9 restaurant chains to watch

Benita is a senior editor for FoodService Director and covers K-12 foodservice. She has been with the publication since 2016. In her spare time, Benita is an avid restaurant-goer and loves to travel extensively.

Heather Lalley is the managing editor of Restaurant Business, Foodservice Director and CSP Daily news. She previously served as editor in chief of Winsight Grocery Business.

Before joining Winsight and Informa, Heather spent nearly a decade as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Spokane, Washington. She is the author of "The Chicago Homegrown Cookbook." She holds a journalism degree from Northwestern University and is a graduate of the two-year baking and pastry program at Washburne Culinary Institute in Chicago.

She is the mother of two and rarely passes up a chance to eat tater tots.