Get the latest restaurant technology and innovation news to stay up to date with the ever-evolving foodservice industry. Our blog posts will make it easy for you to understand the functions and effects every new restaurant innovation brings into the foodservice industry. By keeping up with recent tech news, you’ll be able to determine if you want to upgrade your establishment with the most advanced equipment on the market.
Stay ahead of the competition with predictions on the next big innovation or learn about how technology can enhance your customer service. From ways to integrate social media into your restaurant to new organizational systems, our articles feature the latest topics on rising trends in foodservice tech. See what the next generation of new technology in the food industry has to offer with our insightful articles.
As the world continues to adjust to a new normal, many restaurants are taking strides to keep up with the needs of consumers. Learn more about the future of restaurants in a post-pandemic world and the latest upcoming trends.
Lab-grown meat is here! But what is it? The brand new meat alternative has many interested, but not many know much about it. To answer all of your questions, read our article to find out just what lab-grown meat is.
Restaurants use about 5 to 10 times more energy per square foot than other commercial businesses. To cut down on your energy usage and increase your establishment’s profits, check out our 7 energy savings tips for restaurants.
“Beep. Bop. Beep. May I take your order?” - Is what you might hear in the future. Find out what role robots will have with restaurants in the coming years.
While ghost kitchens have been regarded as a thing of the future, reality has caught up to virtual kitchens as the restaurant industry’s newest addition to take out & delivery. Click to learn more on the ghost kitchen boom.
The future is now. Robots are taking over the foodservice industry and you don’t want your business to be outdated. Learn about the different types of robots that are helping out restaurants to pick the one that’s right for you.
People are always looking to fill their time with new skills. Offering virtual cooking classes at your restaurant is a great way to connect with a new audience online. Learn how to turn your kitchen into a filming studio here.
Getting healthy? Go plant-based! Plant-based foods are taking over the food world, as consumers are getting rid of meat in their diets for plant-based proteins. Find out how your restaurant can add plant-based foods to your menu.
With social distancing measures still in place across the country, food delivery remains extremely popular. Find out why ghost kitchens are the ideal solution to make the transition to full-time delivery services easy.
Have you heard about the Forest Garden Approach? Click to learn more about the innovative way Trees for the Future has created a sustainable way for food-insecure communities to grow, sell, and live off of their land.
Stats Of The Week The State Of The Industry According to the NRA’s 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, the association estimates foodservice sales will increase by 11% in 2021 to $731 billion. Though the restaurant industry is expected to grow in 2021, it will still come in about 15% below 2019 sales. In 2020, foodservice industry sales were down approximately 24% to $659 billion compared to $864 billion in 2019. Bars and taverns were down the most in sales of any segment with 65% followed by full-service sales decreased by 30%. The NRA’s report states that there is still pent-up demand for dining out. They suggest restaurants focus on catering to diners that are visiting establishments for both on- and off-premise occasions rather than trying to appeal to all customers. Survey Estimates When Life Will Return To Normal A new report from HealthCare Insider gauged when consumers believe normalcy will return through 10 activities, including not wearing a mask in public, family gatherings, and dining indoors. 21% of consumers expect life to return to normal in the summer, while 18% believe normalcy will return in the fall. Of those surveyed, 20% think life won’t return as usual until 2022 or later and 13% believe things will never be normal again. The report also found that comfort levels around dining indoors vary by demographic. Men are 40% more likely than women to feel comfortable dining indoors by the spring. Millennials are nearly 30% more likely than baby boomers to feel comfortable dining indoors. It has been shown that where you live also affects your level of comfortability with indoor dining. Consumers in the Midwest (29%) and South (27%) are more likely than people in the Northeast (25%) or West (22%) to say they already feel comfortable dining indoors. What’s Trending California Resumes Outdoor Dining On January 25, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state will be ending all stay-at-home orders and the most severe business restrictions will be lifted. For restaurants, this means outdoor dining will be possible across the state. Regional stay-at-home orders that affected most of the state were announced on December 3 as availability for ICU beds dropped below 15%. As a result, restaurants could only offer take out and delivery services for the past few weeks. Now, ICU capacity in every region in the state is at 15% or higher, which has put an end to those orders including the curfew that banned non-essential activity between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. According to a report from The Los Angeles Times, LA officials indicated that they would move to allow outdoor dining later in the week. NY Gov Announces 2021 Restaurant Relief Program, But Is It Enough? New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has outlined relief measures for the restaurant industry as a part of his 2021-2022 budget proposal. The budget includes a $130 million pandemic recovery and restoration program, which allocates $50 million for restaurants to rehire staff. Restaurants can apply for a $5,000 tax credit for each worker they rehire with a maximum of 10 workers for a total of $50,000, according to New York Upstate. Though the state has not released eligibility criteria, the funds are geared towards small businesses, and affected businesses will have to show they’ve lost at least 40% of revenue to apply. Critics argue that though this assistance could help a number of restaurants, it isn’t enough to support businesses and suggest opening indoor dining as a better solution. New York City has closed dining rooms since December while most of the state is allowed to offer indoor dining. Eater also reports these restaurant funds are contingent upon New York receiving $15 billion from President Biden’s administration. If the state does not receive that assistance from the federal government, the restaurant recovery program will be excluded from the budget. Companies List Incentives For COVID-19 Vaccines With restaurant workers deemed as ‘essential workers’, operators are beginning to prepare their staff for eligibility in the next few weeks, following healthcare workers and elders. Darden Restaurants Inc., which owns restaurants such as Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse, is going to offer their hourly workers up to four hours of pay as an incentive to get both COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. The parent to more than 1,800 casual-dining brands will compensate workers two hours of pay for each dose of the vaccine they receive, Gene Lee, Darden CEO and chairman, wrote in a memo to team members. Darden noted that the pay rate will be based on the team member’s total earnings, including tips, over the most recent 13 weeks with a maximum pay rate of $20. “The COVID-19 vaccine will be a critical tool in helping end this pandemic, which will allow us to welcome more guests and team members back into our restaurants. We recognize getting vaccinated is a personal decision that you alone can make. While we will not require hourly team members to be vaccinated as a condition of employment, we strongly encourage you to consider getting vaccinated,” Lee wrote to employees. Chipotle’s 1st Super Bowl Ad Highlights Farmers Chipotle Mexican Grill will make its debut spot in a Super Bowl commercial on February 7. The commercial titled, “Can a Burrito Change the World?”, showcases the effect of Chipotle’s “Food with Integrity” standards to help cut carbon emissions, save water, and support local growers. On Super Bowl Sunday, Chipotle will waive delivery fees on orders through the Chipotle app and website. With each order made on those platforms and through third-party delivery services, the chain will donate $1 to the National Young Farmers Coalition, an advocacy group that promotes independent family farms. In a statement, Chipotle CMO Chris Brandt called the chain’s first Super Bowl appearance a milestone moment for the brand. "We want to use this massive platform to help shift attention toward creating positive change for the challenges our food system faces and educate consumers on how they can make a difference," Brandt said in a statement. Dunkin’ Adds Unexpected Menu Items To Target To-Go Customers Dunkin’ has partnered with Chicago-based Farmer’s Fridge to test out menu items which include Greek salads, burrito bowls, pesto pasta, Greek yogurt, and chia seed pudding in six restaurants, according to Food & Wine. Three of the test restaurants are in Chicago and the other three are in New Jersey. The test will last three months and highlight Dunkin’s focus on creating items for on-the-go and lunch. These new menu items come more than two years after Dunkin’ dropped “Donuts” from its name to rebrand and expand both food and beverage offerings. In a statement emailed to Food & Wine, a Dunkin’ representative wrote that the test is designed to gather feedback from customers, franchisees, and employers to inform future decisions. They also state that the chain is committed to delivering a wide variety of delicious, convenient menu choices to keep their guests running all day long. Bright Spots In A COVID-19 World Chefs Come Together To Host Virtual Fundraiser Harrisburg University and the Hilton Hotel have teamed up to host the “Just A Taste - The Great Pennsylvania Cooking Show”. The show will consist of renowned Pennsylvania chefs coming together to help struggling bars and restaurants during the pandemic. The fundraiser will be held virtually and streamed live with guest appearances from local chefs and Roy Choi, co-host of the popular Netflix series, “The Chef”. He will be sharing his talent from California and will participate in a question and answer session during the show. All donations will be going to the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association’s hospitality assistance program. “The hospitality industry is hurting desperately and financial support from the government is lacking, leaving hundreds of businesses and thousands of employees without a safety net. We are grateful to the organizers of ‘Just a Taste’ for contributing event proceeds to HARP so we can continue providing relief to frontline hospitality workers who have been impacted by COVID-19, through no fault of their own,” John Longstreet, President & CEO of the PRLA, said to Local 21 news. Super Bowl Sunday Gets SOUPier For the last 15 years, Heritage Baptist Church in Annapolis, MD has raised funds for the local homeless shelter through soup. The event was held every Super Bowl Sunday with signature soup recipes from local restaurants that were popular with customers. With COVID-19 discouraging large gatherings and sharing foods, the fundraiser is going virtual this year. Event Spokesperson Lea Hurt wrote in an email to the Capital Gazette that though everyone can’t gather around and raise money for the shelter, they can’t break the 15-year streak. For a week, Heritage Baptist will host a SOUPer Bowl event on their Facebook page with daily content including featuring soup recipes. 100% of the funds donated will go to the Light House Homeless Prevention Center. Over the years, the fundraiser has raised over $30,000 for the shelter. Quote Of Hope “Restaurants are the cornerstone of our communities, and our research shows a clear consumer desire to enjoy restaurants on-premises more than they have been able to during the pandemic.” - Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the research and knowledge group at the National Restaurant Association
Stats Of The Week The State Of The Industry Newly released federal data has shown that 2020 was the worst year ever recorded for the restaurant industry. At the beginning of 2020, the NRA projected that restaurant sales would hit a record high of $899 billion. At the end of last year, with restaurants facing the negative impacts of COVID-19, restaurant sales declined to $617 billion. Over the past three months there have been consistent downward sales trends, with sales declining 4.5% in December from November alone. With coronavirus cases at an ultimate high and state shutdowns increasing, the next few months are projected to be even more challenging for the industry. Experts Predict 2021 Will Be The Year Of Transitioning Even though vaccine distribution is ramping up and restaurants experienced a bit of recovery during the summer, the dramatic sales losses restaurants suffered won’t be easily reversed in 2021. During a virtual conference hosted by ICR, a communications and advisory company, top industry experts, Peter Saleh and Hudson Riehle, said 2021 will be hindered by dining room closures, capacity restrictions, and consumer concern over dining out. Though there will be challenges, they believe that there are still opportunities for the industry to go towards market improvement. They cited that the demand for Americans wanting to eat out has increased with about 67% of citizens saying they weren’t eating at restaurants as much as they would have compared to just 45% last March. "It’s important to see 2021 as a year of transition for the industry. Because when you look at the timing of vaccine distribution reaching a critical mass, it is approaching the summer months. There's also the issue of how consumers adapt to lower overall income levels," Riehle said during the ICR virtual conference. What’s Trending Biden’s New Financial Plan Brings Hope For Restaurant Assistance Last Thursday, President Joe Biden provided details on his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan which lays out funds for the hardest-hit industries. The program includes a $15 billion grant program to over 1 million small businesses and a $35 billion investment toward local financing programs to offer low-interest loans to entrepreneurs. Though this financial assistance does not specifically target the restaurant industry, it leaves room for the opportunity of future relief. The Independent Restaurant Coalition said in an email to Restaurant Dive that it is encouraged by President Biden’s repeated and outspoken support for direct aid to independent restaurants and bars, especially as the restaurant industry is one of the only industries experiencing shrinking employment and closing doors across the country. Top 2020 Trends That Helped The Industry Survive The NRA has released a list of the top trends that kept restaurants in business during the trials and tribulations of the pandemic in 2020. The association surveyed 6,000 restaurant operators about culinary trends, innovation, and consumer preferences to compile a list of restaurant trends during the pandemic. At the top of the list is streamlined menus. No matter the type or size of the restaurant, all establishments minimized their menus to eliminate excess items when dining room closures were initiated. Then, off-premise operations took precedence with restaurants forced to move to take out and delivery to stay in business. Bundled meals and family-sized portions offered convenience and easy meals at larger portions for families that have children attending virtual school while managing their work from home. Also, restaurants implemented grocery items to sell, helping them stay afloat while allowing customers to receive items they needed and would otherwise be sold out at traditional grocery stores. How Some Restaurants Are Hiring As Others Close As the coronavirus has devastated most of the restaurant industry, it may seem hard to believe that some restaurants are expanding. The quick-service segment has seen exponential growth because it was better equipped to handle dining room closures due to already-established off-premise operations. Chipotle Mexican Grill is one chain that has been continually hiring employees. The nation-wide chain focuses on employee culture, benefits, training, diversity, and inclusion. According to experts, companies with a good combination of benefits and effective employee wellness programs are better able to manage and recover from the impact of the pandemic. The company also credits its growth amid the pandemic to its business model that incorporates more sales through digital platforms. "If you look at the top five responsibilities of every one of our restaurant general managers, the number one responsibility is hiring and onboarding new people. What we're doing from a national standpoint is really accelerating their ability to do it all in one day, and fill a lot of the needs now because we have them," Marissa Andrada, Chipotle Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and People Officer, said to HR Dive. Vaccine Rollout Creates Restaurant Confusion When it comes to whether or not restaurant operators will require their employees to take the COVID-19 vaccine, the consensus is uncertain. A new Restaurant Business survey shows that only 20.4% of restaurant employers intend to require their staff to be vaccinated, with more than half of them indicating they’ll make exceptions for religious or health reasons. Other operators have stated that their policies are still being drafted. It seems restaurant operators have more questions than answers as vaccine distribution is still underway and prioritized for frontline workers and elders. Roslyn Stone, COO of Zero Hour Health, said to Restaurant Business that establishing guidelines is complicated because the industry knows less than they need to make really good decisions because there’s so much we don’t know. Catering Goes Virtual The catering industry has experienced a record loss in sales due to the effects of COVID-19 and events being canceled. About two-thirds of operators have suspended their catering programs entirely, according to Technomic. As an attempt to make up for lost business, Panera has launched a Virtual Catering program. The catering program is targeted towards remote workers with the goal of helping bring back the sense of community when sharing a meal with coworkers during a meeting or event. Companies are able to buy digital vouchers to send to remote employees prior to an event that is timestamped and valid during the time of the meeting. DoorDash and Uber Eats have also offered similar programs to allow businesses to offer employees meals whether they’re working from home or in the office. A DoorDash survey found that 90% of American employees miss at least one food-related benefit of being in the office which shows a great opportunity for virtual catering. Bright Spots In A COVID-19 World Fundraiser To ‘86 Restaurant Struggle’ During The Pandemic Andrew and Lauren Gruel, owners of Slapfish in Huntington Beach, CA, have launched a fundraiser to help struggling restaurant workers during the pandemic. Their grassroots fundraiser is aptly called ‘86 Restaurant Struggle’ which gives out $601 donations, one dollar more than the government gave to citizens in the most recent stimulus package. Any restaurant worker who has had their hours cut or has been laid off is eligible to receive funds. So far, the couple has fundraised $293,000 and is going for a goal of $1 million to help restaurant employees in need. Community Comes Together To Help One Another Ian Braverman, Chicago resident, took it upon himself to start a GoFundMe campaign to help garner community support and collect donations for local restaurants. In a matter of weeks, his campaign raised about $14,700 which included $7,000 from an anonymous donor. Braverman said to the Chicago Tribune that seeing people donate showed him the spirit of selflessness and how people are just trying to help each other out to get through this all. Braverman divided up the funds and gave them to struggling restaurants in his area. Braverman said some of the restaurants put the donated money towards utility and rent bills or their employees and some pumped the funds back into the community. Grill House, owned by Nick Drivas, decided to pay the money forward by donating $1,000 in which they gave away $50 Grill House gift cards to 20 families in need. “It feels good to give. I know how I felt when Ian came in and gave that money to me, and I was just thinking that maybe it would be best to give that same feeling to somebody else and pass it on,” Drivas said to the Chicago Tribune. Quote Of Hope “It takes a community to [work together]. I think it just shows how strong a community is, as well as how far people are willing to go to make sure others are taken care of.” - Ian Braverman, Chicago resident
