Hospitality industry news

Closeup shot of double cheeseburger
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Will Virtual Kitchens Persist?

Will Virtual Kitchens Persist or Go Brick-and-Mortar?

by David Klemt

Closeup shot of double cheeseburger

Virtual kitchens and virtual brands are back in the headlines after a record-setting grand opening in Rutherford, New Jersey.

Well, I should clarify: A restaurant may now hold a specific record.

The restaurant in question is the first brick-and-mortar MrBeast Burger location. And the record it may hold claim to is most burgers sold in a single day by a single restaurant.

 

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A post shared by MrBeast Burger (@mrbeastburger)

Now, if you don’t spend much time on YouTube, you may not know MrBeast. So, here’s a quick rundown: He’s Jimmy Donaldson, a YouTube personality known for “expensive stunts.” In fact, he may be the pioneer of that type of content.

Right about now you may be wondering what this all has to do with virtual kitchens and brands. It’s quite simple, really. MrBeast was among the highest-profile virtual brands to launch during the pandemic.

Incredibly, MrBeast Burger boasts more than 1,700 virtual kitchen locations. And now, one brick-and-mortar MrBeast restaurant.

Leveraging Demand and Popularity

So, you’re an influential YouTube content creator with tens of millions of subscribers. Obviously, your channel is monetized. What else can you do to leverage your popularity?

Well, if there’s a pandemic crippling the globe and people are stuck at home, maybe you notice the demand for takeout and delivery. And perhaps you learn about something known as a “virtual kitchen.”

If you’re a foodie or maybe just a savvy businessperson, maybe you’d jump into the virtual space. It is, it goes without saying, much less expensive than opening your own restaurant. And if you perform well, that’s an excellent way to collect data and guest feedback.

Also, an efficient way to hone your brand without a lease, buildout or the overhead of a physical restaurant. In a way, a virtual brand is akin to a pop-up restaurant, only you can test hundreds of markets simultaneously.

Okay, so now let’s say you reach a rare milestone in the creator space: 100 million subscribers. MrBeast did just that in July of this year. Do you think you’d want to leverage the support of millions of fans willing to support you and your brand?

The first physical MrBeast Burger opened last week at the American Dream mall in New Jersey. Reports claim that over 10,000 people waited in line for the grand opening.

Oh, and that’s when the location may have claimed the aforementioned record: 5,500 burgers sold in one day. After just one day of operation, MrBeast wondered if the brand should franchise:

Virtual to Physical

This (potential) record-setting event brings virtual kitchens and brands back into the spotlight.

Of course, most virtual brands don’t have the same origin story as MrBeast. One hundred million supporters? That’s rarified air.

At any rate, virtual kitchens do offer potential physical restaurant operators a less expensive method of testing their concepts. Couple data collection and feedback with an accurate feasibility study and taking the next step may make sense. And it may make a tidy profit.

It’s possible we’ll see MrBeast franchise off the success of two years of operating virtually and opening a physical location. And it’s possible we’ll see other virtual brands expand beyond the virtual kitchen.

However, it’s important that virtual brand owners keep a few things in mind. One, online success doesn’t always translate to brick-and-mortar success. Two, the restaurant space doesn’t care about your subscriber count—the KPIs are entirely different here. Three, potential operators need to perform the proper studies—or retain an agency with experience performing them—rather than rushing into the restaurant space.

It’s highly likely we’ll see more virtual brands enter the physical restaurant world. How many will do so successfully remains to be seen.

Image: Eiliv-Sonas Aceron on Unsplash

Two full shot glasses on a bar
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Addressing Substance Abuse in the Industry

Restaurant Business Articles Address Substance Abuse

by David Klemt

Two full shot glasses on a bar

Two revealing Restaurant Business articles paint a startling picture of the industry’s struggles with drug and alcohol abuse.

Unfortunately, the subject of substance abuse in restaurants and bars isn’t new. This has long been a pervasive, prevalent issue in the hospitality industry.

There are, as Restaurant Business authors point out, several reasons our industry continues to grapple with substance abuse.

Since we’re nearing Sober October, this topic’s importance seems particularly poignant. Of course, the health of hospitality industry professionals should always be a paramount operator concern every day. It shouldn’t take a specific month for us to address this issue, just to forget about it after 31 days of consideration.

Hospitality workers should feel supported by the business owners and operators for whom they work. Additionally, they should feel safe among the leadership team and their fellow team members. In part, this feeling of security and safety should manifest in being comfortable speaking about substance abuse in the workplace.

A significant element of creating a supportive, safe, and healthy culture is removing the stigma of struggling with substance abuse that persists today. How can operators, leadership, and team members help one another if they make peers feel shame for struggling with drugs or alcohol?

A crucial step toward addressing the issue of substance abuse is fostering a culture of respect, support, and safety. If anyone in any role—from ownership and leadership to front of house and back of house—feels as though they can’t speak with someone safely about their struggles, we can’t address this topic effectively. And if we can’t address it in a meaningful way, we can never effect real change that can improve and save lives.

Pervasive Struggles

A Restaurant Business article from last week addresses substance abuse and culture. “How Restaurants Feed a Culture of Substance Abuse” reveals disturbing statistics.

At the start of their article, editors Peter Romeo, Heather Lalley and Joe Guszkowski share a horrific story. In February of this year, Colorado law enforcement found six adults and a toddler in an apartment. The six adults had all overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine; five had died. All six adults worked in chain or independent restaurants.

Four years ago, Delaware officials investigated the state’s opioid crisis. They found 10 percent of Delaware residents who died due to opioid overdoses were foodservice workers. According to Restaurant Business, state officials concluded that foodservice experienced a higher rate of opioid deaths than any other industry.

Among the most-shocking revelations in the Restaurant Business article pertains to the US workforce as a whole. Frustratingly, the US government hasn’t researched illicit drug use in the workforce since 2015. So, for all we know, the numbers I’m about to share have either increased or decreased.

In a typical month in 2015, 8.6 percent of the US workforce was using illicit drugs. However, that number pales in comparison to the rate of illicit drug use among restaurant and hotel workers: 19.1 percent.

Examining Substance Use Disease (SUD), a term encompassing drug and alcohol abuse, the numbers expose the weight of our industry’s struggle. In 2015, 9.5 percent of the US workforce suffered from SUD. For restaurants and hotels? That number was nearly double: 16.9 percent, higher than any other industry.

Fentanyl Deaths

Restaurant Business Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Maze reveals how “restaurants are ground zero” for fentanyl overdoses.

Fentanyl is cheap to produce and transport. It doesn’t take much to be deadly. And most people who have the misfortune of consuming it do so unwittingly. As it turns out, drug dealers lace all manner of other drugs with it because it’s so powerful. So, cutting drugs with fentanyl is more “cost effective” for drug dealers.

This particular excerpt from Maze’s “As Fentanyl Deaths Soar, Restaurants Are Ground Zero” is startling: “Throughout the country, restaurants and bars are such common places for overdose deaths among customers that advocates are training bartenders and servers to administer Narcan, a medication used to treat opioid overdoses. They are also becoming sources for fentanyl test strips so customers can see if the drugs they’re taking are laced with the powerful drug.”

Further, this troubling excerpt: “The fentanyl epidemic is particularly troublesome in the restaurant industry given the generally high rate of drug use among workers. Restaurant work is notoriously intense. The hours are long and late, and employees are on their feet all day. They often get hurt on the job and can turn to painkillers, legal or otherwise.”

When I say that we need to address substance abuse in our industry to save lives, I’m not employing hyperbole. I mean it quite literally.

Please take the time to read these two Restaurant Business articles in their entirety. We need to take action today.

Image: cottonbro via Pexels

Close up of stack of credit cards
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Swipe Fees Cost Over $77 Billion in 2021

Swipe Fees Cost Merchants Over $77 Billion in 2021

by David Klemt

Close up of stack of credit cards

A bill that intends to lower the credit card fees merchants pay by creating more competition within the industry is before Congress.

This bill, the Credit Card Competition Act of 2022, has bipartisan support. The two sponsors behind it are Sens. Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Marshall (R-KS).

Of particular note, the bill seeks to amend the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Specifically, the amendment targets the networks that merchants use to process electronic credit card transactions.

In short, banks that issue credit cards would have to merchants at least two processing networks. According to experts in this space, the bill prohibits banks from making those networks Visa and MasterCard.

Billions in Fees

So, why are Visa and MasterCard in the crosshairs of this bill?

According to the Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC), Visa and MasterCard control 87 percent of credit (and debit) card markets. Per the MPC, Visa and MasterCard account for about 576 million credit cards.

In the U.S. alone, transactions amounted to $3.49 trillion in 2021. Eye-wateringly, those transactions were accompanied by $77.48 billion in merchant fees for the two processing behemoths in the same year.

For additional context, Visa and MasterCard swipe fees totaled $61.6 billion in 2020. That represents an increase of 137 percent over the decade prior. Adding the merchant fees for all cards, the 2020 total was $110.3 billion, which is an increase of 70 percent from the previous ten years.

As veteran operators are well aware, swipe fees are among the highest costs for restaurants and bars.

Merchants Payments Coalition Sends Letter to Congress

Compellingly, the MPC is urging Congress to investigate the Visa-MasterCard duopoly. In their view, the two processors’ dominance is stifling competition; harming business owners and consumers; and contributing to inflation.

“The two giant card networks and their partner mega-banks routinely use their market power to stifle competition and charge merchants the highest swipe fees in the industrialized world,” reads the MPC’s letter to Congress.

Further, the letter states, “It is difficult to imagine any other market in the U.S. economy in which two entities set prices for thousands of businesses that should be competitors. That lack of competition or downward pricing pressure has resulted in out-of-control swipe fees and increases inflation throughout the economy.”

The MPC is urging Congress to act quickly and effectively: “It is crucial for Congress to act swiftly and implement real reforms to bring true competition, transparency and equity to the U.S. payments market.”

National Restaurant Association Supports the Bill

Interestingly, the National Restaurant Association says they’re working with the MPC.

The NRA is also working with other organizations to drum up support for the the Credit Card Competition Act of 2022.

You can read about their support for the bill on their website. Additionally, you can tell Congress to pass the bill here. As it stands currently, no action beyond the bill’s introduction to the Senate on July 28 has taken place.

Image: Pixabay

Gold microphone and headphones
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

7 Awesome Whiskey Podcasts

7 Awesome Whiskey Podcasts

by David Klemt

Gold microphone and headphones

Our National Bourbon Heritage Month celebration and inspiration continues with a roundup of seven of the best whiskey podcasts.

Of course we want you to listen to Bar Hacks for education, inspiration, and entertainment. However, we know it isn’t the only podcast you listen to.

Below you’ll find several whiskey-centric podcasts. These are absolutely some of the best podcasts out there if you’re seeking bourbon and whiskey knowledge.

So, after you catch up to your Bar Hacks listening, work the shows below into your rotation.

Cheers!

Whiskey Lore

As regular KRG Hospitality readers and newsletter subscribers know, we love diving into history and myths. When we’re researching a spirit, cocktail, or other beverage, we tend to find more fiction than fact. Of course, the facts are also just as interesting to us, so it’s a win-win for us and you.

So, it makes sense then that we’re kicking things off with Whiskey Lore. We love the rich and compelling stories that weave the intricate story of our industry. As it turns out, so does the Whiskey Lore podcast. Currently, the podcast is digging into the history and lore of Irish whiskey.

Latest episode: Irish Whiskey Pt. 5: The Lore of the River Boyne; Marrowbone Lane; Finding Old Irish Pure Pot Still

Bourbon & Banter

Honestly, I don’t know that I can describe the Bourbon & Banter podcast any better than the minds behind the show:

“Are you seeking a bourbon podcast that will educate and entertain you without the extra bloat associated with kissing a brand’s ass in search of advertising revenue or free samples? If so, welcome home my friend… In all seriousness though, give us a listen and you’ll find that we’re honest to a fault. You won’t find us pulling any punches when it comes to new bourbon reviews or when we explore the latest industry news and consumer trends.”

Latest episode: The Doctor is In – Bourbon & Banter Podcast Special Episode

The Fred Minnick Show

If you’re a whiskey lover and don’t know the name Fred Minnick, I would find that shocking. While not always a straight-up whiskey-only podcast, the Fred Minnick Show format is compelling. Rather than focus solely on reviewing whiskey, whiskey news, and interviews with industry experts, Fred also chats with guests about a wide range of topics.

Latest episode: What’s Up With Tom Brady? NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo Returns to Talk Quarterbacks | Russell’s Reserve 6 Year

WhiskyCast

The WhiskyCast podcast has been going strong since 2005. That makes this the world’s longest-running whiskey podcast. With 17 years’ worth of podcast goodness to listen to, you’ll never be without something whisky-focused to listen to and learn from. Their most current episoide is number 966, which is just staggeringly impressive.

Latest episode: Brother’s Bond: A Bourbon “Bromance”

Bourbon Lens

With nearly 200 episodes available, Bourbon Lens is delving deep into everything bourbon. However, they also discuss other types of whiskey through conversations with founders, blenders, and other industry experts. This is a must-listen podcast for whiskey lovers.

Latest episode: Off Hours with Bourbon Lens Episode 10: Sam Montgomery from Bardstown Bourbon Co.

Bourbon Pursuit

According to the show itself, Bourbon Pursuit is “the official podcast of bourbon.” With episodes going live every few days you’ll never be without something to listen to with this podcast. Bourbon news, bourbon reviews, bourbon interviews… Bourbon Pursuit may truly be the official pod of bourbon.

Latest episode: TWiB: Kentucky Bourbon Benefit Raises $1.4M, Little Book Series Launches “To The Finish”, Four Roses 2022 Limited Edition Small Batch

Dads Drinking Bourbon

The hosts of Dads Drinking Bourbon want you to #rethinkhowyoudrink. With this podcast you’ll get to hear blind tastings, side-by-side reviews, and interviews with people in the industry. While the hosts don’t claim to be experts, they do an excellent job providing listeners with useful information. As they say themselves, “At the end of the day, we know you just want to know if the whiskey is worth spending any money on.” Also, congratulations to the Dads Drinking Bourbon team on their 400th episode!

Latest episode: Review: IT’S OUR 400TH EPISODE! And we drink Barrell Batch 33

Image: Andrzej Nowak from Pixabay

Bartender straining cocktail
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

3 Bar Hacks Episodes for Sober October

3 Bar Hacks Episodes for Sober October

by David Klemt

Bartender straining cocktail

We’re just two weeks away from Sober October so here are three Bar Hacks podcast episodes to get you ready for this important month.

Over the course of 100-plus episodes we’ve spoken with a handful of non-alcohol brands. These, along with other alcohol-free brands, should be on your radar.

In fact, they deserve spots on your backbar and placement on your menus. The latest estimate is that around 40 percent of Americans don’t consume alcohol. In Canada that number is roughly 33 percent.

However, those numbers don’t paint a complete picture. Over the past few years there has been increasing interest in “sober curiosity.” In this movement, people abstain from drinking alcohol from time to time rather than abstaining permanently.

Now, we tend to associate the month of January with sobriety, either permanent or temporary. Clearly, however, October is also a month where people choose to not imbibe.

The Sober Guest Experience

The following should go without saying but let’s cover it anyway. Some sober people do, in fact, spend time in bars and nightclubs.

Just as that should go without saying, so should this: Your sober guests deserve every bit as great an experience as guests who are drinking alcohol.

Moreover, sober guests deserve a guest experience free of discomfort or isolation. In short, you should seamlessly provide the same level of service at the bar to sober guests as those who enjoy alcohol.

No, it’s not enough to menu water, sugary sodas, lemonade, and tea. Sober guests should be comfortable coming to your bar. Like guests who consume alcohol, sober guests should be able to order a drink that doesn’t make them feel different or singled out.

So, put quality non-alcohol beers on your menu. Create a number of signature zero-proof cocktails. Serve both with the same attention to detail as presentation as their full-alcohol counterparts.

“I’m a professional, I want to create,” says Paul Mathew, founder of alcohol-free aperitif brand Everleaf and Bar Hacks guest. “I want to do something I’m proud of.”

Approach your alcohol-free program the same way as Mathew, a bartender and operator himself. Be professional, be creative, and be mindful of your sober guests’ experience.

Episode 28 with Tim Rita

Lyre’s Spirits crafts alcohol-free spirits that masterfully mimic their full-proof counterparts. Host David Klemt sits down with Lyre’s brand ambassador, bartender, and buddy Tim Rita to chat about the brand. In this episode you’ll learn about one of the fastest-growing brands in one of the fastest-growing beverage categories. For the alcohol-free Mai Tai mentioned on the podcast, click here.

Listen now.

Episode 31 with Ted Fleming

Ted Fleming, entrepreneur and CEO and founder of Partake Brewing, stops by the Bar Hacks podcast to talk with host David Klemt. The two discuss the founding of Partake Brewing and the importance and growth of the non-alcohol beer category. Also, how operators can succeed with non-alc, advice for entrepreneurs, and more. Visit the Partake Brewing website to learn more. Connect with Partake on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Click here to listen.

Episode 81 with Paul Mathew

Paul Mathew, bartender, bar owner, and founder of Everleaf, sits down with Bar Hacks podcast co-host David Klemt. In this fun and informative episode, Paul shares his journey through bartending and bar ownership, and his entry into the drinks business. Non-alcoholic aperitif brand Everleaf is the culmination of Paul’s many years as a conservationist botanist, knowledge of plants, and nearly 30 years in the bar business.

The Everleaf portfolio consists of three unique expressions and a new RTD line. Shortly, Everleaf will begin distribution throughout the United States, and there are plans for Canada and Australia in the future. To learn more, vist the Everleaf website and follow Everleaf on Instagram and Facebook.

Listen to this episode here.

Image: Jia Jia Shum on Unsplash

Jack o' lantern and smoke
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Pumpkin Spice Season Descends Upon Us

Pumpkin Spice Season Descends Upon Us

by David Klemt

Jack o' lantern and smoke

Once again, the unstoppable march of the spooky season is upon us, bringing with it a frightening assortment of pumpkin spice items and expectations.

In the blink of an eye, hordes will descend on your restaurant or bar. “Pumpkin spiiiiiice,” they’ll croak.

Okay, so that’s overly dramatic. For the most part, pumpkin spice season is anything but scary. And really, very few people will transform into singularly focused pumpkin spice zombies.

However, fall is nearly here. So, you do need to finalize your fall/autumn menu. Beginning in September, that really does mean considering offering at least one pumpkin spice LTO item.

Interestingly, though, pumpkin spice may not deserve its perception as the flavor of fall. According to Datassential, there are ten flavors that index high enough to give pumpkin spice a challenge for the fall throne.

What are they? Well, it just so happens that Datassential has those answers, along with a bit of useful advice.

Lord of the LTO

Recently, Datassential released “Food Industry Trend Report: 2022 Pumpkin Spice Season.” As the research firm points out, pumpkin spice seems to be encroaching on summer more each year.

How far away are we, I wonder, from pumpkin spice claiming summer for itself? Will we be subjected to pumpkin spice dry rubs at summer barbecues? Is some intrepid operator going to create a pumpkin spice lemonade?

Those terrifying questons aside, pumpkin spice season coming earlier means more opportunities to benefit from LTOs. Just as it seems that pumpkin spice is descending upon us earlier and earlier, it also seems to dominate the LTO space.

In fact, per Datassential research, major chains executed 174 pumpkin spice LTOs. Now, that’s still with a five-percent drop in menuing for pumpkin space over the past 12 months. Further, that number doesn’t include small, regional chains and independents who also launched pumpkin spice LTOs.

Of course, there are also other fall flavors that deserve a place on operators’ menus. And they’re perfectly cromulent as LTO drivers.

Fall Flavor Favorites

To inspire operators to create LTOs that entice consumers this fall, Datassential has identitied ten flavors on which to focus. Helpfully, they separate them into two main categories.

Top five sweet fall flavors:

  • Vietnamese cinnamon
  • Spicy ginger
  • Allspice
  • Eggnog
  • Pumpkin pie

Top five savory flavors:

  • Coconut milk
  • “Oktoberfest”
  • Mustard cream
  • Turkey gravy
  • Cranberry sauce

Personally, I can see operators and their teams needing to get creative to leverage mustard cream and turkey gravy. Interestingly, Datassential suggests a few flavors not on either list above.

According to their report, Datassential expects apple and blood orange to be popular for LTOs this year. According to the firm, apple was popular last year. When it comes to blood orange, Datassential says 38 percent of consumers like or love the flavor.

Whichever flavors you choose, Datassential has the following advice, which we co-sign: Ensure your LTOs are fresh; make sure they’re easy and quick to make; and don’t discount them. In fact, you should create premium LTOs that come with a premium price.

Image: Colton Sturgeon on Unsplash

Red neon hand sign over a cocktail
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Discover the World’s 50 Best

Discover the World’s 50 Best with this Helpful Tool

by David Klemt

Red neon hand sign over a cocktail

You may be familiar with the World’s 50 Best Bars and the World’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings, but do you know about their Discovery tool?

On episode 82 of the Bar Hacks podcast, Mark Sansom mentions this powerful and helpful tool. Sansom, for those who have yet to listen to the episode, is the content director for the World’s 50 Best Bars.

Put plainly, the World’s 50 Best rankings are powerful and influential. As Sansom says, when the organization shouts, people listen. Making the 100 to 51 or 50 to one list can change a restaurant or bar’s business. Exposure, traffic, revenue, status, longevity… The restaurant and bar lists are game changers for those who work hard enough to earn a spot.

However, the World’s 50 Best, as the name suggests, ranks just a few hundred restaurants and bars:

So, the organization put their heads together. What if they could increase the chances that thousands of venues could find themselves on the radar of millions of people across the world? What could that do for a much larger swathe of deserving restaurants and bars?

50 Best Discovery

Enter, the 50 Best Discovery database.

“That’s the more egalitarian face of 50 Best, and that’s where we’re really excited about moving in the future,” says Sansom.

According to Sansom, there are more than 2,500 restaurants and bars just waiting for, well, discovery. It is, as he says, “the world’s most authoritative database on restaurants and bars anywhere.”

Compellingly, this is more than just a lonely input field chilling out on a webpage. Rather, there’s also a slideshow of 50 Best editor’s picks to scroll through. In using the tool for this article I discovered the following venues without even scrolling:

  • Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas
  • Cal Pep in Barcelona, Spain
  • Amass in Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Fyn Restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa

In other words, this tool is aptly named: The mission is discovery, and I’d say that mission is well on its way to achievement.

North America Results

Given the potential of the 50 Best Discovery database, I of course took it for a spin. You can do the same by clicking here.

Below, my results. In the interest of full transparency, it appears some cities in North America could use some work.

However, I feel confident that the 50 Best Discovery database will improve over time. After all, this is a new tool. Remember, the North America 50 Best Bars list is also brand new. As the organization recognizes more regions and venues, they’ll develop their database further.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

  • Proof

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  • Bar Raval
  • BarChef
  • The Shameful Tiki Room

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

  • Botanist
  • Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
  • The Keefer Bar

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

  • Greene St. Kitchen
  • Herbs & Rye
  • Wing Lei

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

  • Bastion
  • The Catbird Seat
  • Pearl Diver

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

  • Vedge
  • Zahav

Image: Marcus Loke on Unsplash

Reserved seats at a bar
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Date Night Desires and Dealbreakers

Date Night Desires and Dealbreakers

by David Klemt

Reserved seats at a bar

Focusing on date night, guest experience and retention tech platform SevenRooms is sharing their latest data-driven report.

Their “Date Night Diner Report” is another successful collaboration with YouGov. Previous reports from this partnership include:

One of the reasons we at KRG Hospitality appreciate and recommend SevenRooms is their dedication to data. The platform’s commitment to sharing the data they collect to the benefit of operators is impressive.

“A resurgence of the American date night is here, and these date night diners are flipping the script on what that experience should look and feel like,” says Allison Page, co-founder and chief product officer at SevenRooms.

So, operators who want to succeed with date night should review this new report. In fact, all operators would be wise to read this report. After all, it addresses reservations, waitlists, walk-ins, and much more.

Released today, this brand-new report can be downloaded here. Read the press release here.

Date Night Details

A lot has changed over the past two-plus years. What hasn’t changed are the two most popular date nights in the US: Friday and Saturday.

Both Friday and Saturday night are preferred by 26 percent of the 763 survey respondents who go on dates. In total, SevenRooms and YouGov surveyed 1,153 individuals.

Generally speaking, these dates are return visits. People who go on dates tend to make reservations at restaurants they’ve dined at previously.

However, 46 percent of such guests are open to reserving a table at a restaurant they haven’t visited before. And speaking of those tables reservations, 53 percent are for two people.

Looking at two major populations, tables for two are the most popular reservations. In New York, they account for 50 percent of reservations. That number increases to 56 percent in Los Angeles.

Interestingly, however, is this bit of date: 53 percent of Americans don’t make reservations for date night. Rather, they’re walk-in guests, meaning they’ll likely become waitlist guests.

Date Night Desires

So, now operators know that the majority of today’s date-night reservations are for two. That doesn’t mean setting aside two-tops and side-by-side seats at the bar is enough for success.

No, there are also guest expectations to consider. SevenRooms identifies the following as the top date-night desires:

  1. A complimentary cocktail or dessert. (33 percent)
  2. Ability to earn extra rewards (24 percent), highlighting the value of loyalty programs.
  3. Incentives that encourage repeat date-night visits. (23 percent)

Furthermore, personalization continues to be a key factor in the dining decision. One-third of guests consider the ability to personalize their dining experience more important than factors such as menu variety or receiving their order quickly.

Date Night Dealbreakers

Of course, if there are desires there are also dealbreakers.

According to SevenRooms, the following are the dealbreakers operators must avoid:

  1. People on a date receiving their meals at different times. In this case, more than ten to 15 minutes apart. (45 percent)
  2. The restaurant being so loud the guests on their date can’t hold a conversation. (43 percent)
  3. A restaurant not having the menu items the guests were looking forward to ordering. (31 percent)
  4. Being sat too close to another table. (31 percent)
  5. Sitting next to a table speaking “too loudly.” (26 percent)
  6. The restaurant being so crowded that a guest can’t find their date. (24 percent)

How important is it to avoid these dealbreakers? Well, the survey respondents say they won’t return to a restaurant if they experience any of them.

To read the full report, click here. And to learn more about SevenRooms, listen to Bar Hacks episode 24, featuring SevenRooms CEO Joel Montaniel.

Image: Dmitri Nesteruk on Unsplash

Guests sitting at the bar inside a restaurant
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Datassential’s State of the Operator 2022

Datassential’s State of the Operator 2022

by David Klemt

Guests sitting at the bar inside a restaurant

The latest addition to the Datassential FoodBytes research series shares insights into the top three challenges most—if not all—operators are facing.

Now, some of what the report reveals paints a bleak picture. Inflation, the labor shortage, and supply chain issues persist even past the midway point of 2022.

However, operators are a tenacious and innovative group of business owners. Of course, that tenacity seems to manifest in people thinking this industry can weather any storm. That perception can come at operators’ detriment. Exhibit A: The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 not including replenishing of the RRF. But, I digress.

“The State of the Operator & the Road Ahead,” which you can download here, is helpful and informative. As you may be aware, we’re fans of Datassential and their FoodBytes reports. In fact, you can find our synopses of FoodBytes reports here and here.

Below are some key points that operators should be aware for consideration. I strongly urge you to download this free report today.

Operator Outlook

First, let’s take a look at traffic. As Datassential points out, some hospitality business segments are performing better than others currently.

In large part, this is due to two factors: People working from home, and people returning to travel. So, operators who rely heavily on commuters and in-person workers are struggling. On the other hand, operators inside or around hotels are, per Datassential, performing the strongest at the moment.

Interestingly, though, nearly half of operators (47 percent) are seeing an increase in traffic in comparison to pre-Covid levels. Fourteen percent of operators are reporting no change in traffic. Unfortunately, traffic is lower for 39 percent of operators.

Next, sales. In comparison to pre-Covid times, more than half (51 percent) of operators report an increase. Again, 14 percent of operators are experiencing no change. But 35 percent of operators are experiencing a decrease in sales.

Finally, profit margins. Half of operators may be seeing increases in traffic in sales, but profit margins are taking a hit. On average, the industry’s profit margin is now hovering at 13 percent. That’s an eight-percent drop in comparison to pre-Covid levels.

Segment Performance

The findings regarding profit margins are likely to be the most alarming to operators. Historically, our industry has operated on razor-thin margins for decades. Dropping from an average of 21 percent to 13 is concerning.

However, context is important. The segments seeing the lowest profit margins in 2022 are: Business & Industry (B&I), Healthcare, and Colleges & Universities (C&U). Again, remote work (and learning) are largely responsible for those particular segments watching their profit margins tumble.

The strongest performers are: Quick-Service Restaurants (QSR) at 17 percent; Fast Casual at 15 percent); and Midscale, Casual Dining, and Fine Dining, each at 13 percent. Lodging is just below the current average at 12 percent.

Operator Adaptation

Inflation, rising food costs, supply chain issues, labor shortages… Operators are finding ways to cope, and in some situation, thrive.

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of operators are increasing menu prices. In the past 12 months, 77 percent of operators have raised menu prices at least once.

These increases range from one percent a staggering 30 percent. However, the majority have kept these increases to one to ten percent. Most (31 percent) have implemented increases of no more than five percent. Just one percent of operators boosted prices between 25 to 30 percent.

Of course, raising prices isn’t the only strategy operators have at their disposal. Forty percent of operators are streamlining their menu, reducing the sizes of their menus. However, it’s wise for operators to review their menus at least every three months to eliminate poor performers.

Other strategies include focusing on value for guests (27 percent); utilizing LTOs and launching new menu items (26 percent); eliminating a specific daypart or portion of the menu (25 percent); and making portion sizes small, or “shrinkflation” (18 percent).

There’s much more revealed in Datassential’s latest FoodBytes report. Download your copy today.

Image: Luca Bravo on Unsplash

United States Capitol Building and Capitol Grounds
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Members of Congress Send Letter to SBA

Members of Congress Send Letter to SBA Regarding $180 Million

by David Klemt

United States Capitol Building and Capitol Grounds

More than 70 members of Congress are urging the Small Business Administration to act quickly to fund eligible RRF applicants.

This news comes on the heels of the findings of the Government Accountability Office’s investigation into the RRF. As you may recall, the GAO discovered $180 million in unobligated funds.

In response, 73 representatives and senators sent the SBA a letter. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) are leading the effort to quickly and fairly distribute the $180 million.

At the start, members of Congress ask that the SBA take immediately action. Also, that the SBA give priority consideration to RRF applicants who didn’t receive funds even though they were awarded grants.

By the way, that’s about 7,000 applicants.

Unfortunately, the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 doesn’t include funds to replenish the RRF. And while $180 million is nowhere near the $42-43 billion our industry needs and deserves, it’s something. In fact, it’s a reason to keep pushing Congress to do the right and responsible thing.

Interestingly, the letter sent to the SBA also urges the clawing back of funds for various reasons. One social media user, in response to the letter, suggested auditing the recipients. Presumably, this would also lead to a clawback and, in turn, the further awarding of grants.

Key Segments of the Letter

“Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled Restaurant Revitalization Fund: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight that stated that as of as of June 2022, $180 million of RRF funding was unobligated. As you know, about 177,000 restaurants that applied to the program did not receive awards. While we understand the remainder of the funding will not reach every business that applied, it is imperative that the SBA distribute every dollar to help as many struggling restaurants as is feasible.

“In addition to these actions, we are also urging that SBA take action to recover funds that have been awarded to ineligible applicants, were found to be accepted fraudulently, or could otherwise be returned. For example, the aforementioned GAO report states that SBA does not require recipients to report their operating status, despite the statute requiring that businesses that permanently close to return the unused funds to SBA. SBA has itself identified potentially ineligible recipients, such as clubs and hotels that failed to meet statutory eligibility criteria. Money recovered from fraudulent and ineligible businesses can subsequently be used to help
fund the many businesses who were unable to receive grants. We urge you to take action on this matter and provide us with detailed information on the amount of funding that may be recovered as well as SBA’s progress in doing so.”

Image: Francine Sreca from Pixabay

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