Thursday, July 27, 2017
Today's Specials:
BUSINESS: 3 Old-School Restaurant Processes You Need to Stop Today [Presented by Orderly]
Sometimes being old school isn't a good thing, but in the restaurant industry, we seem to be holding on to relics of the past. Here are three outdated things that ALL restaurants need to retire because technology has made these as obsolete as the typewriter and dial-up modem.
SPORTS: Download the NCAA August Football Schedule
NCAA Football programming has always been our bread and butter here at SportsTV Guide and this year will be no exception. Included here is the full available broadcast schedule as well as some internet only games for the 2017 season.
DID YOU KNOWS…
NFL and Head Injuries
Research has found that nearly 90% of former NFL football players have evidence of the brain disease CTE. CTE has been known to cause symptoms including memory loss, depression, and confusion; it’s been found as early as high school and college players. The NFL stated that it intends to work on improving players’ health amongst all the “unanswered questions.”
My Left Stroke Just Went Viral
For those Facebookers looking to go viral, it won’t be easy. Data shows that only 1% of videos posted to Facebook actually end up going viral. Apparently, it will help if your video is square instead of vertical, engaging beyond Likes, and/or is geared toward Spanish speakers. Not any ol’ cat video is destined for fame.
Chipotle Tests Drive-Thru
Chipotle has given into peer pressure. As of yesterday, a Chipotle in Ohio will be testing a drive-thru window incorporated into existing operations. If all goes well in the testing phase, Chipotle will introduce the drive-thru option into other burrito-eager locations.
WAGE WARS
Why it matters to you: Even a high minimum wage may not be enough to live in an expensive city.
We’ve discussed how the minimum wage affects our industry countless times. This is especially the case for cities that see the cost of living sky-rocketing especially New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The most recent news comes from Silicon Valley, where cafeteria workers at Facebook’s headquarters are beginning to unionize in hopes of improving their wages. More than 200 cafeteria workers currently employed by foodservice contractors Flagship Facility Services (not by Facebook itself) have joined Silicon Valley’s largest group of food workers called Unite Here Local 19.
This story is noteworthy because currently, Facebook cafeteria workers are paid $18.81 per hour which they’ve deemed not enough for workers to keep pace with the rising costs of the area. Although what food workers at Facebook make currently seems substantial, if rent, loans or food costs exceed what they make on their paycheck, it becomes impossible to live. Some establishments have gone as far to offer extra employee benefits to maintain their staff’s residence within the area but not all businesses can afford the extra costs. In August, the union hopes to start negotiating a contract with higher wages, though how high, exactly, is up for debate.
REVIEW REVENGE
Why it matters to you: Don’t let a bad review break your restaurant.
Negative reviews always put a damper on existing operations. A restaurant in Bristol, UK got revenge on a customer who left a scathing review on TripAdvisor by naming a cocktail in his honor. The review focused on the bar’s choice of glassware, which he found to be somewhat pretentious and too “hip” for the mainstream public. In response to the less than stellar criticism, the restaurant introduced a drink called “The Ponce’s Dungarees” to reflect the man’s TripAdvisor review. Many of the restaurant’s existing guests have rallied behind the restaurant, ordering the drink and uploading pictures to social media encouraging their followers to stop in and try it.
A spokesperson for the restaurant says they’ve been "totally blown away by the initial response." When loyal customers rally for a restaurant, it proves that operations are likely successful and that one bad review does not have to break your restaurant. In this case, we don’t condone poking fun at unhappy guests, but we do encourage you to respond to all negative reviews. The unhappy diner has since removed his review from TripAdvisor and remains unclear whether he will return to try the cocktail named in his honor.
