— By George Lessmeister — 6 reasons to ‘go gig’ — and give hourly workers the flexibility they want. Sitting at a restaurant we’ve all become more patient. We know staffing is tight. And we know the people who are working…are working hard. Still, there’s no doubt you’ve asked the question — where has everyone gone? Back in 2019, headlines were all about low unemployment, the gig workforce was growing, and things were great. Then came COVID. Our world got smaller. First, we all had to stay …
— By Katie Lee — To meet today’s retail consumers where they are, Macy’s offers a new smaller store format, expanded digital conveniences, and sustainable operations. Macy’s, the venerable New York-based department store chain we all know and love, is more than its storied 150-year history, more than its omnipresence in malls all over America, more than its countless Christmas tree lightings and Thanksgiving Day parades in New York and The Miracle on 34th Street movie. It’s a steady leader during unsteady times, an agent of change in a …
— By Rob Tedesco — The next digital frontier for restaurants. Brands have spent the past few years adapting to a digital-first mindset. They’ve reoriented their businesses toward programs like online ordering, invested in their tech stacks and started gathering first-party customer data But as the paradigm now truly shifts, and “outside the four walls” matters more, what’s missing from brands’ digital roadmaps? What will be the next major leaps in restaurant technology and digital guest experiences? Here, we discuss four ways in which digital tools help restaurants …
— By Bryan Falk — How to meet customer expectations, maximize efficiency and deliver the ideal brand experience. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, customers are changing the way they shop, dine and spend money. This customer shift, paired with industry challenges such as labor shortages and supply chain disruptions, created the perfect storm leading to unprecedented times for retail and restaurant managers. The response from operators to the rapid industry changes will likely set the path for future successes or challenges. Store owners and managers …
Washington, D.C. — In July, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognized Better Buildings Challenge partner Life Time, Inc. for energy efficiency advances made throughout its portfolio of athletic country clubs. DOE staff and Life Time leadership toured the organization’s Chanhassen, Minn., club to see firsthand the technologies and procedures that have allowed Life Time to increase its energy efficiency by nearly 40% across its buildings portfolio of 16 million square feet. In 2017, Life Time became the first health club to join the Better Buildings Challenge by committing to …
— By Jay Fiske — Optimizing facilities in the “new normal.” Facilities managers responsible for dozens of restaurant or retail sites have always needed “multiple pairs of eyes” to ensure every location is operating optimally. Now, the need is more acute with staff shortages. When wait staff or store managers are working double duty to please every customer, it’s easy for them to forget about other tasks — from turning down the air conditioning to switching off the lights or sanitizing every surface. Those small details, over time, can …
— By Ramez Naguib, P.E. — Mitigating COVID-19 spread in restaurants using CFD analysis. The world is having an unprecedented time due to the pandemic. Currently, more than 93 million people have been infected, and over 2 million people have passed away since 2020. SARS-CoV-2 has forced people to change their lifestyles and patterns. Under the pandemic, buildings are no longer safe shelters. The infected transmit infectious viruses to other occupants by direct contact or indirect contact (i.e., indoor airflow).i COVID-19 outbreaks were associated with droplet transmission that was …
— By Aliyah Kaye Crawley — How is inflation affecting the restaurant industry? Inflation impacts everyday decisions in restaurants: how they price their food, what type of service they provide, which menu items they can afford to serve, etc. The fiscal conservatism that comes with inflation can also negatively impact a restaurant’s overall brand image, if marketing and maintenance are allowed to slide. This was discussed in Retail & Restaurant Facility Business’ February 2021 article titled “Maintain Your Brand,” written by Trip Jobe of the strategic marketing …
— By Mark Kapczynski — Why we should never go back to a pre-COVID supply chain. For the past decade, global supply chains have been running a seemingly normal path. However, when COVID hit the U.S. in March 2020, it exposed many of the vulnerabilities that have been affecting these networks. Even a year and half later, industries across the board are experiencing the impacts of supply chain disruptions. With massive labor shortages and continual shipping delays, there is an increasing desperation to return “back to normal.” Instead of …
— By Del Williams — UVC light inactivates viruses and other airborne pathogens, improving indoor safety in commercial spaces. With commercial facilities taking precautions against viruses as never before, an effective new tool in their arsenal is a new type of “germicidal” LED fixture. This specialized, enclosed LED fixture draws in air and irradiates it with ultraviolet light (UV), significantly improving indoor safety by providing continuous disinfection of airborne viruses as well as bacteria and germs. While traditional UV fixtures have been used for many years to …
