Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Today's Specials:

TECH: How inamo Restaurant Has Embraced Interactive Dining

While many restaurants avoid new technology, inamo has taken restaurant technology to an extreme to improve the guest experience. Here's more about their interactive tables & tips for implementing restaurant tech.

DID YOU KNOWs…

Holy Guacamole!

Avocado prices have risen to a record high due to the increased global demand and reduced harvests from major producers in Mexico, Peru, and California. Analysts expect prices to remain at "elevated levels" after a growers strike in Mexico and drought in California.

Getin’ Buzzed

In case your average 24 pack of beer wasn’t enough, a brewery in Finland has just introduced a 1,000 pack of beer purchasable at Finnish supermarkets. The 1,000 pack of canned Keisari beer costs 2,149.20 Euros – the equivalent of about $2,343… or just over $2 per beer. Finnish Frat Party!

Totta se on! Keisari 1000-PÄKKI kantovalmiina Nokian K-Supermaket Löytiksessä. Ja löytyy myös K-Supermarket Kampista #keisari #keisari1000 pic.twitter.com/IZOqwMzRHO
— Keisari (@NokianKeisari) April 28, 2017

Sushi Setback

Trump Hotel in SoHo has been having some sushi problems. The sushi restaurant in the New York hotel is set to close after a steep decline in business after Trump’s presidential win. Restaurant employees reported that the dining room is often 70 percent empty. Ouch.

RESISTANCE THROUGH STORYTELLING

Why it matters to you: immigrants have been a driving factor in restaurants.

Filmmakers in food have made a vast effort to document immigration in the United States. The Perennial Plate is a group of filmmakers showing how ideas about sustainability resonate in different communities until the 2016 election. Now they have created a campaign, Resistance Through Storytelling, with the hopes to “promote a more empathetic way of thinking about immigrants and refugees” with regard to food. Their Kickstarter campaign began as a way to fund the research, travel, and targeted-advertising expenses for a total of five short films, and it has since surpassed its goal.

Immigration has been a hot topic in the past few years and their video project is aimed at providing a full story. They feel that many of the stories featuring immigrants in the media have been biased and putting forth an effort to introduce positive immigrant stories, many involving the food industry. In their introduction to the campaign, the filmmakers give their experience with exposure to different cultures and how the media has distorted some images. Immigrants have been a driving factor in many industries including restaurants, and this campaign does an excellent job of showing a different side to the story.

WORKING AT WENDY’S

Why it matters to you: Wendy’s does well with providing a healthy work environment.

Many employees have exposed a behind the scenes view of working at top restaurant chains. A Wendy’s employee who spent two years working that at fast-food chain answered anonymous questions online about where Wendy’s food comes from, how clean the place is, and which menu items he does not recommend. He continues to talk about the work benefits, such as generous employee discounts and how management treats the staff. One surprising aspect the employee was proud to reveal was how generous Wendy’s was with donating food to local communities. With FDA approval, all leftover food is donated to soup kitchens.

Other reassuring aspects to working at Wendy’s was how serious management was about whether the equipment is cleaned thoroughly every night. When employees are open to disclose what life is like working at a fast-food chain, the company’s brand could be at stake. Many of the other online questions were about food sourcing and where products come from; both of which are from credible environments. We need to ensure that our restaurants offer a healthy work atmosphere so that our staff remains happy and positively represent our brand.