Foodie-friendly fare like braised duck leg, organic quinoa salad and grilled mahi mahi tacos dressed with mango habanero salsa is not likely to find its way onto a traditional fast-food menu anytime soon.
Yet, it is just this sort of gourmet-style, better-for-you cuisine that is remaking the culinary landscape of the quick, limited-service segment of the restaurant industry. While conventional fast-food chains duke it out among themselves to lure the time-challenged diner, they’ve so far been unable to slow the unstoppable momentum of the restaurant industry’s star performer: fast casual.
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A sort of hybrid category that blends the convenience and speediness of fast-food outlets with the innovative, made-to-order dishes typical of more-upscale dining, fast-casual eateries are gobbling up a growing share of the dining-out crowd, usurping business from both drive-through outlets and casual, full-service chains like Applebee’s and Chili’s.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Union Tribune
