How Hot Is This Fast-Casual Trend?

We already knew Panera was going to start dominating the world (although they have yet to come to New York City), but apparently this fast-casual dining trend has already caught on.

So what exactly is "fast casual?" According to this graphic, the average check is between $8 and $16, the decor is modern and upscale, the service is minimal, but the food is freshly prepared. Panera Bread is the largest fast-casual chain, followed by Chipotle and Panda Express.

Compliments of FastCasual.com and Fast Casual Executive Summit

The Daily Byte is a regular column dedicated to covering interesting food news and trends across the country. Click here for previous columns.