Marketing

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Fast Casual Top 100 nominations now open

Nominations will close Jan. 31, and the results will be revealed at an annual awards gala in May in Chicago coinciding with the National Restaurant Association show.

December 11, 2020

Although the Grinch would probably be the ideal mascot to represent 2020, we are going to end the year with a little hope. After all, it's the most wonderful time of the year: Nominations are now open for the annual Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers.

It's true that brands around the world have struggled to stay in business through the pandemic as well as a multitude of protests and a crazy election season. But those same stressors have forced restaurants to double down on what the fast casual industry was built upon: innovation, adaptability and a commitment to doing better.

As always, the Top 100 recognizes the top 75 brands as well as 25 executives leading the fast casual restaurant industry, recognizing growth and sales accomplishments and honoring trendsetters and brands that incorporate technology to enhance the customer experience. And I'm betting the competition will be steeper than ever as we've spent the year bringing you stories about persevering brands pivoting their operations while also helping to feed their communities during one of the toughest years of their lives.

How it works
Brands will nominate themselves here by answering a few questions about their businesses in order to help judges narrow down the list. The second set of questions will ask people to nominate the executives they believe best represent the industry. People may nominate themselves or their colleagues.

Nominations will close Jan. 31, and the results will be revealed at an annual awards gala in May in Chicago coinciding with the National Restaurant Association show.

Because of pandemic restrictions, we hosted a virtual version of the gala in May 2020, where Sweetgreen took top honors. Other past winners have been Wow Bao, Freshii, Smashburger, Dickey's Barbecue, Panera Bread and Fazoli's.

Who will take this year's highest honor?

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