Thursday, June 29, 2017
Today's Specials:
INFOGRAPHIC: Fewer Than 1 in 25 Americans Have a Food Allergy
Food allergies can be a life or death situation at restaurants, but they're not as common as we might think, according to a Statista infographic. Here's what the restaurant industry should know about food allergies.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Bring Your Own Ice
Ice from three of the UK’s biggest coffee chains has been found to contain bacteria from feces after a BBC investigation. Iced drinks from Costa Coffee, Starbucks, and Caffe Nero contained varying levels of bacteria that are unsafe for consumption. Each chain is now looking into the matter. Can’t say we’re too surprised.
Ballin’
The latest NBA newbies are receiving their contracts for the next season. This infographic shows just how much money the rookie top picks will be earning in their first year. And it’s a lot.
Keeping Kids Busy
The invention of the crayon forever changed the way that kid’s menus are used in restaurants. Family-friendly restaurants have evolved over a long period of time. Here’s how coloring books ended up as restaurants menus. We are forever grateful.
STAFF ON I.C.E.
Why it matters to you: Even the threat of an immigration raid is a disruption.
When an ICE agent visited the Boathouse restaurant in Baltimore, he was professional, cordial and non-threatening. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop 30 BoH employees from immediately leaving work, not to return. The owner of the restaurant claims to have proper documentation from all of his employees verifying their eligibility to work…so why did the staff bale? The documentation required by employers to complete an I9 verification isn’t too hard to fake, and frankly, the incentive to dive deeper into your employee’s documentation is very low.
Therefore, it might be time for you to be proactive. With ICE enforcement coming faster under Trump than Obama (hard to believe given that the previous administration deported millions of undocumented aliens) it’s up to you to ensure that all of your staff have the necessary papers. If you are like the Boathouse, you have lots of employees who may not be eligible to work and you don’t really know. You certainly don’t want to find out by having all of them simply not show up for work again. So, get out those employee files, determine where you might have exposure and begin planning on how you will address it…before ICE does it for you.
RISE OF THE MACHINES
Why it matters to you: Soon your restaurant might be staffed by robots.
There is a growing fear among restaurant workers that pretty soon their jobs will become automated. As of now, many establishments are incorporating fast-casual concepts which will cut back on the positions needed to staff restaurants. Some operators on the west coast are testing the existing conveyor belt sushi theme to deliver food via machine to tables. With some servers on hand to fill drinks and bring the check, all of the food is delivered and cleared by conveyor belt. This trend alone drastically decreases staff need in many places.
An American Express survey found that most Millennials prefer having more technology incorporated into their dining experience. The survey covered a wide range of topics both for consumers and restaurants themselves but found a few reoccurring patterns including technology and delivery. Roughly 39% of millennials prefer digital customer service, while 28% of Gen X and 12% of Baby Boomers prefer more tech in dining. This leaves a vast majority that still prefers human interaction in restaurants. While these new concepts are tested, some trends will catch on, while others will fade out. It’s still to be determined whether we could see robots staffing our restaurants in the near future.
