Hoping to avert further shutdowns, the National Restaurant Association on Monday urged the nation’s governors and mayors not to reclose restaurant dining rooms that are operating within current guidelines. In a letter to the National Governors Association and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Lawrence Lynch, the NRA’s senior vice president, science and industry, wrote that… read more
Papa John’s announced it would hire 10,000 more workers as it tries to meet surging demand for its pizzas. Consumers who are sheltering in place are ordering more Papa John’s food during the coronavirus pandemic. During the three months ended June 28, the pizza chain’s North American same-store sales soared 28%, according to its preliminary estimates. … read more
McDonald’s will require customers at its 14,000 U.S. restaurants to wear face masks starting Aug. 1—while Chipotle’s policy went into effect today—making the fast food chains the latest corporations to implement mandatory mask policies. Chipotle said that all patrons and employees are now required to wear a mask at the chain’s 2,630 restaurants. McDonald’s said in… read more
Brinker International now has three restaurants in its portfolio, and it didn’t take any additional real estate to get there. The company Friday unveiled “It’s Just Wings,” a virtual, delivery-only brand Brinker said will be separate and distinct from Chili’s and Maggiano’s. But the concept can only be ordered through DoorDash’s app or website. Brinker… read more
Fast-growing food delivery company Chowbus raised $33 million in a Series A funding round, the company announced. The funding was led by venture capital firms Altos Ventures, based in Silicon Valley, and Left Lane Capital, based in New York City. Other contributors were Hyde Park Angels, Fika Ventures, FJ Labs and Silicon Valley Bank. Founded… read more
The quirky, oft maligned “quick response” barcodes have found a niche in restaurants amid the coronavirus, when social distance is the name of the game and human contact is best kept to a minimum. Operators are placing the codes at the hostess stand, on table tents or outside the door, allowing guests to scan them with… read more
When restaurants were forced to close dine-in operations at the start of the coronavirus crisis, a number converted their spaces into grocery stores. Since supermarkets were deemed essential businesses, a storefront selling food and other staples for housebound consumers fell under the same umbrella. In the beginning, most operators offered a limited selection of produce, meat,… read more
Startup restaurant matchmaker Franklin Junction finds restaurants with spare kitchen space, and marries them with brands that want to expand their delivery-only reach. Ruby Tuesday, which has permanently closed several restaurants in recent months, has found a new way to generate revenue during the pandemic: sell hot dogs from Nathan’s Famous. Dozens of Ruby Tuesday restaurants… read more
By Kaitlyn McInnis – Ladders While uncertainty and unknown have become the new normal in the age of COVID-19, it’s arguably felt the most when it comes to employment and job availability. As thousands of people across the country have filed for unemployment, it’s only natural to feel a slight unease given everything going on…. read more
By Sean Joyner – Archinect Firms are still hiring, which means people are still interviewing. But what has the remote job interview process been like for professionals? How does a remote interview differ from an in-person interview? And what implications do job seekers and firms feel this new way of conducting the hiring process brings… read more