Report: 54% of Topgolf employees report being sexually harassed

The Latest

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  Serve Robotics closes $13M funding round

  The autonomous delivery robot company's latest investment is backed by Uber, DX Ventures and 7-Eleven's corporate venture arm 7-Ventures LLC. 

  Delivery

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  DoorDash plans to offer rapid delivery for retailers

  To enable its entrance into the 15-minute delivery fray in New York City, the company has created DashCorps to employ full-time couriers. 

  Delivery

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  Suit alleges Starbucks youth recruitment program was 'blatant' age discrimination

  A suit claims managers over 40 years of age were denied promotions and fired at the coffee giant, as workers increase scrutiny on age discrimination. 

  Labor and Policy

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  Survey: Majority of diners now tip 20% or more

  Fifty-eight percent of customers have increased the amount they tip servers and delivery drivers since the start of the pandemic, according to Popmenu.

  Consumer Trends

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  Taco Bell appoints Jordan Brand CMO as global chief brand officer

  Sean Tresvant will lead the chain's efforts to drive culture and create impact with a focus on omnichannel initiatives and digital customer touchpoints.

  Marketing

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  Fertitta looks to bail on Fast Acquisition merger

  In SEC filings, Fast Acquisition claims Fertitta Entertainment can't back out of the deal because it delayed providing necessary financial statements ahead of the Dec. 1 closing deadline.

  Updated Dec. 3, 2021

  Corporate Operations

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  Deep Dive // Reef Technology's expansion

  Reef's ghost kitchen expansion mired in permit, health inspection infractions

  In the Sunshine State alone, more than one-third of active Reef mobile kitchen licenses had high-level health and safety infractions, Restaurant Dive found.

  Corporate Operations

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  Burger King to simplify menu to boost drive-thru times

  The chain is planning to remove complicated sandwich builds and improve menu design to help customers make quicker decisions at the drive-thru.

  Operations

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  Study: Teens make up nearly a quarter of limited-service restaurant workforce

  The restaurant industry employs proportionally more teenagers, age 18 and younger, than it did in 2019, according to Black Box Intelligence data. 

  Labor and Policy

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  Shake Shack to open first drive-thru location

  The fast casual chain plans to open 10 drive-thrus in 2022 as part of its shifting development strategy to expand further into suburban markets.

  Operations

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  McDonald's wins in court amid plans to invest in 'diverse-owned' media

  A judge dismissed a $10 billion lawsuit brought by media mogul Byron Allen's Allen Media Group that alleged racial stereotyping and refusals to contract.

  Updated Dec. 1, 2021

  Corporate Operations

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  Ahead of Starbucks Union election, a look back at the campaign

  On Dec. 9, the National Labor Relations Board will count ballots from three Buffalo-area stores voting on unionization, and Restaurant Dive will be on the ground to cover the outcome.

  Labor and Policy

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  The restaurant robotics invasion is just beginning

  From frying wings to delivering food, robots are being used to shore up labor gaps in the restaurant industry. 

  Technology

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  Survey: 38% of operators expect holiday sales to top pre-pandemic levels

  Eighty-three percent of Americans plan to dine out this holiday season, and 46% of restaurant operators expect sales to return to pre-COVID-19 levels.

  Consumer Trends

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  3 ways tipping laws have changed in 2021

  From tipping pools to the 80/20 rule, the U.S. Department of Labor has made major revisions to how tips are calculated, which may pressure operators.

  Labor and Policy

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  SCOTUS to hear Taco Bell employee's arbitration case

  A key point of contention concerns whether, as the employee claimed, her employer waived its right to arbitration by acting inconsistently with that right.

  Labor and Policy

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  Deep Dive

  How brands are turning inclusive holiday campaigns into more than 'inspiration porn'

  Starbucks and Target lead the way for marketers trying to authentically embrace diversity and inclusion during a busy yet reflective season.

  Consumer Trends

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  Mod Pizza plans to go public

  An entrance into the public market caps off a year of recovery in which the fast casual chain opened its 500th store, despite posting a 5% decline in systemwide sales in 2020.

  Finances and Deals

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  Study: 28% of unvaccinated consumers would consider lying about their status in order to dine out

  While 59% of U.S. consumers support businesses requiring vaccination, 21% do not, according to research from Qualtrics.

  Labor and Policy

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  DoorDash to pay $5.3M to settle San Francisco misclassification suit

  This ends an investigation that began in 2019 following accusations the aggregator intentionally misclassified its delivery drivers as independent contractors so it could withhold sick leave.

  Updated Nov. 23, 2021

  Delivery

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  Fat Brands acquires Native Grill & Wings for $20M

  In its fourth acquisition of the year, the company adds a 23-unit restaurant chain to bulk up its existing chicken wing platform.

  M&A

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  Grubhub teams with Deliverect, integrates delivery orders into POS systems

  More than 12,000 restaurants will be able to receive Grubhub orders through their point-of-sale systems, enabling operators to sync and manage menus directly.

  Delivery

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  Starbucks workers in Arizona petition for a union election

  The growth of Starbucks' union drive may reflect increased labor power in the restaurant industry, visible in one-day strikes in non-union restaurant locations.

  Labor and Policy

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  62% of consumers want restaurant gift card for holidays, NRA finds

  Of those consumers, most want a gift card to their favorite restaurant but many would like to try a new eatery, a National Restaurant Association survey shows.

  Marketing

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  Starbucks, Amazon Go open cashierless store concept in NYC

  The two plan to open additional stores in 2022, as more retailers experiment with grab-and-go technology. 

  Corporate Operations

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