FoodService Director’s sister publication Restaurant Business has released its annual Future 50 list, a ranking of the fastest-growing small to medium-sized chains based on data from its research sister, Technomic. Here are some options that may be a good fit for a branded concept at a noncommercial operation.
Photos courtesy of respective brands
The self-described anti-establishment establishment, &pizza continues to expand its units and menu offerings. Its upcoming location in Boston, for example, will be a pizza-bakery hybrid formed in partnership with Milk Bar. The chain also partners with local charities to support the communities it serves.
This seafood-focused fast casual has an average check of $10 and serves a variety of seafood that is sustainably sourced in accordance with Monterey Bay Aquarium guidelines. Consumers have their pick of dishes such as bowls, salads, poke and tacos.
Burger Lounge aims to be as sustainable as possible. The chain uses eco-friendly to-go packaging, its tabletops are made from recycled water bottles and it even converts its leftover cooking oil into biofuel. Its menu offers burgers and sandwiches made with grass-fed beef, cage-free turkey and chicken and sustainably sourced cod along with salads, sides and shakes.
Honeygrow offers customizable stir-fries and salads. Its name stems from the chain’s honey bar, where customers can build their own bowl of fruit and top it with different types of honey. It also has a smaller spinoff, Minigrow, which specializes in customizable noodles.
Currently operating 27 locations in six states, R Taco began in Dallas, with its first location built in a refurbished gas station. Its menu is made up of street food-inspired tacos that are served with housemade sauces and salsas. Consumers can select from vegan options as well as breakfast tacos that are offered all day.
Maple Street Biscuit Co. offers a menu built on fresh biscuits with other Southern classics such as chicken and waffles and fried green tomatoes. Consumers looking for a caffeine fix can sign up for the chain’s monthly coffee program. Maple Street also recently began serving Mason jar salads and has rolled out online ordering.
Dog Haus puts its own twist on the hot dog by serving its encased meats in Hawaiian rolls. Last year, the chain moved to serving only vegetarian-fed meats that are raised without antibiotics or hormones.
This concept was founded by two mothers who wanted to provide healthier food for their families. Its menu offers soups, salads, wraps, smoothies and bowls made with locally sourced ingredients as well as a juice cleanse program that allows consumers to customize their cleanse and pick up their juices at its locations.
Dubbing itself a craft-casual restaurant, Even Stevens Sandwiches serves creative sandwiches such as the Do Gouda (shaved New York steak, smoked Gouda, sweet onion marmalade, red onion, greens, sourdough) and Turkey Day (turkey, Havarti, cranberry-jalapeno jelly, slow-roasted tomato spread, cucumbers, greens, French bread). The chain also has a charity component: For every sandwich sold, the chain gives a sandwich to a local nonprofit.
This Ohio-based chain has more than 10 locations throughout the state, including two licensed locations at Case Western Reserve University and Progressive Field in Cleveland. Although it specializes in creative grilled cheeses, consumers can also order lighter options such as salads as well as vegan dishes including vegan chili and tofu “wings.”
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