September 3, 2025

To put it lightly, raising money has been a challenging and convoluted experience in recent years. What’s the deal with valuations? Should you go to a bank? IPO? Partner? Let’s take the pulse of the landscape and provide some actionable ideas to get funding for your restaurant growth.

Remember when having a drive-thru disqualified you from being a fast casual? Those days are long gone as technology and the need for convenience continue to surge. How can fast casuals get credit for their differentiators and what do customers care most about? Is it food, service, or something else? Let’s explore the blurring of the lines and what it means for the quick-service category going forward.