I got a press release yesterday on the market research firm Technomic’s 2007 Top 100 Casual Dining Report. Speaking of cheeseburgers (see previous post), I thought this was a telling two paragraphs from the report. I'm not sure whether the juxtaposition was deliberate or not, but it certainly seems relevant when I read the comments on the bacon cheeseburger entry:

Last year, concern over trans-fats took center stage, with several casual dining chains, including major players such as Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Chili’s, racing to remove trans-fats from menu items.  

Even as the largest casual dining chains turned in solid performances last year, it is interesting to note the exceptional growth of several smaller up-and-coming chains. Cheeseburger in Paradise topped this list, with a whopping 62 percent estimated growth in sales over 2005.

If the business side of restaurants interests you, here's the link to another article on top ten growth chains this year on the Restaurant Hospitality Web site.