HARLINGEN — The restaurant industry has seen the future, and it is fast and casual.
Defining what “fast casual” means isn’t so simple, with some saying it involves more time to sit down and eat than at a “fast food” eatery, and the food is fresher and more nutritious.
Kinda like Chipotle is what most people agree on.
Even restaurant companies are all over the food map trying to define the category. What they do form a consensus on, besides the fact that they all say they offer a fast-casual dining experience, is that mid-markets like Harlingen are ground zero when it comes to locating new franchises.
A national study of quick-service restaurant expansion rankings from NPD Group finds Harlingen (lumped in with Weslaco, Brownsville and McAllen) ties for fifth-best spot for new fast casual restaurants.
NPD Group focuses on restaurant industry trends.
That’s good news for diners in the Rio Grande Valley who are looking for new and healthful restaurant offerings.
Tim Markle is director of business development for Mooyah Burgers, Fries and Shakes. The Plano-based restaurant chain has more than three dozen franchises operating in Texas, but its only Valley presence is in McAllen with a single eatery.
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