Seventy percent of consumers want a better-for-you option on the menu. Tyson’s 2015 study tells what it is consumers are looking for – in the case of chicken: real meat, fresh, prepared to order and all natural – and it’s easier than operators may think to alter menu items for consumer demand. Smaller serving size is something consumers understand and a simple response that may result in lower operator costs. Fresh and all natural are also categories in which operators can easily meet consumer expectations. In short, informed operators can understand and provide consumers what they want in terms of better-for-you options.

Key Takeaways:

• more than 70 percent of consumers want a better-for-you option on their food menu
• One simple way to create a better-for-you menu item is by offering a smaller serving size
• Consumers are also looking for quality food items, which is driven by the need for products to be fresh

“One simple way to create a better-for-you menu item is by offering a smaller serving size, which is something consumers understand and often utilize in their everyday eating behaviors.”

http://www.foodservicedirector.com/sponsored-content/featured-content/articles/meeting-demand-better-you-choices

The article,’Chefs as Steward’, explains the new role that chef are finding themselves in during the current food culture. With more people wanting locally sourced, addivitiver free foods, chefs are fining themselvles in the role of teacher to many of their patrons. Many chefs are taking this role very seriously and enjoying every minute of it.

Key Takeaways:

• There is an increasing demand for food that promotes wellness and is sourced responsibly.
• Local Chefs in a community are largely impactful of food trends, since they carry a wealth of knowledge about quality of product, where it comes from and whether or not it is organic and/or humane.
• A national non-profit network called The Chef’s Collective is an organization that connects chefs who share concerns about providing quality food to the customers and community.

“In today’s world, what chefs do both in and out of the kitchen is watched and scrutinized, which means that cooking good food is no longer enough—it must be sourced responsibly.”

http://blog.etundra.com/restaurant-trends-and-news/chefs-as-stewards/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+The_Back_Burner+%28The+Back+Burner%29&utm_content=FeedBurner

In the United States, it’s pretty common practice to tip your servers, however in Portland, OR, a group of restauranteurs are planning to go with a gratuity-free concept. Absolutely an interesting new approach, and is definitely gaining traction. This new practice is worth reading into, who knows maybe it will be coming to you soon enough?

Key Takeaways:

• The no-tipping movement is catching on in Portland, OR, with a group of restaurateurs planning to use of a “gratuity-free” logo developed in New York and growing in popularity.
• Some of those restaurants, however, have gone a step beyond gratuity free, also moving to a “one-house” service model that blends back-of-the-house roles with front-of-the-house to further eliminate disparities in pay.
• To better compensate both sides, however, Dolich decided to go gratuity free. Menu prices will increase 18 percent, roughly the amount guests would add on as a tip, and pay rates will also increase.

“Dolich says he hopes more restaurants will adopt use of the gratuity-free logo, but, in the end, “our biggest advocates will be our employees.””

http://restaurant-hospitality.com/hrlegal/no-tipping-models-gain-traction-portland