for continued success. We’ve
successfully completed initiatives around
technology, design and training that will
help our restaurants succeed and thrive
in the changing restaurant environment.”
22
Top 75 Brands
49. Wing Snob
Wing Snob, based
in Sterling Heights,
Michigan, celebrated its
fifth anniversary in 2022
with 40 locations either open or under
construction. About 20 will open by year’s
end, and the chain is using its mobile
app, digital LMS training system, and a
cloud-based POS to spearhead growth.
48. Island Fin Poke
Company
Island Fin Poke
Company,
headquartered in Orlando, offers
fresh, healthy food in a cool casual
environment, offering 25-plus ingredients
and 10 house-made sauces.
The brand has 25 locations in 2023 and
has 60 locations sold.
“The entire experience from when
customers walk into the building is
curated music, surf videos, a warm
welcome, an engaging team to walk
you through the line and we run your
food to your table,” said CEO Mark T.
Setterington. “We are an experience from
the time you enter until you leave and get
a fond farewell. Never a transaction, never
a customer, a guest in our home.”
In 2022, the brand rolled out its app
featuring loyalty increases and third-party
delivery decreases, while sales ultimately
went up.
Additionally, franchise profitability went
up, allowing Island Fin Poke Company
to hire a branding agency, InnoVision
Marketing out of San Diego, to help it
make an even bigger impact in 2023.
“As Wing Snob enters its sixth year,
the momentum has not slowed down,”
said Co-Founder Jack Mashini. “We are
building locations across the country and
even in Canada bringing better wings to
communities everywhere. Our brand is
positioned to be a leader in this sector
and we are excited to see what comes
next.”
Fortunately, Wing Snob’s focus has always
been carryout and delivery, so once the
pandemic hit, it simply enhanced its
partnerships with third-party delivery
companies and upgraded technologies
to support the influx of online orders and
deliveries that it was starting to receive.
In 2022, Wing Snob rolled out a new
rewards program named Snob Perks,
which thanks its loyal customer base by
allowing them to earn points to redeem
for free food. Snob Perks has nearly
150,000 enrolled users and has been a
huge factor in increasing reorder rates.
50. Condado Tacos
Columbus, Ohiobased Condado
Tacos, which
serves GMO-free tacos, dips and
margaritas, is on pace to open 12 to
13 locations in 2023 and 100 by 2026.
Customers enjoy the full-service meets
fast casual service model, where they
order from their tables via mobile devices
to improve the speed and accuracy of
food and drink orders.
“We are thrilled to add new locations as
we grow this exciting, innovative taco
brand,” said Chris Artinian, Condado
Tacos president and CEO. “At Condado
Tacos, we offer a craveable, fun and one
of a kind full service dining experience
that matches your speed, at a great value,
under $20 per person. We welcome all
and we are proud of our “Come As You
Are” atmosphere and culture that is
embedded in our brand since Day One.”
51. Salata
Salad Kitchen
Houston-based Salata
set record sales figures
in 2022, delivering 9.25% year-over-year
same-store sales growth and building
on a robust sales surge in 2021 when
average unit volume hit $1.3 million.
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Top 75 Brands
Because the 92-unit chain is continually
looking for innovative ways to meet the
needs of its guests, it recently launched
a redesign featuring a separate online
order station and easy pickup locations.
Additionally, the modular design is simple
to install, as the front-of-house can be
refreshed in nine days, reducing the loss
of sales franchisees typically experience
during remodeling.
In addition to design updates, Salata
focused heavily on product innovation
in 2022, launching seasonal toppings,
recipe options online, Certified Angus
Beef Steak, a Pumpkin Puff Cookie and
Chicken Tortilla Soup.
On top of operational advancements,
Salata expanded upon its tech suite
upgrade to cater to the modern consumer
by hiring a VP of Information Technology,
who will optimize POS systems and
create an internal system with added
security and convenient access to
business resources for franchisees. This
puts the building blocks in place to allow
Salata’s technology to scale with the
growth of the brand, which hopes to open
16 by the end of the year.
52. HCKHOTCHICKEN
HCKHOTCHICKEN,
founded in 2020 and
serving Nashvillestyle food kicked up with signature
premium sauces, is focusing on major
expansion with multi-unit operators who
are opening 15 to 20 locations in 2023.
The Woodbridge, Virginia-based concept
is known for its sandwiches and tenders
prepared with made-to-order spices and
began franchising in 2022. Its goal is to
help franchisees deliver on the brand’s
commitment to “Unity Through Food’’ in
cities across the country.
Chief Strategy Officer Dave Wood said
HCK was born during the pandemic and
built to bring the community together.
“We quickly realized we had lightning in
a bottle - an easy to execute menu with
simple operations and a small footprint,”
he said. “2021 was all about setting HCK
up for growth by investing in technology
and systems. 2022 saw us grow from one
to five locations. So in 2023...the sky’s the
limit for the brand.”
53. Rise Southern
Biscuits & Righteous
Chicken
Durham, North Carolinabased Rise Southern
Biscuits & Righteous
Chicken, which has 18
locations, is continuing to spread its
brand of Southern hospitality across the
country with nine stores opening this
year. Its commitment to serving craveworthy chicken sandwiches, biscuits and
donut offerings earned it the honor of
being named one of the “Best Biscuits
in the U.S.” by Food & Wine Magazine,
and the brand has managed to increase
revenue while decreasing store hours. In
2022, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous
Chicken continued to enhance its
technology stack by adding a new loyalty
program (Como), as well as a digital
reputation management system (Ovation).
These integrated tech systems have
had immediate positive impacts. Brand
reviews have shot up to 4.0 and higher by
reaching out to the customers 30 minutes
after their order to solicit feedback. If the
customer is satisfied, the system asks
them to post a review. If there was a
problem, their response is immediately
directed to the store for resolution. This,
coupled with the value of earning free
food through their loyalty program, has
increased sales and customer retention
across the brand.
54. Penn Station East
Coast Subs
Ohio-based Penn Station
continues to be one
of the leaders in the
competitive sandwich category throughout
the midwest. As it embarks on its 38th
year in business, the 300-unit brand is
poised for further growth and expansion
24
Top 75 Brands
within its 15-state area, with a plan to open
25-plus units in 2023.
Understanding that rapid growth takes a
solid leadership team, Penn hired a director
of Franchise Services to help create a new
tech stack to help franchisees enhance the
ordering process and dining experience.
It also hired a financial analyst to help
ensure franchisees’ return on investment is
maximized.
system-wide revenues increase 8.2% to
$13 million, with strong year-over-year
same-store sales growth. In keeping
with its core value that Community
Matters, it donated over 13,000 meals to
various non-profits throughout Fairfield,
Westchester and New Haven counties,
and received the Community Award from
the Boys & Girls Club for its commitment
to giving back.
56. Cheba Hut
Cheba Hut is celebrating
its 25th anniversary by
continuing to innovate. The
55. Garden Catering
At Garden Catering,
people are the main
focus, which is one
reason the company
gave all employees a raise last year,
making its starting minimum wage
$15.50 per hour.
“I believe that my most important job is
to make the communities in which we
operate better places to live,” CEO Frank
Carpenteri said. “What better way to put
our money where our mouth is than to
start within our stores by making the lives
of our team members, who are active
community members, just a bit better?
The raise, in addition to our 401K, full
medical benefits, rideshare discounts and
free meals for all members on every shift,
is our way of thanking our teams for the
hard work and dedication they display on
every shift.”
Last year, the Old Greenwich,
Connecticut-based brand opened eight
stores and will add one this year. It saw
has been a great way of ensuring that
Cheba Hut is known not only as a great
place to grab a sandwich but also as
a community hangout spot and event
venue. As a result, we’ve seen store-level
sales continue to increase.”
cannabis-themed sandwich
brand hit its 50-unit
milestone last July with the opening of
restaurants in Texas and Washington
and is planning to open an additional 16
locations this year as well as signing six
franchisee deals.
Cheba Hut CEO Marc Torres said
the brand is in a fantastic position for
widespread growth.
“We have the infrastructure, operational
support and brand awareness to get new
franchise owners up and running faster
than ever before,” he said. “We never
want to grow for growth’s sake alone, and
right now, the demand is there, and we’re
prepared to meet it.”
Cheba Hut’s growth isn’t limited to
development efforts as the brand
continues to find increased sales across
its franchise system.
“In 2020 and 2021, our team did
an incredible job rolling with an
unpredictable landscape in the restaurant
industry, and we kept sales up primarily
through digital efforts. This year, as
dine-in service picked up, we saw an
incredible surge,” Torres said. “Each of
our restaurants features a full bar, which
57. Fresh Baguette
Maryland-based Fresh
Baguette has pushed
boundaries on what
a modern french bakery could be.
With french classics like croissants
and baguettes coupled with crogel
sandwiches (a croissant in the shape of
a bagel), the five-unit brand continues
to innovate the menu and reported
a 40% increase in overall revenue in
2022. And that is largely due to the huge
wholesale operation that supplies coffee
shops, other restaurants and hotels with
delicious french products.
Its biggest undertaking, however, was
a redesign that puts the products front
and center like one would see in a jewelry
shop. Guests may see and smell bread
baking in the rotating oven, and the
design reinforces all of the quality and
25
Top 75 Brands
care the bakery puts into every
product created.
therefore capitalizing on its menu options
for guests under one virtual umbrella.
In 2023, Fresh Baguette will open a
large commercial bakery to scale for
more locations and additional wholesale
customers. It recently added a catering
component and is launching a monthly
coffee subscription.
Smokey Bones, based in Plantation,
Florida, is expanding its off-premises
customer base and using technology to
increase flow through and profitability
within the restaurants. It works with
OneDine, which has improved the
brand’s technology space by introducing
comprehensive, cost-effective and
contactless solutions. By using
OneDine, Smokey Bones supercharges
existing POS systems to quickly enable
contactless ordering and payment. It also
optimizes labor, eliminates fraudulent
chargebacks and creates an effective
system for employees and guests.
Founder and CEO Florent de Felcourt
said where there is passion and love,
anything is possible.
“Our dedication to our roots in French
baking and to the creation of a new
modern experience of a French bakery,
have propelled the Fresh Baguette brand
to a level of success and growth rarely
seen in the restaurant industry,” he said.
VP of franchise development at the end
of 2022. The chain is also attracting
attention with its design, which combines
street art/graffiti and hip hop culture.
“I’m thrilled to join a company that is in
the early stages of its growth trajectory
and am excited to feel that hustle and
energy again,” Sabatasso said. “Of
course, once I tried the cookies, I was
100% hooked. I knew I could stand
behind a brand with delicious and fresh
products that has all the makings of a
great franchise offering.”
“Our team is always willing to push the
bar with innovative concepts and we
pride ourselves in setting trends in the
industry,” said James O’Reilly, CEO of
Smokey Bones.
60. Shipley Do-Nuts
58. Smokey Bones
Smokey Bones, a once
full-service brand that
officially joined the fast
casual industry when
it launched a virtual kitchen during the
pandemic, is always on the move to bring
new things to the table.
In 2022, the self-proclaimed “Masters
of Meat” opened the first drive-thru
and launched a virtual food hall brand,
BiteHall.com. The e-commerce site unites
four virtual brands, The Wing Experience,
Bowl Market, Tender Box and Burger
Experience, and allows guests to order
from “all the bites in one site.” BiteHall also
allows guests to order from Smokey Bones,
59. Cookie Plug
Cookie Plug is on a
mission to win the
cookie wars, opening
23 corporate and 10 franchise locations
since opening three years ago, with 152
franchise units under development.
Experienced franchisees from around the
country are joining Cookie Plug, based
in Riverside, California, because of its
low cost to open, high margin potential
and easy-to-run concept, according to
Spencer Sabatasso, who was hired as
Houston-based Shipley
Do-Nuts may be 85
years old, but it’s just
getting started with its
growth spurt, opening 14
locations last year and signing 11 multiunit franchise deals that will add a total of
nearly 100 shops to its pipeline.
The agreements will bring the brand to
Maryland, Georgia and Virginia, and also
expand its footprint in Colorado, Florida
and Texas. The first Maryland location
opened in January 2023, and the first
Georgia location was slated for a late Q1
2023 opening. The company is forecasting
double unit growth from 2022 to 2023.
CMO Donna Josephson said Shipley
Do-Nuts has achieved incredible growth
in several areas over the past few years,
ranging from increased unit count and
26
Top 75 Brands
new franchisee signings to initiatives to
improve guests’ experiences.
“We have put impactful systems and
processes into place to unify and
modernize the brand and help our
franchisees meet consumers’ needs,” she
said. “The launch of online ordering led
to double-digit average check increases
for digital orders. We have entered new
markets and cities and successfully
introduced them to the ‘World’s Greatest
Do-Nut,’ and we now offer a cohesive
proprietary blend of coffee across the
entire system. We are on a fast-paced
upward trajectory, which should lead to
greater profitability for our franchisees.”
service and jobs to their communities.
“Slice House by Tony Gemignani is the
only pizza franchise helmed by a world
champion pizzaiolo / celebrity chef: Tony
Gemignani,” said Trevor Hewitt, managing
member.
Slice House has pizza units in Allegiant
Stadium (Las Vegas Raiders), Chase Arena
(Golden State Warriors), Levi Stadium (SF
49ers), and Oracle Park (SF Giants).
Photo Credit: Tim Furlong Jr
63. Chipotle
62. Cowboy Chicken
61. Slice House
Slice House,
which is known for
serving authentic,
New York-style thin crust pizza by the
slice, sold 19 units in its first year, and
is projected to sell another 26 this year.
The brand’s focus on slices as opposed
to whole pizzas allows it to keep the slice
counter supplied with enough oven space
to accommodate orders.
With a goal of becoming the largest
franchisor in the U.S. of award-winning
pizza while maintaining the highest levels
of quality that he is known for, partner
and celebrity pizza chef Tony Gemignani
is excited to provide an opportunity to
business owners interested in the pizza
industry and bringing high-quality pizza,
guests have fewer clicks to order, and
their purchases can be tied directly into
the loyalty program. Cowboy is also
integrated with EZCater, DoorDash and
UberEats.
For over 40 years, Dallasbased Cowboy Chicken
has been serving allnatural, hormone-free
rotisserie chickens, hand-seasoned,
marinated for 24 hours and then slowly
roasted for two hours over a real woodburning fire. What began in 1981 as a
single restaurant in Dallas has now grown
into 17 company-owned and franchised
restaurants located throughout Texas
as well as Louisiana, Georgia and
Oklahoma.
The chain is soon opening in Orlando
with a new prototype and also designed
a ghost kitchen called Smackbird,
specializing in Nashville Hot Chicken
sandwiches and tenders. It also upgraded
its mobile app, giving guests a better
customer-facing experience and allowing
them to earn loyalty points for online
purchases. The website incorporates a
custom menu page and online ordering;
Throughout 2022,
Chipotle continued to
drive the company's
purpose to “Cultivate a Better World”
to new heights by increasing visibility,
expanding access, fostering innovation, and
encouraging engagement with employees
and customers. It’s also continued to
prioritize supporting young farmers,
including its partnership with The National
Young Farmers Coalition and support of the
Farm Bill. Additionally, Chipotle has seen
significant advancement in digital innovation
and emerging technologies, including AI,
machine learning, and the metaverse.
In 2022, Chipotle opened its 3,000th
restaurant location and continued
international expansion in Europe and
Canada, as well as increased its total
number of Chipotle Rewards Members to
over 31 million users.
Chipotle will open between 255 and 285
restaurants in 2023 and has expanded
internationally, particularly in Canada, where
it has 32 restaurants. It also increased its
footprint in Europe and has over 20 locations
in England, France, and Germany.
In 2022, Chipotle prioritized ongoing
menu innovation, debuting Pollo Asado,
Chipotle’s first chicken menu innovation
27
Top 75 Brands
in its 29-year history. Additional menu
additions included garlic Guajillo steak,
plant-based chorizo, Mexican cauliflower
rice and watermelon lemonade.
64. Cornbread
Since its
Maplewood,
New Jersey,
debut in 2017, Cornbread locations can
now be found in Newark, Brooklyn and
soon Montclair, bringing not only good,
wholesome soul food to neighborhoods
that lack the option, but more importantly
bringing jobs to the communities it
serves. Co-founder Adenah Bayoh
said 87% of Cornbread’s employees
are from vulnerable and underserved
neighborhoods.
“We also hire a number of people who
were formerly incarcerated, offering them
an opportunity for a fresh start instead of
being constantly overlooked,” she said.
Bayoh is invested in helping people in and
around the company, and that rolls over
to how she feels about her employees.
She won’t hesitate to call in a favor or use
some of her influence to help out in a
time of need.
Cornbread is well known for hosting
influencer events and musical
performances and updating its social
media pages often, but the occasions
that bring the brand the most joy are its
turkey giveaways, or when employees
serve holiday meals at local shelters
and churches.
“The joy we feel in giving back to the
communities we serve is why we should
be amongst the Top 100 Movers &
Shakers,” Bayoh said. “Cornbread feeds
the stomach, but more importantly, we
feed the soul.”
the average wage over $20 per hour. The
increased compensation through the new
tip model raised retention and helped
attract a more talented workforce.
65. Zunzi's + Zunzibar 66. Hawaiian Bros
Island Grill
Zunzi’s + Zunzibar
is poised for record
growth over the next
few years, starting
in 2023 with the continued growth of
company locations in Georgia, a jointventure with the former largest Five
Guys franchisee in South Florida, and
franchising in the Southeast. That
growth is fueled by two models focused
on the specific needs of the guest,
convenience and experience. Zunzi’s,
the convenience-focused model, is
an 18-year-old takeout, delivery and
catering restaurant known for its awardwinning sandwiches. Zunzibar takes that
streamlined model and leads with an
elevated beach bar experience.
Kansas City, Missouribased Hawaiian
Bros Island Grill,
known for its island-inspired offerings, is
dedicated to optimizing speed, drive-thru
efficiencies and consistency, but also
believes in spreading positivity through
the Aloha Spirit. From generous rewards
to the members of its One Ohana loyalty
program to recognition for all employees
that put in dedicated effort, Hawaiian
Bros is all about doing well to do good for
members of The Ohana (family).
The brand is growing with three growth
vehicles: corporate locations in Georgia,
joint ventures in Florida, and franchising
in the Southeast. It has three locations
slated to open this year and franchising
sales have started in the Southeast.
Hawaiian Bros also prioritizes giving back
to the local communities of the culture it
is inspired by. In October, it took over 200
employees and partners to the islands to
connect with the culture and honor the
land and agriculture. The team restored
taro with a local agricultural nonprofit
that dedicates its time and efforts to
further cultivating the native plant by
redeveloping farmland.
In 2022, Zunzi’s implemented a tip
sharing model that aligned all team
members to focus on the guest
experience. In the process, the brand was
able to drive tips over $8 per hour, and
In 2023, Hawaiian Bros is aiming to open
10 stores, bringing its total locations to
47. The concept’s net sales growth, yearover-year, is 80%, according to President
Scott Ford, who said operational
28
Top 75 Brands
efficiencies, unique offerings and an
unparalleled, industry-leading team have
allowed Hawaiian Bros to become one of
the fastest-growing chains in the country.
67. Crazy Pita
Throughout
its 16 years of
operations, Las
Vegas-based Crazy Pita has withstood
the test of time by being consistent and
persistent with both its products and
services. In 2022, sales were up by 20%,
with an AVU of $1.2 million per store at a
total of $3.2 million.
Crazy Pita is a brand that prides itself as
a people-driven business that promotes
kindness and progression, while at
the same time focusing on the mental
and physical wellness of its team and
customers.
To ensure its competitive edge, the
brand has made improvements within
operations such as a virtual cashier, one
of the first in the United States. Being
a proud, environmentally responsible
company, all aspects of operations are
eco-friendly and paper/recycle products
replace all plastic ones.
The chain expects to end the year by
adding 20 franchise units, with the first
10 already inked in the Houston area.
Additionally, it plans to open another
corporate store in Las Vegas.
Crazy Pita prides itself on being a
pioneer in the use of many technological
developments. It currently uses the
Info Genesis POS system, which allows
it to track multiple indicators such as
sales, product waste, efficiency and
inventory, and it is one of the first
businesses in the United States to
introduce the use of virtual cashiers. This
is an immediate solution to the current
labor shortage while at the same time
bringing customers something new and
unexpected.
hood, allowing average unit volume to be
$922,603 in 2022.
In 2022, the concept implemented its
own branded mobile app that allows it to
track loyalty, offer a coffee subscription
program, and allow for money movement
between stores for use and sales of gift
cards. This also gives valuable insights on
sale trends and helps employees better
understand clientele and the frequency
with which clients dine with it.
Furthermore, Crazy Pita has focused on
improving the online order system and
recently started to partner with different
delivery carriers such as easycater.com.
69. Balance
Pan-Asian Grille
68. Toastique
Since its inception in
2018, Toastique has
grown to 13 units,
including six corporate
stores and seven franchise locations
operating in six states. With 18 leases
signed and construction under way to
open in 2023, the brand will bring its store
count to 31 by year’s end and has signed
46 additional franchise locations.
In addition to more than doubling its
location count, Toastique has doubled
its marketing budget and plans to sell an
additional 50 franchise locations this year.
The Washington DC-based concept is
redefining the typical fast casual juice
bar by implementing a micro cafe into the
same footprint of a juice bar without a
Balance Pan-Asian
Grille Co-founders
HoChan “CJ” Jang
and Prakash Karamchandani (PK),
shared the same simple dream: to serve
happiness through food. After opening
their first location in 2010 in Ohio, the
duo’s inventive spin on the fast casual
concept hit the spot for foodies and
families alike. The fresh possibilities
of their pan-Asian cuisine soon put
Northwest Ohio on the map — and them
at the culinary cutting edge.
Since then, Balance has kept things fresh
in every way possible, turning a desire
for transparency, a need for integrated
technology solutions, and mounting labor
pressures into key brand differentiators.
The menu features unique flavor profiles
and food pairings made with farm fresh
ingredients and is focused on achieving
overall balance and wellness, much like
29
Top 75 Brands
the Asian diet. The menu is clean eating
in its purest form and delivered through
a Pan-Asian menu focused on a fusion
of flavors and ingredients from all
across Asia.
Balance now owns and operates four
corporate locations across Northwest
and Northeast Ohio, in addition to its first
franchise location, which opened in the
summer of 2022 in Arvada, Colorado.
Balance’s second franchise location is
expected to open in Dallas by year end
2023. Balance also plans to continue
its national expansion efforts through a
targeted franchising strategy focused
on highly qualified multi-unit operators
within select markets across the United
States after having joined forces with
the industry-experienced leadership at
Pivotal Growth Partners, a growth and
development organization focused on
accelerating small, emerging brands
to scale.
With its new growth and development
plan in place, the brand is targeting
approximately 40+ locations over a
five-year period in select markets,
partnering with highly qualified multi-unit
operators through five-store minimum
area development commitments in order
to position the brand as the preeminent
Asian Fast Casual concept nationwide.
70. Duck Donuts
Duck Donuts, one
of the industry’s
well known
sweet treat brands, viewed 2022 as
its transformational year. Following
the 2021 acquisition with NewSpring
Capital, Duck Donuts strengthened its
goals and strategic initiatives by bringing
in industry veterans to round out the
leadership team, laying the domestic
and international growth pipeline and
identifying new tools, resources and
support to ensure franchisee satisfaction
and profitability.
The company also proactively limited its
seasonal promotions calendar, knowing
that the year would bring supply chain
disruptions and instead focused on its
everyday available flavors and promoting
its core products - delicious donuts,
freshly brewed coffee, and additional
items such as milkshakes, donut breakfast
sandwiches and donut sundaes.
In 2022, Duck put more emphasis on its
digital presence and piloted self-ordering
kiosks through a partnership with
Samsung and GRUBBRR, which
allowed it to improve the guest
experience by decreasing wait times,
enhancing convenience and improving
order accuracies.
create a place where chefs gather fresh
ingredients to create bold food. Also, it
has a large focus on technology, using
Brink POS, Olo, Paytronix loyalty and app
and is in the middle of updating its tech
stack and exploring an LMS system to
support growth.
“More and more entrants are coming into
the vegan space,” CEO Carin Stutz said.
“All are chasing the opportunity to be the
next vegan Shake Shack. We are in our
own lane with vegan comfort foods with
a twist. We use clean ingredients and are
chef crafted. We see the opportunity to
encourage guests to look at plant-based
meals as additive to their dining routine,
not taking something away. The future of
plant-based dining is ahead of us and we
want to be a leader in this field.”
The chain, based in Mechanicsburg,
Pennsylvania, will open 35 domestic
and eight international locations this
year, launch its shop of the future, and
continue introducing an added layer of
convenience for its guests such as food
ordering kiosks.
72. Qdoba
71 . Native Foods
Native Foods is on a
mission to show that a
plant-based diet is better
for the environment and to
Qdoba continues to
prioritize its guests and make the world
a more flavorful place through constant
menu innovation, flavorful quality food
and ultimate convenience. It uses
ingredients freshly prepared in-house
30
Top 75 Brands
by hand throughout the day to create
a variety of flavorful and customizable
menu options at an unbeatable value.
Notable recent menu innovations include
the Brisket Birria, made with tender,
shredded beef brisket, slow-cooked
for 10 hours in chiles and garlic infused
authentic Mexican flavors, as well as
Citrus Lime Shrimp, sustainably sourced
and freshly sautéed in-house in a tangy
citrus lime sauce.
Qdoba understands that ease of ordering
is also important to guests and allows
them to order ahead online and on the
mobile app for pickup, delivery and
catering. The chain also recently updated
the rewards program to make the
redemption process easy for customers,
so guests can earn free food faster.
After conducting research around loyalty
programs, the chain found that easy
redemption and relevant, compelling
rewards were key to strong member
engagement. With a simpler format and
two-tier loyalty system, rewards members
are able enjoy the flavors they crave for
free after fewer restaurant visits.
partnership with Impossible Foods to
launch the brand’s first-ever plant-based
chicken dish, and debuted a proprietary
noodle, LEANguini, which was created
and made in-house by a world-class
culinary team. LEANguini defies all pasta
logic: It’s lower in carbs and calories,
while higher in protein and fiber than a
traditional pasta noodle. This noodle
looks and tastes like a traditional noodle,
meaning it offers the same satisfying
flavor, texture, and satiating qualities, but
with added health benefits.
Additionally, it invested more than $7.5
million into expanding its team-member
benefits, including more mental health
resources for team members, additional
financial assistance programs, a unique
immigration reimbursement benefit, and a
one-of-a-kind GM equity program.
This year, company-operated restaurants
will receive a refresh with digital and
interior features, including debut digital
menu boards to highlight the variety,
customization and freshness of its menu.
In 2023, Noodles & Co plans to expand its
growing rewards program, which recently
reached 4.5 million members, by offering
more uncommonly good deals and
promotions, and has a strategy in place
to continue partnering with like-minded
brands to expand audience reach.
74. Playa Bowls
73. Noodles & Co
Colorado-based
Noodles & Co is
constantly finding new ways to inspire
its team members and guests. In 2022,
it expanded its menu innovations to
introduce three salads, spearheaded a
With a mission to bring
superfruit bowl options
to the masses that use
only the freshest, highest
quality ingredients while
providing an amazing
in-store brand experience, Playa Bowls
has quickly emerged as a leader in the
national superfruit bowl shop segment.
Known as New Jersey’s original acai
bowl shop, Playa Bowls serves a menu of
over 40 items including acai bowls, green
bowls, pitaya bowls, coconut bowls,
oatmeal bowls, juices, smoothies, coffee
and more made with the freshest, highquality ingredients.
In 2022, Playa Bowls opened 36 stores
and signed 77 agreements.
Since its inception in 2014, operating
from a small cart with a blender at the
Jersey Shore, the chain has over 170
locations systemwide, operating in 22
states, with plans to expand domestically
and globally. The brand has received
numerous accolades, including Forbes
30 Under 30 and finalist for Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
75. Grainmaker
Boston-based
Grainmaker is a
Southeast Asian street
food fast casual brand
that recently opened
its third location. Voted “Best of Boston
2021” by Boston Magazine for its
entirely gluten-free fare, Grainmaker has
also been featured nationwide for its
progressive ideas that are challenging
the food industry. In 2019, for example,
it became the first fast casual concept
31
Top 75 Brands
to launch a zero-waste program for its
reusable packaging program, which has
saved 21,000 pounds of packaging waste
every year.
Grainmaker is undergoing a series A
capital raise of $10 million to expand to 15
locations in the next three years and will
open three locations in 2023. CEO Chris
Freeman said Grainmaker is a brand that
challenges the entire food industry.
find ourselves consulting large chains on
how to scale the ideas we have already
implemented (clean eating, reusable
packaging / zero waste program, mobile
application and technology efficiencies,
etc.),” he said. “We take pride in what we
do and are excited to come up with the
next big idea that addresses an industry
thinking of ‘this is how we have always
done it.’”
“The type of culture and progressive
thinking it has established is something
that is difficult to replicate and yet we
32
Top 25 Executives
Geoff Alexander, President & CEO, Wow Bao
Geoff Alexander, who joined Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises in 1993, took
over the company’s Asian concept, Wow Bao, in 2009. A pioneer in both technology and social
media, he has redefined the fast casual space by implementing mobile ordering, self-ordering
kiosks, bicycle delivery and nationwide shipping. Alexander has overseen Wow Bao’s inclusion
into airports, major sports stadiums, university campuses, music venues, and into grocers
around the country. Late last year, Alexander partnered with Automated Retail Technologies’
Just Baked Hot Food kiosks to allow 24 cities in food deserts access to popular menu items,
such as Teriyaki Bao, Mongolian Beef Bao, Chicken Dumplings and Coconut Custard Bao.
If that weren’t enough, he changed the game in the restaurant industry when he created Wow Bao Now, which gives
restaurants the opportunity to serve the Wow Bao menu from their own kitchens. The program has brought the menu to
over 700 virtual kitchens in over 400 cities in less than 18 months.
Alexander’s latest venture, however, is the metaverse, where the Chicago-based chain is offering an NFT-based extension
of its Bao Bucks rewards program as well as launching “metaverse vending machines.”
Dave Mikita, president, International
and Retail Channels Focus Brands
As president of International and Retail Channels for Focus Brands, Dave Mikita leads two unique
business units that enable Focus Brands to grow its brands in new ways and new markets.
Under his leadership, the Retail Channels Division keeps the company’s brands top-of-mind for
consumers using a multi-channel approach through licensing of craveable food and beverage
products intended for the foodservice and consumer packaged goods retail markets. A “force
of nature” in the space, Mikita has led the group to double-digit growth since assuming responsibility for all functions of the
channels business unit in 2017.
With a focus on strategic leadership, team development, and a process-driven approach, he has enabled Focus Brands to
execute its multi-channel strategy and expand the reach of its iconic brands to consumers and fans worldwide.
Additionally, the Retail Channels Division launched 31 products in nine categories across multiple brands under the Focus
Brands umbrella this year, not only driving revenue for the company’s bottom line but also driving access and awareness
for Focus Brands through innovative formats that directly reach consumers. Recently, Mikita was appointed president of
Focus Brands International, working with the team to grow the company’s brands in markets outside of the U.S. and Canada.
Coming off a successful 2022, the company ended the year with over 6,600 units in all 50 states and in 60 countries and
territories, including over 1,900 units outside of the U.S. and Canada.
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Top 25 Executives
Stacey Kane, fractional CMO, Fresh Baguette,
Hot Chikn Kitchn, California Tortilla, Garden Catering
Stacey Kane serves as a fractional CM0 of multiple emerging fast casual brands who otherwise
would not be able to afford C-level experience. Under her stewardship, nearly all her brands
saw double-digit growth, such as Fresh Baguette with a nearly 50% increase and Hot Chikn
Kitchn, which hopes to open 200 locations.
Known for her creativity, she has helped legacy brands like California Tortilla with ground-breaking initiatives, hiring a
“saucemelier,” a professional hot sauce “pairer.” She also had the honor of helping iconic family owned brands Mamoun’s
Falafel and Garden Catering ramp up expansion and improve consumer-facing communication.
Lastly, Kane is passionate about the industry. After serving as a consultant, she was asked to sit on the board of
CORE:Children of Restaurant Employees in 2022. CORE’s mission is to provide short-term financial relief to food and
beverage service employees with children when navigating a qualifying circumstance. Kane also believes in the power of
networking and bringing people together so she facilitates the Interactive Customer Experience Restaurant Peer Group
Networking Meeting. In addition, this year she is launching Eat. Drink. Serve. Looks, an initiative to celebrate individuality,
style and confidence in restaurant employees.
Michelle Bythewood, president, Salata
Shortly after being promoted from CMO to president in 2019, Michelle Bythewood launched
a restaurant rebrand and a tech suite revamp, which helped keep Salata afloat during the
pandemic. To ensure that the brand stays on the cusp of innovation, she recently hired a VP of
Development, VP of Operations and a VP of IT, who are helping her execute expansion into new
and existing markets.
Additionally, Bythewood oversaw the development of a 2022 restaurant refresh program that
will bring all existing Salata locations up-to-date with current branding and optimize the online pickup and delivery guest
experience. To further support Salata’s franchisees and lessen the loss of sales that comes with closing for a remodel,
Bythewood launched the brand’s first Salata Mobile Kitchen, which offers guests the full Salata experience inside of a
brightly branded mobile trailer. She also led the development team to bring all restaurant development services in-house
in 2022, including site selection and approval, construction management and vendor management. By directly managing
services internally, Salata was able to decrease development costs by 20%.
34
Top 25 Executives
Josh Halpern, CEO, Big Chicken
Josh Halpern is at the helm of the Big Chicken franchising initiative, working closely with
founder Shaquille O’Neal and Big Chicken’s ownership group representatives to expand the
brand’s presence.
Under his leadership and just one year after the announcement of Big Chicken’s franchising
strategy, the brand announced in August 2022 that its franchise development pipeline had
reached over 200 units signed and that it had sold out the state of Florida.
Halpern, who also leads the marketing effort for Big Chicken, which has garnered over 450 million media impressions,
was also the architect behind Big Chicken’s partnership with Blue Origin, taking Big Chicken from an international brand to an
intergalactic brand.
“We’ve always said, ‘Go BIG’ when asked about growth plans for Big Chicken,” Halpern said. “Now, with Blue Origin, we’re
going as BIG as we can by advancing the dream of running restaurants in space.”
Bill Phelps, CEO, Dave’s Hot Chicken
Since taking the lead role at Dave’s Hot Chicken in 2019, Bill Phelps has been on a mission
to grow the brand from its parking lot pop-up roots to an industry leader. With over 100 open
and 741 units in development, that goal is well under way. Few industry insiders would be
surprised, however, considering Phelps was co-founder and CEO of Wetzel’s Pretzels and an
early investor in Blaze Pizza, two concepts that he helped grow before sinking his teeth into all
things chicken at Dave’s.
“Dave’s Hot Chicken will blow your mind! Every Tender is hot, juicy and spicy,” Phelps said. “Our guests across the world
have shown the same level of enthusiasm for this company that the founders had five years ago when they were operating a
little pop-up in Hollywood.”
Katie Fogertey, CFO, Shake Shack
Katie Fogertey joined the Shake Shack team two years ago at the height of the pandemic and
comes from the sell-side at Goldman Sachs, where she worked for 15 years and was lead
analyst covering the restaurant sector.
Fogertey’s experience in sell-side research gives her a deeper understanding of how the
broader market landscape functions, and her financial experience and capital markets insights
have been key to driving the chain’s drive-thru strategy. It will have 25 open by year’s end,
making up 20% of new locations in 2023.
“We’re building added convenience at touch points where our guests really want that, and we’re also providing them a great
in-Shack experience,” she said. “So if you’re with your kids and you’re in a rush, come through our drive-through, get your
dinner, get your lunch. But if you want to hang out for a little bit longer with the family or with friends... come into the Shack.
Hang out, eat. It’s a great experience.”
35
Top 25 Executives
Prakash Karamchandani and
HoChan Jang, co-founders, Balance Pan-Asian Grille
The remarkable success of the Balance restaurants would not be possible without the founders
Prakash Karamchandani, also known as PK, and HoChan Jang, known as CJ. PK adds a forwardthinking spin on technology within the restaurant industry and CJ leads the culinary team.
With a technology and software programming background, PK manages all marketing, finance
and technology, pioneering a peer management operational model, developing his own
proprietary technologies that rival those of some of the industry’s biggest brands, and creating
an employee-centric, Balance Family culture rooted in technology and good will.
After growing up in his family’s restaurant business, CJ is a self-taught chef and mastermind
behind the development and design of the Balance Grille menu, which includes bowls, tacos,
snacks and bubble tea. Also, a large part of Balance’s menu influence comes from CJ’s
previous career in personal training and education in nutrition and his personal commitment
to showing both returning and new guests the impact of a macro-conscious Asian diet, which
means each meal is created to be veggie heavy with protein secondary.
The PK and CJ duo is also employee-centered, adopting practices and policies that have a positive impact on the diligent
workers who make their business run smoothly, and the communities they serve. The Toledo, Ohio-based entrepreneurs
have vowed since the inception of their concept in 2010 to pay employees above minimum wage and have created a
“managerless” form of restaurant operation.
Scott Deviney, president and CEO, Chicken Salad Chick
When Scott Deviney joined Chicken Salad Chick as president and CEO in 2015, the chain
had 35 locations. By 2019, it had more than tripled in size and was sold to prominent private
equity firm Brentwood Associates with Deviney’s guidance. Alongside Deviney and Brentwood
Associates, the brand has grown to over 225 restaurants in 17 states today.
Deviney attributes much of his success at Chicken Salad Chick to the remarkable team he has
built, with the united vision and purpose of spreading joy, enriching lives and serving others. In
2022, the brand opened more than two dozen restaurants. Thanks to a strategic concentric circle growth model that Deviney
implemented, Chicken Salad Chick has steadily dominated regions across the Southeast to the Midwest. Beyond the growth
strategy, what’s been key to the brand’s success is the balanced mix of opening company stores alongside both new and
existing franchise owners and having the right partners in place. Today, approximately 25 to 30% of the 225 restaurants are
company-owned and 70 to 80% franchised.
“We’ve stayed true to our purpose, handpicking each franchise owner we welcome to the brand, carefully growing in markets
that resonate with our core values and serving fresh, delicious food to communities we genuinely care about. We are on our
way to becoming America’s favorite place for chicken salad.”
36
Top 25 Executives
Chris Baggott, CEO, ClusterTruck
Chris Baggott has been an entrepreneur, leader and futurist in data-driven software and data
innovation for over 20 years. In the early 2000s, he co-founded ExactTarget, a provider of
digital marketing automation and analytics software and service, and in 2012, the company
executed an IPO and was later acquired by tech giant Salesforce for $2.7 billion.
He later went on to co-found Compendium Software, a pioneer in data-driven content
marketing that was later acquired by Oracle. In 2015, Baggott brought his tech background
to the on-demand food delivery market as co-founder and CEO of ClusterTruck, a software
platform that powers profitable, vertically integrated delivery-only kitchens.
ClusterTruck’s proprietary software uses custom algorithms and machine learning to optimize kitchen and delivery
operations. After leading technology companies through periods of profitable growth, Baggott applied this experience
to reinvent profitable food delivery from an advanced software perspective.
Baggott is an avid angel investor and mentor to tech startups that are fueling the next generation of innovation. A native
of Pittsburgh, he now resides near Indianapolis in Greenfield, Indiana.
Stacey Pool, CMO, Noodles & Co
Stacey Pool, CMO of Noodles & Co, has overseen the company’s industry-leading initiatives
since January 2020, helping to launch its top-performing campaigns over the last few years,
including Cauliflower Gnocchi, Tortelloni, LEANguini and many culinary tests
Pool also spearheaded Noodles’ national partnership with Impossible Foods, adding the firstever plant-based protein option to Noodles’ menu in 2022. She’s most proud of the viral launch
of TRUFFMac, however, the partnership between Noodles & TRUFF Hot Sauce that garnered
over 194 million impressions across Noodles media and influencer relations, making the campaign one of Noodles’ most
successful to date.
In May 2022, she also led the nationwide launch of Noodles’ brand platform Uncommon Goodness and the “Noodles
Biggest Fan” campaign. Both campaigns received nationwide attention for encompassing Noodles’ brand mission and
values. The exec is also invested in the well-being of her team and local community and has been integral in championing
the expansion of the industry-leading Noodles benefits program. In 2023, she led Noodles’ partnership with BetterHelp, the
world’s largest therapy platform, to offer Noodles’ guests $1 million in free online therapy services, furthering the brand’s
mission to offer its guests and team members uncommonly good offers and experiences.
37
Top 25 Executives
Sam Rothschild, COO, Slim Chickens
Since joining the Slim Chickens team in 2013 when the chain had only 13 locations, COO Sam
Rothschild has been a champion for the chain’s franchisees. Together, they’ve grown the chain
to over 215 locations.
“We built Slim Chickens with a well-rounded and resilient backbone for franchisee owners and
partners alike to ensure that no stone remains unturned,” Rothschild said. “The success we
continue to see despite recent years of industry woes is a clear indication in the way we are able
to support both our franchisees and our franchise partners, placing adaptability at our core and
keeping our promise to share our southern hospitality and original quality tenders to communities across the globe.”
Before joining Slim Chickens, Rothschild held executive operations and franchise development positions with franchise
industry leaders including Metromedia Restaurant Group, Romacorp, Inc., Applebee’s International and Hooters of America.
Adenah Bayoh, founder, Cornbread
“When you have a seat at the table, move over and make room for someone else to sit down as
well,” is advice that Cornbread founder Adenah Bayoh freely gives as part of her mission to not
only grow her soul food restaurant, but to also bring jobs to the communities it serves. Nearly
87% of Cornbread’s employees are from vulnerable and underserved neighborhoods.
Bayoh is also on a mission to create more affordable housing for her Newark, New Jersey
community. Last year, she partnered with community organizer Octavia Frazier-Porter to apply
for a 9% low income housing tax credit to build Southside View, a 40-unit property that will open soon in Newark’s South Ward.
“Affordable housing finance in New Jersey has a blind spot when it comes to race and gender,” said Bayoh, who escaped
civil war in Liberia and grew up living in public housing and attended public schools in Newark, before building a real estate
development and restaurant portfolio and becoming the second-largest employer in Irvington, New Jersey. “Newark needs
projects like Southside View, both to help the city reach its five-year plan of creating 6,660 new affordable housing units and
to bridge the disparity, especially the racial disparity, of who gets to decide what gets built in our community and how.”
Stratis Morfogen,
founder and CEO, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
Stratis Morfogen, with his extensive knowledge and experience in the restaurant industry, and
fast casual space, has proven to be a leading figure in the field, owning multiple successful
restaurants including Brooklyn Chop House, where he transformed deli and diner sandwiches
into dumplings, which led to the creation of Brooklyn Dumpling Shop. The 24-hour automat
that uses contactless technology began franchising before its flagship store even opened, in
addition to being the first contactless restaurant.
Morfogen, who is the author of “Damn Good Dumplings,” and “Be a Disruptor: Streetwise Lessons for Entrepreneurs—from the
Mob to Mandates,” was named Reader’s Choice Operator Innovator of the Year at the 2022 Self-Service Innovation Summit.
38
Top 25 Executives
Laura Rea Dickey, CEO, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
Laura Rea Dickey has been with Dickey’s Barbecue Pit since 2009 and most recently served
as Chief Information Officer before transitioning to CEO in 2017. As CIO, she implemented
a technology infrastructure for the brand, bringing parity and integration to data reporting,
information security and all-digital sales channels.
In her time as CEO, Dickey has overseen the expansion of the brand by 28%, opened 15
international locations in seven countries, and experienced the highest sales day in the
brand’s 81-year history, with the past three years being same-store sales positive. She has managed the launch of three
virtual brands, opened a USDA processing plant to ensure the brand’s signature kielbasa artisan sausages are always
available to guests and retailers, and optimized the brand’s menu by 42%. She’s also had a large hand in creating and
publishing the brand’s second cookbook, “Behind the BBQ: Recipes, Cocktails & Tall Tales from Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.”
Alonso Castañeda,
VP of Brand Strategy & Development, Savory Restaurant Fund
Since joining Utah-based Savory Restaurant Fund, Alonso Castaneda has led brand
campaigns and implementation of customer-facing systems Via 313, The Crack Shack,
Mo’Bettahs, R&R BBQ and Swig.
He not only streamlined catering systems to generate same-store sales growth but also
improved loyalty programs that have helped with customer retention and new customer
acquisition. He recently implemented an AI phone system to never miss a call and capture databases, which helped increase
same-store sales growth.
“Alonso is one of the best talents I’ve ever worked with — and he is pivotal to Savory’s success,” Shauna Smith, CEO of Savory
said. “He’s a true value-added executive who expertly moves the needle on a daily basis. Alonso has an in-depth knowledge
of sales and marketing, and he is a gifted leader who manages his teams with a heaping dose of managerial courage and
unapologetic accountability. Plus, he’s just a good human who’s a delight to be around. It’s an honor to work with him.”
Anchal Lamba, president, Gong Cha Tea
A 2019 recipient of Forbes Magazine’s prestigious 30 Under 30 accolade, Anchal Lamba grew
up in New York and developed a passion for bubble tea at an early age. She opened her first
Gong Cha store in 2014 and has led the brand through an explosive era of growth over the past
seven years.
She now oversees over 120 locations across the northeast and Texas, marking the personal
milestone of opening her 100th store just last year, with plans to open more by the end of 2023.
39
Top 25 Executives
Kelly Roddy, CEO, WOWorks
Since WOWorks launched in 2020 as the parent company of SaladWorks, Frutta Bowls,
Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh and The Simple Greek, Kelly Roddy has been at the helm. Last
year, the company added Zoup and Barberitos to its portfolio, and Roddy has created a business
philosophy called the “One WOW! Way” that permeates the entire organization from operations,
guest relations, execution and innovation to franchise owners, vendor partner relationships,
cause marketing and sustainability programs.
Under Roddy’s leadership in 2022, the company opened 14 locations (four Saladworks, two Frutta Bowls, one Garbanzo
Mediterranean Fresh, three Zoup Eatery, and four co-branded locations) and signed 21 deals to open 21 more locations.
Saladworks announced its menu is available for on-the-go meals, takeout, and delivery through partnership with two new
Kitchen United Mix Food Hall locations in Columbus, Ohio. WOWorks streamlined its restaurants operations processes
and boosted its guest loyalty program through partnerships with QU’s cloud-based POS system, Olo Rails, which allows
the management of a centralized menu that automatically pushes to third-party marketplaces; Olo Dispatch, which offers
branded delivery directly through each restaurant brand’s sites and apps; Punchh, which sends direct messaging to a
guest’s phones and emails, a loyalty program and the ability to run campaigns and restaurant promotions; and World Pay,
a merchant services and payment processing provider that offers a payment gateway for online transactions. Roddy also
directed the opening of seven ghost kitchen locations through its partnership with Combo Kitchen as well as two Reef hubs
via Reef Technology.
Lastly, by 2027, the company will source all of its turkey and pork from farms that have earned an independent animal welfare
certification recognized by the ASPCA Shop With Your Heart program.
Samantha Rincione,
co-founder, CEO and COO, Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ
Samantha Rincione, the co-founder and CEO of Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ, believes every
franchisee is family and is treated as such. She ensures that franchisees have help with real
estate, acquiring SBA loans and developing locations, and have access to an in-house general
contractor to help with quick and efficient openings. The team also has multiple trainers and
operations individuals on staff for 24/7 assistance, which is no surprise considering Rincione
knows what it’s like to be a franchisee. She was previously the largest multi-unit franchisee
with Red Mango, Smoothie Factory and Red Mango Cafe, owning and operating 10 stores on Long Island, New York. During
her tenure as a multi-unit franchisee, her stores were utilized as corporate training stores.
Rincione has also been an integral force in the franchising sector for many years, having founded Emerging Franchises, a
franchise development firm, which developed and built franchise companies from the ground up, specializing in emerging
brands. Emerging Franchises was responsible for creating franchise operations systems and growing brands from one and,
in some cases hundreds, of units.
Under her leadership, Crave sold 35 franchise agreements in 2022, a record for the brand, and expects to more than double
that in 2023.
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Top 25 Executives
Eduardo Luz,
chief brand and concept officer, Panera Bread
Eduardo Luz came to Panera in May 2020 as chief brand and concept officer, bringing over 25
years of senior leadership experience in brand, concept, marketing and general management.
Before joining Panera, he spent six years with The Kraft Heinz Company, including as global
brand officer and CMO for the U.S., and president of Grocery, the company’s largest division.
Most recently, Luz, who keynoted the Fast Casual Executive Summit in 2021, defined the start-up strategy, brand position, and
innovation for 8 Greens, where he served as CEO, setting the business on an explosive growth trajectory.
In 2022 under Luz’s direction, the chain launched its first Panera To Go, a digital-only café focused on off-premise dining in
Chicago. It’s the first of three test locations opening this year. The upcoming stores will be in California and Washington, D.C.,
according to a press release.
“We strive to make it easy for our guests to access Panera’s chef-curated menu in the most convenient way. Panera To Go
creates yet another access point for our guests, via Rapid Pick-Up or delivery in locations where Panera has not historically
operated,” Luz said in the release.
Tony Gemignani, founder, Slice House
It’s been quite a year for Tony Gemignani, who was named as Pizza Marketplace’s Top 100
executive of the year. As the name and face behind Slice House by Tony Gemignani, he is seeking
to make slices a top seller on the pizza market. Slice has 50 units in operation or development
in its first year of operation, and Gemignani has plans to make Slice House a household name
across the country.
The former World Pizza Cup Champion and author of the “Pizza Bible” also owns several other
pizza concepts, including Pizza Rock in Las Vegas and Tony Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco, which regularly tops “Best Of”
lists across the country.
41
Top 25 Executives
Aaron Noveshen, CEO, Starbird
Starbird has benefited from Aaron Noveshen’s launch of The Culinary Edge in 2002 with the
mission to fuse culinary excellence, operational excellence and human-centered design to create
a more delicious and prosperous future. Since TCE’s inception, Noveshen and his team have
co-created over 25 global and regional restaurant brands. It is this in-depth knowledge and
experience that ignited the creation of Starbird. Noveshen has paved the way for restaurants
of the future through his passion for virtual brand innovation and tech-driven conveniences.
Understanding that the food delivery industry was slated to surpass $200 billion by 2025, he
sought to grow Starbird’s footprint outside of its streetside locations by developing a suite of virtual brands to be sold across
multiple physical and digital platforms.
Noveshen was also responsible for implementing an ethical code of brand values that led to an employee enrichment program
offering team members the opportunity to better themselves through education. Through the program, Starbird is committed
to contributing tuition reimbursements of $100,000 a year and up to $5,000 per employee each year. This reimbursement can
be used toward higher education in any area of study at an accredited institution of choice. The brand also partnered with a
comprehensive language learning system to offer free online memberships for all employees. Starbird continues to receive
accolades year-after-year recognizing the brand as a “best place to work,” largely due to this program, the people and the
brand values.
Ahmed Abouelenein, CEO, The Halal Guys
Ahmed Abouelenein, CEO of The Halal Guys, has overseen unprecedented growth this past
year, including opening 13 units in Q4 of 2022. The Halal Guys may have begun as a hot dog
cart on the corner of a busy street in New York City, but Abouelenein has led it to surpass 100
international locations, and the chain has over 400 locations in development.
Abouelenein has also developed key marketing campaigns that have driven incredible growth,
developed an industry-leading supply chain that allows The Halal Guys to run smoothly from
coast to coast, and implemented a state-of-the-art tech stack that’s kept THG customers constantly engaged with the brand.
42
Top 25 Executives
Ashley Morris, CEO, Capriotti’s and Wing Zone
Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Wing Zone Franchise, isn’t afraid to
dream big. He recently said he hopes to have 3,500 locations and knows that partnering with the
right people is key.
“We’re a people-first company, a mentality that includes the franchisees we permit to become
a part of our brands,” he said.
A franchise fee buy-in for a Capriotti’s location is $30,000, and with building space and other
factors included, the total tab is usually somewhere between $500,000 and $550,000.
“We built an organization that can support a franchise organization. That said, the franchise partner of today is much
different than 10 or 20 years ago,” he said. “In many walks of life, people have experienced frustrations in past employment.
They may have realized that they were building other people’s dreams. I believe, though, that this world is more
entrepreneurial now than it’s ever been.”
Chris Smith, CEO, Zunzi’s and Zunzibar
While so many restaurants struggle with complex operational structures and tight margins,
Chris Smith’s hybrid model of incorporating fast casual service into its full bar, which serves
signature cocktails and craft beer, has been a game changer for the brand. By using QR codes
and kiosks, the brand minimizes the number of servers needed and allows the “service” team
to focus on the guest experience instead of having to take food orders.
Since Smith purchased the brand in 2014, he wanted to figure out his life purpose and align it
with Zunzi’s mission. In the process, he realized the importance of Zunzi’s controversial “Shit Yeah” motto and made it the
promise to the brand’s six stakeholders: TEAM, FRANCHISEES, FANS, COMMUNITY, VENDORS and INVESTORS — in that
order. After refining the brand’s South African-inspired menu and defining its culture, Smith opened a second fast casual
location in Atlanta in 2018. This process set into motion the third iteration of Zunzi’s model that now includes Zunzibar.
43
INDEX
Aaron Noveshen, CEO, Starbird
42
Duck Donuts
30
Adenah Bayoh, founder, Cornbread
38
Eduardo Luz, chief brand and concept
officer, Panera Bread
41
Fatburger
16
Ahmed Abouelenein, CEO,
The Halal Guys
42
Alonso Castañeda, VP of Brand Strategy &
Development, Savory Restaurant Fund
39
Fazoli's
6
Prakash Karamchandani and
HoChan Jang, co-founders,
Balance Pan-Asian Grille
36
Qdoba
30
Rise Southern
24
Saladworks
11
Freddy's Frozen Custard &
Steakburgers
14
Salata Salad Kitchen
23
Ashley Morris, CEO, Capriotti’s and Wing
Zone
43
Fresh Baguette
25
Sam Rothschild, COO, Slim Chickens
38
Garden Catering
25
Au Bon Pain
21
Geoff Alexander,
Samantha Rincione, co-founder and
CEO, Crave Hot Dogs and BBQ
40
Balance Pan-Asian Grille
29
president & CEO, Wow Bao
33
Schlotzsky's
13
Gong Cha
15
Scott Deviney, president and CEO,
Anchal Lamba, president, Gong Cha Tea 39
Big Chicken
5
Bill Phelps, CEO, Dave’s Hot Chicken
35
Grainmaker
31
Blaze Pizza
15
Hawaiian Bros Island Grill
28
HCKHOTCHICKEN
24
Ike's Love and Sandwiches
18
Bonchon
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
7
18
BurgerFi International
8
Island Fin Poke Company
23
Capriotti's/Wing Zone
9
Jamba
14
Chicken Salad Chick
36
Shake Shack
14
Shipley Do-Nuts
26
Slice House
27
Slim Chickens
9
Smashburger
12
Smokey Bones
26
Cheba Hut
25
Jersey Mike's Subs
12
Chick N Max
16
Josh Halpern, CEO, Big Chicken
35
Juice It Up
20
Baguette, Hot Chikn Kitchn, California
Tortilla, Garden Catering
34
Chicken Salad Chick
5
Stacey Kane, fractional CMO, Fresh
Chipotle
27
Katie Fogertey, CFO, Shake Shack
35
Stacey Pool, CMO, Noodles & Co
37
Chris Baggott, CEO, ClusterTruck
37
Kelly Roddy, CEO, WOWorks
40
Starbird
20
Chris Smith, CEO, Zunzi's and Zunzibar 43
Clean Juice
17
ClusterTruck
20
Condado Tacos
23
Cookie Plug
26
Cornbread
28
Cowboy Chicken
27
Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ
10
Crazy Pita
29
Curry Up Now
19
Dave Mikita, president, International
and Retail Channels Focus Brands
33
Laura Rea Dickey,
Stratis Morfogen, founder and CEO,
CEO, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
39
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
38
McAlister's Deli
24
Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe
17
Michelle Bythewood, president, Salata 34
Teriyaki Madness
15
Mici Handcrafted Italian
22
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill 22
Mo’Bettahs
22
The Halal Guys
Moe's Southwest Grill
18
Toastique
Native Foods
30
Tony Gemignani, founder, Slice House 41
Nekter Juice Bar
19
Torchy's Tacos
17
Noodles & Co
31
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
11
Panera Bread
19
Velvet Taco
13
Penn Station East Coast Subs
24
WaBa Grill
16
33
Dave's Hot Chicken
4
PITA Mediterranean Street Food
12
Wing Snob
Dickey's Barbecue Pit
7
Playa Bowls
31
Wow Bao
Pokeworks
10
Zunzi's + Zunzibar
Dog Haus
13
8
29
6
28
44