Industry Spotlight

The 10 biggest stories in the restaurant industry in 2025
Customers bristled at inflation, igniting the most intense value war the industry has ever seen. Also, a beverage boom, immigration, fast-casual challenges, big bankruptcies and acquisitions.

So much for 2025 being a better year.

Oh sure, Chili’s had a strong year. So did Taco Bell. And some chains saw some improvement.

But a year that was expected to be better than 2024 in many ways was worse. The pain spread to more chains, including the heretofore seemingly untouchable Chipotle. Deals became so prevalent that 30% of all orders featured some kind of discount, according to the data and technology firm Circana.

And those deals included about half of all delivery orders.

Consumers were frustrated by the lingering impact of inflation, and their own slowing wages, and expressed this frustration by cutting back on their regular dining. The situation was exacerbated by a shaky economy, including tariff policies and later a government shutdown, which hit consumer confidence and kept consumers away.

McDonald’s, which largely ignited the value war with a $5 meal offer in 2024, kept finding new ways to up the ante. It lowered prices on its Extra Value Meals and then decided to write value into its franchising standards. But numerous other brands pushed value, even some fast-casual chains that for years had been able to avoid it. By the end of the year Chipotle was pushing $3.50 tacos and $4 meat-snack bowls.

Here’s a look at the other top stories, in order of perceived importance as voted on by the editors of Restaurant Business.

The beverage boom
In 2025, you couldn’t get away from boba tea or cold coffee or energy drinks or whatever the hell a “refresher” is.

Drinks were everywhere. Drive-thru beverage chains, including Dutch Bros, 7 Brew and Scooter’s, were growing at rates not seen since the most recent frozen yogurt boom. Swig took off and then everybody started selling the “dirty sodas” the chain invented.

These chains sell mostly cold, typically colorful and hopefully Instagrammable beverages that the kids want. Unsurprisingly, big chains are now getting in on the act. Taco Bell is expanding its Live Mas Café in-store beverage concept. McDonald’s is getting ready to unleash an expanded line of beverages in its stores on the world. Even Chick-fil-A is testing a beverage brand.

Sure, Starbucks spent the year with weak sales and then closed a bunch of restaurants. But 2025 was the year of the cold colorful drink.

Chili’s
True story: In college my son was part of a Bachelor-style social media contest called “The Fratchelor.” One week’s question asked participants, “Where would you take someone for a first date?” He said “Chili’s,” and won that week’s vote, by a landslide.

The chain has been on fire ever since. Coincidence? Yeah, probably.

Chili’s has been the hottest chain in the U.S. for the past two years. It is on a six-quarter streak in which the weakest same-store sales result was 14.8%. And the people driving it? Gen Zers like my son. So apparently a lot of young people on first dates.

Fast-casual problems
Earlier this year my colleague Lisa Jennings wrote that, “Fast casual was the happy place in 2024” and in the process jinxed the entire sector.

Or most of it. Chipotle is suffering through its worst sales slump since that whole E. coli thing. Cava, a year after generating 20%-plus same-store sales of its own, was getting blasted by investors for the ungodly sin of reporting sub-2% same-store sales. Sweetgreen lost some 12% of its transactions in the third quarter. Panera Bread is on its latest transformation project.

Exactly why is not all that certain. Some of these chains sell bowls deemed “slop” by certain East Coast writers. The economy may be catching up with these brands and their prices. But we’re going with our Lisa-Jennings-jinxed-it theory.

Cracker Barrel’s logo controversy
Want a story that encapsulates the utter ridiculousness of modern society? The Cracker Barrel story might be it.

Cracker Barrel was inundated with negative attention for the horrific sin of removing a guy from its logo. The controversy was fueled in part by conservative activists targeting the company over its DEI practices. And it was inflamed by the burger chain Steak n Shake, which has aligned itself with said conservative activists and also happens to be run by the activist investor Sardar Biglari. Eventually, President Trump weighed in and the company went back to its old logo.

As it turned out, bots fueled much of it. A Biglari representative won a seat on the Cracker Barrel board in a proxy fight. But the results are real: The company has laid off workers and watched its sales and profits plunge.

Immigration
The Trump Administration took office with a promise to reduce illegal immigration to the U.S. and took every step possible to follow through on that promise.

The result hit restaurants, which historically rely heavily on immigrants as a source of workers. One in five restaurant workers were born outside the U.S. and many operators reported difficulties finding workers. But sales at restaurants in Hispanic-heavy markets were weak, which hurt chains like Jack in the Box.

On a more serious level, agents from the U.S. Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, continue to raid restaurants and other businesses.

The Hooters bankruptcy
The year’s biggest bankruptcy filing is also one of the restaurant industry’s biggest such filings of all time and probably should be on this list.

Hooters of America, which runs most of the chain, filed for bankruptcy in March. The company had a lot of debt, thanks to a 2021 whole business securitization. The company struggled under the weight of that debt, coupled with inflation and a weak consumer.

But there is some good news in this one. The chain was sold out of bankruptcy to Hooters Inc., the company run by Hooters’ founders, which has started the process of “re-Hooterizing” the venerable “breastaurant” chain.

The sale of Jersey Mike’s
How does a high-growth restaurant chain move on from having a single owner and CEO for 50 years? We’re about to find out.

Peter Cancro, who bought a sub shop as a teenager and grew it into the country’s second-largest sandwich chain, sold the brand for $8 billion to the private-equity group Blackstone. He stepped down as CEO, handing over the title to former Wingstop CEO Charlie Morrison.

The sale and the management change ushered in a new era for the chain, which has thrived over the years under Cancro’s stewardship.

Dave’s Hot Chicken gets $1 billion
Dave’s Hot Chicken, the fast-casual chicken chain known for its spicy chicken tenders and colorful décor, was founded in a parking lot in 2017.

Eight years later, the chain was sold to the private-equity firm Roark Capital. The deal was valued at $1 billion. But maybe more to the point: It highlighted rapidly growing demand for chicken, particularly of the spicy variety, and the benefits of being media savvy.

Dave’s combined good chicken with an adept use of media, social and traditional, building a fan base and fueling one of the country’s fastest-growing chains, and earning a rare valuation in the restaurant space.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/10-biggest-stories-restaurant-industry-2025

California Pizza Kitchen to be acquired by investor group
Consortium Brand Partners, Convive Brands, Eldridge Industries and Aurify Brands will look to lead the casual-dining chain into a new era of growth, with an eye on franchising and retail.

California Pizza Kitchen is getting a new owner. Several, actually.

Investment firm Consortium Brand Partners, along with Eldridge Industries, Convive Brands and Aurify Brands, have an agreement to acquire the 120-unit casual-dining pizza chain. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. It’s expected to close this month.

Consortium will act as the company owner, while Convive—the owner of Le Pain Quotidien and The Little Beet—will lead global operations and franchising, according to a press release. Convive CEO Jon Weber will be CEO of California Pizza Kitchen.

The buyers said they plan to lead the brand into a new era of growth following its recent momentum, which has included same-store sales that outpaced the industry in 2025. They plan to ramp up franchising in the U.S. and abroad, launch new product categories and grow California Pizza Kitchen’s retail business.

Founded in 1985 in Beverly Hills, the chain is known for its unique pizza varieties, such as the signature BBQ Chicken Pizza. It also sells frozen pizzas and salad dressing in more than 10,000 grocery stores. And it recently launched a pizza vending machine for airports, college campuses and other venues.

CPK has been owned by its lenders since filing for bankruptcy in 2020 and was previously owned by Golden Gate Capital, which bought it in 2011 for $470 million. Systemwide U.S. sales declined 12.3% last year, to $406 million, and 17 locations closed, according to Technomic data.

“California Pizza Kitchen is a brand with a remarkable history and an even brighter future,” said Weber in a statement. “As we look to realize its exceptional potential, our focus remains on honoring CPK’s legacy, empowering the teams who drive its success every day, and welcoming the next generation of guests to experience the flavors and hospitality that will continue to set it apart.”

Before joining Convive in 2021, Weber was CEO of Pizza Hut and Wendy’s operator NPC International. Before that, he held operations roles at Applebee’s, Cheddar’s, Hard Rock International and Uno Chicago Grill.

CPK is the fourth acquisition for New York-based Consortium and its first in the food industry. The firm also owns consumer brands Jonathan Adler, Draper James and Outdoor Voices.

“California Pizza Kitchen is an iconic American brand that has inspired generations of fans through creativity, flavor, and innovation,” said Jonathan Greller, president and co-founder of Consortium, in a statement. “We are thrilled to partner with Eldridge Industries, Aurify Brands, and Convive Brands to build on CPK’s rich heritage by expanding its global restaurant footprint, growing its grocery presence, and exploring new product categories that celebrate California creativity and flavor.”

The other three buyers—Convive, Aurify and Eldridge—are all connected. New York-based Aurify previously operated Le Pain Quotidien and The Little Beet. In 2022, the two brands were spun off under the newly created Convive, which is part of Eldridge’s portfolio. Aurify acted as an advisor in the CPK transaction.

California Pizza Kitchen is the latest restaurant brand to be sold amid a flurry of M&A activity. Over the past month, Denny’s, Del Taco, Potbelly, Topgolf, Tijuana Flats, Iron Hill Brewery and HopCat have all changed hands, while other large companies, such as Pizza Hut and MTY Food Group, are on the market.

Reuters first reported that a deal was in place last month.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/california-pizza-kitchen-be-acquired-investor-group

The new year will bring minimum wage increases in 19 states
The wage rate will cross the $15 per hour threshold for the first time in six states on Jan. 1, 2026. But the biggest hike will be seen in Hawaii.

With the new year comes a round of minimum wage increases.

Nineteen states will see a wage bump on Jan. 1, 2026. And, for the first time, there will be more states with a minimum wage at or above $15 per hour than states adhering to the federal minimum of $7.25, according to the liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute.

In the new year, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Missouri and Nebraska will cross the $15 per hour threshold for the first time.

Among the highest rates will be in Washington state, for example, where the minimum wage is set to increase to $17.13 per hour, from the current $16.66.

Connecticut will raise its wage to $16.94 from $16.35 per hour. And California’s minimum wage will step up to $16.90 from $16.50 per hour.

The District of Columbia has the highest minimum wage, however, with a rate of $17.95 per hour, which took effect in July. D.C. doesn’t have another inflation-adjusted increase scheduled until July 2026.

There, labor advocates are campaigning for a ballot initiative in November that would raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour and eliminate the tip credit.

And California, of course, has a statewide minimum wage for fast-food workers at $20 per hour, which could also be increased in 2026 to adjust for inflation—though the council tasked with setting that wage has fallen dormant as it waits for the appointment of a new chair.

Across the U.S., the biggest statewide increase on Jan. 1 will be seen in Hawaii, where the minimum wage will jump from $14 to $16 per hour on a path to reach $18 per hour by 2028.

On average, the wage hike among the states due for increases at the start of the new year is about 70 cents per hour, according to Ballotpedia.

Twenty states use the federal wage minimum of $7.25 per hour, which has not changed since 2009.

Researchers at the conservative think tank the Employment Policies Institute (EPI) argue that the minimum wage increases inspired by the Fight for $15 movement from 2011 to 2019 have been job killers, reducing employment opportunities for young people and entry-level workers.

A report co-authored by economists Jeffrey Clemens and Michael Strain contends wage hikes have reduced employment rates among those with low levels of experience and education by more than 2.5 percentage points.

Rebekah Paxton, EPI’s research director, said in a statement, “This new study confirms what the vast majority of economists, workers and businesses. Have known for years. Steep wage hikes kill jobs, reduce employment opportunities and shutter businesses.”

A network of business owners known as Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, however, welcomes the wage hikes, saying putting more money in the pockets of consumers will increase spending, strengthen local economies and reduce employee turnover.

“Wage increases are a vital part of the solution to the affordability crisis,” said Holly Sklar, CEO of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, in a statement. “It’s great news that 19 states are raising the minimum wage on Jan. 1 and more follow later in the year. The cost of food, housing and other necessities has risen sharply. Minimum wage increases boost the economy as workers are better able to afford necessities and spend more at local businesses.”

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/workforce/new-year-will-bring-minimum-wage-increases-19-states

Chipotle wins lawsuit over portion sizes
The class-action case was filed by an investor late last year

Chipotle won a class-action lawsuit filed by a shareholder in late 2024 claiming the chain was skimping on portion sizes. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California found this week that the online “viral criticisms” about portion sizes were not sufficient evidence to support claims of fraud against the restaurant chain, according to Bloomberg Law.

The accusations picked up steam last year following a review from social media influencer Keith Lee, who claimed in a May TikTok review that Chipotle’s chicken portion was “crazy low.” The post generated more than 2.3 million engagements. The lawsuit also cited a Wells Fargo analyst’s report showing that the portion sizes of 75 burrito bowl orders from different locations were inconsistent.

“Chipotle’s portion sizes were inconsistent and left many customers dissatisfied,” alleges plaintiff Michael Stradford in his Nov. 11, 2024, complaint in a California federal court.

“The company understated how difficult it would be to convince customers of the ‘overall value proposition of its menu’ given that the Company provided customers with highly inconsistent (and in the view of some customers, lacking) portion sizes,” the suit said, adding that the company acted fraudulently by making no changes to its policy on portion sizes even as customers were complaining on social media about them.

During Chipotle’s second quarter 2024 earnings call, then-CEO Brian Niccol acknowledged some “outlier” restaurants with low scores on portion sizes and said the company would sharpen its focus on training and investments to ensure more consistency.

“We’ve probably found about 10% or more of restaurants that we view as outliers that needed to be retrained (and) re-coached to be executing against what we believe are the right standards,” he said. “At the same time, we collectively said we do not go back one inch on our equity of generous portion sizes. For 90% of our restaurants, they’re doing business as usual. This really was something where we doubled down as a system, but we really needed to kind of train up roughly 10% of the system.”

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/chipotle-wins-lawsuit-over-portion-sizes

Jack in the Box finalizes sale of Del Taco
The deal with Yadav Enterprises was approximately $119 million

Jack in the Box has completed its sale of Del Taco Holdings to Yadav Enterprises for approximately $119 million. The sale was first announced in October and is part of Jack in the Box’s “Jack on Track” plan first announced in the spring to strengthen the company’s balance sheet and shift toward an asset-light business model.

“Our sale of Del Taco represents meaningful progress in simplifying our business model and reducing our debt. We remain committed to elevating the Jack in the Box brand and improving operational performance to drive sustainable, long-term growth and create value for our shareholders. We appreciate the Yadav team’s partnership during this transition and wish the Del Taco brand well in their next chapter,” Jack in the Box chief executive officer Lance Tucker said in a statement.

In connection with the closing, Jack in the Box received approximately $109 million in cash and the remaining $10 million in the form of a 21-day promissory note, accruing interest at an 8% annual rate, fully guaranteed by Anil Yadav, founder and CEO of Yadav.

Yadav Enterprises operates more than 300 franchise restaurants nationwide.

“For more than five decades, Del Taco has been a beloved restaurant chain supported by loyal guests who have fueled a special and unique culture that continues to set the brand apart,” Yadav said in a statement. “Our recent acquisition of the Del Taco brand aligns perfectly with our long-term growth vision, and we are excited to support the next Del Taco evolution, while honoring the amazing legacy that has defined the brand for more than a half-century.”

Del Taco will remain headquartered in Lake Forest, Calif. Yadav Enterprises’ franchising roster includes Jack in the Box, Denny’s, and TGI Friday’s. It is also the franchisor for Taco Cabana and Nick The Greek.

Jack in the Box acquired Del Taco in March 2022 for approximately $585 million in an all-cash deal.

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/jack-in-the-box-finalizes-sale-of-del-taco

Mixue, the world’s biggest restaurant chain by unit count, opens in the U.S.
The Chinese ice cream and coffee chain opened its first location in Los Angeles, bringing its low-price, location-heavy business model to the U.S. for the first time.

Another fast-growing Chinese chain is making a play for the U.S. And this one is a biggie.

Mixue, a coffee and ice cream chain out of China that now operates more locations than any other global restaurant chain, made its U.S. debut in Los Angeles on Friday.

The company has grown aggressively outside of China in recent years with a business model that features a lot of franchised locations that sell low-priced ice cream and coffee. Most of Mixue’s items are priced from $1.19 to $4.99. Its ice cream, the chain’s signature product, costs $1.19. Lattes cost $2.99.

The company marked the opening by hosting a series of activities, including street pop-ups featuring its “Snow King” mascot, photos and other promotions.

Mixue, which was founded in China in 1997, has been expanding outside of its home country since it opened in Vietnam in 2018. Today it operates 4,700 locations outside of China.

But its rapid expansion in China has enabled it to bypass McDonald’s, Starbucks and Subway to become the biggest restaurant chain globally by unit count. Mixue operates 53,000 locations globally.

Mixue opened 7,700 locations in 2024 alone, according to data from Restaurant Business sister company Technomic.

Mixue generated just $6.5 billion in system sales from about 45,000 locations in 2024. By contrast, McDonald’s, the world’s largest restaurant chain, generated $131 billion from just less than 44,000 worldwide locations that year.

It is part of a generation of Chinese restaurant chains that have expanded with franchise business models that open a lot of low-volume locations. Five of the 10 chains that added the most locations in 2024 were based in China, including the three fastest growing in Mixue, Luckin Coffee (6,000 more locations) and Cotti Coffee (4,100 more units).

Some of these are eyeing the U.S., notably Luckin, which opened its first U.S. location in New York earlier this year. The 6,000-unit Chinese tea chain Chagee opened its first U.S. location, also in Los Angeles.

Mixue could gain share in the U.S. by undercutting prices and tapping into consumer frustration over inflation.

But they face stiff competition in a beverage market flush with fast-growing competitors like drive-thru concepts 7 Brew, Dutch Bros, Scooters and Swig, while major chains McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell seek to generate more beverage sales.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/mixue-worlds-biggest-restaurant-chain-unit-count-opens-us

Foodservice Equipment

CFESA Launches New Technician Competition
Each regional round of the competition, called Top Tech Throwdown, will include up to 14 technicians.

In 2026, CFESA will debut a new competition, entitled Top Tech Throwdown.

The new offering, kicking off Jan. 16 in Region 4, will be held in step with regional meetings, putting hot side and cold side master technicians through the paces. They’ll take on a series of hands-on stations and written challenges to evaluate technical expertise, mechanical aptitude and real-world problem-solving, says CFESA.

Ultimately, each region will crown one hot side and one cold side winner to advance to the national championship at CFESA headquarters in Fort Mill, S.C. There, they will compete for the title of top technician in their category.

See below for the upcoming schedule.

For more details, or to register (there is no fee), visit cfesa.com/top-tech-throwdown.

DATES TO NOTE
Jan. 16 Region 4: Columbia, S.C.

Feb. 20 Region 1: Downey, Calif.

March 27 Region 2: Indianapolis

April 17 Region 3: Mesa, Ariz.

May 8 Region 5: Baltimore

Aug. 7 National round at CFESA HQ in Fort Mill, S.C.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/cfesa-launches-new-technician-competition/

Unox Adds to its Inside Sales Team
Commercial oven manufacturer Unox hired Christina Rabas and Jessenia Rios to serve as customer engagement specialists. Unox also hired Ariel Holder as manager of content development.

Unox Rabas RiosAs part of the Unox inside sales team, Rabas and Rios will “provide consultative support and technical guidance to foodservice professionals throughout the U.S.,” per a company release.

Holder will work with clients and industry partners to develop educational content and share stories showcasing best practices for Unox oven applications, the release added.

These personnel moves come shortly after Unox hired Jeff Monroe II as a corporate chef to support its culinary training and demonstrations.

Source https://fesmag.com/topics/the-latest-news/23254-unox-adds-to-its-inside-sales-team

Electro Freeze to Relocate to Davenport, Iowa
Electro Freeze, a Welbilt company and a global leader in frozen treat machine innovation and manufacturing, announced its intent to relocate its operations from East Moline, Ill., to a new facility in Davenport, Iowa. This move represents the company’s commitment to growth, innovation and community partnership.

The facility, located at 8440 N. Zenith Ave, will significantly increase the company’s manufacturing and office space. The relocation will more than double its production capacity, allowing Electro Freeze to meet rising customer demand for its innovative products and services. The relocation will also support the expansion of customer service, technical service and engineering facilities.

Electro Freeze has enjoyed being a part of the East Moline community since 1945. The company’s legacy of innovation in the frozen treat industry has driven continuous expansion. Located 17 miles from its current location, the new facility enables Electro Freeze to continue to support its community, customers and existing employees.

“Relocating to Davenport allows us to operate within a single manufacturing facility while expanding our operational footprint,” says Victoria Campbell, president of Electro Freeze. “This opportunity positions us to better serve our customers, develop new products, and continue our expansion into the global market. This is a strategic investment for the future growth of Electro Freeze.”

Electro Freeze remains dedicated to delivering the same high-quality equipment and services, with minimal disruption during the transition. All contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses, will remain unchanged.

Source https://www.fsrmagazine.com/industry-news/electro-freeze-to-relocate-to-davenport-iowa/

Most-Read Stories of 2025
From First Watch’s move into Nevada to The Restaurant Store’s expansion in Florida, brands gained ground in 2025.

Gaining ground, whether by entering regions or acquiring companies, marked a running theme among the most-clicked stories on FER’s website, fermag.com. Get nostalgic with the following top 10 most-popular FER stories of 2025:

Cava Expands in Midwest
Cava opened its first unit in Indiana in March and had plans to open a second in the state by the end of the year. At the time, the Mediterranean fast-casual brand operated in 26 states and Washington, D.C. It aims to have 1,000 locations by 2032. In August, the brand served as one of the latest investors in an automated makeline supplier.

The Restaurant Store Opens Second Florida Location
Clark Associates opened its second location of The Restaurant Store in Jacksonville, Fla., in August, and in November, announced plans to open a third in Davie. The first Florida location opened in 2024 in Orlando. Overall, the division has locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey, along with Florida, as well as distribution centers across the nation.

600-Unit Chain Opens First Nevada Location
First Watch reached its 32nd state with a launch in Nevada, according to a September release. The breakfast, brunch and lunch spot opened the doors to a 4,400-square-foot unit in North Las Vegas, roughly 12 miles off the Las Vegas Strip. At the time, First Watch listed its total unit count as 600—531 company-owned and 69 franchise-owned.

Hoshizaki Acquires Structural Concepts
Hoshizaki Alliance announced in June that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Structural Concepts Corp. (The transaction has since closed.) Structural Concepts provides refrigerated and heated food display solutions. Other brands in Hoshizaki’s portfolio include Hoshizaki America, Lancer Worldwide, Jackson Warewashing Systems, Fogel Group and Hoshizaki Macom.

Highlights from The NAFEM Show
The biennial event ran Feb. 26-28, 2025, in Atlanta. As many as 633 exhibitors and an estimated 20,000 attendees were on-site at the three-day show. Product themes, according to the FER editors, included compact footprints, labor-saving features and energy-efficiency bonuses. In 2027, the show will return to Orlando.

Checking In With 2025’s Top Dealers
In the spring, FER talked with dealers to find out what highlights they experienced in 2024, and what challenges and opportunities they saw in the coming year. Gaining ground in certain markets, creating in-house efficiencies and building the next generation served as priorities. But at press time, the latest tariffs and the impact they would have on prices and the supply chain were front and center.

Dealers, Manufacturers Win FEDA Gold Awards
FEDA recognized distributor and manufacturer members during its Gold Awards Breakfast, held at its annual Executive Leadership Conference in September. Honorees included Stafford-Smith and Alto-Shaam for the spirit of giving, and Curtis Restaurant Equipment and Atosa for extraordinary service. Russell Hendrix and Thermo-Kool earned nods for model workplaces.

KaTom Elevates 3 Into Key Roles
Kodak, Tenn.-based KaTom Restaurant Supply announced several leadership transitions in May. Paula Chesworth—the daughter of Founder, President and CEO Patricia Bible—was appointed president, e-commerce; Charley Bible, Patricia’s son, moved to president, design and build; and James Rogers became president, operations.

Wienerschnitzel Kicks Off East Coast Expansion
Along with Cava and First Watch, Wienerschnitzel serves as another restaurant brand that entered new territory in 2025. In July, the Tustin, Calif.-based brand kicked off a growth opportunity on the East Coast with a seven-unit development deal in Norfolk and Richmond, Va., markets. In other news, the brand was working on opening locations inside Walmart stores.

Easy Ice Grows Footprint in Oklahoma, North Texas
In April, Easy Ice announced it had acquired the ice machine leasing divisions of Red Rock Food Equipment and Caba Leasing—both based in Oklahoma City and operating in Oklahoma and North Texas. Most recently, Easy Ice picked up the ice machine subscription and service division of Kirby Restaurant Equipment, serving east Texas.

Other stories that made the top 20 list include FER’s 2025 state of the foodservice industry feature story, October’s announcement of two promotions and three hires at TriMark USA, and Singer Equipment Co.’s April post that it had acquired Joseph Flihan Co. To stay in the loop on industry happenings, sign up for FER’s newsletters at fermag.com/newsletters.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/most-read-stories-of-2025/

Tabletop & FOH

Hospitality’s Hidden Advantage: Why Service and Rewards Infrastructure is the Next Frontier
The brands that win won’t be those who simply invest in automation or open new formats.
As digital transformation reshapes the hospitality landscape, operators are investing heavily in AI, automation, and new formats. But while technology often takes the spotlight, a quieter but equally powerful advantage is emerging: a service and rewards-based culture designed to drive loyalty, lifetime value, and operational resilience.

This isn’t about perks. It’s about architecture.

Beyond the Script: Service as a Strategic System

A guest’s memory of your brand often boils down to how you made them feel. That emotional response is no longer just a “soft” asset, it’s a revenue driver. Research shows restaurants with well-trained, empowered, and brand-aligned teams see a 20 percent increase in customer retention.

As Harrison’s latest whitepaper highlights, hospitality brands that outperform don’t treat service as an interaction. Rather, they design it as a system. From independent icons like Sally’s Pizza in New Haven, where multigenerational community loyalty meets product consistency, to global concepts like Fogo de Chão, where immersive, layered touchpoints redefine what premium casual dining looks like, the pattern is clear: service must be orchestrated across people, process, and platforms.

This orchestration starts with data. Can your host recall a guest’s last visit? Can a server recognize a loyalty member and upsell a curated experience? Can your digital interface reflect personal preferences from past interactions? If not, service remains reactive and today’s guest expects more.

Loyalty is a Platform, Not a Program

Too many operators still treat loyalty as a bolt-on marketing tool. But brands leading the next wave of hospitality treat loyalty as infrastructure that’s integrated into ops, tech stacks, menu strategy, and performance measurement.

The shift is visible across categories. In high-volume restaurant groups, loyalty programs now function as the connective tissue between touchpoints. They generate behavioral data, fuel real-time personalization, and serve as early indicators of churn or satisfaction. Critically, they allow brands to model guest lifetime value with precision turning episodic visits into predictable revenue.

Take Fogo de Chão again: the brand’s loyalty strategy extends from the churrasco dining floor to its Next Level Lounge, where curated cocktails, rare spirits, and even a cigar program in select locations provide elevated experiences for high-value guests. The butchery concept builds on that by offering dry-aged premium cuts and pairings for take-home enjoyment, extending the brand relationship beyond the restaurant and into everyday life.

Human Service, Powered by Technology

Ironically, it’s technology that makes high-touch service scalable. But implementation must be thoughtful.

The goal isn’t just digitization, it’s augmentation. AI-enhanced CRMs, real-time feedback loops, and POS-integrated recognition engines can all empower staff to deliver personalized service without friction or inconsistency. These systems should be designed for usability and speed supporting frontline teams, not overwhelming them.

Internal Loyalty Matters Just as Much

The service and rewards mindset doesn’t stop at the guest. Brands with strong internal cultures are building recognition into the employee experience because retention and engagement are now competitive advantages, too.

Harrison’s report highlights tools like gamified performance dashboards, micro-bonus systems, and peer-based recognition programs. These aren’t gimmicks. They’re infrastructure investments that drive alignment, reduce turnover, and increase service consistency.

Empowered teams deliver better service. Better service drives stronger retention. And stronger retention improves margins over time.

The Operators Who Will Win

Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the brands that win won’t be those who simply invest in automation or open new formats. They’ll be the ones who build service and rewards cultures that connect meaningfully with both guests and staff enabled by technology but rooted in human experience.

For operators, the mandate is clear:

Integrate loyalty into the core architecture; not as an app, but as a data layer.
Make service data accessible and actionable in real-time.
Ensure every system; CRM, POS, mobile, reflects the guest journey holistically.
Build infrastructure that honors memory, recognizes value, and delivers delight at scale.
In a world where experience is currency, service and rewards culture isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the operating system for growth.

Read more in a recently published whitepaper from Harrison, Redefining Global Hospitality: The cultural crossroads of the US & UK: https://www.weareharrison.com/gb/redefining-global-hospitality-the-cultural-crossroads-of-the-us-uk/.

With over 20 years of global experience, Sarah Jenkinson leads the creative vision for Harrison US, guiding teams to deliver immersive, strategically driven brand experiences. Her award-winning work spans continents and categories shaping the future of design through innovation, storytelling, and commercial impact.

Source https://www.fsrmagazine.com/feature/hospitalitys-hidden-advantage-why-service-and-rewards-infrastructure-is-the-next-frontier/

Harrison Elevates Fogo de Chão with Next Level Rooftop Lounge Opening
Dallas-based global design consultancy Harrison marks its latest collaboration with Fogo de Chão with the debut of the Next Level Rooftop Lounge — the highly anticipated rooftop destination on top of the iconic high-rise location at 400 University Street in Rainier Square. After Fogo’s street-level opening in late summer 2024, this elevated venue completes the full guest journey, bringing Fogo’s hospitality skyward through a signature design and experience that is approachable, warm, and timeless.

The 4,500-square-foot glass penthouse lounge continues the collaboration between Harrison and Fogo de Chão, a partnership spanning seven years and more than 50 U.S. and international locations. Every detail speaks to Fogo’s authentic Brazilian heritage. The design invites guests into a year-round destination defined by sweeping skyline views, approachable lounge seating arranged around firepits, lush planters, and a dramatic black-stone bar.

“Seattle’s Next Level Rooftop Lounge reimagines Fogo’s ‘Culinary Art of Churrasco’ as a rooftop experience of theater and craft,” said Keith Anderson, Global CEO of Harrison. “Framed by the Seattle skyline, it becomes a stage for connection, energy, and artistry, where the warmth of Ipe wood, the strength of iron, and the reflections in the black-stone bar all play their part in expressing Fogo’s spirit of hospitality.”

Perched high above downtown Seattle, the Next Level Rooftop Lounge brings Fogo de Chão’s spirit of connection and celebration to the skyline — an elevated social escape where craft and hospitality meet. Centered on a glowing hero bar with a whiskey and bourbon library, the design frames sweeping views of the city. Inside, low-profile seating and intimate vignettes invite everything from tasting flights to late-night gatherings, while layered lighting and bottle halos shift the mood from day to night. Outdoors, illuminated guardrails, fire pits, and softly lit trees extend the season, offering guests a fresh, unforgettable perspective on the city below.

“Harrison has a skillful ability to translate our brand’s energy and hospitality into physical spaces that feel both elevated and welcoming,” said Barry McGowan, Chief Executive Officer of Fogo de Chão. “With the Seattle location and the new Next Level Lounge, they’ve helped us create an environment that celebrates connection. It’s a space that truly reflects who we are and how we continue to evolve.”

The Next Level Rooftop Lounge builds upon Fogo’s street-level restaurant, also conceived by Harrison, anchored by an open churrasco grill and lively Bar Fogo. Together, the restaurant below and the rooftop lounge above tell a cohesive story of tradition meeting modern Brazilian warmth. The rooftop’s premium bar and small-plates program showcase South American wines, craft cocktails, and indulgent shareable dishes, inviting guests to linger before or after dinner. In bringing this elevated vision to life, Fogo and Harrison tackled the technical and logistical challenges of constructing atop a downtown high-rise, transforming complexity into a seamless experience. The result is a destination that truly raises the bar for urban dining.

Source https://www.fsrmagazine.com/industry-news/harrison-elevates-fogo-de-chao-with-next-level-rooftop-lounge-opening/

The Future Table: Food and Consumer Trends for 2026
The table of the future looks different. Not because of what’s on it, but because of why we gather around it. After years of disruption and adaptation, consumers are redefining what food means in their lives. Dining is no longer just about nourishment or novelty—it’s about control, comfort, connection, and emotional fulfillment.

From the rise of nostalgic “grandma hobbies” to bold, new global flavors, the next wave of food trends reflects a deeply human desire to feel grounded yet inspired. Here’s a look at the emotional and behavioral trends shaping how we’ll eat, shop, and connect in the year ahead.

1. The Desire to Return to Control and Calm
After years of turbulence, consumers are seeking a sense of control, comfort, and reward in how they eat and live. “Better for me” choices—once defined by strict health rules—are now about balance and agency. People want to feel good without guilt. Prevention is replacing perfection.

This emotional shift is deeply human: post-COVID resilience meets economic reality. People crave safety and stability, and they’re drawn to brands that project trust, authenticity, and calm.

2. Discovery and the Thrill of Flavor
Food is once again a frontier of discovery. Guests are hungry for authentic and novel flavor experiences—from Mediterranean spice blends and za’atar to maple-chipotle glazes and “swalty” (sweet-salty) combinations. Extremes on the palate—heat, citrus, tang, and contrast—mirror our appetite for intensity in an overstimulated world.

Beverages are also part of this adventure. Non-alcoholic options are booming as consumers seek flavor, function, and sensory punch, while alcohol consumption is trending and driven by social and escapist rituals. All in all, people want to feel something again.

3. Tangible Joy and Nostalgic Grounding
In a hyperconnected digital world, tangible experiences have become the new luxury. Print magazines are making a comeback. Target has revived its holiday catalog. Young consumers are embracing needlepoint, gardening, and baking—activities that connect them to slower, more intentional living.

This new nostalgia is about grounding while offering emotional relief from uncertainty. Expect food that reconnects us to heritage, story, and place. Restaurants that lean into connection, discovery, and shared joy will thrive.

4. Snacking, Simplicity, and the Economics of Eating
Consumers are snacking more and sitting down less. The influence of GLP-1 drugs and tighter budgets is reshaping eating habits: people are skipping meals but indulging in snacks that deliver both comfort and control. Healthy snacking jumped 43 percent in 2024, according to Epicurium, and shows no sign of slowing. C-stores and grocery prepared foods will continue to rise, while restaurants will compete on the basis of reward, connection, and flavor-led experiences—not just speed.

5. Elevated Everyday Experiences
The home kitchen has evolved into a space for exploration and pride. Inspired by travel and food media, consumers are diving deep into hyper-regional cuisines—from Sardinia to Oaxaca to coastal Japan. They’re turning everyday meals into moments of discovery. “Luxury” is being redefined as accessible indulgence—a beautifully plated meal, a new ingredient, or a shared moment of joy.

6. The Emotional Consumer
Consumers will trust brands that blend technology with humanity—those that use data to enhance genuine connection rather than replace it. Emotional enthusiasm will matter more than ever: warmth in communication, sensory design, and experiences that spark genuine feeling. The emotional landscape of 2026 will be defined by these three powerful forces:

Strategic Joy: A conscious, inclusive pursuit of positivity to counter the fatigue of a “poly-crisis” world.

Witherwill: A longing to be free from constant responsibility; the pull toward simplicity and self-care.

Suspicious Optimism: Curiosity about innovation, tempered by anxiety about technology and AI.

2026 won’t be defined by trends alone—it will be about emotion in motion. People will continue to travel, taste, and connect, but they’ll seek experiences that feel meaningful, not just marketable. The brands, restaurants, and creators that thrive will be those who understand these shifts. The next generation of food culture will be shaped by those who serve not just meals, but meaning — flavor, emotion, and the freedom to savor life in every bite.

Matt Harding
Matt Harding is Chief Innovation Officer at Piada Italian Street Food, a fast casual Italian cuisine restaurant chain with 57 locations in seven states

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/the-future-table-food-consumer-trends-for-2026/

Food & Beverage

Limited-time offers are reshaping beverage menus, blending trend-driven innovation with affordability, excitement, and lasting consumer appeal
What started with a pumpkin spice latte has become an industry-wide movement. Buzzy, fun and undeniably enticing, limited-time offers (LTOs) are taking the beverage space by storm, becoming – somewhat paradoxically – mainstays on menu boards.

For operators, they’re a powerful way to cut through the noise and spark consumer interest. For inflation-weary consumers, they offer affordable indulgence amid ongoing economic uncertainty. The result? A win-win that’s hard to ignore.

So why do LTOs feel so perfectly tuned to the current moment?
Menu boards have always reflected generational trends. Today, with Gen-Z consumers flipping the script on coffee consumption by reaching for iced drinks layered with creamers and sweeteners, LTOs are emerging as the ideal format to cater to changing preferences. Typically built around some form of flavor innovation, these short-term launches offer a fresh and flexible way to keep menus feeling dynamic and relevant.

Moreover, with the zeitgeist moving at breakneck speed, overhauling an entire menu just to keep pace simply isn’t practical. That’s where LTOs shine; featuring only a few SKUs, for a limited window, they offer operators a low-risk, high-reward opportunity to tap into viral trends and flavors.

Recent examples include Dutch Bros’ innovative Mochi Berry offering for spring – which plays into the growing appeal of textures and global flavors in beverages – and the widespread adoption of pistachio-flavored beverages by global operators such as Starbucks and Blank Street.

It’s not just about flavor. The ephemeral nature of LTOs brings a slew of other strategic benefits. They generate excitement, boost brand engagement, and create a sense of urgency that’s often hard to replicate through core range offerings. Crucially, this is helping address a critical operational challenge: footfall as consumers get increasingly judicious about where, when and how they spend. According to recent research by Technomic, 91 percent of consumers say they’re more likely to visit a chain that offers LTOs or new items.

To fully harness the potential of LTOs and their strategic benefits, operators must deliver novelty and new experiences – without compromising on accessibility or value. One of the most effective ways to do that? Lean into the growing convergence between pop culture, flavor trends, and brand collaboration. Adjacent categories such as desserts and sweet snacking offer obvious inspiration, as seen in the success of Starbucks’ Tiramisu range or Pret A Manger’s Ube Crème Brûlée Latte in the UK.

But the opportunity doesn’t stop at sweet. More unexpected inspiration – from sauces to savory condiments – is also gaining traction. Think hot honey coffees or miso caramel lattes: bold, boundary-pushing flavor profiles that speak directly to consumers’ appetite for the new and unexpected. With a dedicated product development team and insights-led innovation at its core, Finlays is uniquely positioned to help operators stay ahead of the curve, bringing LTOs to life that are not only trend-forward but commercially effective.

Megan Conceição

Megan Conceição is an Insight Analyst at Finlays Solutions. Finlays Solutions is a global leader in beverage innovation, specializing in high-quality tea, coffee and botanical solutions. With generations of expertise through its parent company Finlays, Finlays Solutions blends tradition with cutting-edge technology to craft exceptional, sustainable and innovative beverages.

Source https://foodchainmagazine.com/limited-time-offers-are-reshaping-beverage-menus-blending-trend-driven-innovation-with-affordability-excitement-and-lasting-consumer-appeal/

Athletic makes its own Dry January to boost nonalcoholic beer
The promotion includes a tie-up with OpenTable that includes a map spotlighting locations where the brand’s products are served.

Dive Brief:
Athletic Brewing Company, which bills itself as the largest dedicated nonalcoholic brewer in America, is bringing back its “Athletic January” campaign for a second year in recognition of Dry January, according to a press release.
The campaign encourages drinkers to consider moderation year-round and for the first time includes a partnership with OpenTable, the restaurant reservation platform, for an interactive map that features on-premise locations that serve Athletic products.
The monthlong effort also includes a continuation of its “Ask for Athletic” program to offer consumers of legal drinking age a rebate on one can or draft pour of Athletic at participating retailers across the U.S. from Jan. 1 to Feb. 9.

Dive Insight:
Athletic Brewing is tapping into consumers’ continued interest in Dry January, the monthlong challenge encouraging consumers to abstain from alcohol, with the return of its “Athletic January” campaign. Dry January has continued to gain popularity in recent years, with 30% of Americans taking part in the challenge this year, a 36% increase from the year prior according to research from Circana-owned NCSolutions.

The sober-curious movement is also gaining momentum year-round, with nearly half of Americans reporting that they planned to drink less this year, a 44% increase since 2023, per NCSolutions. Athletic Brewing joins other beverage brands, including sparkling water brand Hopwtr, that are looking to make the most of the moment.

“For too long, January has been defined by limitations, framed around sacrifice rather than possibility,” said Andrew Katz, CMO of Athletic Brewing Company, in press details. “In 2026, we’re shifting the conversation by encouraging drinkers to prioritize presence, explore new experiences, and make moderation a year-round mindset.”

“Athletic January” includes a partnership with OpenTable designed to make moderation more accessible. Through the tie-up, diners throughout January can use an interactive map on OpenTable to find on-premise locations in the U.S. and Canada that serve Athletic. The move could help Athletic reach more sober-curious consumers while simultaneously supporting restaurant partners, with 39% of consumers reporting they are more likely to return to a restaurant or bar if it offers a wide range of nonalcoholic options, per data shared by the brand.

Additionally, Athletic is expanding its “Ask for Athletic” program, which encourages consumers to request its product in new places. From Jan. 1 to Feb. 9, consumers can receive a $5 rebate on one can or draft pour of Athletic at participating retailers in the U.S. The “Ask Athletic” program is meant to further support on-premise operators, with the brand holding a 36% share of on-premise nonalcoholic beer sales in America, per release details.

Athletic will also release new products in the new year, including Athletic Lite Lime & Salt, its first line extension, at select national retailers. It will also bring two cocktail-inspired offerings to retail for the first time that are modeled after the Moscow Mule and Paloma.

The latest push from Athletic comes as the nonalcoholic market is expected to be worth nearly $5 billion by 2028, with nonalcoholic beer being the primary volume driver, according to data from IWSR. Simultaneously, alcohol consumption continues to drop. Between 1997 to 2023, at least 60% of Americans consumed alcohol. However, that number has fallen to 54% by August of this year, according to Gallup.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/athletic-brewing-links-with-opentable-in-latest-bid-to-sober-curious/808378/

The biggest food and beverage M&A deals in 2025
While giants like Kraft Heinz and Keurig Dr Pepper announced plans to break up, others leaned on acquisitions to grow their presence in trendy categories like health and wellness.

U.S. food giants got a little smaller in 2025.

After years of amassing expansive portfolios, some companies are now slimming down to better focus their businesses in the face of slowing consumption. Both Kraft Heinz and Keurig Dr Pepper announced intentions this year to break up, while Unilever split off its ice cream unit.

Still, even as some companies slimmed down their portfolios, others relied on M&A to grow their presence in new categories or trendy segments such as health and wellness. PepsiCo’s $2 billion Poppi acquisition and Hershey’s deal for LesserEvil popcorn helped the food giants diversify their offerings and better reach younger consumers by playing into emerging trends.

Corporate spinoffs also paved the way for some food companies to get even bigger. Mars and Ferrero closed on acquisitions of a splintered Kellogg, positioning them to be more formidable competitors in 2026.

Food Dive rounded up some of the biggest M&A deals and announcements of 2025. With sales continuing to remain sluggish, companies are likely to continue buying and selling brands next year to better position their portfolios for growth.

Nutella maker Ferrero to buy WK Kellogg for $3.1B
By Christopher Doering • July 10, 2025
The acquisition would add cereals such as Froot Loops and Rice Krispies, giving the Luxembourg-based company a deeper U.S. presence in everything from cookies to ice cream.

Kraft Heinz to break up a decade after mega-merger
By Christopher Doering • Sept. 2, 2025
The ketchup and Lunchables giant will create one business for grocery staples and another for sauces, spreads and seasonings.

Mars to close $36B Kellanova acquisition following EU approval
By Christopher Doering • Dec. 8, 2025
The merger, the largest since Kraft Heinz’s combination in 2015, would create a snacking giant with a portfolio including M&Ms, Pringles and Pop-Tarts.

Keurig Dr Pepper to buy JDE Peet’s for $18B to boost struggling coffee business
By Christopher Doering • Aug. 25, 2025
Once the deal closes, the company plans to separate its coffee and beverage units into two independent, publicly listed operations.

TreeHouse Foods to be acquired for $2.9B
By Christopher Doering • Nov. 10, 2025
The private label food and beverage maker is being purchased by Investindustrial, a European investment firm. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026.

PepsiCo buys prebiotic soda brand Poppi for nearly $2B
By Chris Casey • March 17, 2025
The deal boosts the food and beverage company’s health-focused portfolio as consumers demand more better-for-you options.

Hershey closes LesserEvil acquisition as it looks to ‘lead the future of snacking’
By Christopher Doering • Nov. 19, 2025
The purchase of the better-for-you puffs and popcorn maker comes as the confectionery giant aims to grow its salty snacks division to 20% of revenue during the next decade.

The Magnum Ice Cream Company prepares for a ‘new frontier’ after Unilever spin-off
By Christopher Doering • Oct. 15, 2025
The Ben and Jerry’s owner is set to become the world’s largest frozen novelty maker, benefiting from its diverse portfolio and focus on a single category.

Anheuser-Busch acquires majority stake in BeatBox for $490M
By Laurel Deppen and Sarah Zimmerman • Dec. 5, 2025
The deal for the party punch maker, which is popular among young drinkers for its high alcohol content, gives the beer giant a path to complete ownership.

Chobani buys plant-based food maker Daily Harvest
By Christopher Doering • May 16, 2025
The acquisition broadens the dairy giant’s reach into ready-to-make meals that include smoothies, pasta and breakfast bowls.

Conagra to sell Chef Boyardee to private equity firm for $600M
By Christopher Doering • May 1, 2025
The sale comes as the CPG giant focuses on its core snacks and frozen meals offerings, including Slim Jim and Healthy Choice.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/food-beverage-ma-deals-2025/808539/

HVAC & Plumbing

What Are Gas Stove Manufacturers Trying to Hide?
Appliance manufacturers are suing over a first-in-the-nation warning label requirement.

Colorado passed first-in-the-nation legislation requiring warning labels on gas stoves in June 2025. These warnings are similar to what is required by cigarette labeling laws.

The required labels urge consumers to educate themselves about the air quality implications of indoor gas stoves and direct consumers to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for information on the health impacts. This could have a substantial impact, as government agencies estimate that about one-third of Colorado’s households use gas as their primary cooking source.

The law went into effect on Aug. 6. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers is now suing Colorado and is asking a federal court to temporarily block the law from being enforced while the case proceeds. The parties are awaiting a hearing on this request.

I’m a legal scholar with expertise in First Amendment law. I research and publish papers focusing on laws, such as the new Colorado statute, that compel businesses to disclose information to consumers.

In my opinion, in opposing warning labels, the gas industry and its trade association are weaponizing the First Amendment to undermine a commonsense regulation that aims to keep residents safe and informed.

Warning labels in the U.S.
Walk down an aisle in any toy store and you’ll see tags alerting parents to the risk of choking. Flip over your prescription medication and you can read its side effects and interactions with other drugs. In the grocery store, food products have labels bearing information about calorie and sugar content to help consumers make healthier decisions.

Often taken for granted, these warning labels provide critical information to protect Americans’ health and safety. Perhaps the most recognizable warning labels can be found on cigarette packages, required in the U.S. since 1965, to inform customers about the health harms of smoking. Despite the fact that warning labels on cigarettes have saved millions of lives, the tobacco industry fought tooth and nail against them to keep consumers in the dark. Since that time, federal, state and local laws requiring businesses to make truthful factual disclosures about their products have become commonplace.

Colorado lawsuit
In its lawsuit, the gas industry invokes the First Amendment’s compelled speech doctrine. This doctrine prohibits the government from forcing people to make ideological statements they don’t actually believe, such as reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

In 2018, in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, the U.S. Supreme Court greatly expanded this rule and opened the door for challenges to government efforts to require businesses to disclose truthful statements of fact. The court held that the government cannot compel businesses to disclose factual information if it is “controversial.”

Of course, it would be hard to find a manufacturer who does not think such disclosures are controversial, given that businesses are likely to disagree that their products are dangerous. If a subjective claim that a disclosure is controversial is all it takes to strike a law down, many such laws are vulnerable to legal attacks.

Interest groups representing the tobacco industry, the gas industry and others have seized on this opportunity to dismantle what most people understand to be routine labeling requirements. For example, companies have filed lawsuits challenging federal laws requiring companies to disclose that they use “conflict minerals” and local laws requiring beverage manufacturers to disclose that drinking sugar-sweetened drinks “contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.”

In its lawsuit, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, a trade association that lobbies on behalf of the home appliance industry, argues that Colorado’s law compels gas stove manufacturers to place warning labels on their products that it believes contain “scientifically controversial and factually misleading” information around gas stoves.

However, abundant evidence shows that cooking with a gas stove releases pollutants that harm human health. Multiple studies have shown that burning methane gas produces nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene that can worsen respiratory illnesses such as asthma and increase the risk of cancer.

Furthermore, in 2022, the American Medical Association recognized that gas stove use can increase household air pollution, the risk of childhood asthma and asthma severity. The same year, the American Public Health Association recommended putting warning labels on gas stoves as an official policy position.

Public health advocates contend that the gas industry has known about the health harms of gas stoves for decades, but that the industry has repeatedly attempted to paint its products in a better light.

A 2023 expose by The New York Times, for example, revealed that the gas industry paid toxicologist Julie Goodman to downplay the health impacts of gas stoves. Just eight years earlier, Goodman provided testimony on behalf of tobacco companies. A judge described her testimony on tobacco as “contrary to consensus of the scientific community.”

Risk to consumers
If the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers’ claim succeeds in court, it could, in my analysis, make it much easier for companies to fund biased research or bring in experts to argue that something is not well-established science.

For example, a drug manufacturer could hire an expert to dispute the side effects of a drug. Food producers might claim their experts disagree with the science underlying nutrition and calorie information required by government regulation. Even manufacturers of everyday items such as lawnmowers or toasters could hire experts and proclaim that their products pose no safety harms.

Everyday people would bear the brunt of harm from the invalidation of warning label laws. These people currently have the right to know critical health and safety information before buying any product. If we let corporate interests undermine regulations such as warning labels, I believe we will no longer be able to inform the public about commonsense steps they can take to protect their health.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

Source https://www.foodmanufacturing.com/safety/news/22957528/what-are-gas-stove-manufacturers-trying-to-hide

5 Smart Strategies for Servicing Refrigeration Equipment
Commercial kitchens are busy places, so techs need to minimize disruptions when possible

In the bustling environment of a commercial kitchen, every second counts. When refrigeration equipment breaks down, the pressure is on to restore functionality without slowing down the line or compromising food safety. Servicing commercial refrigeration units in such settings requires a blend of technical expertise, strategic planning, and clear communication. Here are five proven tips and best practices based on my experience that can help minimize disruption during service calls in commercial kitchens.

1) Flexibility and Communication are Key
When urgent repairs are needed during busy service times, try to schedule service around customer needs. If it doesn’t make sense to work on something at a certain time with kitchen workflow, talk with your dispatcher to rearrange calls to times that better suit the customer. If there really is no other choice, talk with the customer and let them know you will be in their way. Bring only the necessary tools to the workspace and try to stay out of the way. A kitchen is a small space with tight working conditions, so adjust as needed and get it done.

2) Move Equipment Out of the Way
Every repair is different. With some equipment, everything comes out the front — others, not so much. If the unit is easily moved, you can often pull it to the back of the site or even outside to repair it. Most times, though, that is not practical. Often, custom lines are made, and coolers are built into them, or the equipment won’t fit down the line without moving all kinds of other pieces out of the way. The biggest factor is whether you will be interfering in your customer’s space in any way. If yes, do your best to get the equipment out and into a different area.

3) Take Advantage of Digital Controls
Digital controls have come a long way, and they help you know what is going on inside via probe read-outs or status of components. If it says the evaporator fan is running, but visually it is not, you have an idea of where to go. You can get real-time read-out of probes as well. Now, they are not always accurate, but it does give you some information to go off of initially. Some units have full displays like True® ice makers. They actually show temperatures, pressures, status, and everything else on a screen at one time. This is super helpful when diagnosing issues.

4) Bring the Right Tools
A well-equipped technician is a fast and effective technician. Tools are ever-changing, it seems, but be sure to buy the best you can afford. Basic hand tools are the backbone of any service tech. You also want to have a good quality electrical meter — this isn’t negotiable, it is for your safety and troubleshooting.

Refrigeration tools have made huge strides recently, and everything is wireless probes now. This is important as more equipment is critically charged (precise amount of refrigerant in the system), and hoses can hold gas in them. Also, more and more places are doing burn permits for torch work. If you have a press tool (RIDGID® RP 251 and RLS® Jaws are a perfect match), you can save a ton of time and money. No, it will not completely do away with brazing, but it is another valuable tool to have. I have had situations where I wasn’t even allowed to use a torch inside the facility, but I was able to use a press tool to replace a condensing unit. I saved four extra hours of fire watch and got the job done in way less time.

5) Encourage Preventive Maintenance
Lack of preventive maintenance is probably the biggest offender in slowing down the line, and one of the biggest things we can encourage to minimize having to slow down the line for repairs. I get it, preventive maintenance costs money to the customer, and it is hard to justify when that unit is running. But what about when it is not running? A restaurant’s cook is running to the walk-in every time they need something, or they are packing things into tubs of ice. That is a hassle and a mess. It slows down their efficiency and delays their customers’ food. If we can catch a simple issue during preventive maintenance, we can prevent it from becoming a major issue on a busy Friday night. All points to share with customers who may be on the fence about scheduling maintenance.
Servicing commercial refrigeration equipment in a fast-paced kitchen doesn’t have to mean slowing down the line. With proactive maintenance, strategic scheduling, and the right tools, technicians can keep kitchens running smoothly and minimize disruption. By embracing new technologies and maintaining open communication, both kitchen staff and service professionals can ensure that repairs are handled efficiently, keeping food fresh and customers happy.

Source https://www.achrnews.com/articles/165639-5-smart-strategies-for-servicing-refrigeration-equipment

HARDI applauds quick EPA action to deprioritize federal enforcement of installation prohibitions in Technology Transition Rule
EPA enforcement shift eases near-term pressure on contractors and distributors as HVAC refrigerant rules remain under reconsideration

Heating, Air-conditioning, & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) applauds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for releasing a new statement that deprioritizes federal enforcement of the January 1, 2026, installation prohibitions contained in the Technology Transition Rule Reconsideration. This action signals a significant shift in how the Agency will apply its limited enforcement resources as the law is expected to change.

“This is welcome news for distributors and contractors going into the new year,” said HARDI CEO Talbot Gee. “We heard from our members the need for certainty, and HARDI submitted an official request to the Agency earlier this month to provide relief to distributors and contractors before the final rule is released.”

The Technology Transition Rule, finalized under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, includes an installation date prohibition that has been widely criticized by contractors, distributors and manufacturers as unworkable and disconnected from how projects are planned, permitted, and built. Earlier this year, the EPA released a proposed rule to repeal the January 1, 2026, prohibition on installing residential and light-commercial air conditioners and heat pumps using R-410A refrigerant. HARDI submitted comments in support of this change and asked the EPA to expand the repeal of installation dates to include remote condensing units used in commercial refrigeration and equipment in cold storage warehouses, but the regulatory process is expected to take several months before a final rule is released.

“The EPA recognizes that repeal won’t help the industry until the rule is finalized,” said Alex Ayers, vice president of government affairs for HARDI. “This new statement makes clear that federal enforcement of these installation prohibitions is not a priority while the Agency completes its reconsideration. This provides much-needed certainty for businesses planning projects and managing inventory during the transition.”

By deprioritizing enforcement of the Technology Transition Rule’s installation prohibitions for residential and light-commercial air conditioners and heat pumps, remote condensing units used in commercial refrigeration, and refrigeration systems used in cold storage warehouses, EPA acknowledges that aggressive federal enforcement in this area would create disruption without advancing long-term policy objectives, particularly given the likelihood of regulatory changes.

This action does not repeal or amend the Technology Transition Rule, and EPA’s enforcement discretion applies only to federal enforcement. States and local governments retain authority to enforce applicable requirements under state law, building codes, and permitting programs, and contractors must continue to comply with those obligations. However, the new statement significantly reduces the likelihood of EPA-initiated federal enforcement actions related to installation timing during this transition period.

“EPA’s decision confirms what industry stakeholders have long argued: the installation prohibition is flawed, impractical, and poorly suited for enforcement,” Ayers added. “While the rule remains on the books, EPA will now focus its enforcement efforts on higher-priority violations that present more significant concerns, like the illegal import of refrigerants and maintaining the R-410A manufacturing prohibition on non-repair components.”

HARDI will continue to urge Congress to provide a permanent legislative fix that eliminates all future installation dates set by any agency, providing clarity and certainty for contractors, distributors, and manufacturers.

Source https://www.supplyht.com/articles/106971-hardi-applauds-quick-epa-action-to-deprioritize-federal-enforcement-of-installation-prohibitions-in-technology-transition-rule

Controls Engineering & IoT

AI Revolutionizes Hospitality and Food Service: Beyond the Kitchen, Into Every Guest Interaction and Supply Chain Link
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly expanding its footprint across the food service and hospitality industries, transcending its initial applications in kitchen management to fundamentally reshape customer service, personalize guest experiences, and optimize complex supply chains. This transformative shift signifies a new era where AI is not merely a tool for efficiency but a strategic imperative, driving unprecedented levels of operational excellence and hyper-personalization. As businesses grapple with evolving customer expectations and operational complexities, AI is emerging as the cornerstone for delivering seamless, intelligent, and sustainable service, moving beyond the back-of-house to influence nearly every customer touchpoint and strategic decision.

The Technical Deep Dive: AI’s Precision in Service and Supply
The current wave of AI advancements in food service and hospitality is characterized by sophisticated algorithms and real-time data processing, marking a significant evolution from traditional, often manual or rule-based, approaches. These technical innovations are enabling a level of precision and responsiveness previously unattainable.

In customer service, advanced AI chatbots and virtual assistants are powered by cutting-edge Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms. Unlike their rule-based predecessors, which were limited to predefined scripts, modern NLP models (often leveraging deep learning architectures like transformers) can understand and interpret conversational language, context, and even guest intent. They continuously learn from vast amounts of interaction data, improving their ability to provide accurate, personalized, and multilingual responses. Seamless integration with Property Management Systems (PMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Point-of-Sale (POS) systems allows these AI agents to access real-time data for tasks like reservations, inquiries, and tailored recommendations. Similarly, sentiment analysis utilizes NLP, ML, and text analytics to gauge the emotional tone of customer feedback from reviews, surveys, and social media. By processing raw text data and applying trained models or deep learning methodologies, these systems categorize sentiment (positive, negative, neutral) and identify specific emotions, moving beyond simple star ratings to provide nuanced insights into service quality or specific dish preferences. This automation allows businesses to process feedback at scale, extracting actionable themes that manual review often misses.

For supply chain optimization, AI systems employ sophisticated machine learning algorithms (e.g., regression, time series models like ARIMA or Prophet, and deep learning networks like LSTMs) for predictive demand forecasting. These models analyze extensive datasets including historical sales, seasonal trends, promotions, local events, weather patterns, and even social media cues, to identify complex, non-linear patterns. This enables highly accurate predictions of future demand, often at granular levels (e.g., specific menu items, hourly demand), significantly reducing the inaccuracies inherent in traditional forecasting methods based on historical averages or guesswork. Automated inventory management systems integrate with POS and PMS, using IoT sensors and RFID tags for real-time stock tracking. Leveraging demand forecasts, AI algorithms anticipate future needs and automatically generate purchase orders when supplies fall below thresholds, moving from reactive stock management to proactive, data-driven control. Furthermore, logistics optimization employs machine learning and complex optimization algorithms to streamline the movement of goods. By considering real-time traffic, weather, vehicle capacity, and delivery windows, AI dynamically calculates the most efficient routes, reducing fuel consumption, delivery times, and operational bottlenecks, a stark contrast to static route planning software. Initial reactions from the AI research community and industry experts emphasize the transformative potential of these technologies in driving efficiency, personalization, and sustainability, while also acknowledging the ongoing challenge of balancing AI-driven automation with the essential human element of hospitality.

Reshaping the Competitive Landscape: Winners and Disruptors
The rapid integration of AI into customer service and supply chain management is profoundly reshaping the competitive dynamics for AI companies, tech giants, and startups within the food service and hospitality sectors. This technological arms race is creating new market leaders and disrupting traditional business models.

AI Companies (Specialized Vendors) are emerging as significant beneficiaries, offering niche, vertical-specific AI solutions that address unique industry challenges. Companies like HiJiffy and Asksuite provide specialized AI voice assistants and chatbots for hotels, handling multiple languages and integrating with property management systems. Lineup.ai focuses on AI forecasting for restaurants, while Afresh (for fresh food supply chains) and Winnow (for food waste management) demonstrate the power of targeted AI applications. These specialized vendors leverage deep industry expertise and agility, gaining market share by delivering clear ROI through efficiency gains and enhanced customer experiences. Their strategic advantage lies in their ability to integrate seamlessly with existing industry software and provide tailored, high-accuracy solutions.

Tech Giants such as Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), and IBM (NYSE: IBM) are leveraging their extensive cloud infrastructure (Google Cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure), vast R&D resources, and established enterprise relationships. They typically offer broader AI platforms and tools (e.g., IBM Watson) that food service and hospitality companies can adapt, or they form strategic partnerships with specialized AI companies. Google Cloud’s collaboration with Wendy’s (NASDAQ: WEN) on AI voice assistants exemplifies this approach. Their strategic advantage lies in scalability, robust data processing capabilities, and the ability to offer comprehensive, integrated solutions across various business functions. They also have the capital to acquire successful startups, further expanding their market reach and solution portfolios.

Startups are the engines of innovation, introducing disruptive technologies like AI-powered robots (e.g., Miso Robotics’ Flippy, Bear Robotics’ Servi) and highly specialized AI applications for unmet needs. Owner, a startup providing AI-powered marketing and website optimization for restaurants, achieved a $1 billion valuation, highlighting the potential for rapid growth and significant impact. These agile companies thrive by identifying specific pain points, experimenting quickly, and developing user-friendly interfaces. However, they face challenges in scaling, securing funding, and competing with the vast resources and market presence of tech giants.

The competitive implications are significant: early adopters gain a substantial edge through reduced labor costs, minimized waste (AI-powered demand forecasting can cut food waste by up to 30%), and optimized operations. Data-driven decision-making, enabled by AI, empowers businesses to make smarter choices in pricing, staffing, and marketing. Furthermore, AI facilitates hyper-personalized customer experiences, fostering greater loyalty and differentiation. This development disrupts legacy systems and traditional operational roles, making non-AI-integrated processes obsolete and shifting human staff towards more complex, high-touch interactions. Companies are strategically positioning themselves as either specialized AI solution providers or comprehensive platform providers, while hospitality businesses leverage AI for enhanced guest experiences, operational excellence, sustainability, and dynamic pricing strategies, all aimed at securing a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving market.

Wider Significance: A New Era of Intelligent Service
The pervasive expansion of AI into customer service and supply chain optimization within food service and hospitality represents a pivotal moment, aligning with broader AI trends and signaling a significant shift in how industries operate and interact with consumers. This integration transcends mere automation, embodying a fundamental redefinition of service delivery and operational intelligence.

This development fits squarely within the broader AI landscape’s emphasis on AI-Powered Customer Experience (CX), where machine learning and natural language processing are central to delivering hyper-personalized recommendations, real-time support, and seamless digital interactions across industries. It also highlights the growing trend of Predictive Analytics for Smarter Decision-Making, as AI moves beyond simple data reporting to forecasting sales, demand, and potential operational issues with unprecedented accuracy. Furthermore, it underscores the increasing focus on Human-AI Collaboration, where AI handles routine, data-intensive tasks, freeing human staff to concentrate on roles requiring empathy, creativity, and complex problem-solving. The application of AI in reducing food waste and optimizing energy consumption also aligns with the global trend of AI for Sustainability, demonstrating technology’s role in addressing environmental concerns.

The societal and economic impacts are profound. Economically, AI drives increased efficiency, significant cost savings (reducing labor, procurement, and waste-related expenses), and higher revenue through personalized offerings and dynamic pricing. This fosters a competitive advantage for early adopters and enhances decision-making across all business functions. Societally, consumers benefit from faster, more personalized service, improved food safety through AI monitoring, and increased sustainability efforts (e.g., reduced food waste). However, these advancements come with potential concerns. Job displacement is a primary worry, as AI automates tasks historically performed by humans, such as order-taking, reservation management, and some kitchen duties. While new roles in AI management and data analysis may emerge, significant investment in reskilling and upskilling the existing workforce will be crucial to mitigate this impact. Another critical concern is data privacy. AI systems in hospitality collect vast amounts of sensitive guest data, raising questions about security risks and compliance with stringent regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Ensuring robust data protection and transparent data usage policies is paramount to maintaining consumer trust and avoiding legal repercussions. The industry must also navigate the ethical balance between AI efficiency and preserving the human touch, ensuring that technology enhances, rather than diminishes, the empathetic core of hospitality.

Compared to previous AI milestones, such as early rule-based expert systems of the 1980s or even the initial applications of machine learning in the early 2000s, the current expansion of AI in food service and hospitality is characterized by its deep integration into real-time, customer-facing interactions and complex, dynamic supply chains. Unlike earlier AI that was often theoretical or confined to specialized industrial applications, today’s AI directly influences guest experiences, from personalized recommendations to automated check-ins. This marks a significant leap, positioning AI not as a futuristic concept but as an indispensable business tool, proving its capability to deliver tangible benefits in real-world, high-stakes environments.

The Horizon: Future Developments and Lingering Challenges
The trajectory of AI in food service and hospitality points towards an increasingly intelligent and interconnected future, promising even more transformative advancements in the coming years. Experts predict a continuous acceleration of AI adoption, with a strong emphasis on integration, ethical deployment, and measurable outcomes.

In the near-term (1-5 years), we can expect to see enhanced AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants becoming more sophisticated, capable of handling complex bookings, providing real-time multilingual support, and offering highly personalized recommendations that anticipate guest needs. Operational efficiency will surge with AI-driven inventory and waste management systems achieving near-perfect predictive accuracy, minimizing spoilage and optimizing stock levels. Dynamic pricing models will become commonplace, adjusting menu items and room rates in real-time based on granular demand signals. Automated staff scheduling, leveraging predictive sales and demand forecasting, will optimize labor costs and ensure appropriate staffing levels.

Long-term developments (beyond 5 years) envision more pervasive and immersive AI applications. Advanced robotics will move beyond basic automation to assist with complex food assembly, handle hazardous tasks, and conduct autonomous deliveries from kitchens to tables or rooms, boosting speed, consistency, and food safety. Hyper-personalization will evolve into predictive guest experiences, where AI acts as a “personal dining concierge,” anticipating individual preferences to dynamically adjust environments—imagine a restaurant where lighting, music, and even pre-ordered dishes are tailored to your past visits and real-time mood. The fusion of AI with the Internet of Things (IoT) and Augmented Reality (AR) will create interactive digital menus, smart rooms that adapt instantly to guest preferences, and comprehensive, real-time data streams for operational insights. AI will also play an increasingly crucial role in driving sustainable practices, further optimizing resource management, reducing waste, and enhancing energy efficiency across facilities.

Potential applications and use cases on the horizon include AI-driven systems for proactive maintenance of kitchen equipment, AI-enabled security and surveillance for enhanced guest safety, and advanced business intelligence platforms that forecast emerging culinary and hospitality trends. AI will also empower more effective customer feedback analysis, translating raw reviews into actionable insights for continuous improvement.

However, several challenges need to be addressed. Integration complexities remain a significant hurdle, as many legacy systems in the industry are not designed for seamless interoperability with new AI technologies, requiring substantial investment in infrastructure upgrades. Ethical considerations are paramount: while AI augments human roles, the potential for job displacement necessitates proactive strategies for reskilling and upskilling the workforce. Maintaining the “human touch” in a service-oriented industry is critical; over-automation risks diminishing the empathetic connection guests value. Addressing bias and discrimination in AI algorithms and ensuring equitable implementation is also essential. Furthermore, the extensive collection of sensitive customer data by AI systems raises significant privacy and data security concerns, demanding robust protection measures and strict adherence to evolving regulations. The high upfront cost and ensuring technical reliability of AI solutions also present challenges, particularly for smaller businesses.

Experts widely predict that AI will augment human roles rather than entirely replace them, handling repetitive tasks while humans focus on high-value interactions, creativity, and strategic decision-making. There’s an expected shift towards more back-of-house AI usage for compliance, supply chain tracking, and food production optimization. The industry will need to strike a delicate balance between efficiency and empathy, with successful implementations using AI to enhance, not diminish, human connection. A strategic, phased adoption approach, coupled with increased AI literacy across the workforce, will be crucial for navigating this transformative period and realizing the full potential of AI in food service and hospitality.

Comprehensive Wrap-up: A Transformative Era Unfolding
The integration of AI into the food service and hospitality industries marks a profound and irreversible transformation, extending far beyond the kitchen to every facet of customer interaction and supply chain management. The key takeaways from this evolution are clear: AI is driving unprecedented levels of operational efficiency, enabling hyper-personalized guest experiences, and fostering a new era of data-driven decision-making. From sophisticated chatbots powered by advanced NLP to predictive demand forecasting and automated inventory management, AI is reshaping how businesses operate, reduce waste, and connect with their clientele.

This development holds immense significance in AI history, representing a mature application of machine learning and deep learning that directly impacts consumer-facing services and complex logistical networks. Unlike earlier AI milestones that were often theoretical or confined to specialized industrial applications, the current wave demonstrates AI’s practical, widespread utility in enhancing human-centric industries. It underscores AI’s transition from a futuristic concept to an indispensable business tool, proving its capability to deliver tangible benefits in real-world, high-stakes environments.

The long-term impact will be a fundamentally more intelligent, responsive, and sustainable industry. Businesses that embrace AI strategically will gain significant competitive advantages, characterized by lower operational costs, reduced waste, enhanced customer loyalty, and agile adaptation to market changes. However, the journey is not without its challenges. The industry must proactively address concerns surrounding job evolution, data privacy, and the delicate balance between technological efficiency and preserving the human element that defines hospitality. Investing in workforce reskilling and ensuring ethical AI deployment will be paramount to a successful transition.

In the coming weeks and months, watch for continued acceleration in AI adoption rates, particularly in areas like voice AI for ordering and reservations, and advanced analytics for supply chain resilience. Expect to see more partnerships between tech giants and specialized AI startups, as well as a growing focus on integrating AI solutions seamlessly into existing legacy systems. The discourse around AI’s ethical implications, especially regarding job displacement and data security, will intensify, pushing for robust regulatory frameworks and industry best practices. Ultimately, the food service and hospitality sectors are at the cusp of a truly intelligent revolution, promising a future where technology and human ingenuity combine to deliver unparalleled service and operational excellence.

Source https://markets.financialcontent.com/wral/article/tokenring-2025-12-1-ai-revolutionizes-hospitality-and-food-service-beyond-the-kitchen-into-every-guest-interaction-and-supply-chain-link

Tech, Taste, and Transparency in 2026
As we near the end of 2025, the restaurant industry is riding a wave of innovation, adaptation, and renewed consumer passion for dining experiences. The lessons from recent years continue to shape strategic shifts, while emerging trends promise to redefine how restaurants operate and engage with their customers in 2026. Here’s what to expect:

1. Tech-Driven Efficiency, Personalized Hospitality
Automation and AI-powered tools are no longer futuristic concepts—they are used in everyday restaurant operations. From AI-driven inventory management to robotics-assisted cooking and contactless payments, technology enhances efficiency and reduces labor costs. Yet, the human touch remains crucial. Expect to see a combination of tech with very focused experiences, where servers act more as hospitality attendants than order takers.

2. Sustainability: From Buzzword to Business Imperative
Sustainability initiatives are growing beyond simply “green” messaging. In 2026, restaurants will need to integrate sustainability as a core business strategy—from zero-waste kitchens to regenerative sourcing and energy-efficient operations. Transparency will play a significant role, with diners demanding to know the story behind their food, the origins of its ingredients, and the restaurant’s carbon footprint.

3. Menu Innovation with Health & Wellness Focus
Consumer preferences are shifting toward health-conscious foods. Menus will evolve to incorporate wellness without sacrificing flavor and indulgence. Restaurants that innovate on this concept will resonate with a growing demographic seeking both taste and wellbeing in their dining choices.

4. The Experience Economy: Unique, Shareable Moments
In 2026, diners will prioritize experiences over meals. Interactive dining concepts, chef’s tables, augmented reality menus, and immersive themed environments will thrive. The social media factor is undeniable. Restaurants creating visually stunning, unique moments will benefit from organic buzz and loyal followings.

5. Labor Solutions: Retention, Wellbeing, and Upskilling
Labor challenges are ongoing. Successful operators will focus on staff wellbeing, competitive compensation, and career development by improving skillsets through online continuing education and mentorship programs that will empower teams, enhance service quality, and reduce turnover. Technology will assist—but not replace—the importance of motivated, skilled team members.

6. Delivery and Off-Premise Evolution
The off-premise sector is maturing. Ghost kitchens and virtual brands will continue to expand, but with sophistication—leveraging data analytics to tailor menus and marketing by neighborhood demographics. Restaurants will invest in branded packaging and curated experiences that translate well in takeout and delivery formats, creating brand loyalty outside their physical walls.

7. Local and Regional Sourcing
While sustainability drives the return to farm-to-table, a sharper focus on hyper-local sourcing—think ingredient sourcing within a 100-mile radius—will gain momentum. This practice supports local economies, reduces environmental impact, and offers fresh ingredients that excite diners.

8. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
The drive toward more inclusive hiring practices, diverse supplier partnerships, and culturally authentic dishes continues to influence the food service industry. Restaurants that embrace DEI initiatives not only foster better workplaces but also attract a broader, more loyal customer base.

9. Food Safety: Elevated Standards and Innovation
Food safety remains at the forefront as customers demand confidence and transparency in what they purchase and eat. Expect wider acceptance of advanced sanitation technologies, such as UV-C light sanitization, touchless systems, and real-time monitoring sensors that track temperature and humidity. Training programs will become increasingly tech-enabled, with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) simulations to better train staff.

10. Looking Ahead: Embrace Change to Thrive
Next year’s restaurant scene will be defined by innovation balanced with authenticity. Operators who embrace technology, prioritize sustainability, champion food safety, cater to evolving consumer tastes, and invest in their teams will be the ones to survive and thrive in the future.

Francine L. Shaw

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/tech-taste-and-transparency-in-2026/

AI voice terminal to improve kitchen order process
New AI system promises consistent call handling, automated order processing and improved customer experience

A new AI-powered voice platform is pitching itself as a solution for the flood of customer calls that restaurants receive during peak hours.

Alayic, developed by a trio of founders with backgrounds in AI and automation, has entered the market with a system designed to manage orders, reservations and general enquiries through an automated voice agent.

The platform is paired with a countertop terminal that prints processed orders and routes them directly to kitchen staff, aiming to remove friction between front- and back-of-house operations.

Features such as personalised greetings, adjustable voice profiles, analytics and priority support come built in, with optional add-ons for more tailored configurations.

Restaurants across the UK have long reported that unanswered calls lead to lost revenue and unhappy customers, something that appears worsened by staff shortages and rising operating costs.

With many operators looking for tools that can guarantee consistent communication, interest in voice automation has grown rapidly.

The Alayic team (Paul Gott, Lee Parkinson and Ric Clements) previously collaborated with the National Innovation Centre for Data on complex AI and machine learning initiatives.

They say their priority with this product has been to create a tool that meets the day-to-day realities of small hospitality businesses rather than a tech-heavy system that requires specialist expertise.

Ric Clements, chief operating officer at Alayic, said: “Restaurants and takeaways are under huge pressure to keep up with customer demand, especially during peak hours.

“Missed calls have become an everyday challenge and they have a real impact on revenue and the customer experience.

“We created Alayic to give operators a reliable way to capture more orders and enquiries without adding to staff workload. It is about supporting teams on the ground and helping businesses operate more efficiently in a very competitive landscape.”

Source https://www.foodserviceequipmentjournal.com/alayic-ai-voice-terminal-launches-2/

Jan/San & Disposables

Cleaning Equipment Compatibility Test
When it comes to janitorial equipment, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. Choosing the right size isn’t just about fitting through a doorway; it’s about cleaning efficiency, labor savings, safety, and getting the most out of your investment.

Imagine a community center that has recently undergone a major expansion. What started as a small space—with classrooms, a gym, and offices—has now grown to include a large event hall, a full-sized basketball court, a cafeteria, and additional restrooms.

Now, the community center must clean both small, intricate areas—like restrooms and offices—as well as large open spaces—like the gym and event hall. Additionally, increased foot traffic demands more frequent cleaning. Budget constraints and storage limitations can add further obstacles.

With more space comes new cleaning challenges and a greater demand for efficient cleaning. The right janitorial equipment lineup can make all the difference in maintaining a sanitary, safe, and welcoming environment for the community. But with so many options available, how does one determine what’s best for a facility?

Bigger isn’t always better, yet neither is staying small when a facility’s square footage (or expectations) say otherwise.

The Right Fit

Choosing suitable janitorial equipment is crucial. Let’s break down when to go big and when to go small. Here are six things to consider when selecting your next piece of janitorial equipment:

Assess the Facility Layout
Examine Cleaning Capacity
Consider Portability
Identify Ease of Use
Review Storage Requirements
Determine ROI

Assess the Facility Layout
Appraise a facility’s size and layout. Large, open buildings may benefit from ride-on scrubbers or wide-area vacuums, while smaller facilities with tighter spaces can stick to compact walk-behind machines or manual tools. Equipment for one area may not be the best fit for another.

Examine Cleaning Capacity
Consider the cleaning capacity and path of a potential machine. Large equipment covers more ground in less time with its wider cleaning path and handles bigger messes with ease.

On the other hand, small equipment is great for spot cleaning and detail work. For large areas with many obstacles, a smaller piece of equipment is optimal for maneuverability.

Consider Portability
Small equipment is lightweight and easy to transport—perfect for navigating between rooms and tight spaces. Large equipment is less portable but ideal for cleaning expansive areas quickly and efficiently.

Identify Ease of Use
Smaller machines are often plug-and-play with minimal training required, while larger machines may require more instruction but can significantly reduce manual effort and improve cleaning efficiency over time.

Review Storage Requirements
Don’t forget to review your facility’s available storage space. Compact scrubbers and vacuums can fit into small janitorial closets, while ride-on scrubbers and industrial sweepers require larger storage areas with proper charging stations—especially if they’re battery-operated.

Determine ROI
Consider the potential return on investment, both in the short term and long term.

Smaller equipment has a lower purchase price, making it accessible for limited budgets. Large equipment, while more expensive initially, offers long-term time and cost savings through cleaning efficiency and labor reduction.

After going through that exercise, it may feel like both big and small equipment is the right fit for the facility. For most, this is true.

Best of Both Worlds

Today, the most successful cleaning programs aren’t choosing between big and small; they’re strategically combining both. Hybrid equipment programs maximize coverage, agility, and efficiency.

For example, a facility might have this equipment line up:

A ride-on autoscrubber for main hallways

A compact 14–20 inch scrubber for restrooms and tight areas

Cordless equipment for high-frequency cleaning

Wide-area vacuums plus backpack vacuums for varied open and congested spaces
Choosing equipment that is either too small or too large can lead to significant drawbacks, so understanding the specific needs of your facility—including its size, layout, and cleaning demands—is crucial in making an informed equipment decision.

Smaller machines, while highly portable and easy to store, may struggle with larger cleaning tasks, leading to longer cleaning times and reduced efficiency. Larger machines, which are capable of covering vast areas quickly, can be difficult to maneuver in tight spaces and require additional storage.

Leveraging both is key. Determine what size is needed to be most efficient and effective in an area.

Lauren Belskie is a major contributor and the primary editor for the Imperial Dade Learning Center, a platform designed to answer common questions, provide insights on trends and offer creative solutions to help businesses create safer, healthier and cleaner facilities. She is the Marketing Operations Manager at Imperial Dade, producing articles, videos, trainings, and other educational content targeted to the janitorial services market.

Spartan Chemical Promotes New Leaders
Spartan Chemical Company, Inc. announces the promotion of three new regional managers.

Matt Kuhn joins Spartan in the Arizona region. Prior to joining Spartan, Kuhn held the role of district sales manager for BioLab where he was responsible for managing sales through distribution across the Southwest. Before that, Kuhn worked as the sales manager at Laron in Phoenix, Arizona for three years. Finally, Kuhn spent five years at Ecolab as a district manager, leading a sales team in the commercial chemical industry. Kuhn attended Scottsdale Community College, where he received his associate’s degree in business.

Kevin Lah joins Spartan in the Chicago region. For the past 20 years, Lah has held the role of strategic account executive for Essendant, where he was responsible for calling on distributors of business products—including janitorial, food service, office supplies, safety equipment, technology, and furniture. Lah attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana where he received his bachelor’s degree.

Rachel Leonard joins Spartan in the Arizona and New Mexico region. For the past six years, Leonard has held the role of sales and business development manager for gategroup, where she was responsible for leading sales operations across key segments—including cruises, military, NATO, cross-border, wholesale, and export trading. Leonard attended Steinbeis University in Berlin, Germany, where she received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and her master’s degree in international business. She also received a certification of strategic sales management from the Harvard Division of Continuing Education.

In their new role, they will be responsible for growing Spartan’s partnerships with our valued distributor partners in their respective regions.

Source https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/Spartan-Chemical-Promotes-New-Leaders–32424

New Memoir Reveals the Hidden Life of a Janitor
After more than 50 years turning keys, pushing mops, and battling invisible threats, industry veteran David Thompson releases the first volume of his powerful trilogy, A Janitor’s Life—Volume 1: The Making of a Janitor.

Thompson entered the profession at age 15, when a broken-legged custodian handed a Colorado high school sophomore a ring of keys and an unexpected opportunity. What began as a temporary favor became a lifelong calling that carried him from rural school hallways to executive bathrooms, from million-square-foot floor contracts to personal bankruptcy, and ultimately to a mission of changing how the world sees individuals in the cleaning profession.

“Janitors as a group are gravely misunderstood,” Thompson says. “So, I felt it was time to tell my story and the real value of ‘Being a Janitor.’ We are more than people who clean up after others. We are sons and daughters, parents and grandparents—the frontline caretakers of public health.”

With unflinching honesty and dark humor, Volume 1 traces Thompson’s journey from a turbulent childhood across Midwest ranches to building (and losing) a cleaning empire in Tulsa, Okla. before fleeing to St. Louis with nothing but a pickup truck and crushing guilt. Readers will enjoy reading about the gold-plated toilets, recoil at jail-cell nightmares, and cheer the relentless grit that turned every setback into forward motion.

The book celebrates the unsung passion behind the profession: the quiet pride of restoring a grocery aisle to deep shine at 4 a.m., the science of removing pathogens most people never see, and the deep satisfaction of knowing every janitor’s key unlocks a door to protecting lives.

I AM a Janitor, and I Save Lives. ™ has become Thompson’s personal creed—and the heartbeat of this trilogy.

Volume 1: The Making of a Janitor is available now wherever books are sold. Volume 2: A Salesman’s Path (1989–2015) and Volume 3: A Legacy of Health, which chronicles the founding of the Academy of Cleaning Excellence, will follow.

You can purchase your eBook or paperback at: www.JanitorKatt.com. You can also connect with Thompson to review copies, conduct interviews, or discuss speaking engagements.

It’s not where you start, it’s the lives you protect along the way—this is A Janitor’s Life.

Source https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/New-Memoir-Reveals-the-Hidden-Life-of-a-Janitor–32417

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