restaurant-chain
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Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
Firebirds found a durable gap between the neighborhood grill and the expense-account steakhouse. Now, with 71 restaurants, a paid loyalty tier and private-equity backing, it is trying to scale the feeling of dinner around a real fire.
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
How a Wichita burger stand named after a Purple Heart veteran turned thin patties, fry sauce, and frozen custard into a roughly 580-store chain worth $700 million.
Del Taco
The Mojave taco stand that grew into America's number-two Mexican drive-thru now serves fries next to burritos, runs a loyalty app with four heat-rated tiers, and just changed hands for the second time in three years.
CAVA
A Rockville sit-down spot run by three childhood friends turned into a Mediterranean chain worth billions - and it did it selling harissa and whipped feta to people who a decade ago could not pronounce either.