Industry Voices

— By Jaime Tuinstra — How to find the right heating solution for your restaurant. After a few rough years, the restaurant industry has quickly recovered from the turbulent business environment that took hold from 2020-22. According to the National Restaurant Association, 2023 sales were forecast to reach $977 billion in the United States. In addition, it is projected that 500,000 new jobs entered the industry in 2023. That is a testament to the recovery of a resilient industry that was devastated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This winter, it will …

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— By Katie Fairchild — 9 steps to managing multi-location restaurant businesses. The dynamic world of running multi-units, multi-brands and franchises offers many advantages. From full-service to fast food and everything in between, having the efficiencies that come with an existing brand, business model and established infrastructure can be an advantage for operators. However, with these advantages comes unique challenges. One of the major issues for operators of multiple entities is that the individual businesses or locations may have their own goals, processes, software, language and more. The final goal …

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— By Scott Stewart & Jack French — Reduce energy usage this winter without leaving your customers in the cold. As the cold months of winter set in, restaurant owners and chain store facility managers are tasked with the dual challenge of maintaining a warm and inviting ambiance in their establishments and managing energy costs effectively. This balancing act is essential for creating a comfortable customer environment while ensuring operational efficiency. This article offers a winter weatherization guide with practical tips designed to help prepare your restaurant for the colder …

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— By Russ Spencer — Strategies for restaurants in an evolving landscape. A new year symbolizes new beginnings, particularly within the restaurant industry’s evolving landscape. While some trends may persist from the previous year, Q1 presents an opportunity to reset, recalibrate and plan strategically. These include, but are not limited to, updating menu items, solving staffing challenges and implementing improved ways to reduce waste. Operators who focus on the trends shaping this year and pounce on them will get ahead of competitors and run a successful restaurant in 2024. Preparing …

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— By Glen Greenawalt — 3 hospitality employment challenges facing the industry today. It’s ironic that “Down Under,” the 1980s anthem about a group of Australians traveling the world, is by the band Men at Work. In the song, the protagonists clearly are not working — just like much of today’s working age U.S. population. What’s going on with employment trends, and how can hospitality employers get the workers needed to ensure guests get a guest experience? Here are the top three workforce challenges our team sees facing the industry …

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— By Kait Paradowski — How design and art go hand in hand when creating bespoke spaces for restaurants. In a time when all demographic groups, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are increasingly seeking authentic and immersive experiences, bespoke design is providing a meaningful connection between patron and location. Naturally, design and art go hand in hand. Whether it be a large mural or unique branding, bringing in an artistic element allows designers to tell a captivating story for the restaurant and create meaningful differentiation. When it comes to choosing …

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— By Anneliese Scherer — Forensic accounting for restaurants. Among business owners facing the highest fraud risk are restaurant owners, who are often susceptible to asset misappropriation schemes. This is where a forensic accounting expert can play an invaluable role. It involves the application of accounting and investigative skills to analyze financial data, transactions and records related to a restaurant’s operations. The goal is to uncover financial irregularities and potential fraud. Employees perpetrate the most common fraud schemes at restaurants, including various cash and inventory misappropriation schemes. Cash Misappropriation An …

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— By Drew Holst — How AI and IoT can team up to help compensate for the costs of extreme weather. Multi-site retailers and restaurants require a significant amount of energy to operate, even when energy prices rise. Keeping every location at the right temperature is imperative for providing the best possible customer experience. That requires adequate heating or air conditioning, no matter what. Moreover, for restaurants, the use of energy-intensive equipment, such as refrigerators or freezers, is imperative to ensure food safety. But that has consequences: The U.S. Energy …

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— By David Bolaños — How regulations are reshaping restaurant refrigeration. In some respects, not much has changed. As always, restaurant owners want the optimal refrigeration system for their situations. Nothing new there. But planning a restaurant’s cooling/freezing strategy is more important than ever these days because of proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations regarding refrigerants. The details of the tighter regulations and the exact timing of their implementation are still to be determined, but they are coming. The new regulations might be in effect as soon as January 2025. …

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— By Russ Spencer — Why restaurant technology doesn’t have to come at the cost of guest experience. The restaurant industry has slowly been shifting its business model over the past decade but was drastically accelerated in 2020, with the culprit being none other than the COVID-19 pandemic. Restaurants were forced to change how they operate and interact with customers due to social distancing requirements surrounding the virus, with some forced to close their doors for good. Now, 3 years on, restaurants are open with little to no restrictions, but …

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