“Health Casual” Restaurant Chains Signal A Burgeoning Trend

According to food industry experts, the dining-out standards of American consumers have risen in recent years. Restaurant goers are looking for eateries that offer fast food that is also fresh, healthy and suitable for all kinds of diets, including vegan and gluten-free. Some fast casual restaurant chains are ahead of the curve. Freshii, for example, focuses on what it calls “health casual” in its 75 locations in eight countries; vegetarian and falafel-centered Maoz has restaurants in six U.S. cities and several in Europe; salad-focused Chop't operates in New York City and Washington D.C., and Native Foods Cafe is rapidly opening stores on the West Coast.