Operations: Page 63


  • Diners at Soothr in New York City October 2020.
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    "Soothr" by Eden, Janine and Jim is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Opinion

    Strategies for restaurants to address financial distress in the UK and US

    Restaurants should identify cash shortfalls in their business models and share information with stakeholders to implement a comprehensive consensual restructuring, say attorneys at Goodwin's Financial Restructuring Group.

    By Simon Thomas, Oonagh Steel, Michael Goldstein, Howard Steel • Nov. 30, 2020
  • Burger King's newest design for restaurants following COVID-19 pandemic
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    Courtesy of Burger King
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    How the pandemic is shaping restaurant design

    There's no one blueprint for a restaurant that is both safe amid COVID-19 and engaging. Restaurant Dive spoke with major chains and design experts about assets that could be popular solutions.

    Nov. 30, 2020
  • The new Saladworks in-store restaurant, in a Cincinnati Kroger
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    Courtesy of Saladworks
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    Fast casual Saladworks opens in a Cincinnati Kroger

    The salad chain has opened 22 stores over the first half of 2020 despite the pandemic, leaning into more unconventional locations, including supermarkets and military bases.

    By Rosie Bradbury • Nov. 25, 2020
  • Outback Steakhouse exterior
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    Courtesy of Bloomin' Brands
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    How 13 casual chains are turning sales around

    Even though full-service chains' still face an uphill battle, many are seeing positive results from accelerated off-premise initiatives and new offerings that could last even after the pandemic.

    By Nov. 24, 2020
  • Starbucks holiday
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    Permission granted by Starbucks
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    Starbucks boosts employee pay as US wages rise

    The coffee giant will hike wages at least 10% for baristas, shift supervisors and cafe attendants hired on or before Sept. 14. Starting pay will also be raised 5%.

    By Nov. 19, 2020
  • Arby's drive-thru
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    Permission granted by Arby's
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    Deep Dive

    Pandemic revs up drive-thru design innovations

    With drive-thru traffic increasing in the double-digits over the last two quarters, QSRs like Arby's, McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Taco Bell have developed prototypes that better streamline the channel.

    By Nov. 19, 2020
  • Taco Vision, //3877 design
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    Permission granted by //3877
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    Deep Dive

    Designing with distance: How restaurants are evolving to meet pandemic needs

    Forced air blasted between bar seats. Chef's kitchens encased in glass cubes. Garage-style, floor-to-ceiling windows. Experts predict what could become dominant design assets across the industry.

    By Nov. 18, 2020
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    Industry Dive
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    Why Chipotle CTO compares technologists to air traffic controllers

    CTO Curt Garner says collaboration skills helped the company sustain its digital sales by layering technologies.

    By Roberto Torres • Nov. 17, 2020
  • Flickr image of IHOP
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    "IHOP" by Mike Mozart is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Dine Brands taps new CEO

    ​Though the company's overall performance is slowly recovering, Realogy Franchise Group CEO John Peyton will take the reins of the company at a very delicate point in time.  

    By Nov. 17, 2020
  • How 5 mega chains are designing restaurants for a digital future

    From McDonald's to Chipotle, limited-service brands are spending big on drive-thru, drive-in and pickup technology to grow revenue as the contactless experience becomes king. Here’s a breakdown of their designs.

    By , Nov. 17, 2020
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    The image by Chickfila is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Chick-fil-A goes modular with offsite restaurant rebuild

    Frey-Moss Structures helped the chain create its first modular restaurant in Roswell, Georgia, in about half the time of a traditional scrape and build.

    By Zachary Phillips • Nov. 16, 2020
  • A restaurant in Southern California offers takeout and delivery only during the novel coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
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    Washington joins several states in weeks-long dining room bans as coronavirus cases surge

    Oregon, New Mexico and Michigan have also temporarily closed indoor dining, which could put more restaurants that were starting to see signs of recovery at risk of permanent closures. 

    By Nov. 16, 2020
  • Diners at Veselka in NYC during the coronavirus pandemic on Oct. 17, 2020.
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    Full-service restaurants 'particularly risky' for COVID-19 spread, study finds

    New research from Stanford University and Northwestern University also suggests that full lockdowns aren't necessary to control the virus, and that masks, social distancing measures and reduced capacity all work.

    By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 11, 2020
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    Courtesy of Chipotle
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    Chipotle to open its first digital-only restaurant

    The Digital Kitchen concept in Highland Falls, New York, will offer pickup and delivery only and could expand into more urban locations that wouldn't support a full-size restaurant.

    By Nov. 11, 2020
  • McDonald's drive-thru lane
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    Courtesy of McDonald's
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    McDonald's new loyalty program will optimize digital, drive-thru opportunity

    The chain will begin piloting the program, which offers personalized orders and deals across all digital touchpoints, at select Phoenix, Arizona, restaurants prior to a nationwide launch next year.

    By Nov. 9, 2020
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    "Ronny Emborg" by Lou Stejskal is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Deep Dive

    Will ghost kitchens define the restaurant industry's future?

    While investor interest booms and sales have the potential to outpace traditional models, questions linger about how much this emerging market could disrupt business in the long term. 

    By Nov. 9, 2020
  • Wendy's taps operations chief as chain shifts focus to digital channels

    To create more consistent experiences across its entire footprint, the chain named Deepak Ajmani as its new chief operating officer overseeing both company and franchise locations.

    By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 6, 2020
  • Papa John's continued sales growth attracts lucrative franchisees

    The chain reported a revenue increase of 17% year-over-year to $472.9 million for Q3, exceeding Wall Street expectations, and the fifth-consecutive quarter of comparable sales growth. 

    By Nov. 5, 2020
  • White Castle, Flippy robot
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    Courtesy of White Castle
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    The cooking robotics space expected to be a $322M business by 2028, study says

    The fast food industry is expected to see a 17% per year growth rate through 2028, the highest of any sector, according to Research Nester.

    By Alicia Kelso • Nov. 5, 2020
  • Wendy's breakfast, digital drive best same-store sales in 15 years

    The QSR chain has plenty of room to grow its morning daypart since consumer awareness of the menu is about 50% and many of its existing customers haven't tried it yet.

    By Nov. 4, 2020
  • Reginald J. Miller, vice president and global diversity, equity and inclusion officer, McDonald's
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    Permission granted by Reginald J. Miller, vice president and global diversity, equity and inclusion officer, McDonald's
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    McDonald's taps new DEI leader

    The evolution of McDonald's diversity, equity and inclusion practices has been in the spotlight throughout leadership changes, discrimination lawsuits and alleged labor violations. 

    By Sheryl Estrada • Nov. 3, 2020
  • Le Pain Quoitidien in New York City
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    "The Image" by bryan... is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Aurify preps for expansion of Le Pain Quotidien brand in New York City

    The company, which bought the cafe bakery chain for $3 million in June, will open at least 10 locations inside former Maison Kayser locations by early 2021.

    By Nov. 3, 2020
  • Ghostline exterior
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    Emma Liem Beckett/Restaurant Dive
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    A DC ghost food hall gives a glimpse of a post-pandemic restaurant future

    By the third weekend of dining room closures, restaurateur Aaron Gordon was pulling 100% of sales compared to 2019 through delivery and takeout alone. That spurred an idea, and in September Ghostline launched with six restaurants.

    By Nov. 2, 2020
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    Courtesy of Jordan Strauss for Wendy’s
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    Wendy's turns drive-thru into spooky Halloween experience

    For people not near the Los Angeles "scare-thru," the chain is running a coupon effort on Twitter to ramp up usage of its app and loyalty program.

    By Aaron Baar • Oct. 30, 2020
  • Diners at Soothr in New York City October 2020.
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    "Soothr" by Eden, Janine and Jim is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Restaurants weigh survival chances without full capacity or winterization efforts

    As colder months approach, nearly half of operators think they would last less than a year if they continue to have restricted dining, according to a Rewards Network survey. 

    By Alicia Kelso • Oct. 30, 2020