{"id":7865,"date":"2016-09-29T11:17:03","date_gmt":"2016-09-29T11:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsroom.chainstoreguide.com\/?p=7865"},"modified":"2016-09-29T11:17:03","modified_gmt":"2016-09-29T11:17:03","slug":"five-fast-casual-poke-concepts-to-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chainstoreguide.com\/offthechain\/2016\/09\/five-fast-casual-poke-concepts-to-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Fast-Casual Poke Concepts to Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Signs are that poke is ready to shed the \u201cemerging\u201d piece of the \u201cemerging trend\u201d label that it\u2019s picked up in the last 12-18 months as the popularity of the fast-casual version of the dish spreads out from the West Coast.<\/p>\n

In short, poke (pronounced \u2018po-kay\u2019) is a Hawaiian raw fish salad traditionally comprised of diced tuna, seaweed and inamona<\/em> (ground kukui nuts and salt). In its current form, one that lends itself well to the build-your-own fast-casual trend, poke often consists of a rice bowl with seasoned sushi-grade raw fish, various veg toppings with a Japanese bent, and sauce (of the soy-, ponzu- and sriracha-based varieties among others, including more authentic approaches). Other Japanese-inspired menu items, like nori wraps, are common.<\/p>\n

The appeal for investors seeking to build out a fast-casual poke empire is rooted in the small menu, small space and relatively small investment requirements. The appeal to consumers lies in healthy menu choices and that it’s \u201clike sushi, but different\u201d in the fast-casual space.<\/p>\n

Restaurant groups across the country are looking for their opportunity to become the next Chipotle or Blaze (minus the whole food poising thing in the case of the former). Chain Store Guide<\/strong> is tracking the emerging concepts and adding poke-based fast-casual chains and chain-lets to our Database of Chain Restaurant Operators<\/em> on a regular basis. Here are five of the ones that we\u2019re watching:<\/p>\n