Over 240 quick informal executives attended the gala to search out out their rankings.
Shaquille O’Neal-owned Large Hen had a lot to cluck about Sunday when it took prime honors on the Quick Informal High 100 Movers & Shakers awards gala in Chicago on the LondonHouse.
Josh Halpern, president, accepted the award for the 40-unit model, which was based in 2018 and has over 340 areas in improvement.
The chain can be planning to be the primary restaurant in area, partnering final 12 months with Blue Origin, based by Jeff Bezos, to develop an training curriculum inspiring future generations about science, expertise, engineering and math careers. The lesson plans helped college students assume creatively about what a brand new menu merchandise may appear like in area. In-store company introduced their accomplished postcards to the Large Hen register to obtain a free child’s sundae. As a part of the newest New Shepard mission, Blue Origin carried these postcards, stamped them “flown to area,” and returned them to the creators.
“2023 was a BIG 12 months for Large Hen,” stated Halpern, who made this 12 months’s checklist of High 25 Quick Informal Executives, which was additionally introduced on the gala. “We greater than doubled our open models from 10 to twenty-eight, popping up in airports, casinos, sports activities arenas, cruise ships and even our first company headquarters. And, we’re huge time excited to proceed constructing partnerships with unimaginable corporations like Amazon, Blue Origin, Hyperlocology, Opus Coaching, Marqii, Ovation and lots of extra within the 12 months forward. Our franchisees have already got greater than 20 leases signed for 2024, and we’re set to discover at the least two new worldwide markets earlier than the 12 months is out. There’s a lot to have a good time already, however none of it will be potential with out our wonderful workforce members and franchisees.”
The 12 months of the hen
Large Hen, who was third on final 12 months’s checklist, wasn’t the one hen model garnering consideration. In reality, Dave’s Scorching Hen, which acquired prime honors in 2023, took second place, and Alabama-based Hen Salad Chick rounded out the highest three, proving that hen manufacturers are hotter than ever, stated Cherryh Cansler, editor of FastCasual.com and co-host of the gala. Alexis Marrero, senior account govt at Loop, joined Cansler on stage as co-host.
“These manufacturers are again within the prime three this 12 months, proving that they’re within the quick informal recreation for the lengthy haul,” she stated. “We’re excited to see what they do over the subsequent 12 months however will probably be watching to see if one other meals class emerges because the business chief.”
Innovation, nimbleness and creativity
Touchdown on the High 100 checklist takes loads of laborious work, and every model incomes the distinction has a couple of issues in widespread: Innovation, nimbleness and creativity. These three attributes had been prime of thoughts as judges sifted via the a whole bunch of nominations acquired over an eight-week interval. After hours of deliberation, the panel settled on 75 manufacturers and 25 executives to spherical out the 2024 Quick Informal High 100 Movers & Shakers checklist.
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| Stacey Kane and Zack Oates settle for their Finest Dressed awards on the High 100 gala. |
FastCasual additionally introduced 4 “particular awards” on the gala in partnership with a couple of distributors. They included:
- Most Liked Supply Model in partnership with Loop: Nekter Juice Bar
- Excellence in Visitor Expertise in partnership with Ovation: Taziki’s Mediterranean Café
- Finest Kiosk Expertise in partnership with Chew: Unique ChopShop
- 2024 Third-Get together Operational Excellence Award in partnership with SuperOrder: L&L Hawaiian BBQ
Who Wore it Finest?
Gala attendees additionally voted for greatest dressed, and prime honors went to Stacey Kane, fractional CMO, and Zack Oates, founding father of Ovation.