The labor movement is a huge part of the food and beverage industry right now. Over 200 Starbucks stores have voted to unionize. And now, gig delivery workers are starting to organize. On Sunday, gig drivers for Lyft, Uber, DoorDash, Grubhub and others in Chicago joined a national coalition of gig drivers called Justice for App Workers, according to media reports. The move brings 20,000 more gig workers into the coalition, which touts itself as 100,000 people. The workers expressed concerns about carjackings and violence against gig delivery drivers.   Other news Waitr finalizes plans ..read more

Inflation has impacted the entire food and beverage sector, and the grocery industry is no exception. According to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey, online grocery orders reached $7.8 billion in July, an increase of 17% over the same time last year. For the month, 68 million households bought groceries online. “COVID-19 concerns coupled with inflation have forced a tradeoff between two fundamental desires for shoppers – not getting infected and not paying more than necessary,” said David Bishop, partner at Brick Meets Click. “While online shopping – especially delivery ..read more

Fast casual brands Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop and Wing Zone have signed an agreement with RaaS (Restaurant as a Service) to expand through ghost kitchens in California, Oregon and Washington state. “RaaS is the pre-eminent management company for ghost kitchens and we are eager to partner with an industry leader to help expand our brands into even more territories across the country,” said David Bloom, chief development and operating officer at Capriotti’s and Wing Zone. “While we believe our brick-and-mortar locations are unmatched in the fast-casual space, both Capriotti’s and Wing Zone have p ..read more

Veggie Grill operates 29 locations in California, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, and Washington. The company has started a virtual plant-based brand out of its current locations. Called Vegan Bowls For All, the bowls are available through third-party delivery marketplace. “We’re excited to introduce a convenient and affordable option designed for consumers to optimally nourish themselves while supporting the health of the planet at the same time,” said T.K. Pillan, Veggie Grill co-founder. “Our mission is to provide 100% plant-based food that satisfies cravings and moods of all kinds, and Ve ..read more

“How should I price my menu items?” This is a common question for restaurateurs. In a world where supply costs are on the rise and labor is increasingly scarce, you as a restaurateur may be wondering how to maintain a strong profit margin. Restaurants have tried various solutions to help with this, ranging from increasing prices across their menus to automating aspects of their front and back-house. For those who increase prices, it’s often hard to gauge whether that new price point will turn away customers. However, rising food and labor costs are leading more restaurateurs to grapple with th ..read more

What came first, the drone or the smart mailbox? “On the one hand, you can’t have drone deliveries without the drones, but you also can’t have drone deliveries without a place to make the delivery,” said Dan O’Toole, a serial entrepreneur and chairman and CEO at Dronedek. As O’Toole explains, while drone delivery will increase efficiency, lower costs, raise convenience and enhance speed, that is only half the equation. Logistics is the other. “To complete the delivery ecosystem, you need a safe, secure and weatherproof receptacle capable of holding your delivery and notifying you of its arriva ..read more

“How should I price my menu items?” This is a common question for restaurateurs. In a world where supply costs are on the rise and labor is increasingly scarce, you as a restaurateur may be wondering how to maintain a strong profit margin. Restaurants have tried various solutions to help with this, ranging from increasing prices across their menus to automating aspects of their front and back-house. For those who increase prices, it’s often hard to gauge whether that new price point will turn away customers. However, rising food and labor costs are leading more restaurateurs to grapple with th ..read more

Toast has acquired Sling, an employee scheduling, communication and management platform. Through features including scheduling templates, in-app messaging and multi-location team management, Sling helps a restaurant’s staff more efficiently and better manage labor costs and increase employee job satisfaction. Sling and Toast originally established a partnership in April 2021. Customers have responded positively with strong adoption of Sling as part of Toast’s integrated digital platform, and thus purchasing the platform made sense. “Great employees are what make restaurants run,” said Aman Nar ..read more

Amazon and Grubhub have formed a partnership, allowing prime members to access Grubhub deliveries. Under the agreement, Amazon Prime members can sign up for Grubhub+ and get unlimited deliveries at no charge for a year. “Both Grubhub and Amazon have transformed people’s lives by providing them with unprecedented choice and convenience,” said Ariella Kurshan, senior vice president of growth at Grubhub. “With the new Grubhub and Amazon offering, Prime members now can enjoy free delivery from hundreds of thousands of restaurants across the country when they sign up for a year of free Grubhub+. I ..read more

What came first, the drone or the smart mailbox? “On the one hand, you can’t have drone deliveries without the drones, but you also can’t have drone deliveries without a place to make the delivery,” said Dan O’Toole, a serial entrepreneur and chairman and CEO at Dronedek. As O’Toole explains, while drone delivery will increase efficiency, lower costs, raise convenience and enhance speed, that is only half the equation. Logistics is the other. “To complete the delivery ecosystem, you need a safe, secure and weatherproof receptacle capable of holding your delivery and notifying you of its arriva ..read more