To be successful, independent restaurants have many factors to consider — having adequate labor, streamlining processes in the kitchen and developing new recipes, to name a few. Maintaining a solid bottom line is, of course, essential. 
 With more customers looking for sustainable food options, not only in their own homes, but also when dining out, it begs a question: How can restaurants be environmentally responsible, but also profitable?  There are several factors that can help meet those goals.  Source Locally In addition to supporting the local economy, purchasing fruits, ve ..read more

Advancements in design and modernization are among the key elements prompting restaurant fryer sales globally. Over the next ten years, there will likely be a sharp increase in demand for automated restaurant fryers due to the introduction of cutting-edge technologies in food service equipment. The global restaurant fryers market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6 percent over the forecast period of 2023 to 2033.  The market sales are on course to increase from US$ 495.6 Million in 2023 to US$ 854.6 Million by 2033, according to Future ..read more

Eighty-one percent of diners said they would either stop going to a restaurant altogether or alter their dining hours to avoid prices surging during peak hours and 64 percent said they have a negative reaction to restaurants using surge and dynamic pricing, according to a HungerRush’s National Restaurant Price Surging Survey. “This is an alarming statistic for restaurant owners and operators, potentially leading to an increase in lost revenue or creating new peak hours,” Bill Mitchell, Executive Chairman of HungerRush, and former President of Global Operations of Papa John’s Internat ..read more

A friend tells you a restaurant has bad service and gave her food poisoning. Would you still go? But what if that “friend” is actually just someone leaving a review on Yelp? For today’s always-online consumers, it’s all the same. Reviews matter. Ninety-four percent of diners base their decisions on online reviews, and businesses who respond are seen as nearly two times more trustworthy than businesses who don’t. Responding to your customer reviews is essential to boosting multi-location businesses’ online reputations and increasing customer loyalty. Also, a negative review is more fluid than y ..read more

The comeback of the food court and the impact of small treats were among the trends uncovered in Yelp’s first-ever Fastest Growing Brands report, which ranks brands that are growing the fastest on and off of Yelp.  The top five food businesses that saw increases in consumer interest are:  CAVA: +54 percent Scooter’s Coffee: +51 percent LongHorn Steakhouse: +38 percent The Habit Burger Grill: +29 percent Wawa: +88 percent The list highlights Challenger brands, which are not market leaders but aim to compete by disrupting their industry and make up more than 70 percent of the br ..read more

The year 2024 promises a journey of adaptation and fierce competition for the restaurant industry as it manages stronger-than-expected economic data and slowing inflation while dealing with the headwinds of short labor supply, more demanding customers and an uncertain political environment. Brands find themselves at a pivotal juncture, where they have the opportunity to both captivate customers and secure their loyalty through a thoughtful blend of innovation and tradition.  To embrace the opportunities of the new year, restaurants should prioritize three key resolutions: embracing new cu ..read more

Restaurant operators have faced stiff headwinds since 2020, with a near-constant swirl of inflation, supply chain and labor challenges. But if last year was any indicator, restaurant operators are on the road to relief in 2024.  According to September 2023 numbers from the National Restaurant Association, 49 percent of restaurants reported year-over-year increases in same-store sales. And despite warnings of an imminent recession at the end of 2022, the U.S. economy demonstrated resilience in 2023—with GDP, employment rates and consumer spending remaining relatively stable or even gr ..read more

More than half of respondents (54 percent) expressed optimism about the positive impact of AI in the restaurant industry, according to a survey from Slang.ai. Despite this optimism, less than one-third of operators currently utilize AI indicating untapped potential for technological integration within the industry. A promising 71.6 percent of restaurant operators plan to adopt AI soon, with nearly 94 percent acknowledging its necessity to remain competitive. Other highlights include: Nearly half of respondents (46 percent) believe AI can improve the overall guest experience. In addi ..read more

According to the National Restaurant Association, competition in the restaurant sector is strong. In fact, 45 percent of restaurant operators expect competition to be more intense than last year. Why? A chief reason is due to caution or uncertainty exhibited by conscious consumers, with 48 percent saying they are taking the ‘wait and see’ approach and holding back on spending in 2024.  So, what’s the solution? Bank of America suggests that technological innovation is the real game-changer, and it could have a big impact on the overall bottom line for restaurants in 202 ..read more

When you jump into the world of Industrial and Organizational (IO) Psychology, culture is a predominant theme. That’s because one of the secrets to performance within any group, whether that is in the workplace, organizations, and even at home is to become cohesive, and the catalyst for cohesion is through culture. And in talking about bringing stability into our food businesses, culture can be that secret ingredient that makes all the difference in attracting the right people, retaining good people, and creating a powerhouse team. However, for those of us in the produce and food industries, w ..read more