The “Challenges in Restaurant Facilities Management: How are Restaurant Facilities Maintenance Teams Responding to COVID-19?” webinar, hosted by Retail & Restaurant Facility Business, delves into importance issues of cleanliness, technology, layout and protocols. In a new reality where restaurant operations have suddenly become a visible part of the customer experience and level of satisfaction, restaurant leaders and service providers weigh in on what the restaurant industry needs to take on the challenges of COVID-19 and keep staff and customers safe. See a list of some topics covered below: Evolving cleaning …
Arlington, Va. — Bob & Edith’s Diner, an iconic Washington, D.C., eatery beloved by celebrities and locals alike, recently opened its fifth corporate location in Arlington, Va., despite COVID-19-related delays. The new location welcomed more customers than anticipated in its first week (both on- and off-premise), highlighting the concept’s popularity and cult-like following in D.C. and surrounding areas. The new location has special significance to owner Greg Bolton. “My dad worked at this very location 65 years ago, before he opened the first Bob & Edith’s Diner,” he says. “I …
— By David Ramirez and John Prall — Have you disconnected your refrigeration equipment during quarantine? Check the measures to protect your equipment when turning it back on. During these times of coronavirus pandemic, quarantine and lockdown procedures, many foodservice businesses have had to shut down for a while or had their demand strongly reduced. As a result, some may have chosen to disconnect their equipment to save energy. In this case, there are some easy measures that can be taken to protect your investment. If the equipment …
Union, N.J.— Through new partnerships with Shipt and Instacart, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has launched same-day delivery at Bed Bath & Beyond and buybuy BABY. Same-day delivery follows the successful introduction earlier this year of Buy-Online-Pickup-In-Store (BOPIS) and contactless curbside pickup, and will enable customers to shop their favorite products online and have them delivered to their doorstep within hours of purchase. The same-day delivery service is available at a flat rate fee of $4.99 for orders over $39, providing an easy, convenient and affordable option. Customers in eligible …
Issaquah, Wash. — Costco Wholesale Corp. has reported a 12.5% increase in quarterly net sales in its fiscal fourth quarter, which ended Aug. 30. Costco’s sales jumped to $52.9 billion from $46.4 billion last year. Costco also experienced a 91% jump in quarterly e-commerce sales, resulting in a 50% increase over the previous year. The company’s net income for the fourth quarter was $1.4 billion, compared with $1.1 billion last year, even though this year’s fourth quarter was negatively impacted by $281 million in costs related to COVID-19 — such …
Chula Vista, Calif. — FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Hurricane Grill & Wings and eight other restaurant concepts, has opened Hurricane Grill & Wings in Chula Vista, Calif. This marks the restaurant brand’s first location in California and its first fast-casual restaurant concept nationwide. “We are excited to expand fan-favorite Hurricane Grill & Wings into the California market,” says Andy Wiederhorn, CEO of FAT Brands. “While we have had great success with our full-serve model, we see a huge appetite and demand for a fast-casual experience …
Atlanta — On September 25, 2020, women’s apparel and fashion accessories retailer Charming Charlie reopened its first physical store at Cumberland Mall in Atlanta. This comes after the Houston-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in summer 2019 — the second time it had filed for bankruptcy in less than 2 years. At the time, the company closed all 261 of its stores across 38 states. Under the leadership of President Steve Lovell, Charming Charlie plans to roll out additional retail locations in markets across the U.S. over late 2020 …
Orlando, Fla. — Darden Restaurants Inc. has reported its sales fell 28.4% in its fiscal first quarter, which ended Aug. 30. The Orlando, Fla.-based company owns restaurant brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and Eddie V’s. Darden reported that sales in its fine dining restaurants fell 38.9% year-over-year. Sales at Olive Garden slid 27.7%, while LongHorn saw a decrease of 16.3%. At the beginning of its first quarter, Darden had 68% of restaurants in its portfolio open, compared …
— By Steve Peldiak — What to look for in a surplus property managing partner. The safety of your families, workforce, partners and customers was understandably top of mind once COVID-19 emerged. Now we are all embracing the forthcoming transformations, especially within surplus properties. The landscape of commercial real estate is presenting itself in a mode of constant evolution; focusing on protecting these assets, managing them with intelligent cost savings, and finding a holistic turn-key service provider will be vital to sustain the success of a property portfolio. The …
Orange County, Calif. — Rodeo 39 Public Market will be Southern California’s newest culinary and community experience when it opens in mid-October. Not your typical food hall, Rodeo 39 features expansive hangar doors that open up for an inside/outside setting, original artwork and murals from five different Southern California artists and several first-to-market retail and restaurant concepts. “We wanted to do something different and we were committed to breathing new life into this stretch of Orange County, right here in Stanton,” says Dan Almquist, managing partner of Frontier Real Estate …