11 Fast Casual Restaurant Chains That Should be on Your Radar in 2022

If you are considering investing in a fast-casual restaurant chain, the timing has never been better. Fast-casual dining is enjoying rising popularity which makes it offer a stunning return on investment. This post will help you learn about fast casual franchises that are enjoying a dominant position in the industry. 

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill

This is another great franchise that is dedicated to bringing the best of Greek cuisine to America. The restaurant was founded by two friends who met while attending college in Los Angeles. They had a shared love for Greek food and wanted to share their culture with the world. The Great Greek currently has 27 locations across the country. The menu features all the classic Greek dishes that you would expect to find such as Gyros, Souvlaki, and Baklava. 

The Halal Guys

The Halal Guys was founded in 1990 by three immigrants who opened a food cart in New York City to serve authentic Halal food. The enterprising immigrants had tapped into an unexplored and underserved market. Their authentic American Halal food experienced a widening fan base that was drawn to their warm hospitality and fresh delicious food. Their humble beginnings have grown into a global enterprise that has over 400 restaurants in 94 different locations.  

Ike’s Love & Sandwiches 

Since 2007, Ike’s Love and Sandwiches has been wowing patrons with their massive sandwiches and very diverse toppings. Their innovative menu offers up to more than 800 novelty sandwiches that are made of fresh bread. The restaurant is especially popular for Ike’s secret formula Dirty Sauce which is baked into their sourdough, French Dutch Crunch bread and gluten-free rolls. The beloved chain quickly expanded from one storefront to over 70 locations.

Curry Up Now

Curry Up Now has been redefining how Americans experience Indian food since 2009. The restaurant has been lauded for serving up Indian ingredients and flavors in a recognizable and palatable way. Amazingly, this nationally recognized franchise originated from a food truck before opening their brick and mortar locations that enjoy coast to coast popularity. The restaurant offers a diverse menu that is vegan, vegetarian, halal and gluten-free diets. 

Greek Xpress  

A group of American friends of Greek origin founded this restaurant in 2013 because they wanted a taste of authentic Greek food. They missed the pitas, gyros, baklava, and souvlaki they had enjoyed every summer when their parents took them to Greece to celebrate their heritage. The group was eager to experience the same food in America and share it with the masses. The franchise currently has 8 restaurants in New York City and is quickly expanding. 

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken

This is an innovative, award-winning fast-casual brand that customers celebrate for offering fresh and premium quality food at affordable prices. The franchise was founded by Tom Ferguson, a CIA- trained chef. It serves a signature Righteous Chicken dish that is brined in buttermilk, tenderized, and fried to perfection. The restaurant is also famous for its homemade biscuits that are filled with bold flavors. The franchise has multiple locations across the southern states. 

BurgerFi

Burgers will never go out of style. BurgerFi is one of the country’s fastest-growing burger concepts. The franchise has over 125 restaurants located domestically and internationally. The chain uses completely natural American beef with no growth hormones, antibiotics, chemicals, steroids or additives. They have reinvented the drive-thru concept using their eco-friendly design layouts. 

GFG Café Cuisine

This franchise is one of the biggest and fastest-growing Greek fast restaurants. They are famous for their imported Greek cuisine which is prepared in stores. The restaurant’s roots are found in Athens and the founders have a familial history of operating bakeries there. They have more than 40 corporate locations in New York, Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

Brooklyn Dumpling Shop

It is a 24-hour quick-serve dumpling restaurant that has a contactless ordering system. It made its debut in 2021 and implements state-of-the-art technology in all its logistics. Their ultra-modern food locker technology enables clients to access their meals at peak freshness through a contact-free pick-up option.

Taffer’s Tavern

This franchise was started by Jon Taffer, a hospitality expert who longed for a conducive place where people could meet to eat, drink and exchange stories. These quintessential taverns are known for the camaraderie of their communities. People gather with old friends or make new ones over outstanding signature cocktails, ice-cold beers, and excellent food. 

Wolfnights

This Manhattan-based brand was founded by Itai Afek after he noticed a lack of variety in the late-night food options in New York City. The restaurant combines Thai and Mediterranean cuisine to make unique wraps and sandwiches that offer sweet, savory, salty, chewy, and crunchy flavors. These gourmet wraps are taking the city and soon the country by storm!

Choose one of these franchises for a valuable investment.