The Evolution of Fast Casual

Fast casual restaurants, with their upscale ambiance and promises of higher quality food, continue to be the driver of restaurant industry growth.

According to the Chicago-based research firm Technomic, fast-casual brands increased their collective annual sales by 12.8 percent to $30 billion in 2014. That growth was nearly twice that of any other restaurant segment.

“Whether they offer the customization of a build-your-own format or just their made-to-order signature dishes, fast-casual chains clearly hit the sweet spot with consumers,” said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic.