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This week on the Extra Serving podcast, a production of Nation’s Restaurant News’ Last Bite Network, NRN editors Sam Oches and Holly Petre discuss new year’s resolutions and hopes for the restaurant industry.
Mostly, the two discuss the biggest phrase in the world right now: the Great Resignation. The restaurant industry has been hit the hardest by what was once dubbed the labor crisis but morphed into the Great Resignation as the new year dawned. Oches and Petre cover why the restaurant industry is being hit particularly hard and what operators can do to combat some of the issues the crisis has brought up including pay, worker treatment and career advancement.
Finally, the episode wraps up with an interview with Kristen Barnett, the CEO and founder of Hungry House, a Brooklyn-based anti-ghost kitchen company focused on chefs. Barnett and editor Lisa Jennings discuss the business and what it means to be an anti-ghost kitchen.
This week, the NRN editors discussed the latest collaboration between McDonald’s and a celebrity: Mariah Carey. The Queen of Christmas partnered with the quick-service giant for a set of deals leading up to Christmas. This collaboration differs from most of the brand’s celebrity collaborations as there is no special meal or merchandise, just discounts on items already on the menu. Also, the editors discussed whether In-N-Out will go to Florida. The editors came to an early consensus, but the deeper issue is what this call between Gov. DeSantis and Lysni Synder will do for the brand’s reputation. What does it mean that In-N-Out appears to be more public than ever about this controversial issue? The editors discuss it all. Finally, the team talks about the big news this week which was that Danny Meyer’s SPAC is investing in Panera Brands and helping it go public. For the guest this week, Ron Ruggless spoke with the CEO of First Watch Chris Tomasso about the brand’s first public earnings. ...
Thanksgiving is the family-dining chain’s busiest time of year, and the VP of menu development has new things in store. ...
&Pizza has long been ahead of the curve on technology, but in 2020, the fast-casual chain made sure it was ahead of its competitors in terms of diversity, inclusion and political activism. The pizza chain -- helmed by founder and CEO Michael Lastoria -- held nothing back in 2020. We named Lastoria to our 2021 Power List for steps the brand took in 2020 to rise above the pack, including their advocacy for a $15-per-hour minimum wage, diversity and inclusion, and political activism, from serving pizzas to voters waiting in line to closing shops on Election Day to allow employees the time to vote. As part of our 2021 Power List, the chosen executives were asked to choose someone at their company who was the future and showed leadership. Lastoria chose &pizza’s youngest store manager, 20-year-old Dejah Foxx. The following conversation between Lastoria and Foxx showcases the immense talent pool at &pizza and how investing in young employees is the future for foodservice companies. ...
