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With big-box retailers closing up shop, more than 140 million square feet of desirable retail space has become available, presenting the opportunity for restaurants such as fast-casual concepts to expand their businesses. In more recent years, there's been a wider adoption of fast-casual concepts. Has it evolved?
at the Italian casual-dining chain as its investments in affordability and Uber delivery paid off. 20, 2025 Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Consumers are finding value in casual-dining brands like Olive Garden. Same-store sales at the Italian casual-dining chain spiked 6.9% By Joe Guszkowski on Jun.
But supply has bounced back in recent months, bringing prices back down to earth. News prices commodities Breakfast Joe Guszkowski is a senior editor with Restaurant Business covering technology and casual-dining chains. Investors are leery about fast-food chains and they’re jumping onto a few key casual-dining bandwagons.
Market Cafe Powered by FOODWORKS is both a cost-effective, contact-free dining option, while simultaneously helping local restaurants and food artisans who were affected by COVID-19 get back on their feet and provide them with a way to restart their services. US Foods Holding Corp. On Point With Off-Premise.
From full service to fast-casual to legacy fast-food brands, the one constant was disruption. Labor shortages and other factors are affecting the global supply chain in never-before-seen ways, and certain commodities are intermittently not available, or if they are, they’re expensive.
At least four manufacturers that Sazen works with are experiencing supply shortages over their “entire matcha portfolio” and have suspended sales. Though Mangan currently feels confident about Kettl’s supply chain for matcha, he acknowledges that some of their offerings are sold out.
In particular, supply chain disruptions and staffing shortages – whether due to resignations or illness – are forcing quick service and fast casual restaurants to adapt quickly to changing conditions. Increased Emphasis on Online Ordering. Former competitors are now part of the same umbrella company.
Fast-casual Condado Tacos—which prefers calling itself “next-gen casual”—has long had a bar program with a selection of conventional margaritas and beers to go with its Mexican-style menu and vibe. The new menu format makes it easier for customers to pair drinks and food. By Patricia Cobe on Jul.
From elevated comfort food to trending global flavors, operators are using Philly in inventive ways that bring signature flavor and premium texture to the menu. Way #5 CREAMY QUESADILLA WITH PHILLY Mexican food is leading the charge in foodservice growth, with the highest increase in servings vs. last year. Or even on a pizza!
So much data is generated at every point within a restaurant, whether fast casual or fine dining. – Rhonda Levene, CEO of Ziosk Chicken’s Timeless Comfort Food Appeal Chicken has become America’s ultimate comfort food. Foot traffic or heat mapping, menu item engagement, or consumer demographics by time of day.
Recognizing this shift, Freshii , a fast-casual franchise with hundreds of locations globally, created a corporate partnership that enables companies to offer meal kits and market baskets at a discount to their employees. ” Reviving The Supply Chain. It’s been well received, truly a win-win for everyone involved.”
Fast-casual Panera Bread has been going through significant change over the past two years, with multiple board and leadership changes. News leadership Fast_Casual Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts. Sign up here.
Yelp found that food businesses are seeing one of the largest increases of inflationary experiences compared to Q3 2021, followed by restaurants. Consumers report experiencing inflation the most at food businesses and restaurants, with inflation mentions in reviews up 31 percent and 28 percent, respectively year over year. ”
More recently, the coupes have become a fixture of the aesthetic Instagram tablescape, particularly among the niche of food designers and stylists who put forth a sense of highly stylized yet casually lived-in opulence. She’s since bolstered her collection with aluminum coupes from the restaurant supply store.
Continue to Site >>> Menu C-stores are stealing fast-food tactics. Not quite yet An easy way to bring bold Korean flavors to modern menus From BBQ to beverages, menus are seeing a lot of action Food C-stores are stealing fast-food tactics. Photo: Shutterstock Made-to-order food, value offerings, loyalty programs.
A spike in food costs, a drop in sales volume, or one slow season can wipe out months of hard work. They tell you how much money your restaurant keeps after paying for everything from food costs to labor expenses to utilities and rent. There are two kinds of margins you need to know. Why are restaurant profit margins so thin?
The research stems from in-person chef interviews and a nationwide survey of more than 400 restaurant owners and operators spanning 47 states with respondents ranging from fine dining establishments to fast-casual venues, breweries, and caterers. "This times less difficulty in retention and 1.2 times less difficulty in finding staff.
Rising food costs are the number one issue of concern for chefs heading into 2023, according to the survey, with 44 percent of respondents ranking it as their top worry. Rising labor costs, the inability to find staff to hire, and rising non-food costs (utilities, containers, furniture, etc.)
This has dramatically impacted the core of the food and restaurant industries, specifically healthy and organic food. Eating organic is by no means a new concept brought on by the pandemic, but the shift in mindsets has thrust this niche food sector into overdrive. The Organic Food Boom. And the numbers are impressive.
Fresh prepared produce delivers many benefits to foodservice operations from cost and labor savings along with increasing back of house efficiency, food safety, and freshness. Supply Chain Shortages. One of the biggest pain points during and after the pandemic was supply chain. Ease Labor Shortages.
Since the start of the pandemic, safety measures such as social distancing, lockdowns and mask-wearing have completely changed our understanding of how consumers spend on food. We saw customers stockpiling on groceries and supplies in homes instead of going out to eat, raising retail sales by 29 percent over the previous year (1).
The discussion included food, beverage, nutrition, lifestyle and unique aspects of boutique and high volume foodservice. Among the findings: Casual experiential dining appeals on many fronts to consumers of varying ages in different parts of the country looking for affordable culinary experiences.
More than half of restaurant operators said it would be a year or more before businesses conditions return to normal with food, labor, and occupancy costs are expected to remain elevated, and continue to impact restaurant profit margins in 2022, according to the National Restaurant Association's 2022 State of the Restaurant Industry report.
Hart joins food-and-games investment company Emerging The Chicago-based company is behind Puttshack, F1 Arcade, Flight Club and the upcoming Poolhouse. The growth capital firm behind the food-and-games brands Puttshack, F1 Arcade and Flight Club has added more restaurant industry firepower to its leadership team. Photo: Shutterstock.
Salad is rising as the next drive-thru concept The fast-casual Greenlane is plotting growth across Florida with investor and NFL star Rob Gronkowski working the drive-thru window. But Tampa-based Greenlane is among a growing number of fast-casual concepts making freshly prepared salads a drive-thru option. By Lisa Jennings on Jun.
“I Heart Fries is a restaurant concept that combines a variety of delicious international foods in one place. JA: The biggest challenges are supply chain logistics, maintaining quality, and adapting to different markets. It helps us connect with customers, showcase our food, and build a strong community. a clear identity.
New restaurant and food businesses are opening at pre-pandemic levels, with the number of new openings increasingly more in line with 2018 and 2019 volumes, according to third quarter data for the Yelp Economic Average (YEA) report. "And more closures are likely, depending on how long this operating environment continues."
Supply chains, while showing more stability, are fraught with uncertainty. The food service industry is forecast to reach $1 trillion in sales this year. We’re seeing younger buyers investing in dining experiences that blend food, convenience, and atmosphere with their values as shoppers. The benefit is twofold.
B Corp Restaurants As of early 2024, almost 150 restaurants around the world have achieved the certification, from fine-dining independents to fast-casual chains, with hotels, breweries and food delivery companies also dotting the list. Green Restaurant and Slow Food were others we considered. Is It Worth It?
Los Angeles has become a hotbed for bagel concepts like Courage Bagels, Hank’s Bagels, the Yeastie Boys food trucks, and more. News Emerging Brands franchising Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.
Starting out as a whole grain diet for radicals, vegan food culture has evolved into Michelin star worthy mega trend for future chefs and culinary experts. Nowadays, vegan food is becoming normal in restaurants and fast food joints. Plant-based eating was previously limited to some selected restaurants and casual cafes.
The New Jersey-based fast-casual chain has been acquired by private-equity firm Thompson Street Capital Partners, the company announced Wednesday. News acquisitions franchising Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.
In the hypercompetitive food and beverage industry, restaurant operators are often subjected to a number of daunting challenges. Since 2006, Tender Greens had established its presence as a go-to fine-casual restaurant that offers more than a meal.
According to Upserve’s 2020 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, the industry will collectively lose $240 billion, with casual dining sales volume down by 60 percent and fast casual down 50 percent. There’s no disputing that the past year has been extremely hard on the restaurant industry overall.
It’s the foundation of knowing your actual food cost. When done correctly, dish costing helps you control food costs, reduce food waste, and price items in a way that supports your restaurant’s financial health without alienating guests. Accuracy matters, especially when food prices fluctuate.
In this edition of MRM Research Roundup, we have news on understanding customer loyalty, beverage insights, restaurant supply loyalty, the influence of discounts, the state of payments and the evolution of gift cards. The Value of Trust. velocity in Neighborhood Bars has grown by 447 percent vs the equivalent week in 2020.
Full-service restaurants, for instance, are particularly subject to the effects of inflation—as consumers appear to shift some spending to limited-service establishments and QSRs to save food costs. This migration could be a goldmine for casual/fast food brands if only they had the people to support them.
Commodities are in demand, but supply is short. Breakfast and casual eateries/coffee shops can be optimistic. Nearly one in five frequented a casual restaurant/coffee shop more in September compared to 13 percent in May. As you would imagine, respondents who order more from breakfast and casual eateries are back at the office.
In recent years, the food service industry has undergone a rapid transformation of automation and increased technology usage. Fast Food and QSR Value The United States Fast Food & Quick Service Restaurant Market size was valued at US$ 248.8 Growing menu innovation and healthy fast food further drive the growth of the market.
The Atlanta-based company is hoping that more modern food and restaurants will help its brands break through with younger consumers. Last June, the 260-unit chain dropped “Restaurant and Bakery” in favor of the more streamlined Perkins American Food Co. That means you can now get boba at Perkins. By Joe Guszkowski on Jun.
deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. deals this week as fast-food pizza chains work to reverse stubbornly weak sales. It could have been worse: Fast-casual pizza chain sales declined 5%.
But it wasn’t quite so bad for fast-casual concepts , which outpaced other categories with 9% growth in 2024, according to Technomic. Fast-casual chicken chains, including Dave’s Hot Chicken, saw double-digit sales growth, while fast-casual pizza continued to falter. Segment leader Chipotle Mexican Grill rose to No.
Our restaurant of the future is designed to benefit guests, employees and franchisees, with a new external design and a reimagined kitchen that will make it easier for us to serve hot, delicious food quickly for frictionless guest experiences, and we expect to see a lot more of that next year. Clinton Anderson, CEO, Fourth Enterprises.
One example is OpenAI’s Operator, a tool that can perform web-based tasks like making a restaurant reservation or ordering food from a delivery app. AI agents will no doubt make their way into restaurants themselves, where they could be used to create schedules or order supplies, easing the workload on managers.
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