Spurred on by the pandemic, the foodservice industry shifted from sampling automation technologies to feasting on them as touchless solutions to labor shortages and platforms for safer, more streamlined operations.
Smaller, Faster, Smarter: Automated Restaurant Formats Feed the Future of Foodservice
Topics: Technology, Trends, Takeout, Sales & Profitability, Operations, Off-Premises, Touchless
Labor Challenges and the Impact They’re Having on the Road to Recovery
In 2020, the foodservice industry experienced its sharpest sales decline in history, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Signs indicate sales are on the rise within the sector. However, ongoing labor shortages may be preventing some operators from reaching their pre-pandemic volume level.
Turnover rates have reached 144% at limited-service establishments and 106% at full-service restaurants—which are operating with six fewer employees in the back of the house and roughly three less front-of-house workers than in 2019.
Topics: Technology, Noncommercial, Promotions, Family Restaurant, Business & Industry, Healthcare, Commercial, Casual Dining Restaurant, Grab-and-Go, Labor, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Customer Experience, Menu Strategy, Retail, Sales & Profitability, Recruitment & Retention, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Off-Premises, Limited Time Offers (LTOs), Prepackaged, Digital/Online Ordering, Touchless, On-Premises, Foodservice, Workplace, Contactless Payments
Time-Tested: Which Pandemic Practices Could Become Permanent?
Over the past year and a half, operators have addressed emerging pandemic-related consumer preference, safety and other needs by introducing innovative menu and operational changes—and a number have shown some staying power.
Topics: Technology, Promotions, Marketing & Communications, Mobile, Independents, Family Restaurant, Takeout, Business & Industry, Quick Service Restaurant, Casual Dining Restaurant, Ice Cream/Yogurt Shop, Delivery, Meal Kits, Donuts/Pancakes/Waffles, Cookies/Bars/Snacks, Ice Cream Desserts, Cakes/Cupcakes, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack, Holidays, Chocolate, CHIPS AHOY!, OREO, Family, Cookies, Dessert Ingredients, Grab-and-Go, Labor, Convenience, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Creative Inspiration, Customer Experience, Consumer, Flavors & Ingredients, Menu Strategy, Food & Beverage, Sales & Profitability, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Curbside Pickup, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Off-Premises, Consumer Behavior, Value, Limited Time Offers (LTOs), Nostalgia, Digital/Online Ordering, Touchless, On-Premises, Foodservice, Sweet, Fresh
Under Wraps: What’s Next for Off-Premises Packaging?
Off-premises dining now comprises a larger portion of overall sales than it did pre-pandemic in all six major restaurant segments (family dining, casual dining, fine dining, quick service, fast casual, and coffee and snack).1 No doubt, the demand for takeout will remain strong in the coming months as summer temperatures and higher vaccination rates prompt consumers to seek a convenient way to dine outside—and take leftovers home.
Topics: Noncommercial, Promotions, Marketing & Communications, Family Restaurant, Takeout, Regional, Business & Industry, Commercial, Quick Service Restaurant, Casual Dining Restaurant, Fine Dining, Delivery, National, Local, Beverages, Main Dishes, Lunch, Dinner, Single-Serve, Family, Freshness, Grab-and-Go, Foodservice Industry, Menu, Customer Experience, Consumer, Menu Strategy, Product Quality & Safety, Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Packaging, Sales & Profitability, Delivery App, Drive-Thru, Consumers, COVID-19, Coronavirus, Curbside Pickup, Fast-Casual Restaurant, Off-Premises, Consumer Behavior, Sandwiches/Burgers, Design, Digital/Online Ordering, Third-Party Delivery (3PD), Safety & Sanitation, Mobile App, Outdoor Dining, Waste Reduction, Touchless, On-Premises