WATCH: How March Madness Affects Sports Bars & Restaurants
Beer, food, and basketball. March Madness is the epitome of what bars and restaurants have to offer their guests looking for a good time. Here are some facts to keep in mind when preparing for the madness to ensue.
DID YOU KNOWS…
The Flu is Raging
Did you get your flu shot this year? The U.S. has been gripped by its worst flu season in years. Experts have been surprised by the intensity of the current outbreak with the infection rate around eight percent, as bad as the swine flu epidemic from 2009. The current situation is alarming with the hospitalization rate per 100,000 people already hitting 59.9 after 18 weeks, according to the CDC. Now’s the time to make sure your staff doesn’t have to work when sick and are properly staying hygienic when on the job.
No Ant Left Behind
An ant species that goes to war against termites in Africa tend its wounded, according to researchers. They’re being dubbed Matabele ant medics, and were observed carrying injured comrades out of battle to safety. Once back at the nest, the injured ants received treatment for their wounds, dropping ant fatalities from 80% to 10%. Here’s more.
The Untold Truth of Five Guys
The growth of the Five Guys Burgers and Fries chain is nothing short of amazing, and the story behind it will make you believe anything is possible. With founders who have remained an integral part of their company, franchisees who aren't just buying a brand name but an entire formula, and a company built from the ground up, Five Guys has a story that embraces what the American dream once was...
GOOD FOOD FAST ADOPTS A GOOD FAST FOOD-ER
Why it matters to you: Chipotle names former Taco Bell CEO as their own.
Recently Taco Bell named Brian Niccol, Taco Bell’s former CEO, as their new Chief Executive Officer. This decision came as a surprise to some and a bit of a Hail Mary pass to others. During Niccol’s time at Taco Bell, the company partnered with GrubHub, brought mobile ordering an payments to their 7,000 US restaurants, and made a push for a significant breakfast improvements that made Taco Bell sales increase 7% for 3 years in a row. He’s also the guy who brought nacho fries to Taco Bell. Now Chipotle hopes he can do the same for them.
So, what will Chipotle need for similar growth to occur? Like most restaurants looking to improve themselves, Chipotle will need to capitalize on their opportunities such as: their digital experience is lacking (in all areas), innovation with their menu, starting to/improving their delivery, and the potential for catering. It will be truly interesting to see what Niccol can do in his new gig.
FOOD WASTE IS ONLY FOOD WASTE IF YOU WASTE IT
Why it matters to you: Restaurants in London are partnering with an app to quickly sell food that would typically be wasted.
As we’ve mentioned before, food waste is a massive global problem. A THIRD of food produced for human consumption is wasted every year. That is 1.3 billion tons per year. Wouldn’t it be a great idea to figure out what to do to stave off some the waste and try to utilize it? Some are putting their hopes in an app called Karma in London. Karma allow restaurants to offer food that would have to be thrown out to consumers for half the price. This app is like a monetized version of what chef Massimo Bottura was doing in Italy with his Refettorios dining halls to feed the less fortunate with donated food from local restaurants and vendors. Not only do these cut down on food waste in your area significantly but they also are feeding needy people home-cooked meals every single day from world class chefs.
In the US, our annual food waste varies from 30—40% of our food supply, yet 1 in 6 people in America face hunger daily. This seems like a relatively fixable problem, right? We are wasting 35%(ish) of our food and only 16% of the population faces hunger? While Massimo Bottura plans on opening a Refettorio in the Bronx, he can’t combat global hunger and food waste all on his own. Maybe it’s time we as a country take a step back, use these positive examples as ways we can take steps forward, and actually begin to do so.
