Fast casual – Page 21 – KRG Hospitality

Server carrying two plates with one hand

February 27, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Alternatives to ServSafe

Just.Safe.Food. and More Alternatives to ServSafe

by David Klemt

ServSafe, the National Restaurant Association‘s food safety training program, isn’t the only food handler training game in town.

Certainly, the program is the most well known in our industry. However, it’s fair to say that ServSafe is closer to infamous than just ubiquitous due to a New York Times article from January.

While it’s the most recognizable of the food safety programs, it’s not the only one. Although, ServSafe’s omnipresence likely gives many the impression that it’s ServSafe or nothing.

There are, however, alternatives to ServSafe. In fact, one challenger was announced a day after the explosive New York Times article that thrust ServSafe into a spotlight the NRA probably isn’t enjoying. (After all, one result of that article was a letter from six US senators demanding answers from the NRA about ServSafe by March 3.)

At any rate, the newest alternative to ServSafe comes from One Fair Wage. The program is Just.Safe.Food. and costs just $10. (As a reminder, ServSafe costs $15.)

For that $10, Just.Safe.Food. gives an individual three attempts to pass their exam and unlimited access to training materials. Additionally, One Fair Wage (OFW) says profits they raise from the program will go toward advocating for restaurant workers.

OFW, as many in the industry know, is owned and operated by restaurant workers. Two cornerstones of the organization’s mission are increasing the minimum wage, and ending the tip credit. OFW is also attempting to convince lawmakers to stop accepting donations from the NRA.

Basically, OFW and the NRA are—and it appears always have been—at odds with with one another.

Other ServSafe Alternatives

Before I list a few other alternatives, let me be clear: KRG Hospitality isn’t advocating for any food safety training program in particular. Operators and their team members will need to decide which program is best for them.

Whether that decision is based on employer requirements, state or local requirements, cost, ideology, or another reason makes no difference to us.

However, I will say that the more competent and comprehensive options there are, the better. Nobody should have a monopoly on food safety.

The key factor to consider is whether the particular state or county regulations are met by the program. If anyone is uncertain, they should reach out to their local health department before proceeding with any program. It’s likely the department only accepts food safety programs that are ANSI-certified.

That said, some alternatives to ServSafe are:

Operators and food-handler restaurant workers can also search for local programs that are accepted by their state/county.

Food Handler Requirements

Food safety isn’t, it turns out, universal throughout the US. Workers can be subject to state or county requirements. In some states, food handler certification is voluntary.

And then there are food safety manager regulations to consider, and those can also be state- or county-specific.

I can’t reiterate enough how important it is to know your state/county/local food handler requirements. As with many regulations, there are nuances and hospitality professionals need to know them.

Below, how different *states regulate food handler training.

State Requirements

Alabama
Alaska
California
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
South Carolina
Texas
Utah
Washington

County Requirements

Alabama
Arizona
Kansas
Kentucky
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Virginia
West Virginia

Voluntary

Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
New Hampshire
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Wyoming

*This information is believed accurate at the time of publication. No warranty of accuracy is given.

Image: Pixabay on Pexels

December 27, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

FAST Act Dealt Knockdown Blow

FAST Act Dealt Knockdown Blow

by David Klemt

A bill we think is one to watch, California’s Fast Food Accountability and Standards Recovery Act, may be on the ropes already.

Assembly Bill 257, known as the FAST Act, is “on hold” until 2024. So, while the Save Local Restaurants coalition and voters have yet to kill the bill, it may be out on its feet.

We reported two months ago that fast food chains were moving quickly to kill the FAST Act. It appears that the initial attack on AB-257 was successful.

That is, the chains and coalition got what they want: the ballot initiative vote has knocked down AB-257.

For those unfamiliar with the Save Local Restaurants Coalition, the following organizations are members: The National Restaurant Association (NRA), US Chamber of Commerce (USCC), and International Franchise Association (IFA). Further, fast-casual and QSR chain coalition members—including Starbucks, In N Out, McDonald’s, and Chipotle—threw nearly $13 million at the ballot measure that halted FAST.

What’s FAST?

To read AB-257, the FAST Act, in its entirety, click here.

In summary, FAST:

FAST does the following:

establishes the Fast Food Council, ten members appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate Rules Committee. The council will operate until January 1, 2029;
defines “the characteristics of a fast food restaurant“;
gives the Fast Food Council the authority to set “minimum fast food restaurant employment standards, including standards on wages, working conditions, and training“;
provides the council the power to “issue, amend, and repeal any other rules and regulations, as necessary”; and
allows the formation of a Local Fast Food Council by a county, or a city that has a population of more than 200,000.

Voters effectively stopped California from implementing FAST until November 2024 at the earliest. (That is, if the California Secretary of State verifies that the referendum effort did indeed secure the required amount of signatures.)

Opposition

A statement from Save Local Restaurants reads, in part:

The quick-service restaurants targeted by the law – which include coffee shops, juice bars, pizzerias, delis, and salad shops – already operate on small, single-digit profit margins. These include more than 10,000 small businesses, including thousands of women- and minority-owned businesses.

If these restaurants are forced to absorb the costs, the result will be bad for workers and local communities. To survive, many restaurant owners will have no choice but to reduce worker hours or introduce automation. Some may choose to leave their communities entirely or go out of business.

As is often the case with overreaching California policies, this is likely only the beginning.

Additionally, the National Restaurant Association, a member of the coalition, has said the following:

The impacts of the FAST Act won’t be limited to quick service restaurants in California. The law allows the new regulating council to set a higher minimum wage for quick service restaurants. Independent restaurants will, however, be forced to increase their pay to match, so they can remain competitive when recruiting and retaining workforce.

Takeaway

We believe this bill is one to watch because similar efforts could spring up in other states. Also, just because the bill is on hold until 2024 in California doesn’t mean other states aren’t working on similar legislation right now.

Now, there are obviously two sides to consider. Opponents, as we see above, say FAST will raise prices, eliminate jobs, and hurt families.

Proponents believe FAST will protect the health, safety, and welfare of fast-food workers. Additionally, the Fast Food Council could increase the minimum wage for fast food workers above California’s $15.50 minimum (effective January 1, 2023).

We’ll keep an eye on FAST over the next couple of years. Perhaps the coalition can work with California on a bill that protects fast food workers and doesn’t hurt operators and the communities they serve.

At any rate, FAST is down but certainly not yet out.

Image: Johann Walter Bantz on Unsplash

December 26, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Canada’s Single-use Plastics Ban

How Canada’s Single-use Plastics Ban Affects Operators

by David Klemt

With a few exceptions, Canada’s ban on the manufacture, importation, and sale of single-use plastics is now officially in effect.

However, that doesn’t mean restaurant and bar operators need to worry about current inventories just yet. While the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations are in effect, operators have a year to deplete their stocks.

SUPPR is a crucial element of Canada’s overall plan to combat pollution and reach a goal of zero plastic waste by 2030. The single-use plastics ban was announced in June of this year.

“We promised Canadians we would deliver a ban on single-use plastics. Today, that’s exactly what we’ve done,” said Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault the day SUPPR was announced. “By the end of the year, you won’t be able to manufacture or import these harmful plastics. After that, businesses will begin offering the sustainable solutions Canadians want, whether that’s paper straws or reusable bags. With these new regulations, we’re taking a historic step forward in reducing plastic pollution, and keeping our communities and the places we love clean.

Now, six months later, it’s the law of the land.

What’s Banned?

Essentially, Canadian operators must evaluate everything they use for delivery and takeout or pickup. If any items are single-use plastic, they must be gone by December 2023.

Per SUPPR, the manufacture, importation, and sale of the following is prohibited:

Checkout bags designed to carry purchased goods from a business and typically given to a customer at the retail point of sale.
Cutlery includes:
- knives
- forks
- spoons
- sporks
- chopsticks
Foodservice ware designed for serving or transporting food or beverage that is ready to be consumed, and that:
- contains
  - expanded polystyrene foam
  - extruded polystyrene foam
  - polyvinyl chloride
  - carbon black
  - an oxo-degradable plastic
- are limited to the following items
  - clamshell containers
  - lidded containers
  - boxes
  - cups
  - plates
  - bowls

Ring carriers are flexible and designed to surround beverage containers in order to carry them together.
Stir sticks designed to stir or mix beverages, or to prevent a beverage from spilling from the lid of its container.
Straws include:
- straight drinking straws, and
- flexible straws, which have a corrugated section that allows the straw to bend, packaged with beverage containers (juice boxes and pouches)

For accuracy, the above comes from the Government of Canada website directly, unedited.

What does this mean for Operators?

Again, operators in Canada don’t need to toss their current stock of the above items.

However, Restaurants Canada does recommend that operators contact suppliers and customers if they import, export, or sell prohibited items currently.

The single most important thing for operators to do now is research single-use plastic alternatives. Items need testing as changes will affect F&B items and the guest experience.

Of course, it’s possible an operator’s current supplier already offers alternatives to single-use plastics. That could prove convenient but costs, supply chain reliability, and impact on menu items need careful consideration.

Sustainability and responsible practices are no longer just conversation topics within the industry. As of this week, in Canada, they’re the only way forward.

Image: Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash

De Daltons gourmet Golden Boy hamburger, cropped image

July 6, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Want Champagne Onion Rings with That?

Want Champagne Onion Rings with That $6,000 Burger?

by David Klemt

Matthew McConaughey once said that the inventor of the hamburger was smart but creator of the cheeseburger was a genius.

So, what title should we bestow upon the person who created the first-ever gourmet burger?

Super-genius? Superhuman? Superhero?

Perhaps legend is high-enough praise for whomever made it acceptable to charge more than $10 for a simple menu item.

A Brief History of Haute Hamburgers

The United States is widely credited with the invention of the hamburger. However, the exact origin is unknown. Therefore, it remains heavily disputed.

Of course, we wouldn’t have today’s gourmet burgers without two decidedly standard burger powerhouses: White Castle and McDonald’s.

The former was founded 100 years ago this past March in 1921, while the latter really came into its own in 1955. However, thanks to films like The Founder, McDonald’s tends to get the lion’s share of modern burger and fast-food credit.

Regardless, the first haute cuisine burgers wouldn’t hit the market until the turn of this century. Chefs Daniel Boulud and Richard Blais are among the names that receive credit for creating the gourmet burger category.

Over the past several years, several high-dollar burgers have made headlines. For example, Corvallis, Oregon-located restaurant Juicys Outlaw Grill created a $5,000 burger ten years ago. Anyone interested in having one was required to provide 48-hours’ notice.

In 2017, Dutch chef Chef Diego Buik offered a $2,300-plus burger at South of Houston in the Hague. Just two years ago, Chef Hubert Keller featured a $5,000 burger on the menu at his Las Vegas restaurant Fleur.

Another Las Vegas restaurant, Burger Brasserie, has offered a $777 burger for nearly a decade.

Chef Gordon Ramsay’s latest restaurant, the cleverly named Gordon Ramsay Burger outpost in London (the original is in Las Vegas), features a burger that costs between $106 and $144. Oh, and it doesn’t come with fries—those come with an upcharge of ten bucks.

New King of Burgers

Now, there’s a new most-expensive burger making the scene. Interestingly, it’s not from an American restaurant.

De Daltons, a Dutch diner located about 40 minutes southeast of Amsterdam, is the home of a gourmet burger known as the Golden Boy.

Of course, this isn’t just any gourmet burger—at €5000, De Daltons is attempting to make it the gourmet burger.

So, what does one get for their nearly $6,000 investment in haute cuisine?

To start, there’s the burger. It’s made of ground A5 Wagyu brisket and chuck short rib. It’s topped with The Macallan- and Kopi Luwak coffee-infused barbecue sauce; truffled Cheddar cheese; Joselito vintage jamon (the best ham in the world); Dom Pérignon-battered onion rings; Beluga caviar; white truffle; Tiger tomato and cucumber that was pickled in matcha; smoked mayonnaise made saffron, chive and duck eggs; and king crab cooked in white wine.

Oh, and the burger is given a whiskey-smoked treatment before it’s served.

Speaking of service, what kind of bun is luxurious enough to hold the Golden Boy? A saffron- and Dom Pérignon-infused gold leaf one, of course.

Gourmet Gimmick?

The latest headline-grabbing burger is truly a hedonistic indulgence. Unlike some haute hamburgers from the past, however, it’s made with truly impressive ingredients.

Before the Golden Boy made its appearance, one simply had to make a BOUS (Burger of Unusual Size) to get attention. One could also go the “gourmet” route by pairing their signature burger with a pricey bottle of Champagne.

After those two routes turned a bit stale, chefs with impressive credentials could make news by making gourmet burgers from “fancy” meats, slapping foie gras and an aged cheese on top, and dusting the bun with gold.

De Daltons’ burger is clearly taking the gourmet burger in an ultra-luxe direction. All challengers to the King of Burger throne will have to follow suit.

Yes, the Golden Boy is a gimmick. Yes, it has helped De Daltons pull focus and grab the global restaurant spotlight. However, as ludicrous as many will find the price tag, the burger does deliver on luxe ingredients and pageantry.

So, am I suggesting that restaurateurs review their menus, local suppliers, and market to come up with their own headline-generating luxury menu item? Well, yeah.

If an operator’s kitchen team has the skills to execute on a specialty high-priced item while remaining authentic and without alienating loyal guests, go for it. If there’s only PR, marketing and revenue upside, creating one incredible “off-menu”item is worth the effort.

Again, this comes down to operators knowing their guests, their markets, and what they’re great at doing. The word “gimmick” doesn’t have to be a dirty word—it can be a positive if done correctly.

Image: De Daltons