David Lanci

Topics of interest from the National Restaurant Association show floor. The four topics Alicia Kelso will be zooming in on are labor solutions (cost, retention), operational efficiencies, marketing, and sustainability. http://ow.ly/LPvK105sQFh

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The catering and food-at-work movement represents a major opportunity for restaurants looking to diversify revenue streams and reach new customers. Erle Dardick, host of "The Catering Cage" podcast, sees catering as a critical business-to-business channel that many restaurants are still struggling to fully capitalize on. While most restaurants now offer some form of catering, truly scaling and optimizing this channel requires significant investment in technology, training, and dedicated sales teams. https://lnkd.in/g6iZ5Jki

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Foodservice News 🗞 Nation's Restaurant News just released an article discussing how fast-casual restaurants are winning the value perception battle, which has been crucial in attracting customers amid economic uncertainties. A few highlights: - With rising food prices and inflation affecting consumer behavior, many diners are prioritizing value-for-money options when choosing where to eat. - Fast-casual brands like Chipotle and Sweetgreen have been able to maintain a perception of quality while providing affordability, which has helped them sustain customer loyalty. Additionally, the ability to innovate with limited-time offers and menu adjustments helps them stay relevant and appealing. - Price-conscious consumers appreciate the transparency in pricing and quality that many fast-casual restaurants provide. This has been particularly effective in retaining traffic compared to other dining segments like full-service restaurants. #foodservice #fastcasual #restaurants #consumerbehavior

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At last week’s Investment Summit during CREATE: The Future of Foodservice , our very own Rikin Lakhani joined industry experts to discuss key challenges for high-growth, emerging brands seeking investment. One major takeaway? Team alignment and leadership consistency is essential. “Turnover can be the most distracting, disruptive thing," Rikin said. "You can have the right real estate and food, but where is the company in terms of its leadership? Are they aligned as a team?” The Summit, powered by Nation's Restaurant News, explored many critical factors for growing brands, from the pros and cons of private equity to alternative financing options and the importance of brand culture. Check out the full article from NRN for more insights. Thank you Sam Oches and Alicia Kelso! #CREATEtogether #leadership #foodservice #restaurants 

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Wow! We are excited to be included, but looking at this restaurant tech map is overwhelming! 😅 How are all of the operators out there making decisions on these things? Here's a TL;DR for us: Galley is a culinary resource planning platform that uses your recipes to inform a variety of operational activities. You can connect things like vendor items to ingredients to your recipes in order get insights on costing, ordering needs, etc. Bonus: if you edit or scale a recipe, all of the connected items automatically update 🤯 Or if you want to accurately track nutrition and/or allergens - we got you. Maybe you are a large organization and you want to automate some of the manual tasks like production plans or menu planning. Galley's got that. Everything is based on your recipes since they dictate what you need to order, prep, cook, and serve. Check out our free version today: https://lnkd.in/gRR6dKgi or DM us if you're a larger org to set up a call with our sales team. Good luck out there! #FoodserviceTech #FoodserviceOperators #Foodservice

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More than ever, restaurant growth is impacted by geographic variations As we zoom out to look at the changing — less linear — approach to growth, it becomes clear that geographic variations matter more than ever. At least, that is the perspective of Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the research and knowledge group at the National Restaurant Association. During a recent interview, he noted one of the industry’s biggest trends in the near term will be how city centers/urban markets continue to repopulate after experiencing a significant retrenchment during Covid. Many restaurant concepts hitched their wagon to a vibrant lunch and after-work office crowd that used to permeate such neighborhoods, but those office workers disappeared by up to 80% in 2020. Those workers’ return has been slow, to put things conservatively. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gQu9zE7D #foodservice #restaurant #foodandbeverageindustry

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Cater Resource Roundup 📒 This week, we’re sharing an emerging theme in high-end restaurants, the importance of investing in your team, and more! Dropping In:  + FoodService Director Online - Aramark joins forces with celebrity chef Daniel Boulud on high-end catering company + Sabrina Jenkins - Put your money where your mouth is. + Restaurant Business Online: Informal occasions are driving catering orders Tap in below in the comments!

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Many foodservice jobs are fast paced and stressful, but there is a cost to burnout: employee dissatisfaction and turnover. #foodservice #foodserviceindustry #restaurant #restaurants #restaurantindustry https://lnkd.in/gTekrCqY

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🌟 A recent analysis has revealed that New Jersey holds the dubious distinction of having the dirtiest restaurants in the United States 🏴. Data compiled from TripAdvisor reviews show an overwhelming number of complaints regarding restaurant cleanliness, far surpassing other states 🍽️. The study, conducted by Affordable Seating, analyzed reviews mentioning hygiene issues such as "dirty restaurant," "rats," "roaches," and "hair in food" 🦠. New Jersey led the pack with 320,520 complaints about dirty restaurants — 854 percent higher than the average across the Top 10 dirtiest states! New Jersey had 1,883 reviews mentioning hair in food and 810 complaints about rats and roaches 🪳🪲🐀. This report highlights the alarming cleanliness issues within the state's dining establishments. It serves as a wake-up call for restaurants to drastically improve their hygiene standards to ensure the safety and satisfaction of patrons 🍴💧🧼. #Food #FoodSafety #FoodSafetyCulture #FoodSafetyMatters #Restaurants

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Here are some key economic insights as of June 2024 in the restaurant industry from the researchers at the National Restaurant Association that you should be aware of: - Job openings in the food service industry have essentially returned to pre-pandemic levels. Over the past three months, job openings in the sector have averaged 843,000, which is not far from the average seen in the 2017–2019 period (835,000). - Net hiring (or hires minus separations) for June was -33,000. The industry hired just 678,000 workers in June, which is the weakest performance since April 2020 and/or the slowest hiring level since December 2014 if you exclude the pandemic. Whether or not you're feeling this macro trend at the operator level is a different question; it seems like good labor is still hard to find. -Eating and drinking places in the US registered total sales of $94.8 billion in June, compared to $90.8 billion in June 2023. This was the third consecutive monthly year-over-year increase. However, after considering menu price inflation sales were essentially flat during the first half of 2024 when compared to 2023. #restaurantfinance #restauranteconomics #restaurants #accounting #cpa #hospitality #economicinsights #economy #accounting https://restaurant.org/

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On the surface, it appeared the restaurant industry was on the rebound in May following a sluggish start to the year. After all, year-over-year commercial foodservice sales improved to 5.9% growth in May following a 3.4% increase in April. However, most of the gains in May were the result of higher menu prices combined with above-average population growth. Take a deeper dive in our Economist's Notebook here: https://bit.ly/3A8cUqy #research #insights #economy #foodservice #restaurants #sales #restaurantssales #consumertrends

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“How many restaurant companies can file bankruptcy in any given week? Sadly, it’s not a riddle.” In the past two months, the US has seen an unsettling reality—4-5 major restaurant chains filing for bankruptcy weekly. 😮 Both Chapter 11 (restructuring) and Chapter 13 filings have impacted casual dining, fast-casual, and QSR (quick service restaurants). 💡 Wondering why? Dive into our latest blog to uncover the reasons behind this trend and the challenges facing these once-thriving establishments. Read the full story here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gAs9HDGM #RestaurantIndustry #Bankruptcy #CasualDining #FastCasual #QSR #IndustryTrends #Restructure

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In the dynamic realm of foodservice management, the role of a talented individual is paramount. However, managing a foodservice facility requires more than just talent; it demands a comprehensive skill set that spans manufacturing and retailing. A successful food manager must possess a diverse skill set, encompassing menu development, guest service, sourcing raw materials, production, and sales. Check out my blog post https://lnkd.in/gG5kyRKe #Foodival #restaurantprocurement #inventorymanagement #foodcostcontrol #foodcostanalysis #reportandinsights #centralkitchen #foodandbeverage #recipeanalysis #foodivalmalaysia #restaurantmanagementsystem #mobileapps

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Building a personal brand is essential for any chef looking to stand out in a competitive industry. As a chef, your brand isn’t just about what you say and do – it’s how others see you. Restaurant consultant Jenny Handley shares 7 key tips to help chefs build a compelling brand, covering: ✅ Defining your culinary identity ✅ Creating an online presence ✅ Engaging with your audience ✅ Networking ✅ Leveraging media ✅ ...and more! #ChefLife #PersonalBranding #CulinaryIdentity #RestaurantIndustry #HospitalityProfessionals"

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