The full-service business is witnessing one of the most transformative periods in its history, and the restaurants capitalizing on the current climate don’t play by accepted rules. Think streamlined menus. Clean, fresh, and craveable food. Adaptable, flexible, and dynamic footprints. Entrepreneurial cultures. Tech-ready and off-premises savvy. Hybrid models unafraid to cross segments.

Just like fast casual, these brands are also serving as change-agents for an entire category, establishing a new standard for employee care, culture, sustainability, vendor relationships, and expansion prospects.

We call it NextGen Casual, and this report dives deep into the defining elements and the actions needed to succeed in NextGen Casual Dining. And it concludes with the brands that Food News Media research has identified as the Top 50 NextGen Casual Dining Restaurants.