The industry added 60,000 jobs last month but remains more than 500,000 jobs from its pre-pandemic levels. Wage growth increased, too . . . . Job growth picked up at restaurants and bars last month as the industry continued its gradual employment recovery from the pandemic. Food services and drinking places added 60,000 jobs in… read more
New Menu Items from Applebee’s, Krispy Kreme, and Burger King Spooky season is coming to menus across the United States as foodservice locations usher in the Halloween season. Applebee’s brought back two Halloween-themed cocktails, which are available for a suggested retail price of $6. “Getting in on the Halloween fun is just another reason for… read more
Murry’s Acquires Foodservice Baked Foods Provider Founded in 1989 and headquartered in McDonald, Tenn., Bake Crafters manufactures and distributes breakfast and other baked food products, primarily to the K-12 foodservice channel. The company’s products include pancake and waffle breakfast sandwiches, low-sodium bread, break bars, and french toast bites. According to the company, more than 420… read more
Loyalty Programs Reach Record Levels in 2021 A growing number of casual-dining players recognize the importance of loyalty, no matter the size of their footprint. IHOP, one of the largest full-service chains in the world, debuted the International Bank of Pancakes in March, allowing customers to redeem digital coins for exclusive rewards. Dine Brands, the… read more
Domino’s Reports U.S. Same-Store Sales increase and stands by forecast for food costs Domino’s Pizza reported better-than-expected revenue for the third quarter and stood by its forecast for food costs, even though earnings fell short of estimates. Shares of Domino’s were up 9% in morning trading. In the U.S., the company said same-store sales rose… read more
The sandwich giant says its restaurants’ same-store sales rose 8.4% in the third quarter, with September particularly strong Subway’s second straight menu overhaul is apparently paying more dividends. The sandwich giant on Wednesday said that its same-store sales rose 8.4% in the third quarter, including a nearly 11% increase in the month of September… read more
Food and beverage makers are zeroing in on snacking occasions to drive sales in the convenience channel. From mid-morning treats to the afternoon- pick-me-ups, new products geared toward key dayparts were trending at the 2022 NACS Show, presented by the National Association of Convenience Retailers. Held Oct. 2-4 in Las Vegas, the event saw more… read more
Darden CEO: Olive Garden is Doing Just Fine Darden CEO Rick Cardenas could sense a common theme as analysts peppered him and CFO Raj Vennam with inquiries during the company’s recent Q1 earnings call. “We’re getting a lot of questions on traffic at Olive Garden,” the chief executive pointed out. There’s a reason why. Olive… read more
With declines in customer traffic, fewer dining-out occasions, and “trading down” to cheaper alternative meals, owners and operators may need to dig deep to uncover additional top-line sales opportunities. By now, you’ve tried online ordering, 3rd-party delivery, in-house takeout, curbside-to-go, catering, or all of the above. Now is the time to review what’s worked… read more
Bolay to Open First Drive-thru Unit in Tampa, Fla. Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen, known for its gluten-free signature bowls or “bols,” plans to open its first drive-thru location in Tampa, Fla., and to expand to Virginia in September, the company said. Wellington, Fla.-based Bolay was created in 2016 by Chris Gannon and his father Tim… read more