QSR February 2023

February QSR / LIMITED-SERVICE , UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES P.57 +

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S F E B R U A R Y

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D E P A R T M E N T S

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N E W S 14 FRANCHISE FORWARD Taste of Growth

How one franchise group laid a blueprint for 1,000 locations. BY BEN COLEY 50 INNOVATION The Wonders of Web3 The always-innovative Wow Bao has another customer engagement

tool on deck. BY ISABELLA SHERK

I N S I G H T 11 FRESH IDEAS

Letting the Dogs Out One of the industry’s most nostalgic categories is riding a wave of comfort-food preference. BY ISABELLA SHERK 52 OUTSIDE INSIGHTS From Resignation to Retention Perhaps the evolution of the restaurant labor market needs to start from within. BY RAHKEEM MORRIS 56 START TO FINISH Adam Romo The CEO of Eatzi’s Market & Bakery came into the industry by accident. But he’s more than made up for lost time since.

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DADDY’S CHICKEN SHACK GM LARRY NORMAN HELPS THE RISING FAST CASUAL DELIVER ON ITS HOSPITALITY PROMISE.

DADDY’S CHICKEN SHACK, YONUTZ, PLOMO QUESADILLAS

16 The 40/40 List BY QSR STAFF

42 A New Future of Fast Casual BY CALL IE EVERGREEN

Our seventh edition of The 40/40 List once again recognizes 40 fast casuals with fewer than 40 locations that we believe are on the verge of something big. The theme this year? Not just resilience, but reinvigoration as well.

The pandemic inspired fast casuals to adopt drive-thrus and delivery, marking the beginning of a new innovation era that has led to new restaurant designs and technological solutions to supply chain and labor shortage challenges.

2 BRANDED CONTENT

4 EDITOR’S LETTER

7 SHORT ORDER

80 ADVERTISER INDEX

O N T H E C O V E R Daddy’s Chicken Shack has developed a massive growth pipeline in a short period of time. PHOTOGRAPHY: DADDY’S CHICKEN SHACK / SHANNON O’HARA

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www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | FEBRUARY 2023

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