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Toast Survey: How U.S. Restaurants are Handling Inflation, Labor, AI & Revenue Growth

by Katie Lee

Boston — Toast has released its 2026 Voice of the Restaurant Industry Survey. Each year, Toast polls hundreds of restaurant operators to get a pulse check on the industry. How are restaurants faring in 2026? What are the biggest pain points? Where do they see opportunity, and how has that changed since last year? What was clear from its 2026 survey — which took place from April 3, 2026, to April 20, 2026 — of 676 restaurant operators and decision-makers is that restaurants are durable, and they’re doubling down on …

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Industry Contentjan/sankitchen equipmentplumbingProduct Spotlightrestaurantsrestroom cleaningThe Goldbook of Retail & Restaurant Facility BusinessVendor Spotlightvendors

Chicago Faucets: Signature Vendor Spotlight

by Katie Lee

— Interview with Nathan Klein — R&R: Where are you based, and how long has the company been in business? Nathan Klein: Chicago Faucets is based in Des Plaines, Illinois, and my home office is Columbus, Ohio. We have been in business since 1901; we have built a reputation for manufacturing durable, high-performance commercial faucets designed for demanding commercial environments. R&R: What is your title? How long have you been with the company? Klein: I am the business development manager for Chicago Faucets. I am responsible for driving new partnerships …

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Food Service Solutions USA Appoints Regional Sales Director

by Katie Lee

Wilmington, Del. — Food Service Solutions USA (FSS USA), a leading provider of premium commercial foodservice equipment and culinary solutions, has appointed Steven Snitkin as regional sales director. With more than 30 years of experience in the commercial foodservice industry, Snitkin brings a combination of culinary expertise, strategic sales leadership, product management and customer-focused business development. Throughout his career, he has helped operators, dealers, consultants and manufacturers identify innovative solutions that enhance kitchen performance, improve food quality and drive operational success. In his new role, Snitkin will be responsible for …

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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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kitchen equipmentNewspeoplerestaurantsvendors

SilverChef USA Appoints Director of Operations and Customer Experience

by Katie Lee

Dallas — SilverChef USA, part of the Australian-founded hospitality equipment financier SilverChef Group, has appointed Madeleine Hopkins as director of operations and customer experience. Hopkins, who has led complex operations and departments across SilverChef’s Australian and Canadian teams, will work alongside Jon Jacobs, president of U.S. operations. With Hopkins’ appointment as the first operations lead in the U.S., SilverChef is building on its commitment to supporting its growing network of commercial kitchen equipment dealers, distributors and hospitality operators as it faces rapid growth in the country. In her new role, …

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construction and designCover Storyfacilities managementfranchise developmentFrom The Magazinekitchen equipmentrestaurantssoftware/technology

The Best Kind of Delicious

by Katie Lee

— By Katie Lee — Smoothie King unveils its next chapter with a new brand campaign and in-store transformation, celebrating over 50 years of balancing nutrients and flavor. In 1973, Smoothie King introduced a bold new F&B category to the world, literally coining the term “smoothie.” Since then, the king of smoothies has grown to more than 1,200 U.S. locations — and more than 200 new store commitments — with over 1,500 available trade areas in its development pipeline. Now underway on a new brand evolution, Smoothie King is setting …

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Chicago Faucets Launches Multi-Feed Soap Dispensing System for High-Traffic Restrooms

by Katie Lee

Des Plaines, Ill. — Chicago Faucets introduces the E-Tronic® 80 SoapBank™, a Multi-Feed Soap Dispensing System. The centralized bulk soap delivery solution is designed for high-traffic commercial and institutional restrooms. Engineered for applications including airports, retail, stadiums, education campuses and public venues, the system helps architects, plumbing engineers, designers and facility owners simplify maintenance while supporting cohesive touchless design. Unlike individual cartridge-based dispensers that require frequent replacement and ongoing maintenance, the E-Tronic® 80 system uses a centralized bulk soap reservoir capable of supplying multiple dispensers from a single refill point. …

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construction and designCover Storyfacilities managementfranchise developmentFrom The Magazinekitchen equipmentremodelsrestaurantssoftware/technology

A Scalable Refresh

by Katie Lee

— By Katie Lee — 2026 marks the full rollout of Gong cha 2.0, a comprehensive modernization of technology, operations and store design for the bubble tea leader. Gong cha is the world’s leading bubble tea brand with nearly 2,200 locations in 33 markets globally, including more than 240 stores in the U.S. across 23 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. But it still has plenty of room to grow — both in number of locations and in brand recognition — in the United States. With a solid foundation undergirding …

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Industry Voiceskitchen equipmentkitchen exhaust/grease controlrestaurantsvendors

Seasonal Impact

by Katie Lee

[EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally published in December, in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of Retail & Restaurant Facility Business.] — Interview with Nathan Willard — HOODZ’s Nathan Willard talks preventative maintenance: steps your facility should take to clean & maintain kitchen exhaust systems this holiday season. R&R: Why is kitchen exhaust cleaning especially important during the busy holiday season? Nathan Willard: During the holidays, families are not only eating together in the comfort of their own homes; they are also sharing meals at local restaurants. While kitchen exhaust cleaning …

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construction and designfacilities managementfranchise developmentkitchen equipmentNewsremodelsrestaurantssoftware/technology

Gong Cha 2.0: Bubble-Tea Leader Rolls Out New, Innovative, Efficient Store Model

by Katie Lee

Boston — Gong cha, a leading worldwide bubble tea brand, has unveiled its global Gong cha 2.0 initiative: a comprehensive digital, operational and design refresh to optimize profitability, efficiency and scalability for franchisees — as well as improve the guest experience. This global rollout combines two key technologies — Super Wu beverage automation and self-order kiosks — with a modernized store design to streamline operations, reduce labor demands and improve throughput without compromising quality or hospitality. “Gong cha 2.0 is engineered for today’s operators,” says Geoff Henry, president of Gong …

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