Restaurant operations | KRG Hospitality

Wendy's fast food restaurant exterior and sign

August 18, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Wendy’s Looks to Ghosts for Growth

Wendy’s Looks to Ghosts for Growth

by David Klemt

Wendy’s is the latest foodservice company to announce plans to open ghost kitchens in Canada, the US and the UK.

The fast-food giant’s scheme is large-scale and part of an expansive growth strategy.

Per the company, Wendy’s plans to open 700 ghost kitchens.

Embracing the Trend

Here’s a question for you: Do you hear and read the word “pivot” or the phrase “ghost kitchen” more often these days?

Ghost kitchens seem to be the pivot of choice for restaurant groups and enterprising tech companies looking to leverage the next big thing. (There, a sentence with both “pivot” and “ghost kitchen” in it,)

The trend also appears more often than not to be the domain of Big Business.

Former Uber executive Travis Kalanick is the founder of CloudKitchens. DoorDash is also entering the ghost kitchen space, running a trial in California to see if pursuing the idea is viable.

Now, enter Wendy’s, not exactly a mom-and-pop shop in the restaurant space.

Ghost vs. Virtual Kitchen

We don’t revel in the semantics game, necessarily. But we know people are going to refer to Wendy’s ghost locations as “virtual” kitchens as well.

However, ghost kitchens and virtual kitchens have unique definitions and characteristics.

Wendy’s isn’t creating a new brand with new items they’re preparing in their existing brick-and-mortar locations. Nor do they plan to do so with their new locations under constructions currently.

Were that the case, their strategy would be a virtual kitchen plan.

Instead, the 700 locations will be separate facilities without storefronts. Also, the units will focus solely on delivery, leveraging on-demand consumer behavior.

So, the lack of storefront is arguably the greatest defining characteristic of a ghost kitchen.

Conversely, a virtual kitchen operates in a location with a storefront. However, the brand on offer exists online and not in the brick-and-mortar world of an established brand. In essence, an existing brand is offering a brand that they don’t want to dilute what they’ve already built.

That’s a Lot of Ghosts

Per reporting, Wendy’s is joining forces with Reef Technology to open and operate their ghost kitchens.

At least 50 such locations are in the works to open this year. The other several hundred locations will open between 2022 and 2025.

That means we should see more than 150 Wendy’s ghost kitchens going live per year across Canada, the US and the UK.

Partnering with Reef Technology is an interesting and telling maneuver. Reef, per their website, focuses on “urbanization” and reshaping “our urban infrastructure.”

And as CEO Todd Penelow stated last week, Wendy’s doesn’t isn’t strong in urban areas. The vision for Wendy’s new strategy is to penetrate urban markets, adding new stores and new franchisees as the brand moves forward.

Should things go according to plan, Wendy’s expects to expand from 6,500 units worldwide to somewhere between 8,500 and 9,000 in 2025.

Image: Michael Form from Pixabay

Times Square empty in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic

August 4, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

New York City Mandates Escalate

New York City Mandates Escalate

by David Klemt

Mandates requiring people to wear masks and maintain social distance indoors aren’t new.

However, a mandate requiring proof of vaccination status to dine and drink inside a restaurant or bar is a new development.

This week, Mayor Bill de Blasio is escalating Covid-19 mandates in New York City.

Restaurants and Gyms

To date, New York City is nearing a 70-percent full vaccination rate.

The latest pandemic mandate is likely intended to boost the city’s vaccination rate. Per reporting, the Delta variant of Covid-19 accounts for more than 70 percent of new cases in New York City.

Interestingly, the new mandate requires workers, not just customers, to prove their vaccination status. It also makes New York the first major city to implement such a requirement.

So far, the requirement pertains to indoor restaurants, bars, nightclubs, performances, and gyms.

Per Mayor de Blasio’s announcement, the vaccine mandate, referred to as “the Key to NYC Pass,” will begin with a transition period that starts August 16. Beginning September 13, full enforcement of the mandate via New York State’s Excelsior Pass app; the NYC COVID SAFE app; or paper vaccination card is expected.

Union Square

Predictably, the response to this mandate comes in three flavors: supportive, hostility, and apathetic.

So, those who support the requirement are applauding it, saying they’ll feel safer when dining out. Conversely, those who oppose the new mandate believe this is glaring government overreach and an infringement on their freedoms.

In a way, however, this mandate isn’t completely new. Some operators throughout the United States already require proof of vaccination to enter their venues.

Currently, several media outlets are focusing on Danny Meyer and his Union Square Hospitality Group.

Several days before Mayor de Blasio’s announcement, Meyer said guests who want to dine and drink in his NYC restaurants will need to prove vaccination status starting September 7.

Additionally, Meyer announced current and new employees would have to prove they’ve been vaccinated.

At the moment, it doesn’t appear Shake Shack, of which Meyer is founder and chairman, will follow suit.

Not the First

However, Meyer is not the first operator to implement and enforce strict Covid-19 protocols to protect their teams, guests and communities.

Perhaps some of the focus on Meyer is intended to draw eyes and ears, and ultimately encourage more people to get vaccinated fully. After all, celebrity chefs and operators have nationwide and global influence.

Cynically, however, it’s to not dismiss the focus on Meyer as a ploy for ratings, clicks, and engagement.

At any rate, many operators across the country require proof of vaccination to work and dine at their restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and hotels. And many were doing so before Meyer made his announcement.

One such chef-operator is Eric Rivera, who operates ADDO in Seattle. He has required proof of vaccination for employees and guests since May of this year.

In fact, Chef Rivera has been strict in his handling of Covid-19 health and safety measures since last year.

A visit to Chef Rivera’s website finds the following disclaimer, attributed to him:

“All of our experiences are for vaccinated guests only. That will remain permanent. If that’s a problem for you then there are plenty of restaurants that will reward you for doing nothing, this isn’t one of them.”

During an NPR interview, Chef Rivera explained his stance succinctly: “I don’t want to be somebody’s last meal. Whatever I’m doing food-wise and restaurant-wise isn’t worth that.”

He’s active on Twitter, where he makes his position and policies clear.

Takeaway

If you think I’m going to point out that New York City’s new mandate increases the likelihood of hostile confrontations with guests, you’re correct. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.

Also, if you’re guessing that I’m going to point out that guest-facing team members must receive support from leadership when policing guest behavior, you’re two for two.

However, policies like those put in place by Chef Rivera and others throughout the industry highlight something else: They’re showing the fallacy of the maxim “the customer is always right.”

Why should operators tolerate aggression toward their employees from disrespectful, angry customers—for any reason—if the employee is remaining professional and respectful?

It certainly seems that a growing number of operators are tired of capitulating to everyone who walks through their doors. The days of bowing to customers and failing to support and defend employees look to be ending.

Personally, I’m in favor of putting that outdated adage to rest. Continuing to reward guest behaviors we find objectionable—which has been the industry’s stance for decades—ultimately motivates good employees to quit. Again, this isn’t a pandemic-driven phenomenon—it has been going on for generations.

Of course, each operator must do what they think is best for their business. Just about every decision made in this industry is risky, but risk is something all operators understand inherently. Watching dollars walk out the doors never to return can be a frightening proposition. So is the prospect of losing good workers and incurring the associated costs.

The need to balance the comfort and safety of their team members and guests is paramount—an absence of either will shut a business down. Today, however, choosing guest dollars over employee dignity, safety and mental health is inexcusable and evidence of a problematic company culture.

If we’re truly in the midst of a Great Resignation, I can’t fault operators for deciding to keep their employees safe. Even if we weren’t facing a labor shortage, I’d support operators who support their workers.

Image: Paulo Silva on Unsplash

August 3, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: August

5 Books to Read this Month: August

by David Klemt

This month’s fun and informative book selections will help you develop next-level culinary, beverage and leadership skills.

To review last month’s book recommendations, click here.

Let’s dive in!

Something & Tonic: A History of the World’s Most Iconic Mixer

Author and bartender Nick Kokonas takes readers on a historical, global journey that focuses on the history of tonic. This informative book also contains tips, tricks, and 60 original cocktail recipes. Click here to purchase Something & Tonic now.

America Walks into a Bar

Do you have a passion for this business? Do you actually love bars and the rich history of our industry? Then you need to read Christine Sismondo’s America Walks into a Bar, equal parts adventure, entertainment and history.

Burn the Ice: The American Culinary Revolution and Its End

I could try to sum up Burn the Ice for you, but Danny Meyer seems to have captured the essence of this Kevin Alexander’s book in one word: “Inspiring.”

The Power of Strangers: The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World

When we come across a great bar, restaurant or hotel, we never encounter strangers. Instead, we meet friends we never knew we had. In The Power of Strangers, author Joe Keohane addresses the importance of getting over the fear of engaging with strangers and why, particularly in these divisive times, we need “strangers” more than ever in our lives.

Hacking the New Normal: Hitting the Reset Button on the Hospitality Industry

The world around us has changed, as has the food & beverage industry and the hospitality industry as a whole. But will some ways of life change for the better? Will restaurants, bars, and hotels come out of the pandemic even stronger? In Hacking the New Normal, author and president of KRG Hospitality Doug Radkey addresses the need to hit the reset button on the hospitality industry for its long-term survival.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

Stay Weird neon sign with purple background

August 2, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Stand Out with Weird Holidays: August

Stand Out with Weird Holidays: August

by David Klemt

Want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Then commit to keeping it weird.

Several “holidays” are set against every date on the calendar, and July is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to food-centric to weird.

Focus on the latter to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, weird or otherwise. And this month’s list in no way includes every odd holiday.

Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

For last month’s list, click here.

August 3: National Night Out Day

It may sound like this holiday is just an excuse for restaurant and bar crawls. However, this day is actually about bringing communities together and making them safer. This is an excellent time to strengthen your ties to the community and support local organizations.

August 5: National Underwear Day

We’re not entirely sure what to suggest you do for this holiday but there’s definitely something here. Get creative but be tasteful, is all we recommend.

August 6: National Fresh Breath Day

Certain herbs help freshen breath: Mint, basil, rosemary, cardamom, and tarragon, for example. These same herbs also make great cocktails, so tie them into a drink promotion.

August 7: National Disc Golf Day

With mask mandates being re-issued, some people will likely be looking at outdoor sports as an escape. Encourage and reward people for getting out and playing disc golf on this day.

August 8: National Dollar Day

Have a menu item or two you can offer for $1? Perhaps a “buy one, get another for one dollar”? You know what to do on National Dollar Day.

August 9: National Book Lover’s Day

There are several ways you can celebrate this holiday with your guests. For example, you can host a book drive, encourage guests to trade books, or even create a free community library space inside your business. Tap into your creative side.

August 10: Lazy Day

I mean, come on… This day was practically invented to encourage people to spend all day eating and drinking in your bar or restaurant. People can be responsible another day.

August 14: National Bowling Day

Remember National Disc Golf Day from way up higher on this page? Of course you do. Well, it shouldn’t be difficult to come up with promotions focused on bowling, like offering promotions for bowling teams who pop into your bar or restaurant.

August 21: National Honey Bee Day

If we lose our bees, we lose our agriculture. And if we lose that, we lose our food supply. Highlight the importance of honey bees with menu items that feature honey (local sources are ideal), and promote the need to protect these valuable insects.

August 27: National Just Because Day

A promotion focused on doing whatever you want just because you feel like doing it? The sky’s truly the limit with this one.

Image: Dan Parlante on Unsplash

Reviewing and analyzing customer data on a laptop computer

July 27, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

How SevenRooms Improves Operations

How SevenRooms Improves Operations

by David Klemt

It’s true that SevenRooms is a reservation management platform. However, it’s so much more powerful than that.

Simply put, if the platform wasn’t simple to use and integrate with other systems, they wouldn’t be celebrating their tenth year.

A recent interview via Clubhouse highlights why now, more than ever, operators need to seriously consider SevenRooms.

Background

Guy Clarke, founder of Sizzle Dining, spoke with two key SevenRooms team members in a casual but informative Clubhouse chat.

Allison Page, SevenRooms co-founder and Chief Product Officer, and Marybeth Sheppard, senior vice president of marketing, fielded Clarke’s questions.

Interestingly, Page admits SevenRooms took five to seven years to really fine-tune operations. In fact, she says that the team didn’t quite know exactly what they were offering for the first year or two.

Now, the “reservation” platform has truly hit their stride. The company doesn’t just manage reservations, it provides powerful solutions: a full suite of operational tools; table management; and guest experience and retention capabilities.

Of course, many tech platforms claim to help operators. However, SevenRooms is now enjoying a decade in business.

Their longevity is, in part, due to their approach to hospitality. As Page tells it, the founders didn’t just enter the industry believing they could “fix it” with tech.

Plenty of tech folks have identified problems in hospitality, boasted about their “common sense” solution, and exited after finding out how challenging the business is.

Instead, the SevenRooms team spent time in the trenches. According to Page, they took reservations, checked coats, and more. They spent time with hospitality workers after hours and got to know them.

What’s with that Name?

I’ve written several articles about SevenRooms. However, I’ve never addressed why the founders chose that name.

When asked by Clarke during the Clubhouse chat, Page provided the answer.

Turns out, the name is a loose nod to Graydon Carter’s “Seven Rooms Theory.” The theory speaks to navigating social status in New York City. In short, it posits that the NYC social scene consists of seven consecutive “rooms,” each with a secret door. Find the secret door, move to the next room.

Of course, SevenRooms isn’t about exclusivity. Instead, SevenRooms is helping operators reach the seventh “room,” which is a lasting relationship with a guest. The six previous rooms are a journey toward understanding that guest and making them loyal by delivering incredible guest experiences.

Why SevenRooms Works

If this seems like a shameless plug for SevenRooms, well, it sort of is. They didn’t pay me, Doug or KRG Hospitality to promote the platform; we just like what SevenRooms can do for operators.

In an industry that has until recently been slow to innovate when it comes to tech, the platform has been improving restaurant and hotel operations for years.

According to Page, SevenRooms has a simple operating philosophy that drives the company: “Make small big, make big small.” SevenRooms is driven to help small, independent operations punch well above their weight class. The platform gives independent operators the same capabilities as their large chain counterparts.

Conversely, SevenRooms gives enterprise operators an effective way to deliver the engaging experiences that independents offer their guests.

However, there are other reasons SevenRooms is so worthy of consideration: simplicity.

SevenRooms is all about collecting data. Of course, data does no good if an operator doesn’t know what to do with it. If they had to analyze and leverage it on their own, they’d need to employ data scientists and an entire marketing team.

Well, SevenRooms employs those people instead so operators don’t need to. An operator doesn’t need to be a data scientist to use the information they collect through the platform. Marketing campaigns are automated and engaging, and require little effort from the end user.

Reduce Costs, Increase Revenue

As Sheppard explains, SevenRooms manages and, more importantly, helps maximize a restaurant’s floor.

Looking to increase turns? Done. Want every seat to generate revenue? Smart seating makes that possible. According to Sheppard, SevenRooms’ auto-assign seating functionality is worthy of operators’ trust. Additionally, the platform’s CRM, table management and marketing tools help staff upsell guests.

Speaking of automated functions, Sheppard provides insight into SevenRooms auto-tagging. The platform assigns automated tags that make it simple for staff to understand the guests they’re serving. Some examples are:

Burger lover
Red wine lover
Big tipper
Loves expensive wine
No-showed twice

Just those five examples show how SevenRooms helps operators and their teams maximize the guest experience to generate revenue. So, how does the platform reduce costs?

First, investing in SevenRooms reduces an operator’s overall tech stack investment. It integrates with around 50 POS systems and offers several tools (modules), meaning an operator doesn’t need to purchase several platforms that may not integrate with one another.

Second, the reservation and table management tools streamline an operator’s business. When team members are focusing on revenue-generating tasks, the floor is being sat more efficiently, and guests are being wowed, costs are driven down and revenue is driven up.

Then, there’s the “hidden” benefit. As Sheppard says, hospitality is a passion-driven industry. Unfortunately, there are many “non-passion” tasks that must be accomplished for operators to make money and keep their doors open.

Those tasks can take a toll, leading to an operator to fall out of love with the industry and their own concept. Well, SevenRooms takes several of those tasks (sifting through data, creating marketing campaigns, figuring out how to maximize the floor, etc.) and automates them.

Therefore, operators have more time to program menus, mentor team members, forge relationships with guests by touching tables, and more.

To request a SevenRooms demo, click here.

Image: John Schnobrich on Unsplash

July 19, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Mask Mandates, Recommendations Return

Mask Mandates, Recommendations Return

by David Klemt

Pointing to vaccination hesitation, vaccination refusal, and rises in Covid-19 cases, some cities are mandating masks indoors.

Importantly, mandates and recommendations are coming down irrespective of vaccination status.

Of course, many people are unhappy about this news. Much of the backlash includes the claim that a return to masks proves vaccines don’t work.

However, others point to variants—in particular, Delta—spreading via the unvaccinated and unmasked.

Unfortunately, continuing divisiveness means hospitality and other frontline workers are again at risk for hostile confrontations.

Los Angeles County, California

If you’re an operator in Los Angeles County, masks indoors aren’t just a recommendation. An indoor mask mandate went into effect on Saturday, July 17.

Just a month prior, embattled Governor Gavin Newsom proudly announced California’s unrestricted reopening.

Now, the more cynical among us see Gov. Newsom’s June reopening as a bid to stave off recall efforts. However, recall ballots will go out to Californians next month.

Per reporting, California’s Covid-19 infection rate is close to tripling. Los Angeles County health officials say the indoor mask mandate comes out of an overabundance of caution.

On a different note, health officials expect the state’s vaccination rate to effectively combat a spike in infection rates. The current rate isn’t expected to match or surpass those of prior peaks in the state.

As far as mandate details, it’s quite simple: Masks are required for everyone indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.

According to reports, an additional ten California counties are recommending masks indoors. No word yet on if other counties—or the state as a whole—will announce mask mandates. Nor is there an end date for LA County’s current mandate.

Southern Nevada

While not a mandate, the Southern Nevada Health District is recommending people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks indoors.

Unsurprisingly, Las Vegas is experiencing an influx of visitors. With vaccination rates on the decline and infection rates on the rise, health officials are concerned.

More than 2.9 million visitors flocked to Las Vegas in May. Clark County, Nevada, which includes Las Vegas, has a population of over two million.

Of course, it’s important to remember that, for now, wearing masks indoors is a recommendation. However, some resorts and casinos—Westgate and the Venetian among them—now require their employees to wear face masks.

So far, neither Las Vegas, Clark County or Nevada have implemented a mandate. Of course, that could change and a mandate may be in the wings.

Orange County, Florida

Much of the news of returning mask mandates and recommendations focuses on Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

In fact, some critics are attacking Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, accusing him of blindly following Gov. Newsom.

Interestingly, though, is that a mayor in Florida is also recommending face masks.

Mayor Jerry Demings of Orange County recommends wearing masks indoors, vaccination status notwithstanding. The phrasing of the mayor’s announcement refers to the suggestion as an “official recommendation.” However, no mandate is in place currently.

Frontline Risks

Clearly, mask mandates and even recommendations are going to anger some of the population.

Unfortunately, hospitality workers (and those in other public-facing industries) are once again at risk of confrontations. Even without mandates, some businesses that choose to require masks experience hostility.

The last thing America needs is more divisiveness, anger, and potential for confrontations.

Millions of hospitality professionals have left the industry for good. One factor leading to those losses has been concern for safety due to people angry over mask and vaccine requirements.

Obviously, operators must do whatever’s in their power to ensure the safety of their team members and guests. Leadership must not only convey their support for their employees, they must stand behind that messaging with their actions.

In cities where masks mandates and recommendations return, operators need to focus on safety as much as employee retention. Indeed, the former aids the latter, which aids recruiting and hiring.

Image: Daniel Lee on Unsplash

July 14, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Hospitality Labor Shortage not Improving

Hospitality Labor Shortage not Improving

by David Klemt

Surveys and data focusing on the restaurant and hotel employment situation paint a stark picture.

The sobering reality is that operators can’t simply point to the pandemic as the reason they’re failing to fill available positions.

Instead, we need to focus on the problems hospitality workers continue to face.

It’s not going to be easy. However, it can lead to positive change. That change can help the hospitality industry recover and thrive long into the future.

Culture is Crucial

Per several sources, millions of hospitality professionals are washing their hands of the industry.

Unfortunately, foodservice and lodging workers are citing several reasons for the exodus:

Lack of livable wages.
Inconsistent wages.
Stress levels not worth level of monetary compensation.
Lack of benefits.
Lack of mentoring and/or career progress.
Industry volatility, particularly devastating as a result of the pandemic.
Unhealthy lifestyle: Long shifts, late nights, and alcohol and drug abuse.
Cultures of harassment and discrimination.

Obviously, it’s easier to blame labor shortages on the workers. Well, being easier doesn’t make it true.

Industry and workplace culture matters. Employee turnover rates were high long before the pandemic ravaged the planet.

Rather than make excuses, operators need to look at their restaurant, bar or hotel’s culture.

Barking orders and feeling infallible isn’t leadership. Admitting failures and shortcomings—and learning from them and implementing positive changes—is how successful operators lead.

Generic Job Listings

Last week, KRG Hospitality president Doug Radkey asked a simple but poignant question on LinkedIn: Are your job listings just like everybody else’s?

He suggests knocking it off with the old standards:

“Are you friendly, energetic, and highly motivated?”
“Are you an experienced and enthusiastic [insert position]?”
“The ideal candidate must work well in a fast-paced environment and be a team player.”
List of basic job tasks.

What’s appealing about such basic, generic ads? Why would rock star talent be moved to work for operators who post these types of ads?

Instead, Doug suggests the following:

Hire for values, not experience. Training can address systems and standards, not personality and drive.
Operators should be transparent about their core values, company culture, and potential for growth.
Showcase the approach to inclusivity, diversity, acceptance, and flexibility. That is, if that’s authentic. If not, that’s a flashing, neon red flag that requires addressing.
Offer a living wage, benefits, potential for personal growth, and education.
Produce a video of team members sharing why they work at the company. This must be genuine and honest.

A unique approach to ads, hiring and onboarding can lead to an increase in employee retention.

Yes, it’s more comfortable to avoid looking internally for the roots of problems. It’s more comfortable to avoid blame. And it’s more comfortable to point fingers anywhere but at ourselves.

That’s not leadership. And it certainly won’t improve any operator’s situation, nor will it improve the hospitality industry and its opportunity to thrive.

Image: One Shot from Pexels

July 12, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Indoor Dining Returning to Ontario

Indoor Dining Returning to Ontario

by David Klemt

Operators and their employees and guests in Ontario, Canada, have a real reason to celebrate this week.

On Friday, July 16, at 12:01 AM, the province will launch into Step 3 of the Reopening Ontario plan.

Why is this fantastic news for Ontario operators? Stage 3 includes the return of indoor dining.

Ahead of Schedule, Again

As with Step 1 and Step 2, the province is entering Step 3 of the Reopening Ontario plan earlier than expected.

Ontario launched Step 1 three days ahead of schedule. Step 2 also came a few days early.

The province is entering Step 3 a whole five days early. These early launches are a testament to Ontario’s vaccination efforts.

Premier Doug Ford said during a press release that the targets triggering Step 3 were not just met but surpassed.

However, he did mention that the campaign to vaccinate Ontarians was in no way complete.

“While this is welcome news for everyone who wants a return to normal, we will not slow down our efforts to fully vaccinate everyone who wants to be and put this pandemic behind us once and for all,” Premier Ford said.

Step 3 Details

This phase of the plan is the least-restrictive of Reopening Ontario.

In Step 3, restaurants and bars can welcome indoor guests. The only capacity restriction is that people must be able to maintain distance of two metres between one another.

Restaurants and bars with dance floors are restricted to 25-percent capacity and a maximum occupancy of 250.

Outdoor dining capacity will focus on social distancing: there must be two metres between tables.

Face masks are a requirement for indoor gatherings and in situations where it’s not possible to socially distance properly.

Should the vaccine rate and other indicators continue to improve, it’s possible that Ontario will reopen fully as soon as 21 days after Step 3 begins. So far, Reopening Ontario steps have launched ahead of schedule, a great sign for reopening fully.

However, operators must take care to remain in compliance with federal, provincial and local regulations. Click here to review the Reopening Ontario details.

Of course, we’ll monitor the situation and see what Ontario officials say next.

Image: Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash

July 5, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

5 Books to Read this Month: July

5 Books to Read this Month: July

by David Klemt

This month’s fun and informative book selections will help you develop next-level culinary, beverage and leadership skills.

To review last month’s book recommendations, click here.

Let’s dive in!

Tequila & Tacos: A Guide to Spirited Pairings

This pairing is iconic. However, this book proves the legendary pair can go well beyond just munching on a street taco and slamming a tequila shot. Moreover, Tequila & Tacos includes recipes for both classic tacos and modern versions like spicy cauliflower tacos. The perfect book to help you celebrate National Tequila Day on July 24.

A Long Stride

Just days after National Tequila Day comes National Scotch Day, which takes place July 27. A Long Stride tells the in-depth story of one Scotch in particular: Johnnie Walker. Published toward the end of last year, this book represents the most up-to-date history of arguably the most famous Scotch brand in the world.

Zero Proof: 90 Non-Alcoholic Recipes for Mindful Drinking

Temporary and permanent abstinence from alcohol is becoming more and more commonplace. That doesn’t mean, however, that people who aren’t drinking alcohol are staying out of bars. So, it’s important that operators update their drink programs with creative and memorable zero-proof cocktails. Zero Proof contains 90 alcohol-free recipes to inspire you to develop your non-alcohol menu section.

Playing with Fire

Summer is here and that means barbecue! Interestingly, though, many of today’s chefs have felt the siren song of cooking on open fire for a while now. Playing with Fire features 72 of Chef Michael Symon’s favorite recipes inspired by St. Louis, Memphis, Nashville, Kansas City, and other famous barbecue styles.

How to Grill Vegetables: The New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables over Live Fire

Steven Raichlen has been dubbed “America’s master griller, and for good reason: there’s likely nothing he doesn’t know about barbecuing. In How to Grill Vegetables, Raichlen shows how to grill basically every vegetable over fire. This book features more than 100 recipes and explains how to grill eggplant on cedar planks, smoke lettuce with hay, cook whole onions directly on embers, and much more.

Image: Mikołaj on Unsplash

Pepper hotel concierge robot by SoftBank Robotics

July 2, 2021by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Restaurant Tech Map Illustrates Innovation

Restaurant Tech Map Illustrates Innovation

by David Klemt

The hospitality industry’s embracing of new technologies is experiencing rapid and welcome acceleration in less than two years.

In comparison to the restaurant technology map by TechTable and Better Food Ventures from 2019, there are two entirely new categories: Shared / Ghost Kitchens, and Food Safety / Quality.

More than a dozen platforms on the 2021 map from TechTable and Culterra Capital (sponsored by Back-of-House) now fall into those two categories.

Changing Landscape

It’s a sign of current industry trends and what will matter to guests moving forward that ghost kitchens and food safety are emerging as separate tech segments.

Obviously, the pandemic didn’t create the ghost kitchen category. However, it did fuel a meteoric rise in delivery and takeout. In turn, ghost kitchens are more prevalent than ever.

After all, a former Uber executive Travis Kalanick owns CloudKitchens and Applebee’s is testing a ghost kitchen pilot program.

What was once the domain of murky, unpermitted virtual brands is now its own successful business model.

However, today’s guest isn’t concerned solely with convenience. In general, guests now take their health and safety more seriously since the pandemic

Tech platforms that can ensure the food guests are consuming is safe will ease some concerns.

Increase in Platforms

Again, in comparison to just two years ago, the acceleration in new tech for the industry is astounding. It’s also long overdue.

As a whole, the hospitality industry has been surprisingly slow to take on new tech. Although, it’s fair to say that there wasn’t much new to adopt until somewhat recently.

Now that there’s more to try out, operators seem keen to embrace tech that can help them streamline operations; improve inventory monitoring and ordering; hire employees and manage teams; engage with and market to customers intelligently; and much more.

Even better, the above map doesn’t include all of the available platforms. That’s excellent news as it means operators have an increasing number of choices to help improve their business in every category of operation.

For example, Barventory isn’t listed within the Purchasing / Inventory / Ordering segment. The platform makes taking inventory, gaining a real-time inventory snapshot, and efficient ordering a breeze. Barventory also features the world’s first live keg scale.

It’s challenging to find positives from the past 14 to 15 months. However, one good thing may be the leaps in technology our industry is experiencing.

If they continue, these innovations may make it easier for operators and their employees to recover.

A concept’s tech stack is crucial to operations and will only grow more important moving forward. Whether opting for a full KRG Hospitality package or the Mindset program, we can help operators make informed tech selections.

Map by TechTable and Culterra Capital, sponsored by Back-of-House

Featured image: Pepper by SoftBank Robotics (photo by Alex Knight on Unsplash)