— By Dan Hyman — Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies invests in staff with bold new software. For more than four decades, Davanni’s Pizza & Hot Hoagies has been a fixture in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. And now, with 20 locations, it has firmly cemented its role as not only a local mainstay but also a direct competitor to many of the national chains in its market. It’s why when tasked with the challenge of how to better train its employees and, more importantly, retain such employees and …
— By Manik Suri — Food waste is a major issue. Here’s what you can do about it. What do Dutch Bro’s, Eggs Up Grill, and Domino’s have in common? They are creating more sustainable businesses by replacing manual temperature checks with automated systems. Project Drawdown found that about a third of food produced is never eaten, which means that the resources used to grow that food is wasted. This waste of resources is ultimately accountable for 8% of global carbon emissions. But food waste isn’t just a climate …
— By Colin Trethewey — Local Pizza Co. depends on technology to maintain profitability through challenging times. The Local Pizza Co. story began in early 2019 when owner Milen Kolev decided to bring a novel pizza concept to St. Petersburg. Drawing on his Mediterranean roots, Kolev envisioned a pizza restaurant and Mediterranean market serving healthy food made with fresh ingredients sourced from local vendors. The store, located at 1846 62nd Ave. N, opened to less than auspicious circumstances in February 2020, just as the coronavirus pandemic was taking hold. …
— By Cedar Blazek — Two major businesses effectively meet and exceed energy-efficiency goals despite COVID-19 challenges. It’s no secret that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 brought everything to a screeching halt. Nearly overnight the world was in lockdown, businesses shuttering — some temporarily, some for good — as the overarching “What do we do now?” question blanketed the economic landscape. The pandemic forced widespread shutdowns across sectors and challenged essential businesses to adapt quickly as consumer traffic changed and public health protocols tightened. …
— Interview with Tana Davila — Upgrades to P.F. Chang’s ambiance, design and decor drive traffic and sales — even during the pandemic. This month [September 2021], P.F. Chang’s opened a new flagship in Hawaii, following a 6-month renovation to upgrade its design, decor and ambiance to flagship level. The new look is part of P.F. Chang’s overall brand refresh currently underway. The company is on track to refresh all U.S. restaurants by the end of next year. Editor Katie Lee recently interviewed P.F. Chang’s marketing chief, Tana Davila, …
— By Dr. Nancy Troyano — Storm recovery tips to keep people safe and prevent pest infestations. As a result of several consecutive storm seasons tracking above-average activity, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has redefined the qualifications for an “average” hurricane season, increasing the overall storm count. The current 2021 storm season is no exception as it’s tracking to be another busy season. The high winds, heavy rain and flooding that often result from hurricanes, tornadoes and other severe storms can cause extreme structural damage, create safety hazards …
— By James “Gino” Ginopoulos — As a result of the pandemic, retailers and restaurants are getting a new look. Even prior to the pandemic, many industries were looking for ways to adapt to changes in their markets to maintain a competitive edge. However, like many things, the pandemic accelerated that need to adapt and evolve in order to overcome the challenges stemming from the virus. While certain positive advancements have been made since the onset of the pandemic, like the creation of various vaccines, developers and owners are …
— By Alex Blahnik — What is eating at your profits? (It may be smaller than you think.) Maybe supply chain disruptions and historic labor shortages are your biggest problems as you emerge from the pandemic, or perhaps, your challenge is meeting the demand of customers who are returning to the market and trying to purchase and dine their way to a normalcy. Whatever you may be facing, while you trimmed your expenses and obeyed social distancing orders to make it to this point, pests like mice, roaches, flies …
— By Eric Symon — Keeping restaurants connected to enhance the customer experience. One of the biggest challenges that restaurant owners face is implementing technological advancements to stay current with customer demands. According to a recent survey conducted by Panasonic, 100% of foodservice operators found that the COVID-19 pandemic intensified their sense of urgency to adopt transformational technology. As the industry experiences challenges with labor and an increase in customer preferences for touchless options, adopting such technologies is even more important. Additionally, today’s customer has new priorities whether …
— By Michelle Grojean — Did you know the Number 1 cause of premature roof failure is lack of regular roof inspections? Let’s talk about the necessary protection of one of the largest assets of your commercial building: your rooftop. For the sake of story time, let’s say you recently had a brand new commercial roof installed. What you’re probably thinking here is, “My roof is brand new. Why would I need a roofing contractor to look at it regularly so soon?” You could also be thinking, “Hey, I …
