Summer weather is a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, especially in the food industry. Maintaining the proper safety measures in your restaurant is essential in ensuring that your customers and employees do not contract any foodborne illnesses. Try to limit the amount of times that your employees go in and out of storage areas in order to keep the climate controlled. It is also important that prep time is quick so that food is not left out for prolonged periods of time.

Key Takeaways:

• prep foods in limited amounts to avoid decomposition and maintain quality
• keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold, while making sure to check and document temps.
• warmer temps outdoors mean more insects, be sure to keep pests under control by using screens, and having pest control come regularly.

“Maintenance schedules for holding equipment used on food that is prepared and held for service must be up to date. Also, monitor food temperatures frequently so you can take corrective action before a food reaches an unsafe temperature.”

Read more: https://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article101068.html

Turnover, especially in a tight labor market, can become a major drain in your bottom line, so if you’re already fulfilling your basic responsibilities to your employees, adding perks may be a good way to keep more talent. Offering free transportation or meals can make life easier and simpler for employees. Giving employees childcare can not only increase retention, but also make employees more productive by removing the complicated hassle and financial strain of finding private childcare. Social events like having a big party or hosting group activities can also really help.

Key Takeaways:

• Retaining employees can often be difficult for managers — and offering employee perks can help with this.
• Providing benefits like free meals and childcare can do a lot to improve employee morale.
• Social events — like parties or group activities — can also help employees to bond and create a sense of community in the workplace.

“Not only is it getting more expensive to secure restaurant space, it’s also become more expensive for your employees to live. Between living and transportation expenses, help ease the burden on employees by offering a free bus pass or a monthly stipend to make it a little easier for them to get to work. It might also make them show up on time too!”

Read more: http://blog.etundra.com/restaurant-management-and-operations/employee-perks/

Grilling may be the easiest cooking method for getting the much-sought Maillard reaction that helps provide many browned dishes a distinct taste. Grilling is one of the most universal and versatile methods of cooking, and allows for preparation of many different meat or vegetable items simultaneously. It also helps melt off excess grease while accentuating flavor. For restaurants, grills have the advantage of being easy for new employees to learn how to use, and of being capable of preparing many different items while fostering customer interaction.

Key Takeaways:

• Restaurateurs love grilling because not only is it a basic form of cooking, it also adds a timeless quality to food.
• Grilling eliminates excess fats and oils from proteins and it allows for producing several types of meats and vegetables at the same time.
• Grilling adds flavor to food in a natural way such that one does not need additives or other culinary techniques.

“Grilling is perhaps the easiest way to get to the Maillard reaction, which requires a higher cooking temperature. Restaurants that grill get there fast (on an open grill, grill pan, griddle, or even broiler) or slow (through barbecuing). All of these techniques have been called “grilling” at one point or another.”

Read more: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/menu-innovations/why-grilled-food-trending-less-fat-more-flavor

Food safety is by far the most important aspect of working in the public food industry, and the process of training new employees should be reliable and diligent. It is important to train seasonal staff with the same time and consistency as full-time workers in order to maintain proper levels of organization and the adherence to food safety guidelines. When you spot someone engaging in a practice that is not permitted, take the time to retrain them in order to prevent future mishaps.

Key Takeaways:

• New employees should be trained in food safety protocols over and over again.
• If a worker is trained to run a cash register but not to handle and prepare food, then don’t give that worker food-prep duties.
• Be sure employees are aware of general best practices, such as handwashing and personal hygiene.

“Just one mistake by an untrained employee can cause a foodborne illness outbreak at your restaurant.”

Read more: https://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article100937.html

Many consumer loyalty programs are still based on utilizing old-fashioned punch cards in order to accumulate a certain number of indentations before they are eligible for specific rewards. This system is beginning to be quite outdated, and more and more corporations are looking into eWallets instead. eWallets give you the opportunity to redeem coupons and loyalty points in a much more user-friendly way due to it being easily accessible. It also gives consumers a way to keep track of their spending history so that points are never lost.

Key Takeaways:

• eWallets keeps track of transaction history so that consumers always have proof of points.
• The traditional punch card system is a bit outdated and not too user-friendly.
• Loyalty and other rewards are more easily redeemed when it comes to using an electronic loyalty program like eWallets.

“Restaurants today are searching for effective and innovative approaches to build a strong and dependable loyalty base. However between low consumer adoption and the financial challenges these programs can present, there is a significant opportunity to make these programs more effective. So how can you, as restaurant operators, best implement and capitalize on loyalty programs so that they move the needle for your business?”

Read more: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/outside-insights/tips-bolster-loyalty-programs-through-ewallets

More people are turning to preparing meals at home than from eating out. This is due to several contributing factors. The first being cost, it is simply cheaper over all to prepare meals at home rather than eat out. Second, with online meal kits becoming popular, even the novice cook can make a great tasting meal in a few simple steps. Truly an evolution of the ages for the old TV dinner. Entertainment plays a large roll in people staying home and cooking as well. With so many entertainment options being very affordable and accessible, most people find it a cost effective manner to save money without compromising entertainment value. Last, but certainly not least, after the last few years of controversy over what is in our food, more people want a hands on experiance in order to know what they are eating.

Key Takeaways:

• Americans are eating more meals at home than they have in the past.
• Despite increases in food-service spending, Americans are not eating out more frequently.
• Part of the increase in at-home meals is due to the popularity and advancements in meal-prep products.

“U.S. consumers are increasingly eating and preparing their meals at home, contrary to recent news reports that they are eating at restaurants more based on an uptick in foodservice spending, reports The NPD Group, a leading global information company.”

Read more: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/consumers-favor-home-meals-over-restaurants

Fast casual restaurants have been steadily growing when it comes to bringing in more and more consumers and profit each year. The industry has grown over 7% in the past five years, and it is expected to grow another 6% before the next five years is over. There was a small stint in which the casual dining industry showed a slight decline at 4%, but now they are back up and running and bringing in the same substantial amount of customers.

Key Takeaways:

• Fast casual traffic has risen 6% annually in the last five years.
• Customers between the ages of 18-24 account for a huge amount of fast casual numbers.
• Fast casual gives customers, quick service, a pleasant atmosphere and high quality food.

“As much of the U.S. restaurant industry continues to struggle with sluggish customer visits, the fast casual channel continues to grow.”

Read more: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/study-fast-casual-traffic-only-segment-grow-last-5-years

Keith Hertling has written a new book called “Life Lessons in Leadership, Coaching and Culture” that shares what he has learned over 15 years as an executive for Jersey Mike’s and as a longtime gun owner and coach for Special Olympics athletes and high school basketball players. Proceeds from the book will go to UB4ME, an organization that works with employers to create jobs for people with autism, and to the Monks of St Benedict Abbey, who helped inspire Keith and teach him important lessons.

Key Takeaways:

• The Vice President of Jersey Mike’s is regarded by others as determined and dedicated.
• Hertling has coached special Olympians and even opened a chain of gyms.
• Hartlng offers valuable advice on how to lead and find success in his book and website.

“This guide for business owners, managers and employees, provides insights on creating a leadership and culture plan, inspiring teams to rethink how they approach work, conducting interviews and hiring the right staff, and adapting tactics to different learning styles.”

Read more: https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/keith-hertling-publishes-book-leadership