Yum Brands Inc. beat quarterly estimates for revenue and profit on Thursday as online demand for tacos, pizzas, and fried chicken from Americans surged, helping cushion weak sales in certain markets due to renewed pandemic-related curbs. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated online orders and most U.S. fast-food chains, including Yum and its rival McDonald’s which… read more
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Chipotle has Raised Prices on its Delivery Menu by 13%
Chipotle Mexican Grill has raised menu prices for delivery an average of 13%, chain executives told analysts during a Q4 earnings call this week. The move is in response to the runaway success of the chain’s delivery channel, which has eaten into its margins in recent months. Chipotle has seen “modest resistance thus far” from… read more
The Senate Overwhelmingly Passed Restaurant Relief Budget Resolution Amendment
The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the budget Thursday calling for direct relief to the restaurant industry in a 90-10 vote. The Restaurant Rescue Plan which was initially proposed in a bipartisan effort by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Sen. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), was based on the original RESTAURANTS Act that was put… read more
Darden Will Pay Employees to Get Vaccinated
Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse parent Darden Restaurants said Tuesday that hourly employees at company-run stores will be paid to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Orlando Sentinel. CEO Gene Lee said in a letter Tuesday that employees will receive two hours of pay for each dose, the outlet reported. The rate will be… read more
Starbucks COO Rosalind Brewer is Leaving the Company in February
Starbucks announced Tuesday the departure of its chief operating officer, Rosalind Brewer, at the end of February. Brewer will be taking up the helm as CEO of Walgreens, a role that will make her the only Black female chief executive of a Fortune 500 company. “Starbucks chief operating role responsibilities are being distributed to other members… read more
Biden Coronavirus Response Plan Includes Orders for Rules on Restaurant Operations and Worker Safety
Restaurants could soon receive more clarity on how and when they should operate thanks to a plan President Joe Biden issued Thursday to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Highlights of the plan from a restaurateur’s perspective include directing funds in the current Paycheck Protection Program to businesses that need it most and requesting guidance from the… read more
Inspection Systems Upstream Improve Food Safety
Food safety is more important than ever. Bakers can’t afford to introduce any additional risk, so many of them are incorporating inspection technology earlier in the process. Adding metal detectors to the front of production lines, such as for inspecting incoming ingredients, will ensure that no metal contamination enters the process where it could damage… read more
Best Ways to Clean your Conveyors the Right Way
Sanitation crews should follow the plant’s sanitation standard operating procedures (SSOPs) and the recommendations from the chemical suppliers, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the US Department of Agriculture. “The FDA is mostly concerned with the transfer of chemicals and elements from one product to the next or when the sanitizer didn’t get completely rinsed… read more
FDA Food Safety Programs see Increased Funding
The enactment in December of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, including approval of the US Food and Drug Administration budget for the fiscal year 2021, should ensure continuity in the nation’s food safety programs and initiatives as the Biden administration takes the nation’s helm. The overall fiscal 2021 FDA budget, which includes the agency’s… read more
Chicago Restaurant Workers are not in Line to be Vaccinated Until at Least next Month, city officials said
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prioritized restaurant workers in December as “other essential workers” and part of the third group in the first wave (group 1c) in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations, cities are beginning to provide timelines for when these essential workers will be eligible to receive vaccinations. On Monday,… read more