OPERATIONS: How to Successfully Execute Your Gamday Menu
Gameday has finally come. You’ve visualized, created, tested, and perfected your menu. Now comes the execution. Just like the teams playing on your flat-screens on gameday, your staff must play their roles, cooperate smoothly, and remember the common goal they’re all working for.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Avocado Recall
If you didn’t hear, there’s a multistate recall on avocados. Included in the recall is AZ, CA, FL, NH, NC, and WI. Here’s more on what you need to know about the recall, but also be sure to check out this piece, too. It’s worth it for the headline alone.
Cat Rescuer Suspended
Verizon has suspended an employee for using company equipment to rescue a cat that was stuck on top of a utility pole. The cat’s owner had called the fire department, animal rescue, and the telephone company before the nearby Verizon employee came to rescue. The cat had been stuck on top of the pole for 12 hours, according to one resident. But no good deed goes unpunished. The employee was suspended three weeks without pay for safety rules by using the equipment to save the cat, Verizon said. Yikes.
Marijuana Windfall
Out of the 10 states (and D.C.) where marijuana is legal, seven currently tax and regulate their revenue-producing stores. Those taxes are typically 10 to 37% higher than the local sales tax which has allowed some states to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars. Last year, Washington had the highest tax revenue according to Leafly with an estimated $319 million, followed by California's $300 million and Colorado's $266 million.
DIFFERENT IS GOOD
Why it matters to you: Diversity in your staffing will make it easier to attract great candidates.
Are any of you so well staffed that you can turn away a qualified candidate based on their ethnicity? We didn’t think so. Maybe it’s a bit cynical, but sub-4% unemployment is a powerful way to encourage diversity. We just can’t ignore a great person due to any prior biases we hold. That’s what Gerry Fernandez of the Multicultural Food Service & Hospitality Alliance addressed during a recent interview. His remarks focused on the diversity of the foods we serve being reflective of a plural society.
Just as easy as it was to accept food from other cultures, so can it be to invite them to staff our restaurants. Restaurants that focus on diversity also experience growth and improved operations, according to Fernandez. As the demographics of our nation change, so will the pool from which you draw your employees. That’s why it’s crucial to value diversity now. Future candidates will see your team and know that yours is a place that gives them equal opportunity to succeed.
[Source: National Restaurant Association]
SWEET DISRUPTION
Why it matters to you: Children’s health experts encourage taxes and warning labels on sweet soda.
Nine cities in the US have implemented a soda tax to discourage consumption, especially by children. In fact, two high powered health organizations have called for a surtax on all sugary beverages and warning labels on all containers. Additionally, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have jointly recommended federal and state curbs on marketing sugary drinks to children, along with efforts at all levels of government to make healthier drinks the default choice in bundled meal deals. The argument made by the AHA and AAP is that this approach is working for cigarettes and has already been successfully implemented across the country.
The obvious motivation is to curb the spread of obesity by making better choices available and increasing the cost of consuming a sugary beverage. Unfortunately, there are conflicting studies that show no conclusive evidence that the current taxes in place are accomplishing this goal. But it stands to reason that organizations with the clout of the AHA and AAP wouldn’t call for a tax on soda unless they thought this was a real crisis. This issue is just starting to gain momentum and we will continue to track this debate as it unfolds. If you have a soda tax in your municipality, please give us any feedback you have on its impact. We will be happy to publish your account of the real-world consequences.
[Source: Restaurant Business Online]
