Operations: Page 56
-
P.F. Chang's continues takeout-only expansion with NYC launch
CEO Damola Adamolekun said its three new To Go locations in the Big Apple is part of a larger strategy to reach a more urban population.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 19, 2020 -
NYC releases heater guidance as city faces new restaurant closures, impending winter
Mayor Bill de Blasio has approved the use of electric, gas and propane heaters for outdoor dining following Gov. Andrew Cuomo's new "Cluster Action Plan" to close or reduce dining capacity in neighborhoods with high COVID-19 cases.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 16, 2020 -
Trendline
Back-of-house Technology
From voice AI at the drive-thru to robot-powered makelines, restaurants are investing in technology solutions to optimize kitchen operations and reduce employee turnover.
By Restaurant Dive staff -
Jack in the Box serves up plant-based, 'unchicken' sandwich
The chain is the latest QSR to add an alternative protein item to their menu, which appeals to the growing flexitarian trend and can help drive diner interest and traffic.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 16, 2020 -
Wisconsin judge reinstates 25% capacity limit on bars, restaurants
The judge denied a request on Monday to extend a temporary hold on Gov. Tony Ever's restrictions, which were put into place a week ago, arguing that it was unclear if businesses were actually being hurt by the measure.
By Alicia Kelso • Updated Oct. 21, 2020 -
Starbucks to hold execs accountable for new racial diversity goals
The company aims to have 30% representation for Black, indigenous and people of color at the corporate level and 40% at the retail and manufacturing level by 2025.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 15, 2020 -
Taco Bell adds DoorDash as a delivery partner
The new partnership, which will cover 75% of Taco Bell's U.S. locations, continues Yum's strategy to grow delivery after its exclusive partnership with Grubhub ended abruptly during the summer.
By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 14, 2020 -
Casual dining curbside pickup times beat QSR, report shows
Olive Garden, Applebee's and Panera — which earned high speed and customer satisfaction scores from Rakuten Ready — benefit from large real estate footprints with designated parking spots and strong technology infrastructure.
By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 13, 2020 -
7 months later: Where the restaurant industry stands
With sales down to 2016 levels, restaurants have a lot of ground to make up, but pent-up demand for dining in is still high and technological innovations can help bring consumers back.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 13, 2020 -
Ghost restaurant calculator
Thinking about developing a ghost kitchen business plan? Use this calculator to crunch the numbers and determine profitability.
By Nami Sumida, Julie Littman, Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 12, 2020 -
Deep Dive
How to make ghost kitchens and virtual brands profitable
Jumping into a ghost kitchen may seem like a way to recoup lost dining room sales during the pandemic, but operators need to consider food costs, labor, marketing and brand equity to help ensure a payoff.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 12, 2020 -
Domino's continues same-store sales growth streak, but margins are tightening
Higher food costs and $11 million worth of pandemic-related expenses like enhanced sick pay and cleaning supplies negatively impacted the pizza chain's operating margins.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 9, 2020 -
NYC restaurants caught in crossfire of contradictory COVID-19 guidelines
Over the course of this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced two different, overlapping plans to close restaurants in neighborhoods with high infection rates. Here's what's happening now.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Oct. 9, 2020 -
DoorDash for Work lets employers feed their remote workers
The aggregator's product is a solution for the new work-from-home economy, and could recapture some lost lunch business as commuters stay remote.
By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 8, 2020 -
Kroger brings ghost kitchens inside stores
The grocer is opening a delivery and pickup-only restaurant inside an Indiana location on Thursday and will open a second facility in Ohio next month.
By Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 8, 2020 -
Ruby Tuesday emerges from bankruptcy
The chain plans to continue developing virtual, delivery-only brands to leverage its growing off-premise business and support its long-term growth strategy.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Feb. 25, 2021 -
McDonald's adds 3 baked goods to breakfast line up
The permanent additions, which will be part of its McCafé Bakery menu, will be available beginning Oct. 28 at participating restaurants and reflect the chain's pivot to refocus on the sluggish morning daypart.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 7, 2020 -
McDonald's shaves down drive-thru times by almost 30 seconds, study shows
The chain's speed of service is likely helped by its Dynamic Yield technology and streamlined menus, including the elimination of all-day breakfast.
By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 6, 2020 -
Deep Dive
Mapping the rise of ghost kitchens
Are ghost kitchens really on their way to becoming a mainstream restaurant channel? And what risks come with the opportunity they promise? Restaurant Dive aims to answer these questions and more in a six-part article series.
Oct. 5, 2020 -
Deep Dive
How the pandemic accelerated the US ghost kitchen market '5 years in 3 months'
The COVID-19 crisis has restaurants "running to catch up" to delivery demand, but experts now see potential for permanent changes to business models as dark kitchens gain steam.
By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 5, 2020 -
NYC Mayor de Blasio to move forward with select restaurant shutdowns without state approval
Despite a lack of approval from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he would halt indoor and outdoor dining in these areas starting Wednesday unless the state offers a different plan.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Oct. 6, 2020 -
55% of small businesses worry about staying open amid capacity restrictions, study says
While Florida and Indiana have allowed restaurants to fully reopen, most municipalities are capping dining rooms, which concerns operators, according to a Verizon survey.
By Julie Littman • Oct. 2, 2020 -
P.F. Chang's extends temporary layoffs for up to 5,800 workers
The chain filed WARN notices to inform workers if their hours were cut by over 50% for 6 months or more. Restaurant Dive found notices in 20 states, and the majority of the filings noted up to 75 impacted employees per store.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Updated Oct. 2, 2020 -
Opinion
'The new better': Why restaurants can't go back to the way business was before the pandemic
Expectations of businesses have greatly evolved over the past six months, and if restaurants want to lure diners back, they need to prioritize both customer innovation and the employee experience, writes Ben Rogers of Qualtrics.
By Ben Rogers • Oct. 1, 2020 -
Ruby Tuesday stopped paying retiree pensions, Business Insider reports
Despite trying new delivery tactics and hiring a CEO in 2018 to help with a turnaround strategy, the latest allegations only further highlight the chain's struggles to grow sales.
By Julie Littman • Sept. 30, 2020 -
Inspire Brands invests in POS integration platform ItsaCheckmate
The tech will help Arby's parent company streamline operations across its systems, the majority of which manually adds food orders from multiple channels to its POS platform.
By Emma Liem Beckett • Sept. 30, 2020