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  How nonalcoholic beverages are driving the next wave of profits

  Expanded zero-proof menus are attractive to Gen Z, who drink 20% less than millennials, and yield better margins than traditional cocktail offerings, writes Sidework CEO Rishabh Kewalramani.

  Rishabh Kewalramani • Feb. 5, 2025

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  Serving the electorate: Restaurants and voters share common ground this election

  Inflation, the job market, economy, taxes and immigration reform are key issues impacting operators ahead of the election, writes the National Restaurant Association’s Michelle Korsmo.

  Michelle Korsmo • Oct. 18, 2024

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  How to train your restaurant employees so they learn fast and enjoy their work

  Training is an excellent opportunity to share your restaurant’s culture and what makes it unique, writes D. J. Costantino, senior content marketing manager at 7shifts.  

  D. J. Costantino • Sept. 24, 2024

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  ‘Tipflation’ narrative is harmful to the restaurant industry

  Saying that tips have spun "out of control" is inaccurate, as data shows a minimal decline in tip percent averages, writes Kevin Bryla, CMO of SpotOn.

  Kevin Bryla • Aug. 16, 2024

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  Dynamic offers done right: Why Wendy’s was on the right track

  Unlike surge pricing, dynamic pricing can enhance brand loyalty and foster a sense of community engagement beyond traditional marketing methods, writes Catherine Tabor, founder and CEO of Sparkfly. 

  Catherine Tabor • March 20, 2024

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  What restaurants need to know about Valentine’s Day BOGO, marketing and menu items

  Last year’s holiday drove a 34% lift in restaurant food sales compared to the daily average for the year, a boost operators can recreate, writes Julie Gregg, director of market insights and competitive intelligence at Toast.

  Julie Gregg • Feb. 8, 2024

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  Cafes and bakeries are only scratching the surface for additional revenue

  Offering an alcoholic or “evening” beverages menu can grow end-of-day foot traffic and deepen regulars’ relationships with their favorite “third place,” writes Toast VP of Product Marketing Teddy Tsang. 

  Teddy Tsang • Sept. 28, 2023

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  Why AI is a key ingredient for success at Primanti Bros.

  The chain is simplifying and speeding up office processes by outsourcing tasks like sales and labor reporting to robotic process automation bots, writes Caitlin Stritmatter, director of financial planning and analysis at Primanti Bros.

  Caitlin Stritmatter • Aug. 21, 2023

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  Taylor Swift’s smash-hit tour shows restaurants can harness concert hype

  Restaurants near Swift’s Nashville show saw a 35% bump in average transaction counts YOY for the three days she played, writes Teddy Tsang, vice president of product marketing at Toast. 

  Teddy Tsang • Aug. 11, 2023

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  For restaurants still struggling, preserving outdoor dining is key to their survival

  Since outdoor dining has become such a boon for local businesses, the question should not be whether we keep outdoor dining, but how we make it enjoyable for all, writes Austen Asadorian, SVP of sales at SevenRooms.

  Austen Asadorian • Nov. 2, 2022

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  Why ‘tipping fatigue’ isn’t impacting restaurant servers the way you’d think it is

  Diner tips were 9.9% higher in Q2 2022 compared to the year-ago period, and digital payments hold opportunity for robust gratuity, says Kelly Esten, SVP & GM of enterprise at Toast. 

  Kelly Esten • Oct. 5, 2022

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  Managing your online reputation during a global crisis

  If your restaurant is impacted due to its name or presumed affiliation with an ongoing conflict, such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, you need to act quickly, writes Monica Ho, CMO of SOCi Inc.

  Monica Ho • April 21, 2022

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  Gen Z is attracted to flexible restaurant jobs. But what makes them stay?

  Positive corporate culture and authentic, charitable missions may be better means to retain these young workers than increased hourly rates amid the Great Resignation, writes Tim Weiderhoft, CEO of Wow Wow Hawaiian Lemonade.

  Tim Weiderhoft • April 14, 2022

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  The importance of embracing today's always-connected diner

  Restaurants should reconsider their investments to ensure a great, connected experience for their customers, writes Anthony Cross, Yelp's vice president of restaurant products.

  Anthony Cross • April 4, 2022

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  4 ways data is helping restaurants reinvent themselves in 2022

  The value of building long-term relationships with diners can be the difference between meaningful growth or a struggling business, writes Dan Silver, SVP of marketing at GroundTruth.

  Dan Silver • March 28, 2022

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  4 strategies to beat QSR's biggest reward challenges

  A rewards program can help make sense of customer characteristics that are considerably variable, writes Jenn McMillen, founder of Incendio.

  Jenn McMillen • March 25, 2022

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  7 details restaurants need to include in sexual harassment policies

  With Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, it's time to develop new restaurant and bar policies and take a harder look at existing ones, writes Jarrett Wagner, a risk control representative at Society Insurance.

  Jarrett Wagner • March 17, 2022

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  In absence of RRF, restaurants can use tech to boost recovery

  A provision that would refill the Restaurant Revitalization Fund was nixed from the final version of the omnibus spending bill, but operators have the tools they need to thrive, writes Ben Pryor, head of innovation for SpotOn.

  Ben Pryor • March 10, 2022

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  Congress should double down on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund at this critical juncture

  Restaurants have survived but need more help in this "New Hospitality" era, writes Chris Comparato, CEO of Toast.

  Chris Comparato • March 7, 2022

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  How to prepare your restaurant for Valentine's Day crowds amid COVID-19

  Personalization, limited menus and social media engagement can be a recipe for success despite labor struggles on this high-traffic day, writes Jennifer Simmons, director of marketing at Restaurant365.

  Jennifer Simmons • Feb. 9, 2022

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  Rise of the robots: How restaurants can automate without losing the human touch

  Instead of adopting technology to replace human beings, employers should embrace digital tools that make jobs more satisfying, writes Raju Malhotra, chief product and technology officer at PAR Technology Corporation.

  Raju Malhotra • Feb. 2, 2022

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  Digital-first diners are driving the rise of collaborative commerce

  Collaborative commerce immerses customers in the dining experience and makes them active participants in shaping the operational experience, writes futurist Brian Solis.

  Brian Solis • Jan. 27, 2022

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  When it comes to plant-based foods, it's time to get back to our roots

  We should focus less on marketing and processing and more on honoring the enjoyability of real food, write Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern, co-founders of Washington, D.C.-based Chaia.

  Suzanne Simon and Bettina Stern • Jan. 21, 2022

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  Why convenience retailers are gearing up to win in foodservice

  As vehicles go electric, stores will increasingly turn away from fuel pumps and toward innovative meals and snacks, writes retail analyst Frank Beard.

  Frank Beard • Jan. 7, 2022

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  The key to a successful holiday season will be flexible staffing

  For small employers, flexibility and adjustable hours are factors to compete on now that workers' demands are changing, writes Sumir Meghani, CEO and co-founder of Instawork.

  Sumir Meghani • Oct. 18, 2021

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