News

Operations

Seat Me, Please? Why Restaurants Won’t Seat You Without a Complete Party

6 years ago

Restaurants: I promise I will order lots of food and drinks if you just let me sit down at my table even if the rest of my party isn't here. Also, I will come back and eat again.

Chains

Top Fast Food Chains Don’t Want Their Minimum Wage Workers to Change Jobs

6 years ago

Cry us a river. We understand the labor challenges of restaurants quite well. But this is about chains squeezing franchisees and franchisees screwing workers. For reference, the CEOs of three of the four lead brands in these cases — Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Wendy’s — made $14.4 million, $5.3 million, and $5.1 million last year, respectively. And their non-competes top out at a year, and only if they're fired for cause.

Operations

Starbucks Will Drop Plastic Straws by 2020

6 years ago

There's a huge opportunity right now to manufacture a smarter solution to drinking on the go.

Operations

What the Tip Credit Really Means to a Restaurant’s Operational Budget

6 years ago

Multiple states are debating whether to eliminate the tipped minimum wage this year. The issue is confusing and contentious, and there are good arguments being made on both sides. Here, we look at how much money the tip credit is worth in New York, and why restaurateurs are so afraid to lose it.

Chains

Chipotle’s Move to California Results in Over 400 Job Losses in Colorado and New York

6 years ago

It's a big blow for the majority of Chipotle's corporate employees who have called Denver home for decades. CEO Brian Niccol has a lot to prove as he uproots the company and takes a select number of people with him to Newport Beach.

Chains

Shake Shack Shake-Up as 3 Top Executives Depart

6 years ago

The recent departures offer an opportunity for Shake Shack to rethink its approach in various departments.

Food

French Restaurants Contend With a New Generation of Vegans

6 years ago

In the land of boeuf and butter, going fully vegan is a huge cultural shift. It's happening for some, but adoption is understandably behind the curve.

People

Better Pay for Restaurant Workers Means Higher Menu Prices for Diners

6 years ago

As much as consumers and restaurant operators don't want to see higher prices, they do need to rise. In the end, this will benefit everyone.

Food

Boozy, Fancy, or Just Leisurely, Brunch Is an American Staple

6 years ago

Brunch is good now. So can we stop talking about it and just eat?

Operations

Plastic Utensils Ban Takes Effect in Seattle

6 years ago

Like the trajectory of the plastic straw, expect more of these plastic utensil bans to come.

Tech

Yelp Gets Protection for Defamatory Posts

6 years ago

This wasn't just a restaurant owner angry with a review of their brunch, it was a business owner who proved a statement was defamatory, which is a rather high bar to set. We don't think it's extreme to require Yelp and its peers to show more responsibility over their content.

Chains

Traffic Growth at Fast Casual Chain Restaurants Is Slowing

6 years ago

As traffic slows down, fast casual chains have to step it up in other areas — menu innovation, easy ordering options — in order to keep bringing diners back.