Industry Voices

Industry Voiceskitchen equipmentrestaurantsvendors

Rising Operational Costs

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Jon Jacobs — The biggest challenges when starting a restaurant. Jon Jacobs is a longtime foodservice operator and the president of SilverChef. Since 1986, SilverChef has helped more than 85,000 hospitality businesses get started and grow via flexible restaurant equipment financing. In 2026, Silverchef brought its business operation to the U.S. Jacobs opened Polliwogs Eatery & Pub in Mississippi in the late 1990s, building a highly profitable business from Day 1. But like many first-time operators, he encountered costly lessons around equipment — from upfront capital constraints …

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ADA complianceexterior services/landscapingIndustry Voicesparking lotsproperty managementvendors

Beyond the Empty Lot

by Katie Lee

— By Amanda Anderson — Why parking lot maintenance matters. An empty lot is full of potential. It is a blank slate that, with the right planning, becomes an investment in the community. Before a business ever opens its doors, countless hours go into permits, site plans, city approvals and construction. But once the dirt and gravel are transformed into pavement and plant beds, the work isn’t over. All that effort can be undermined if the property isn’t maintained. A well‑built establishment deserves the same level of care long after …

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energy managementfacilities managementHVAC/RIndustry VoicesProduct Spotlightrestaurantsretailersvendors

Stop Flying Insects at the Door

by Katie Lee

— By Natalie Clarke — How air curtains deliver proactive, chemical-free pest control for retail and restaurant facilities. For facility managers in retail stores and restaurants, flying insect control is a constant operational challenge. A single open door can invite flies into food prep areas, dining spaces and checkout lines — creating sanitation risks, failed inspections, and negative customer experiences. The challenge is compounded by increasing pressure to reduce chemical use and adopt more environmentally responsible pest management strategies. Traditional tools like insect light traps and sprays still play a …

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Industry Voicesrestaurantsretailerssoftware/technologyvendors

Strategy First

by Katie Lee

— By Tara Buchler — Why strategy — not software — determines whether technology investments actually deliver value. Technology buying failures rarely happen because a team chose the “wrong” software. They happen earlier when facilities or restaurant operations enter the RFP process without the strategy, clarity or alignment required to make a good decision. Most technology buyers in retail and restaurant facilities only see a handful of locations, kitchens or service workflows over the course of their careers — often within the same company, sometimes within the same operational model. …

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construction and designIndustry Voicesrestaurants

Laying the Groundwork

by Katie Lee

— By David Shove-Brown — As brands prepare for national expansion, they should partner with architects and interior designers to facilitate a more seamless, successful approach. Growing a brand into a nationally-franchised chain begins from the bottom up. Everyone has to start somewhere, and for many of the top fast-casual restaurant concepts in America, that means  starting small. Every move a restaurateur makes when developing a concept has to be intentional and aligned with their goals for scaling the business. While branding is a foundational element of successful business practice, …

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construction and designenergy managementfacilities managementHVAC/RIndustry Voicesproperty managementrestaurants

The Hidden Cost of Comfort

by Katie Lee

— By Julia Burman Tziolis — Resolving a restaurant’s HVAC breakdown through partnership. Operational performance and energy efficiency are closely connected in commercial real estate. Each supports the other, and both are critical to tenant satisfaction and long term business success. My firm, a net-lease real estate company named Essential Properties Realty Trust (EPRT), recently demonstrated how aligning the right expertise with strategic partnerships can resolve persistent facility issues and deliver measurable results. When one of its restaurant tenants, a Zaxbys location in Florida, struggled with longstanding HVAC problems that …

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construction and designdisaster recoveryfacilities managementHVAC/RIndustry Voicesjan/sanremodelsvendors

From Disaster to Renewal

by Katie Lee

— By Pam Johnson — The complete journey through mold, restoration and rebuilding. Disasters rarely arrive gently. They strike fast, often without warning, and even when we see them coming, the impact can be more devastating than anticipated. Hurricanes, floods, burst pipes, fires and structural failures leave behind more than broken materials and waterlogged rooms. They create hidden dangers that are silent, are invasive and create unseen damage until it’s too late. Behind soaked drywall, beneath buckled flooring and deep within air ducts, mold begins its quiet takeover. It grows …

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energy managementfacilities managementgreen newsHVAC/RIndustry Voicesrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendors

The Energy Intelligence Model

by Katie Lee

— By Matt Browning — How QSR chains are moving beyond reactive maintenance. For a quick-service restaurant operator managing hundreds of locations, equipment failure is never just a maintenance problem — it’s a guest experience problem, a food safety problem and a bottom-line problem…all at once. A malfunctioning HVAC unit on a hot summer afternoon sends customers out the door. A refrigeration anomaly discovered too late means spoiled inventory and potential health code violations. An emergency repair call on a holiday weekend carries a price tag that can erase a …

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construction and designIndustry Voicesretailers

From Click to Brick

by Katie Lee

— By Tom Lekometros — Successfully transitioning online retail brands into brick-and-mortar stores takes design strategy. Transforming an online retail business into a brick-and-mortar store is a considerable step that comes with a great deal of strategy, planning and preparation to achieve success. Despite the popularity and seeming dominance of online shopping, more than 80% of retail sales still occur in physical stores, according to Capital One Shopping Research. While most consumers still prefer the in-person shopping experience, many devoted online shoppers visit physical stores to see, test or experience …

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disaster recoveryHVAC/RIndustry Voicesplumbingproperty managementrestaurantsroofingsnow and ice managementvendors

How Water Finds a Way

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Austin Duchaine & Shawn Hester — Breaking down the most common water-related issues experienced by restaurants — and how to prevent, mitigate and recover. For independent restaurants operating in aging buildings, a hidden water leak can quickly escalate from a maintenance issue to a financial crisis. Older plumbing systems, grease-clogged drains and HVAC condensation failures increase the risk of sudden shutdowns, especially in older retail centers and standalone locations. When a restaurant is forced to close for even a few days, the financial impact compounds fast, creating …

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