Fast Casual Executive Summit
Four speakers will give their executive perspectives in an address at the Fast Casual Executive Summit October 7, 2024 in Austin, Texas.
Image: Willie Lawless/ Networld Media Group
July 1, 2025 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Managing Editor, Networld Media Group
The annual Fast Casual Executive Summit, a nexus of innovation and leadership in the restaurant industry, has four speakers once again delivering an electrifying “Executive Perspectives” session designed to ignite fresh thinking among its attendees.
This year’s installment, titled “Inspiration for Today’s Restaurant Leaders,” promises to deliver four concise yet impactful talks. From dissecting the future of flavor with Suzy Badaracco’s “Culinary Horizons: Decoding Flavor Patterns for Tomorrow’s Menu” to Steve Felson’s insights on “Developing Leaders Instead of Managers,” and Laura Sporrer’s exploration of “The $490 Billion Accessibility Market: How Fast-Casual Brands Can Win by Prioritizing Guest Experience for All,” the panel talk offers a multifaceted look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the fast-casual landscape.
The session, sponsored by INFI, will be take place Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, as part of the Fast Casual Executive Summit happening October 5-7, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
The Fast Casual Executive Summit brings together c-suite level executives for a two-and-a-half-day workshop aimed at bettering the restaurant industry as a whole. The Fast Casual Executive Summit is owned by Networld Media Group, publishers of Fastcasual.com, QSRweb and Pizza Marketplace. The company’s next in-person event is the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit which will take place March 16-18, 2026 in San Diego, California.
Two panelists, Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides, and Steve Felson, SVP, operations and training for The Buona Companies, shared insight ahead of the event, via email interviews, on challenges facing restaurants today and how to overcome challenges.
Q: What is the most pressing issue facing restaurants today and how can restaurants overcome it?
Felson: The primary challenge facing restaurants today is the persistent labor shortage and the shifting dynamics of the workforce. To address this issue, establishments can implement strategies such as improving employee benefits, providing competitive salaries, and creating a supportive work environment that emphasizes staff well-being. Furthermore, investing in technology to optimize operations can help reduce the workload on current employees, enabling restaurants to sustain service quality while adapting to the changing labor market.
Badaracco: The most pressing issue right now is navigating consumer volatility. Financial stressors, shifting health priorities, and the influence of new medications like GLP-1s (Ozempic, Wegovy) are reshaping how and when people dine out. This isn’t about temporary mood swings — it’s about evolving core drivers.
To overcome this, restaurants need better foresight, not just more data. They must invest in trend intelligence that looks beyond food fads to understand what’s truly motivating customer behavior. The key is to align strategy with these deeper shifts before they show up in the P&L.
Q: What is one thing restaurants do right when it comes to operations?
Felson: Restaurants excel in their operational efficiency by implementing streamlined processes that enhance both service speed and customer satisfaction. By adopting technology such as point-of-sale systems and online reservation platforms, they can manage orders and table availability more effectively. This not only reduces wait times for patrons but also allows staff to focus on delivering a high-quality dining experience. Additionally, effective inventory management ensures that ingredients are fresh and readily available, minimizing waste and optimizing costs. Overall, these operational strategies contribute significantly to a restaurant’s success in a competitive market.
Badaracco: One thing fast casual restaurants are doing right is embracing modularity — designing menus and operations that flex for takeout, delivery, dine-in, and digital customization. This agility has kept them competitive.
But where many go wrong is chasing too many trends at once without strategic alignment. Adding buzzworthy items that don’t fit the brand can confuse customers and strain the kitchen. The fix? Be selective. Vet every new idea through the lens of your brand’s identity and consumer drivers — if it doesn’t serve both, it’s a distraction, not an innovation.
Q: What about something wrong they’re doing and how can they address it?
Felson:Addressing cultural issues within an organization is crucial for fostering a positive work environment. It is essential to identify specific cultural misalignments that may be detrimental to employee morale and productivity. Once these issues are recognized, organizations can implement strategies such as open dialogue, training programs, and inclusive policies to promote a healthier culture. By actively engaging employees in discussions about cultural values and expectations, organizations can create a more cohesive and supportive atmosphere that encourages collaboration and respect.
Badaracco: One thing fast casual restaurants are doing right is embracing modularity — designing menus and operations that flex for takeout, delivery, dine-in, and digital customization. This agility has kept them competitive.
But where many go wrong is chasing too many trends at once without strategic alignment. Adding buzzworthy items that don’t fit the brand can confuse customers and strain the kitchen. The fix? Be selective. Vet every new idea through the lens of your brand’s identity and consumer drivers — if it doesn’t serve both, it’s a distraction, not an innovation.
Q: What is one trend we’ll see soon 5and how will it affect restaurant operations?
Felson: As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, one significant trend we can anticipate is the integration of AI-driven systems in restaurant operations, which will fundamentally transform the interactions between guests and employees. This technology will streamline processes such as ordering and payment, allowing for a more efficient and personalized dining experience. Guests may find themselves engaging with AI interfaces for menu selections and recommendations, while employees can focus on enhancing service quality and addressing customer needs. Ultimately, this shift will foster a more dynamic relationship between patrons and staff, as technology takes on routine tasks, enabling human interactions to become more meaningful and tailored.
Badaracco: One trend coming fast is the rise of hybrid meals — where customers combine grocery-prepped elements with restaurant meals or use snacks in place of full meals. This shift is blurring the lines between QSR, grocery, and convenience channels.
For restaurants, this means adjusting portion sizes, offering more grab-and-go formats, and rethinking how to position items like sides or shareables as flexible meal components. Those who succeed will treat their menus like a toolkit—letting consumers build meals their way, without adding complexity to back-of-house operations.
To register for the Fast Casual Executive Summit, click here.
About Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
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An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.Â
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