Deep Dive: Page 5
Industry insights from our journalists
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How 5 Bay Area restaurateurs are surviving rising operating costs
Real estate pressures and a chef shortage are forcing restaurants to find creative solutions — like covering workers' Uber rides and having chefs serve diners — to protect their bottom lines and retain talent.
Rosie Bradbury • Sept. 3, 2019 -
Choice Market
Bowled over: Grocers embrace latest foodservice trend
As more Americans enjoy food bowls, retailers are challenging restaurants with their diverse offerings, including delivery, local sourcing and customization.
Jessica Dumont • July 16, 2019 -
The year of 'woke-washing': How tone-deaf activism risks eroding brands
Experts warn an uptick in socially and politically aware advertising can read more as chasing headlines than meeting real consumer demands, and it could degrade trust in the industry.
Peter Adams • July 8, 2019 -
Welcome to the drive-thru, AI will take your order
McDonald's and Sonic Drive-In are among the fast food chains testing out voice-automation and AI as part of an industrywide push to modernize.
Julie Littman • July 8, 2019 -
Meal kits could offer untapped revenue stream for restaurants
This off-premise segment could help restaurants offer a new option to diners alongside delivery and takeout, but very few operators have jumped into the ready-to-cook segment.
Julie Littman • June 27, 2019 -
Maintaining mouthfeel: The challenge of preserving food texture on the shelf and during delivery
Manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, restaurants and packaging designers are all working together to make sure the consumer gets items that feel freshly made — wherever they are.
Alicia Kelso • June 25, 2019 -
Blockchain, 5G could transform restaurants. Are they ready?
These solutions will dramatically impact the industry’s ability to trace and monitor products and automate processes, but many operators are behind in current tech adoption.
Julie Littman • June 6, 2019 -
Kate Tornone, HR Dive
Tacos and turnover: How one Philly restaurant bolsters retention
From 401(k) matches to creatively challenging assignments, Mission Taqueria is defying the restaurant industry's "churn and burn" mentality.
Kate Tornone • June 3, 2019 -
National Restaurant Association Show 2019
5 high-tech innovations at the NRA Show
The future is here. From robotic food runners to kiosks that let you pay with your face, the annual event was a parade of gadgets, gizmos and tech-heavy products that could streamline operations.
Emma Liem Beckett, Thai Phi Le and Julie Littman • May 29, 2019 -
Data is important, but insights drive restaurant growth
To remain competitive in a digital market, operators must walk the tightrope of processing as much diner data as possible without ceding control to third parties or alienating customers.
Emma Liem Beckett • May 29, 2019 -
Convenience stores transforming into 'restaurants-to-go'
What's the future of dining? At the NRA Show, many people — from analysts to Wawa's CEO — saw c-stores as a clear player in the segment, siphoning dollars from traditional eateries.
Thai Phi Le • May 22, 2019 -
Impossible Foods
Impossible shortage burning restaurants that put it on the map
Independents are accusing the company of overpromising production capacity and hanging them out to dry following major corporate partnerships. Will $300 million in new funding be enough to restore both supply and its reputation?
Emma Liem Beckett • May 13, 2019 -
It's not just McDonald's — restaurant CIOs are hungry for tech
"It's hard to look cool if you've got a pager that was from the 1980s still in use," said the founder of Aaron Allen & Associates.
Samantha Schwartz • April 11, 2019 -
Christopher Doering
Restaurant brands bring recognition, familiarity and innovation to Big Food's menu
Restaurants like P.F. Chang's and California Pizza Kitchen have increasingly licensed items in grocery stores to help boost overall revenue, but food delivery could make these products less lucrative.
Christopher Doering • April 8, 2019 -
Auntie Anne's
Crashing the C-suite ceiling: How female restaurant leaders are pushing for more diversity
Even though more women work in the restaurant industry than men, fewer are at the executive level. Brands like Auntie Anne's, Red Lobster, Starbucks and McDonald's hope to change that.
Julie Littman • April 1, 2019 -
The blunt truth: Cannabis retail is here
It's a growth industry where the potential is high, but retailers, restaurants and consumers are on a steep learning curve.
Daphne Howland • March 21, 2019 -
Restaurants after #MeToo: How this 'wake-up call' is impacting harassment training
The fall of celebrity chefs like Mario Batali and employee walkouts at McDonald's have brought the industry's culture problem into sharp focus, prompting both chains and states to launch mandatory education programs.
Alicia Kelso • March 11, 2019 -
NYC crackdown slows momentum of CBD-infused food and drink
Cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive marijuana extract, has been tapped as a top restaurant trend for 2019. But the FDA has halted sales in some markets — leaving operators confused about the category's future.
Alicia Kelso • Feb. 25, 2019 -
California Tortilla
Fresh take: Why restaurants are investing in better ingredients
To meet consumer demand healthier food, QSR brands are innovating with fresh, antibiotic-free foods and customizable menus, but this strategy comes with food safety challenges.
Julie Littman • Feb. 13, 2019 -
DoorDash
Delivery dilemma: Are in-house innovations or third-party aggregates best?
As demand intensifies, restaurants are faced with a crucial decision: Scale up quickly with aggregates and lose influence over customers, or develop costly proprietary technology that maintains control over diner data.
Alicia Kelso • Feb. 4, 2019 -
Why the delivery market will look different in 5 years
With billions in potential revenue on the line, third-party providers like DoorDash and Grubhub are working more closely with restaurants to find better ways to process online orders.
Julie Littman • Jan. 28, 2019 -
Guillermo Fernandes, Flickr
Why 'ghost' restaurants are changing the delivery game
Delivery-only concepts are using data to fill gaps in the market and experiment with their menus faster than traditional formats can. But without a storefront, can they make meaningful connections with their customers?
Kristine Sherred • Jan. 24, 2019 -
Christopher Doering
Tapped out? Brewpubs, taprooms inundate beer scene as brewers aim to stand out
With more than 6,000 craft beers in the U.S., makers of the popular alcoholic drink are focusing on creating an immersive experience through food, entertainment and, of course, tasty and cleverly named beverages.
Christopher Doering • Jan. 16, 2019 -
How restaurants are using benefits to win in a tight labor market
The industry is experiencing the fastest quitting rate among U.S. workers in 17 years, driving companies like McDonald's and Starbucks to roll out non-traditional perks to retain talent.
Alicia Kelso • Dec. 17, 2018 -
Flickr
It's not easy being green: Romaine lettuce E. coli outbreak rattles food, grocery industries
The FDA's decision to request that the popular green gets pulled from shelves sent "a strong message" to the produce sector, according to a former agency official, while costing supermarkets millions of dollars in losses.
Christopher Doering • Dec. 10, 2018
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