Restaurant Magazine

DELIVERY MOVES PARTIALLY IN-HOUSE P.23 FOOD COST FORECAST FOR 2018 P.
11
January 2018
WHO
INSPIRES
INNOVATORS
Taco Bell’s chief and
THE
COMPANIES
THAT
INSPIRE:
WOW
BAO
BLAZE
PIZZA
other influencers name
the brands and thinkers BUFFALO
that ignite their ideas. WILD
WINGS
[ BRIAN NICCOL, TACO BELL CEO ]
RED
ROBIN
P.38
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RESTAURANT BUSINESS / JANUARY 2018 / VOLUME 117, NUMBER 1
CONTENTS
FEATURES
Who are you watching? . . . . . . . . 38
Restaurateurs share where they
find inspiration outside the
industry, from Apple to Zappos.
IN THE KNOW
A 2018 commodity outlook, adult
beverage trends, wine after the
wildfires, tip pooling and more . . . 11
BEST PRACTICES
Sexual harassment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
In the wake of accusations, the
industry asks, “What’s next?”
Weather preparedness . . . . . . . . . . 18
Advice Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
BUYING
Delivery 2.0? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Operators are taking a hybrid
approach to off-premise.
In steering Taco Bell, CEO
Brian Niccol looks to brands
he says are known for “caring CONCEPTS
and doing more,” such as REI. Red Robin goes ‘virtual’ . . . . . . . 27
The FSR experiments with a
delivery-only location.
Chains adapt to grocery . . . . . . . 28
MENU INNOVATION
When wing prices soar. . . . . . . . . . 31
Restaurants mix up the menu to
handle rising chicken wing costs.
An LTO melt that wins . . . . . . . . . 32
The 5 types of drinkers . . . . . . . . . 34
IN EVERY ISSUE
Editor’s Welcome. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Reality Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
COVER AND Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
PHOTOGRAPH
THIS PAGE BY
MELISSA LYTTLE Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
The Big Idea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Restaurant Business (ISSN 0097-8043 USPS 917-180) is published monthly by Winsight, LLC, 300 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1600, Chicago, IL 60606.
Copyright 2018 by Winsight, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscriptions in the U.S. $119; Canada $160; air mail outside U.S. and Canada $360. Single copies in the U.S. and
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J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S 3
Editorial, Marketing and Corporate
Foodservice Group Media Operations Chief Executive
Director Director, Officer
Kelly Killian Media Operations Michael Wood
Erin Kuyper
Chief Financial
Managing Editor
Officer
Sara Rush Wirth Production
Joe Carroll
Coordinator
Editor-at-Large Christina Kayalik President, Media
Peter Romeo & Events
Director, Content Ward Downing
Senior Editor Marketing
Kelsey Nash Kayley Bogdan President,
Technomic
Editor Digital Production Shawn Edwards
Heather Lalley Director, Digital Chief Customer
Products & Officer
Assistant Editor Development Nick Hayman
Benita Gingerella Lindsay Holley
Chief Operating
Contributing Editors Manager Officer
Patricia Cobe Kim Collie Alanna Young
Brett Dworski Chief Digital Officer
Lizzy Freier Web Producer Tara Tesimu
Aaron Jourden Emily Adams
Alaina Lancaster EVP, Talent &
Sales Culture
Editorial Production Group President Andrea Scott
Director Chris Keating McCluskey
Jennifer Bulat
Regional Vice
Associate Editor President—Midwest
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Joe Guszkowski winsightmedia.com [email protected]
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Design Regional Vice (800) 685-4152
Creative Director President—Midwest
Bruce Ramsay & South
Tim Vaughan
Senior Art Director (312) 940-2274
Sara Stewart tvaughan@
winsightmedia.com
Content Group
SVP, Content Regional Vice
Sarah Lockyer President—West
Mark Weinstein
Director, Events and (562) 375-0377
Special Projects mweinstein@
Mary Chapman winsightmedia.com
Director, Shared Regional Vice

Content Services President—
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Chris McCoy
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4 R e s tau R a n t B u s i n e s s J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8
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EDITOR’S WELCOME
OUTSIDE
INSPIRATION
Operators mitigate the risk
of stale, inbred ideas by
refusing to stay insular. IDEAS ON
It’s a new year, yet we enter it heavy with the baggage
from 2017. Jan. 1 does not magically lift the problems the
LEADERSHIP
Operators we talked to named
restaurant industry has been facing, wiping the slate clean. author John C. Maxwell as an
Casual dining is still a segment potentially on the brink. inspiration on leadership. Here’s
Delivery remains a necessary puzzle to be solved, full of a glimpse of what Maxwell says:
outside profit-grabbing partners and logistical woes. And
SARA RUSH “Leaders must be
labor remains the top challenge for at least half of oper-
WIRTH close enough to
ators, according to the National Restaurant Association.
Managing Editor relate to others, but
In spite of the many conundrums restaurateurs are up
against, many I’ve spoken with aren’t stressed or fearful; far enough ahead to
they’re excited. Operating in a business-as-usual manner is out the window. motivate them.”
With the rapid speed at which things change, thanks to social media, tech de-
velopments and more, restaurant brands—and their leaders—are being chal- “Anyone can steer
lenged not just to act quickly but to actually be ahead of the trends. the ship, but it takes
It’s a daunting task: identifying and acting on ideas that haven’t actually a leader to chart the
hit restaurants yet. Still, the trendsetting leaders I’ve spoken with have some- course. Leaders who
thing in common—they follow companies outside the restaurant industry for are good navigators
inspiration.
are capable of taking
After all, consumers aren’t living their lives in a restaurant vacuum; they
see and use other industries as well. You know who else sees other industries?
their people just
Your employees. So it makes sense to look where else they are also looking, too, about anywhere.”
extracting ideas that might translate to restaurant operations.
Admittedly, I was a little overwhelmed for you, thinking about narrowing “The challenge of
down the giant universe of companies into a list of brands to follow and ex- leadership is to
plore more. But the curiosity led to this month’s feature, starting on Page 38. create change and
We wanted to know who the execs atop some of the most watched restaurant facilitate growth.”
brands watch. So, we asked.
I was surprised. Not that the responses ranged from Apple to Zappos. But
that these leaders follow brands for such a wide range of reasons. Some are
turning to culture champions to help shape their employee relations. Others
follow e-commerce giants to better understand consumer behavior. And then
there are those inspired by retail companies that convey a brand image that
goes beyond what they sell. With each operator’s response, though, there was a
clear reason for watching each brand—something actionable they were taking
away.
P ORT R A I T BY OL I V I E R K UG L E R
We want to know who you’re watching. If there are companies or other

thought leaders you follow for inspiration that we didn’t mention, shoot me an
email at [email protected].
Speaking of inspiration, check out the new look of the back page of Restau-
rant Business. Each month, The Big Idea will give you a peek inside an innova-
tion or development that’s made a splash in the industry.
6 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8
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REALITY CHECK
on Andy Rooney. But it’s intended to

highlight what should be near the top
of restaurateurs’ lists during resolu-
tion season, right under “Manage to
keep the doors open.”
The business is being remade by
forces bigger than the industry itself,
from automation to the acute nesting
fostered by Netflix, Hulu and the like.
Barreling toward the field are even
more forceful disruptors like artificial
intelligence and driverless cars.
The industry is responding with
all the force and initiative of a cork
lobbed atop a river, bobbing along
with the current instead of plying a
course. On the whole, it’s not reading
the patterns and actively remaking
itself for the times.
If there’s a strong tonic for the
business in what are likely to remain
bruising times, it’s dropping the
marketed passivity of last year and
redefining what restaurants should
become amid changing realities. The
success stories of 2017—McDonald’s,
Panera, Domino’s—were brands that
anticipated the seismic changes and
RESTAURANTS’ IDENTITY CRISIS

transformed themselves according-
ly. It’s the strongest takeaway from
a year that won’t be commemorated
by most operators with a smiley face.
So what’s your restaurant going to
As off-premise booms, operators must figure become? Will it replace the in-home
out how their businesses will keep up in 2018. microwave as the quick and easy way
to get a meal? Will it essentially func-
L
tion as a kitchen, with convenience
trumping all? Or will it be an experi-
ence, a welcomed relief for consum-
et’s review where we are customer face time. Entrust the food ers who want to step off the hamster
so far in 2018. Ah, why to a stranger who’ll hopefully know to wheel for a few hours? That, after all,
bother. The latest version look at the consumer while handing has been a key aim of the industry for
of Google Maps can over a delivery order. roughly the last three decades.
probably pinpoint how Need more proof the industry has The real hump is finding the right
far restaurants have drifted from their been possessed by alien life forms? PETER ROMEO blend, since you can’t take experi-
quaint 2017 existence. Grab a seat and consider the evi- Editor-at-Large ence out of any transaction, even if
Back in those dinosaur-friendly dence. But that could be a problem, it’s merely opening a holding locker
times, restaurants knew their role in given the industry’s newfound aver- to extract a takeout lasagna ordered
the culture. People served food to oth- sion to seats. The trend is clearly to through Alexa.
er people in a pleasing setting. Then reduce on-premise capacity, if not Figuring out how your concept
came an identity crisis of Bruce Jenner eliminate dine-in business altogether. should function in the strange new
proportions. People? Pffft. The new Plenty of restaurateurs are betting a world of the present is going to be the
imperative is to erase humans from kitchen is all you need, and even that overriding trend of 2018, regardless
the process, at least on the restaurant can be blasted with a shrink ray, if a of how many prognostications you’ve
side. Reduce any interaction to a fin- commissary is nearby. read. The only thing tougher will be
gertip touching a screen. And forget This sounds like an old crab riffing engineering the follow-up transition.
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RESTAURANT EXPERTISE IN 20 MINUTES
IN THE KNOW
Price Check
HOW FOOD COSTS

WILL FARE IN 2018
Wings are the wild card
amid improving prices.
F irst, the good news: Fore-

casters expect 2018 to be
a generally better year for
food costs than restau-
rants experienced last
year. “What’s good here is that the cost
of food is going to see a pretty modest
increase,” says Joe Pawlak, managing
principal for Technomic, referencing
data from the Bureau of Labor Statis- we’re rationing demand in any great price of avocados, for example, which
tics’ Producer Price Index. “So, restau- level, and that’s concerning.” already has risen due to crop shortages.
rants won’t have to price up to a high Near press time, wing prices had But even just the climate created
extent to maintain their margins.” dipped to a 14-month low, but the by that renegotiation could impact
Corn and soybeans—among the growth in chicken production is ex- Beef prices could commodities longer term. Currently,
most important indicators, because pected to be tempered during the drop in 2018, but 40% of U.S. butter exports and rough-
a drought in the
they are the feed items for proteins winter, with the USDA predicting Plains could limit ly a third of its pork, cheese, chicken
and dairy—have seen record or a 1.6% increase year over year. A the relief in the and beef exports are to Mexico. Any
near-record crops. “We have the best number south of 2% suggests a trend long run. notable change could put downward
available feed supply in the last de- toward higher prices, says Maloni, a pressure on prices, Maloni explains.
cade,” says David Maloni, president of challenging situation for restaurants
the American Restaurant Association, heading into the Super Bowl and Short-term beef relief?
which tracks and analyzes food com- March Madness. Last year was volatile for beef prices. In
modity markets. “That should en- This trend in prices may solidify 2018, while they’ll likely spike at least
courage protein and milk production, a strategy that Popeyes, Buffalo Wild once, Maloni says, there are opportu-
and that’s really good news for 2018.” Wings and a number of other chains nities for prices to go lower. And while
However, at least one pain point of are trying: steering diners toward low- that’s good news, it may be short-lived.
the past year—chicken wing prices— er-cost boneless wings and building The reason: a drought in the south-
will likely persist in 2018, forcing op- in flexibility for bone-in wings on the ern Plains. If it continues, producers
erators to get creative about how they menu. (For more on this, see Page 31.) could send more cattle to slaughter. In
price the menu staple. Further, devel- the short term, it could drive beef pric-
opments outside the industry could All eyes on Mexico es lower, but it will affect cattle produc-
throw a curveball into the forecast. While the Trump administration’s on- tion in 2019, which would be bad for
going efforts to renegotiate NAFTA restaurants’ bottom line. —Kelly Killian
Wing prices still a concern aren’t expected to fall apart in the
The ARA’s models suggest slight re- end, the fact that the process has been “Operators who were at risk of pricing
lief in chicken wing prices. But, Malo- fraught with tension makes it worth themselves out have an opportunity
ni cautions, “In my mind, we haven’t watching, says Maloni. If NAFTA un- to re-establish themselves as being
seen prices go to a level yet where ravels, it would be devastating for the competitively priced.” —Joe Pawlak
IN THE KNOW
Workforce Watch
TIP POOLING GETS

Your Job Is What?
RESTAURATEURS
FIND SECOND CAREERS AN OK FROM DOL
AS FINANCIERS Restaurants would be permitted to
pool servers’ tips and share the mon-
ey with back-of-house employees
A growing number of big-name under new rules proposed last month
restaurateurs are leveraging their by the U.S. Department of Labor. The
cash flows and business-building suggested change would reverse the
know-how to branch into venture fi- DOL’s decision in 2011 to prohibit The Trump
nancing, finding and funding upstarts restaurants from forming and run- administration has
even outside the industry. ning tip pools, in which gratuities are proposed the practice be
Dan Cathy, CEO of Chick-fil-A combined and then reallocated to all allowed to equalize front-
and head of the family that owns the staffers instead of being pocketed and back-of-house pay.
chicken empire, revealed at Global immediately by servers. Waiters and
Restaurant Leadership Conference in waitresses were free to share their parity between tipped employees and
Dubai in October that he’s considered gratuities with kitchen workers, bar- nontipped kitchen workers continued
forming a venture capital firm to fund tenders or hosts, or “tip out,” but at to grow, making recruitment for back-
“experiential” retail concepts. their discretion. of-house positions a steep challenge.
He’d join established operators In many states, tip pooling re- Under the DOL’s proposal, tip
such as Danny Meyer of Union Square mained legal, but the funds could pooling would be permitted in restau-
Hospitality Group, which recently be split only among employees who rants that do not take a tip credit, or
pooled $200 million in private equity were customarily tipped—essentially regard servers’ tips as a portion of
to back fast-casual chains and tech the servers. The money could not be their income.
firms that serve restaurants, and Ro- shared under federal law with dish- “We applaud the Department of
washers, busboys or other nontipped Labor’s review of tip regulations,” An-
“For us, it seems to be the co-workers. gelo Amador, executive director of
right next step and the In some tip-out situations, em- the Restaurant Law Center, said in
right evolution.” —Laura ployers insisted the practice was a statement. The center was formed
Rea Dickey, CEO, Dickey’s voluntarily undertaken. Lawsuits to protect and preserve the restau-
Barbecue Pit brought by a number of waiters and rant industry’s interests through the
waitresses contended the convention courts system.
land Dickey, who stepped down as was required, a de facto tip pooling ar- In mid-December, the DOL ex-
CEO of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit to take rangement. Other suits accused em- tended until early February the time
charge of a new holding company, ployers of dipping into the pools for granted to sound off on the adjust-
Dickey’s Capital Group. their own gain. ment, a sign the measure is drawing
The trend all but erases the dis- Meanwhile, a compensation dis- resistance. —P.R.
tinction between operator and finan-
cier. The converts are betting there’s
49%
as much or more money to be made
in moving around money as there is
in selling food and beverage. « Stat of the Month
Some of the concepts funded
Percentage of
by USHG’s PE fund, Enlightened consumers who say
Hospitality Investments, could be they’d be at least
operations started by USHG itself, somewhat likely to
according to the parent company. order breakfast for
delivery. While much of
Its current holdings include stakes in
off-premise is focused
Tender Greens, Sweetgreen and Joe on lunch and dinner,
Coffee. —Peter Romeo there’s opportunity in
the early hours as well.1
12 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 1
Technomic’s Breakfast Consumer Trend Report, powered by Ignite
IN THE KNOW
Technomic Trend Watch
SHIFTS IN DRINKING THAT

MAY CHANGE THE MENU
Adult beverage listings were up 9% on menus in
2017, increasing more significantly than any other
BEER SLIPS, OVERALL SPIRITS SOAR WINE GROWTH
part of the menu. The actual drinks may be up, COCKTAILS RISE CONSUMPTION One category IS FINE
but are consumers actually drinking more often at Roughly half
of all drinks
STEADIES impacting the
upward thrust in
Increased menu
mentions of red
restaurants? And how has their booze consumption The share of adult beverage
changed? A look might suggest a shift in what’s on consumers restaurant visits wine, white wine
ordered in mentions and Champagne
the menu this year. —Lizzy Freier that include on menus is
restaurants in an alcoholic and sparkling
the most recent spirits. Spirit wine align with
beverage listings are up
quarter involved remains steady adult beverage
beer, higher than 17.2%, with the growth overall,
at 41%, the same greatest growth
any other adult percentage but it’s the
beverage type. categories being “other wines”
seen last year. whiskey/bourbon
However, beer However, this category—which
consumption (+31.7%), Scotch includes blush
is up from 35% whisky (+20.6%)
for the quarter in the same wines and rose—
is down slightly and liqueur/ that’s seeing the
quarter of 2015, cordial (+20.2%).
year over year. highlighting the greatest push, up
Cocktail and overall uptick 9.9% compared
mixed drink in on-premise to the same
consumption, consumption. quarter last year.
though, is on
the rise—up 4% Sources: Technomic’s MenuMonitor, powered by Ignite; Technomic’s
from last year. Co-Pilot, powered by the Adult Beverage Planning Program
What’s on Your Back that it is going to have on the volume the effects on certain finished wines,
FIRES HIT THE

of wine produced in Napa,” says Rob given that most of the 2017 vintages
Warren, director of winemaking for are still in the early stages of produc-
WINE SUPPLY
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restau- tion. But because Napa and Sonoma
rants, which produces 600,000 gal- wines are protected appellations, says
lons of wine each year with grapes Warren, wines labeled as such must
sourced from California, Wash- come from those regions. If there isn’t
Southern California’s wildfires have ington, Oregon and other regions. enough from those two areas, prices
proven to be among the most wide- “Fortunately, going into this vintage, will most certainly rise, he says.
spread in the state’s history. And yet we weren’t at a major shortage. The As such, Warren sees the years
5
restaurants are still grappling with market was in pretty good balance as ahead as a balancing act for putting
the potential effects of the summer’s far as supply and demand goes. But it wine on the menu. “It just means that
devastating Napa County wildfires, really is a little bit early to tell.” we have to be aware that there is po-
which saw 75,000-plus acres burned Winemakers note that while a tential for wines to have smoke taint.
and about 50 wineries damaged. Now few dozen wineries sustained some It can be pretty mild, and you might
that the smoke in Napa has cleared, damage, about 90% of the 2017 har- taste it one day and not the next. It’s
restaurants—including those outside vest was already off the vines by the The number going to be important for us as buyers
the affected area—are assessing the time the fires began. But there still of wineries to play close attention, not in a para-
that reported
impact on the wines they menu. could be consequences from the “significant
noid way, but we don’t want to make
“There is a lot that we don’t know. smoke and fire near the vineyard. damage” from the any bad purchase decisions,” he says.
We don’t know overall the impact Experts agree that it’s too early to tell wildfires —Kate Bernot
ADVERTISEMENT
CONSUMERS GIVE SOUP,

SALAD A CLOSER LOOK
S nacks that stand in for meals, a preference for cleaner
eating and flavor profiles that break out of traditional
boundaries: These trends, and more, are fueling
an appetite for soups and salads in both restaurants and
groceries’ prepared foods departments.
A number of approaches can help drive salad and soup
purchases:
• Offering more than one portion size gives customers the ability
to tailor their order to their appetite and budget.
Soup and salad also align with growing demand for takeout • Similarly, a choice of proteins provides a customized experience
options, as both lend themselves to portability and their and emphasizes a made-to-order message. And offering a
quality typically doesn’t suffer during the trip. vegetarian “meat” or high-protein grain substitute will win
over vegetarians accustomed to salads sans protein.
According to a 2016 study by ielsen, 66% of consumers said
they were eating healthier than they were two years before. • Garnishes—a swirl of herb-infused oil, a dollop of sour cream,
early the same percentage said eating a healthy diet is a fresh chopped herbs, house-made croutons or crackers--can
challenge—one that restaurants and grocers can help them turn a “plain” soup into something memorable.
conquer by offering soups and salads.
• Two-fer deals provide value and allow guests to customize.
What do consumers deem healthy? The ielsen study Suggesting complementary combos will help facilitate orders.
found that terms like “made from vegetables/fruits,” “high in
protein” and “high in fiber”—all potential qualities of both • Both soups and salads should change with the seasons. Lighter
soup and salad—scored highest among consumers. broth-based soups, gazpachos and other bowls packed with
fresh vegetables will sell in the summer; heartier creamed and
Among consumers who don’t purchase soup and salad away pureed varieties will fare better in cooler months. Cool-weather
from home, about a quarter say it’s because they can easily salads similarly can take on heartier grains, roasted vegetables
make these items themselves, according to Technomic’s 2016 and heavier flavors when there’s a chill in the air.
Left Side of the Menu: Soup & Salad report. By challenging
that perception and providing something unexpected • Regardless of the time of year, presenting both healthier
and craveable, salad-centric and soup-centric concepts options and more indulgent selections will appeal to a broader
like Tender Greens, Sweetgreen and Zoup! have thrived. audience.
Sophisticated flavors, reliance on premium ingredients and
providing imaginative choices that break out of the Caesar
salad and chicken noodle soup mold are keeping these
operations busy.
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BUSINESS IDEAS YOU SHOULD STEAL NOW
BEST
BEST PRACTICES
PRACTICES
D.C., echoed Cohen’s perplexity. “The
problem is so systemic and so funda-
mental to the industry,” Gresser says.
Although restaurants have yet to
devise a winning model to combat
sexual harassment, they are pointing
to structural and cultural ways the in-
dustry can move forward.
Don’t skimp
Restaurateurs should go through both
sexual harassment training and busi-
ness management training, Cohen
(From left) Mario Batali, John says. “There’s fire, there’s knives, and
Besh and Todd English face
there’s no handbook—you don’t al-
harassment allegations.
ways know how to do it.” Creating an
employee handbook, or updating it for
Human Resources
RESPONDING TO SEXUAL
existing concepts, can be very pricey.
“I had to have a lawyer go through it,
and it was close to $10,000,” she says.
While she admits that it is a good thing
HARASSMENT IN RESTAURANTS
to spend on, she did have to debate it
as a cost when balancing other needs.
Meet often
I
When Cohen heard the industry alle-
And where the industry goes from here. gations of sexual harassment trickling
in, she looked at her business partner
n a post-Harvey Weinstein was exciting to me,” says Caroline and asked, “Are we good? Does ev-
world, there’s an awful anticipa- Richter, bartender at New Orleans’ erybody know the policy?” Deciding
tion over which star’s worst-kept Turkey and The Wolf. In fact, restau- it was time for a refresh, the restau-
secret will be outed next. The rant employees and other service rant held a series of staff meetings to
outpouring of claims of sexual workers have filed more sexual ha- go through the handbook. “You don’t
harassment and abuse helped popular- rassment claims with the U.S. Equal have to fire someone for saying some-
ize a #MeToo social media campaign, Employment Opportunity Commis- thing stupid,” she says. “But you have
encouraging women to share their sto- sion from 1995 to 2016 than any other to nip it in the bud right away.”
ries and spurring allegations against profession, according to a report from
upwards of 60 high-profile men. In BuzzFeed News. Camaraderie can be a curse
October, the movement’s momentum With the industry tuning into The industry’s tight-knit community
hit restaurants. Since, industry giants women’s calls to address harassment, can create an energetic and personal
such as Mario Batali, John Besh and the question is, “Now what?” The workplace, but it can also make those
10,057
Todd English were forced to confront answer to that question is somewhat who have suffered harassment less
accusations of alleged sexual harass- elusive. When asked who restaurants likely to report co-workers, Cohen says.
ment or misconduct. can look to as a leader in stomping out Richter says she’d trade some of
For many women, the scope of workplace harassment, Amanda Co- the industry’s camaraderie for a more
the industry’s sexual harassment hen, chef-owner of New York City’s The number professional workplace. “We as an in-
problem is not shocking. “To hear Dirt Candy, says there’s not really any of sexual dustry have been asking to be taken
harassment claims
that [the allegations] were being such person within the industry. Ruth from full-service
seriously,” she says. “If we want to be
taken seriously and that it was being Gresser, owner and chef of Pizzeria restaurant workers taken seriously, we need to set a pro-
reported in a major publication—that Paradiso and Veloce in Washington, (1995-2016)1 fessional tone.” —Alaina Lancaster
1
BuzzFeed News J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S 17
BEST PRACTICES
Skills
READY FOR THE WEATHER

Operators use both high- and low-tech
methods to beat the weather woes.
O
FORECASTING 2018
Here’s a look at what
perators battled
to expect this year
hurricanes, forest
fires and more in
2017, and while
There’s a 33% chance temperatures in the
the new year has Parts of the South Midwest will be colder than average through
just begun, meteorologists are al- and some of the March; there’s a 40% chance of above-
ready releasing forecast predictions mountain states, average precipitation. Out East, it’s most
for the rest of the year. A lot remains such as Arizona, likely to be warmer than average.
Texas and Utah,
unknown, weather-wise, so operators have a 50% chance
are developing best practices, arming of above-average
themselves to weather the storms and temperatures at the The Northeast will likely have above-average
other disruptive forces of nature. end of the summer, precipitation July through September, with
heading into fall. the northernmost part having a 40% chance of
Plan of action above-average precipitation. The rest of the East
has a 33% chance of above-average precipitation.
While the best course of action before,
during and after a storm depends on
its scale, Hudson Riehle, senior VP of
research for the National Restaurant
A majority of the mountain states,
Association, says he’s seen operators
along with Texas, Louisiana and parts of
use one tactic: altering menu compo- Mississippi, will have a 33% chance of
sition to deal with the conditions. below-average precipitation this spring,
The Southern U.S. is likely to
That’s the route taken by Waffle with Arizona dropping to a 40% chance.
see below-average precipitation
House. It has multiple limited menus, through March; parts of Louisiana,
Source: National Weather Service
depending on available utilities, says Georgia, the Carolinas and Florida
Pat Warner, director of PR and exter- all have a 50% chance of seeing less.
nal affairs for the brand that is often
seen as best in class when it comes to
staying open during hazardous condi- ries—not because we can’t make the real-time data from predictive analyt-
tions. The 24/7 concept’s endurance waffle batter, but because of the clean- ics tools to gain insight into how up-
is so well known, in fact, that FEMA up,” Warner says. “You don’t have the coming weather may impact business,
uses an unofficial Waffle House Index water to clean up the sticky batter.” and plan accordingly.
to determine the effect of a weather Other updates to the playbook in- The fast casual, for example, uses
event. If Waffle Houses are forced to clude organizational changes. “Right predictive analysis to better manage
close, it’s likely a pretty bad storm. now, [the playbook] is organized by its labor, says Director of Marketing
Waffle House employees can also storm. Instead, we’re going to orga- Devin Handler. The chain adjusts staff-
consult the company’s weather play- nize it into sections such as ‘Prepara- ing depending on how many guests
book for step-by-step actions to take. tion,’ ‘Storm’s approaching’ and ‘After the tool predicts will come in based on
That playbook is constantly updated, the storm,’ because a lot of [practices] upcoming weather conditions.
says Warner, and will soon include overlap whether you’re talking about a While Garbanzo anticipated rainy
knowledge gained during hurricanes winter storm or a hurricane,” he says. and sunny weather would affect guest
Harvey and Irma. One of the most no- counts, Handler says the most sur-
table changes will be additional proto- Tapping predictive technology prising thing Garbanzo learned from
col for running the restaurant under Having a plan in place may help mit- the tool was wind’s impact on traffic.
boil-water advisories. igate potential lost sales, but some “Apparently, people don’t go outside
“One of the things we learned ... operators are turning to technology in certain trade areas when it’s windy,”
is that waffles aren’t the best thing to before weather strikes. Chains like he says. “We would’ve never guessed
make during boiling-water adviso- Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh use that anecdotally.” —Benita Gingerella
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All rights reserved. 1/18
Advice Guy BEST PRACTICES
HOW TO SPOT out a scammer is to push them to
A SCAMMER
help you understand the problem, as
a real guest with a concern would do.
Some techniques:
● Slow down. Ask the guest to speak
Red flags that can help distinguish about this at a time when they have
your undivided attention.
customers from con artists. ● Audit. Ask for specifics that you
can check against the POS so that you
I’ve empowered my staff to re- can truly understand the problem.
spond to customer concerns ● Interview. Gather details about
and make things right without the food, timing and service that
needing my approval, but was only someone who has been to your
recently burned by a scammer operation would know.
who went restaurant to restau- JONATHAN If you get unsatisfactory answers,
rant demanding refunds, claim- DEUTSCH call the police.
ing she ordered takeout and Professor of
found hair in her food! Where’s Culinary How can I keep my employees
the balance? Arts and from using their phones?????????
Food Science
Unfortunately, wherever there is a at Drexel While my editors reserve the right
system, there will be someone trying University to edit your question, I hope they
to take advantage of it. It’s great you leave in your nine question marks,
empower your staff to solve problems as it both represents an Advice Guy
directly. Even though you are feeling record and underscores your exas-
the sting of this thief, I would suspect peration. Fighting phone addiction
that the positive service recoveries is something I’m struggling with at
you’ve made by enabling your staff to school, work and especially at home
solve problems far outweigh the cost as the father of teenagers. And I
of the occasional bad actor. know I’m an offender as well.
That said, in the same way you When I addressed this problem in
train staff to problem-solve, you the past, it was more about crafting
may be able to train them to detect a policy that can help you manage
a scammer. employees’ cellphone use to an ap-
Scams like these share some propriate/responsible level, espe-
characteristics: cially during service. Increasingly,
● They often happen during a busy my advice is a straight-up ban: no
lunch or dinner rush when the em- cellphones back of house, front of
ployee (or manager) just wants house, anywhere at work, except
to solve the problem as quickly as during official breaks. Your job is to
possible. make money providing great food
● They often are disruptive and and beverage to your guests and
make threats such as calling the putting their experience at the fore. I
health department, posting a video, don’t see how that is compatible with
or posting to social media or review employee cellphone use.
sites. Provide a secure place, even
● They often decline to answer charging lockers, for employees to
specifics regarding their order or leave their devices. Some may argue
experience, covering their lack of that as long as they get their work
knowledge with mock outrage. done and guests don’t notice, they
● While a real disgruntled customer can keep up with texts and notifica-
may share that outrage, they usually tions. I think that’s the wrong way
want the restaurateur to understand to look at it—if they can keep up in
the problem, both to empathize with that way, they can be cleaning, help-
their shock and to prevent future ing co-workers or taking on more
problems. A good technique to sniff responsibilities.
WHAT TO BUY AND HOW TO SAVE
BUYING
your order, and we bring the food to
Red Robin’s new unit you.” The experience is wholly a Red
fields both self-delivery Robin interaction. “It gives us total
and third-party orders. control of the experience. It gives us
total control of the data,” says Rusk.
(For more on the unit, see Page 27.)
Operationally, self-delivery is easi-
er for Red Robin Express because of its
location, Rusk noted. It’s in the middle
of downtown Chicago, enabling em-
ployees to make most deliveries on
foot. If a car is needed, they use Uber.
Yet even if there weren’t any of the
usual challenges with self-delivery—
hiring drivers, accessing cars, tweak-
ing operations—the store would still
have worked with third parties be-
cause of the marketing advantages
they provide.
“If you ask the customer, over-
whelmingly they want Red Robin
to deliver to them,” says Rusk. “But
that’s a Red Robin consumer. We
Line Item
A NEXT STEP FOR DELIVERY?

know there are people who are loyal
to their platforms.”
Even a brand with the recogni-
tion of McDonald’s needs a listing
on a third-party app to snag consum-
Operators take a hybrid ers’ attention, the franchisor’s CFO,
T
Kevin Ozan, recently told investors.
approach to off-premise. “You’re getting pushed up farther on
the app and people will see that more
he drawbacks of using At Red Robin’s new delivery-only often,” he said. “The biggest opportu-
third-party delivery ser- unit, Red Robin Express, who carts nity for us on delivery is awareness.”
vices are prompting a the food is determined by how the The lost exposure opportunities
number of chains to try order is placed. “If ... you use your are the real yellow light on self-deliv-
a new way of exploiting DoorDash app, the order comes into ery, not the costs, says Rusk. “Are the
the off-premise boom. Call it Delivery our system and one of their drivers economics better if you do self-de-
2.0, a drift toward restaurants trans- delivers it,” says Jason Rusk, VP of livery vs. third party? The answer is
19%
porting more orders themselves as business innovation for the full-ser- ‘Yes,’” he says.
volumes grow and ordering patterns vice burger chain. The customer ex- From a pure cost standpoint, the
PHO T O G R A PH BY H I L A RY H IG G I N S
change. pects DoorDash to ring the doorbell, challenge is building volume, says
Big-name proponents like Red since that’s the brand they’re dealing Rusk. As a delivery-only operation,
Robin, Outback Steakhouse, Carrab- with. That holds true for orders from 100% of the Express’ sales will factor
ba’s Italian Grill and Zoes Kitchen ar- the unit’s other partners, Uber Eats into that. But there’s still the matter of
en’t abandoning their collaborations and Grubhub. Percentage of exposure on third-party apps.
with dedicated deliverers such as Uber But “if you go to Red Robin’s web- consumers who The chain will be closely moni-
rank delivery as
Eats, DoorDash and Amazon. But site and you want to order delivery, their top way to
toring the Express store to see if the
each is tempering that reliance with a the nearest Red Robin restaurant will buy food away arrangement could work elsewhere.
self-delivery/third-party hybrid. show up as a pinpoint, you plug in from home1 —Peter Romeo
1
Technomic’s On-Demand Delivery Report J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S 23
WHERE INSIGHTS
BECOME INSPIRATION
C H A R R E D B E E F A N D V E G E TA B L E G R A I N B OW L
GRAIN UP ON U.S. MENUS

BOWLS 652% OVER THE PAST
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BUYING
3
BOWLED
4 OVER
Products WITH
JANUARY PICKS FLAVOR
21 2 32 42
Meals in a bowl are trending across
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cartridge potato, to take on biscuits The lids are
includes a clear serve as the and gravy or available in 22-
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CONCEPTS THAT ARE CHANGING THE GAME
CONCEPTS
Art of the Business
RED ROBIN ADDRESSES

DELIVERY-ONLY
The full-service chain hopes its
“virtual” concept will fly.
RED ROBIN IS TREATING one of its shuttered
fast-casual units in Chicago as a laboratory of
sorts, hoping to find success in the “virtual”
restaurant format where others have failed.
Red Robin Express is a challenging model,
says Jason Rusk, the chain’s VP of business
innovation. But the chain must find a way to
keep up with changing consumer demand,
and delivery (despite the “necessary evil”
of third parties, as Rusk refers to them) is
where it’s at, he says. There’s hope delivery-
only will succeed where Red Robin’s fast-
casual Burger Works concept failed, because
it allows for a pared-down menu and a
slimming of staff, he says. —Heather Lalley
To build its self- Timed delivery Hybrid Building a

delivery program, radius delivery model better bun
Red Robin has
At Red Robin In addition to To maintain its
reached out to its
Express, in the partnering with product integrity,
loyalty rewards
heart of Chicago’s half a dozen third- Red Robin’s
members who live
densely populated party delivery signature steak
within the shop’s
Magnificent companies, Red fries aren’t offered
delivery area.
Mile, delivery Robin Express for delivery.
boundaries are employs three Customers instead
PHO T O G R A PH Y BY H I L A RY H IG G I N S
set by minutes, people each get seasoned

not miles. Ideally, shift to handle chips. The chain
a delivery should deliveries that has also developed
be no farther than come in through a sesame seed-
eight to 10 minutes Red Robin’s topped brioche
away, Rusk says, website and app. bun that doesn’t
so each driver can These staffers get soggy during
handle about three deliver food on travel, Rusk says.
or four deliveries foot or by bike, It’s available at
per hour, and food while another four limited locations,
arrives at the right workers man the including the new
temperature. kitchen. delivery-only unit.
CONCEPTS
Concept Makeover
CHAINS ADAPT TO GROCERY

A Mediterranean concept adjusts operations Staffing in grocery stores
T
to fit the nontraditional footprint. presents a different
challenge, knowing that
the kitchen isn’t attached.
he team behind Israe-

li hummus and pita
chain Dizengoff op-
erates three different
small-footprint con-
cepts inside a massive new Whole
Foods Market in Philadelphia.
The units are moneymakers, but
adapting to fit into 150-square-foot
stalls caused some headaches, says
Steve Cook, partner with Michael Sol-
omonov in Cook N Solo, the restau-
rant group behind Dizengoff, Federal
Donuts and vegan falafel shop Goldie.
“It was an opportunity to get into
a relationship with Whole Foods, and
that was exciting because who knows
where that could lead?” Cook says.
Running the kiosk-like spaces
presented some logistical difficul-
ties, Cook says. The restaurant stalls
are located at the front of the Whole
Foods, which is great for foot traffic,
but less ideal for efficiency. Employ-
such as a supermarket, Cook says.
That problem has improved now that
CONCEPTS
Dizengoff (above),
ees have had to adjust to pushing Cook N Solo runs several kiosks in Goldie (left) and
carts through the store to get to the the Whole Foods and has a “critical Federal Donuts
dish room and prep area. mass” of people on the same team, he (below left)
Dizengoff ’s hummus and pita are
made on-site, as are the fried chicken
says. Most kiosk employees first train
at the concepts’ other locations. “It’s
LOCATION
Inside a
and doughnuts at Federal Donuts. But not the easiest place to train because 60,000-square-
knowing that the kitchen isn’t up front, it’s so small,” he says. “You can’t just foot Whole Foods
doughs and batters are made in a cen- throw an extra body in there. People grocery store in
Philadelphia
tral kitchen before being trucked over have to hit the ground running.”
to Whole Foods each day. For Cook, Another challenge of operating in FOOTPRINT
proper planning has been essential in the grocery store is asserting brand 150 square feet
making sure the grocery units have the identity in the midst of a larger brand, per kiosk
correct amount of product.
The separate areas also impact
Cook says. “I wouldn’t want to rely
on an establishment like this to build KEY FEATURES
Separate stalls
staffing; there must always be enough a brand,” he says. Each kiosk has five for each concept;
employees to cover the front while or six opportunities for branding, small seating area;
others are away from the stall. Too, from signage to lighting and menu each kiosk has five
it’s easy for employees to feel isolated graphics. Whole Foods often posts to six employees
per day; pita-
when working in a satellite location chalkboard signs with the concepts’
cooking oven;
specials throughout the store, Cook stove; fryer
“It was a way to do a store says. And they’ve discussed installing
in [a desirable area] ... lighted exterior signs on the building,
very quickly and with a so passers-by will notice the restau-
low capital investment.” rants in the evening. —H.L.
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WHERE FOOD AND DRINK ARE GOING NEXT
MENU INNOVATION
creation of a special menu section
highlighting 12 burger variations.
“Burgers now are getting more at-
tention from customers, with a larger
number of guests transferring wing
orders to burgers,” says Huether.
Going boneless
Lower-priced boneless wings, a prod-
uct made from more cost-effective
chicken breast, have been on Arooga’s
menu for nine years and yield a better
profit margin. The chain also recent-
ly introduced faux wings made from
mushrooms ($10.99 for seven pieces).
Like Arooga’s, BWW has long of-
Arooga’s Culinary Trends
WHEN WING PRICES SOAR

fered boneless chicken wings, but last
combos help
take the edge November, the chain put them in the
off high wing spotlight. “We shifted from bone-in
costs. to boneless wings for our Tuesday
BOGO promotion ... to improve costs
Chains built around chicken wings are and make sure the supply doesn’t run
A
rejiggering menus to keep costs in check. out,” says Amy Smith, BWW’s direc-
tor of culinary innovation.
chicken only has wings late last year, Arooga’s bumped Off-premise packages
two wings—an an- up its own by 10%. But neither opera- In addition to samplers for larger par-
atomical fact that tor stopped there—both are applying ties, BWW is offering combo menus
poses a challenge several other strategies to push cus- for groups in the off-premise space.
for restaurants that tomers toward more profitable items. It recently launched a party menu for
focus on chicken wings. For several eight or more eaters, geared toward
years, demand by both operators and Moving guests around the menu sports fans who gather in groups at
consumers has outstripped supply, Late last fall, Arooga’s introduced home. “Takeout business around big
which has jacked up prices. combos on the wings page of its game days has improved quarter by
That could turn into an especially menu. Customers looking for wings quarter,” says Smith, adding that this
sticky problem in the first quarter of can order five with a half-rack of ribs will continue to be a focus.
2018, when the Super Bowl, NCAA and fries for $14.99 or with sliders for Arooga’s is also ramping up
$14
basketball playoffs and peak hockey $13.99—a deal that lowers Arooga’s off-premise business, both in catering
season converge and demand peaks. food cost percentage to the low 30s. and individual to-go orders, focusing
At Arooga’s Grille House & Sports In addition, new menus are designed on better-margin items. A tailgating
Bar, the food cost for bone-in chick- to “bury” wings, highlighting more package features 40 wings bundled
en wings is now 40%, says Gary profitable appetizers first, followed with two lower-food-cost strombolis
Huether, president and co-founder by soups and salads, burgers and then and a 2-liter soda.
Price for BWW’s
of the regional chain. “Ten years ago, wings, says Huether. sampler platter Huether predicts that takeout and
wings averaged 89 cents per pound, There’s also innovation happening with apps—fried delivery will make up 20%-30% of
with a food cost of about 15%-20%,” in the appetizer category, he adds, pickles, nachos, business in the next five years. The
he says. “Wings and light beer were where new non-wing items such as spinach dip advantage for these concepts: Wings
and chicken
my least expensive buy. Now, it’s the best-seller Buffalo chicken dip are fingers—that takes
travel well, as do most of the line ex-
opposite.” Like Buffalo Wild Wings, showcasing the popular wing sauc- attention from tensions these operators are offering
which raised menu prices for bone-in es. Another deliberate move was the wings and exploring. —Patricia Cobe
MENU INNOVATION
Ideation
CONSUMERS CRAVE THE MELT 1

BUILDING VALUE
Chicken sandwiches and burgers, core items at Checkers
Drive-In Restaurants, are often the starting point for its WITH HEIGHT
Checkers’ own consumer
limited-time offers. That’s the case with the Big Daddy Bacon research revealed that the
Chicken, a sandwich Ryan Joy, senior director of R&D and taller the sandwich, the higher
its perceived value, says Joy.
culinary, calls “a new and improved melt.” When Technomic The Big Daddy Bacon Chicken
asked consumers to choose the LTOs they’d most likely stands tall with chicken, bacon,
Swiss cheese, grilled and fried
purchase, this sandwich ranked in the top three. More than onions and pickles. “Two types
of onions give the sandwich
half said they would buy it, edging out Checkers’ concurrent heft,” he says. Plus, the
LTO, the Big Daddy Bacon Double burger. —P.C. combination of textures and
flavors create craveability, Joy
says. Technomic’s MenuSurf
respondents back up this belief;
58% rate the melt as craveable.
2
THE LTO
Big Daddy Bacon
DIFFERENTIATING
WITHOUT
Chicken; two
for $5
COMPLICATING
Thousand Island sauce
was the only new SKU
needed for the LTO.
Staffers spread it on as
the sandwich is made
to order. “It’s an extra
step, but it doesn’t hold
up the line,” says Joy.
Neither does cooking
bacon fresh several
times a day, compared
to many chains that use
precooked bacon, says
Joy. These extras set the
sandwich apart; over
50% of consumers see it
60%+
as a unique offering.
4 3
SELLING VIA SOCIAL MAXIMIZING MARGINS
In addition to drive-thru signage, Checkers marketed the Although burgers are the main menu item at
Percentage of LTO via Twitter and Instagram, and it was picked up by Checkers, chicken is close behind, always on as
Gen Zers and Gen YouTube “reviewers.” Checkers is relatively new to social another option—and one that helps boost profits.
Xers who say they
media marketing, so the response wasn’t huge. But Joy The crispy fried chicken breast used for the melt
would buy the
sandwich, even more
reports that the sandwich generated 3.5% of sales during its is 4 ounces—the same size as the chain’s burger.
enthusiastic than run—“typical for that kind of product,” he says, adding that Both sandwiches are priced at two for $5, but
other groups TV ads, used for larger menu moves, generate higher sales. chicken’s lower food cost translates to a better
profit margin for Checkers’ operators.
32 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 Source: Data from Technomic’s MenuSurf

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MENU INNOVATION
Beverage Tracks
THE 5 TYPES
OF DRINKERS
Get to know the
consumers spending on
booze at restaurants—
and those who aren’t.
Instead of focusing solely on

the standard demographics
THE CHAMELEON THE TOURIST
Travis loves the social aspect of Denise is very inquisitive during
of age, race, income and drinking more than the actual her adult beverage experience.
ethnicity, operators looking beverage he’s consuming. Just She wants to know the types of
as chameleons blend in with their booze people are drinking, how
to bring consumers in the surroundings, Travis’ drinking they’re made, and even the daily
door can also explore groups behavior changes according to operations of the bars she frequents.
based on their habits, needs the atmosphere and occasion. He Like Travis, Denise doesn’t have
usually scopes out what his friends a preferred beverage, but she uses
and preferences—and then are drinking before ordering restaurant menus as an opportunity
target customers based on himself, and will likely get whatever to test new flavors and get a better
their motivations and decision they’re having. Although he doesn’t understanding of different brands
have a preferred drink, Travis is overall.
drivers. Here, a look at drinking interested in how adult beverages
consumers—three of which you
might see more than others,
are produced.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPERATORS
● Keep rolling out new flavors, helping
based on Technomic’s Drinker OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPERATORS these guests expand their knowledge.
Archetypes program. Those ● Promote events, like Super Bowl ● Expand bar seating. This group is
parties or trivia nights, to drive visits eager to watch and see how their drinks
groups—Chameleons, Tourists among the social Chameleons. are made.
and Extroverts—account for ● Enhance digital ordering and ● Detail the booze backstory. Marketing
nearly three-fourths (74%) of payment. Half of the group are the beverages by describing how a beer
millennials who often seek innovative was brewed or wine was fermented, for
on-premise alcohol spending. tech advancements. instance, can increase appeal among
Take a look at what’s driving ● Menu a variety of top-shelf spirit Tourists.
their beverage purchases. selections. Some 67% of Chameleons ● Create a female-focused ambiance.
—Brett Dworski place high importance on the brand. Roughly 62% of Tourists are women—
● Highlight the most popular drinks on the highest of any group.
the menu. It may appeal to Chameleons,
as they won’t have to wait and see what
their friends order.
NEED TO KNOW
● Tourists value innovation, quality of
process, and uniqueness, above all else.
NEED TO KNOW ● They make up for one-fourth of the
● Some 34% of Chameleons drink beer overall share of restaurant spending, the
away from home at least twice per week. second-highest behind Chameleons.
● The group makes up nearly a quarter ● Tourists consider going out to bars
of the total drinker population, but 40% and restaurants for adult beverages as a
of the on-premise spend. form of entertainment.
34 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 Source: Technomic’s On-Premise Intelligence Report

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MENU INNOVATION
WHO’S
SPENDING
WHAT
THE EXTROVERT
THE MAXIMIZER
Karen’s kids are
grown up and she’s
retired, so there’s
more time to enjoy a
THE PURIST
Dimitri knows
what he likes and
isn’t interested in
stepping out of his
39%
The Chameleon’s
share of spend.
THEY ARE 24%OF
drink every now and comfort zone. While THE POPULATION.
Maria emphasizes the social then. Although she he may meet up with
25%
facets of drinking in restaurants doesn’t drink alcohol friends for a drink, the
more than anything else. The in bars or restaurants social aspects of the
main difference between her and too often, when she experience are less
Travis is that Maria has reliable, go- does, she’s looking important than the
to brands for her preferred drink and for good value or an quality of the beverage
establishment, while Travis usually experience she can’t and the service. The Tourist’s
goes with the flow. Maria is laid- get at home. share of spend.
back about prices, and usually buys
OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE 20%OF
drinks for her friends, in addition to
THE POPULATION.
20%
FOR OPERATORS
leaving a generous tip for the waiter
or bartender. ● Featuring a range of
● A variety of wines plays beers may appeal to

well with Maximizers, Purists, who drink it
because they drink it more often than wine
● Offer discount drink specials. more than beer or spirits. and spirits.
Although pricing isn’t an issue with ● Ensure staffers
● Speed up the process. The Extrovert’s
Extroverts, over one-third of the group know the appropriate
Slow service makes share of spend.
makes less than $35,000 per year, so glassware for specific
Maximizers less likely to THEY ARE 18%OF
value may drive loyalty. drinks. Purists place high
return to a restaurant. THE POPULATION.
● Increase the variety of brews on the importance on this.
9%
● Affordable drinks and
menu. Extroverts are the second-highest ● Know the Purist
a memorable experience
beer drinkers after Chameleons. “regulars.” Although
are key, since most
● Create VIP treatment. As big spenders Maximizers usually drink they don’t come around
and social consumers, Extroverts may at home. often, knowing their
flock to concepts that give them special go-to orders may lead to
recognition.
NEED TO KNOW increased patronage.
The Maximizer’s
NEED TO KNOW
● Despite “good value”
being synonymous NEED TO KNOW share of spend.
THEY ARE 22%OF
● This is the only archetype with a with affordable prices, ● Purists evaluate THE POPULATION.
a restaurant by the
8%
50/50 split in its consumers by gender. Maximizers associate the
term with service and bartender’s ability to
● Despite being the second-smallest make a certain drink the
beverage quality.
group by population, Extroverts have way they like it, plain and
a considerable share of on-premise ● Although baby simple.
spending. boomers make up 50%
of the group, Maximizers ● They typically
● They typically have an idea of the order the same brands
are open to trying new,
drink they’ll order before arriving at the wherever they go, The Purist’s
trendy brands and
bar or restaurant. regardless of price. share of spend.
flavors.
THEY ARE 16%OF
THE POPULATION.
36 R E S TAU R A N T B U S I N E S S J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 8 Source: Technomic’s On-Premise Intelligence Report

INNOVATION
“Who doesn’t love Apple? …
It’s a feeling of surprise and
delight that’s almost euphoric.
We’re playing around now with
how to do our to-go packaging,
and I want that feeling of when
you open a new Apple product.”
—TED XENOHRISTOS
CO-FOUNDER, CAVA
THE RESTAURANT
INDUSTRY WATCHES THESE
TRENDSETTING LEADERS.
SEE WHAT’S POWERING
THEIR IDEAS.
INSPIRATION
By Sara Rush Wirth
hat’s one of the most-named restaurant industry. Inspiration is every-

sources of inspiration for restau- where—and anywhere—and big thinkers
rateurs outside of the industry? mine it from a range of sources.
Hands down, it’s Apple. With that in mind, Restaurant Business
Trendsetting operators look to the tech asked executives atop some of the most
company for a variety of reasons, all tying innovative restaurant brands to name the
back to the customer. Whether it’s the sleek people and companies they turn to to spark
look of Apple’s stores or the frenzy sur- ideas. Their answers range from the Nikes of
rounding its product launches, consumers the world to individual authors; from a com-
have to have the next iPhone. It’s that must- munity-minded outdoor adventure brand to
have feeling that restaurants want when disruptive e-commerce companies.
consumers think of their brands. What these other industries offer restau-
It is a reminder that the best ideas for rant leaders is a chance to step back and see
culture, creativity, consumer engagement a problem or opportunity from a new angle.
and more often don’t come from within the Or put in Apple’s terms, to “Think different.”
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 R e s tau R a n t B u s i n e s s 39
GEOFF ALEXANDER MARIO DEL PERO AND ELLEN CHEN, CO-FOUNDERS, MENDOCINO FARMS
EMPLOYEE-DRIVEN CULTURE
PRESIDENT, WOW BAO
MUST-HAVE LOOK Del Pero explains what his fast casual learned from hotels, online retailers and more:
The kiosk-driven steamed bun chain has
made some big moves in the past few HOSPITALITY CULTURE SOURCING INNOVATION
months. Following an investment from a For its tenets Zappos defines its “For help in trying “The biggest
tech-focused equity group, which led to of “selling happy” culture with 10 core to figure out how to lesson we learned
a shift in controlling interest, Wow Bao and creating a values, including scale our sourcing early: Innovation
became the first concept to implement feeling of care, embracing change practices, we really rarely comes from
the co-founders and creating fun. did not have any divine inspiration.
automat-style concept Eatsa’s technolo-
looked to Four Everything from restaurant group We continue to
gy. The president of the chain isn’t staying Seasons Hotels job descriptions to be inspired by. … credit more of our
insulated in restaurants to get his ideas. and Resorts and to the work We reached out to innovation success
the relationship environment the one company to Apple. While
engagement (aka reinforce them. that could help us we continue to
customer service) The company scale our supply have a very creative
of Nordstrom. conducts cultural- chain in a way culinary team, our
“Many of the fit interviews, and that would align team has evolved,
systems we built managers are with our values. morphed and
to scale Mendo expected to create It was Whole changed over the
Culture are from career paths and Foods Market.” last decade. What
the inspiration hold team-building Whole Foods has has remained the
we garnered from activities—all ideas since become same is how we
those two brands.” Del Posto looked an investor in innovate our menu.
“I spend lots of time reading my Twitter at when creating Mendocino Farms, This process was
feed—which consists of [my reading the culture at and founder John inspired by many of
list] as well as bloggers, reporters and Mendocino. Mackey a mentor. Apple’s practices.”
breaking news,” says Alexander. And the
companies he watches? Amazon, AT&T, “Hands down, Ellen and I have studied the
Nike, Verizon, Target, Whole Foods
and Costco. At the top of his list for com- practices and approach Zappos has taken.”
panies to follow: Apple. “Everything they
create becomes a must-have. And the items
and stores look slick and create a feeling of
FOMO—fear of missing out.”
READING LIST
Entrepreneur
Inc.
Fast Company
Wired
Time Out
New York Magazine
The Wall Street Journal
CARIN STUTZ, RED ROBIN, EVP AND COO
“[Our] first area of focus is our guests and meeting their ever-
changing needs—we pay attention to the brick-and-mortar
companies who have done well fending off Amazon, like Best
Buy and Walmart. Similar in grocery with Aldi and Lidl.”
BRIAN NICCOL, CEO, TACO BELL
VALUES BEHIND THE BRAND

ooking to promote Taco Bell as
more than just a brand selling Mex-
ican fast food, Niccol pays attention
to the models set by companies
known for giving back. “Brands
like REI, Patagonia and Toms
are examples of companies synonymous
with caring and doing more.” Niccol says
he wants consumers to know about more
than just the Doritos Locos Tacos when it
opens a new store. “Every time we open a
restaurant, we’re giving people more than
just tacos and burritos—we’re giving com-
munities job opportunities and those em-
ployees the opportunity to go to school.”
INSPIRATION FROM REI

REI—which is set up as a cooperative, with
more than 6 million profit-sharing cus-
tomer members—has been on Fortune’s
list of The 100 Best Companies to Work
For nearly 20 years in a row. “Every deci-
sion we make at the co-op is purpose-driv-
en and it impacts our culture every single
day,” said REI CEO Jerry Stritzke to For-
tune, when it ranked 28th.
The brand boosts employee morale
with steep discounts, paid days off called
Yay Days and grants for outdoor adven-
tures—reinforcing the culture committed
to like-minded outdoorsmen, both inter-
nally and to customers.
IDEAS FROM TOMS

“It’s brands like [REI and Toms] In addition to its well-known social mission
to help impoverished communities, Toms
whose intrinsic values transcend
Photo g r a Ph by M e li s sa ly t t le
CEO Blake Mycoskie implemented poli-

cies and programs to improve employees’
beyond the products they sell.” daily lives, including offering flexible work
schedules, eight weeks of paid paternity
leave and no-meeting Mondays. The ideas
were submitted by employees through an
online platform called Toms Idea Room.
The company’s interview guide in-
C R E DI T T K
cludes four sets of questions to identify its

key values in potential employees, reports
Inc. magazine.
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 8 R e s tau R a n t B u s i n e s s 43
ERIC MARTINO, CHIEF OPERATING
OFFICER, THINKFOODGROUP’S
FASTGOOD BRANCH
LISTENING FOR
LEADERSHIP INSPIRATION
The man behind the branch of Jose Andres’
restaurant group that runs veggie-forward
chain Beefsteak and incubator ThinkFood-
Lab credits much of his inspiration to his
READING LIST
John Maxwell
wife—who he dubs the CEO of his house- Malcolm Gladwell
hold—for being a dedicated advocate as Adam Grant
well as challenging him. Aside from listen-
ing to his wife, Martino tunes into podcasts
for ideas and inspiration. He subscribes to
TED Talks, Andy Stanley, Innovation
“Listening to podcasts or
Ecosystem and Lewis Howes. “In those
podcasts, they tend to have guests on that
reading a chapter before work
are leaders in a particular field or industry really does help me calibrate
that deal with similar challenges and fo-
cuses that I face in our industry. There are my mind to lead and think
great discussions, from how to unlock in-
ner greatness through different strategies
outside the box.”
and exercises like meditation and diet, to
staying ahead and pushing forward to in-
spire innovation.”
Authentic Flavor for Modern Menus

JIM MIZES
CEO AND PRESIDENT, BLAZE PIZZA
SAM FOX, CEO, FOX RESTAURANT CONCEPTS
“Not only does design play a big UPGRADING THE PRODUCT

role in all of our restaurants, but WHILE SAVING PROFITS
it’s something I’m personally A leader in growing a brand at the fore-
front of a trend, Jim Mizes has led fast-ca-
passionate about. I really sual chain Blaze Pizza from an emerging
concept to the No. 191 on Technomic’s list
enjoy following the New York of top-grossing chain restaurants. There
interior design studio Roman are a number of authors Mizes reads on
the topic of conscious leadership, and
and Williams on Instagram. several companies with business models
he admires.
... They have great taste and a Both Apple and Tesla are focused on
disruption through many approaches, he
unique way of curating spaces says, but always through design, technolo-
by pushing everyday design gy and the value of the experience. He also
looks to Amazon for inspiration. “How do
boundaries and blending you take a product and service and make it
cheaper, faster and more profitable?”
historic aesthetics with
contemporary components.” READING LIST
John Maxwell
Jim Dethmer
Diana Chapman
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BROOKS GOLDADE
DIGITAL EXPERIENCE AND VENMO USAGE
Users of the payment
INNOVATION: MOBILE & .COM,
app made $8 billion
BUFFALO WILD WINGS in transactions in
USING DIGITAL
the second quarter
of 2017 and $9
TO EASE THE CUSTOMER

billion in Q3, nearly
doubling year-
over-year growth.
EXPERIENCE
“Venmo is much
less a peer-to-peer
platform than it is a
An early adopter of many technol- social experience,”
ogies available to the restaurant said Dan Schulman,
CEO of parent
industry, Goldade has his eye on
PayPal. Users check
other digital players, especially Venmo multiple
when it comes to the trends that are times a week to see
still emerging, such as payment and who friends are
personalization. paying, he said.
“Making personal payments is
like eating; it is something our guests “I am watching what Nike is doing with its digital experience and
do every day. So Apple and Venmo
have been focusing on driving great
commerce ecosystem and think they are setting a high standard
convenience with compelling inter- for any big traditional brand that wants to cross over into the digital
faces. This, in turn, drives greater space. Especially in the area of personalized experiences based
adoption and engagement,” he says. on users’ actual behavior and preferences. They have connected
“I believe we will see similar drivers
in the restaurant industry as digital their workout apps and hardware to their e-commerce platforms to
ordering continues to grow.” deliver products that are much more relevant to your needs.”
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ADVERTISER INDEX CLASSIFIEDS
COMPANY PAGE WEBSITE

Anchor Appetizers 5 mccainusafoodservice.com/
brand/anchor
Basic American Foods 26 baf.com
Bevolution Group 7 tropics-beverages.com
Blount Fine Foods, Inc. 14-15 blountfinefoods.com
BUNN 37 bunn.com
Bush Brothers & Company 20, 21 bushbeansfoodservice.com
ConAgra Foods, Inc./ 19 angelamia.com
Angela Mia
Custom Culinary, Inc. 24, 25 customculinary.com
Dole Packaged Foods, LLC 9 dolefoodservice.com
Elite Bank Card Solutions 47 atmwholesaler.com
Firehouse Subs 4 firehousesubs.com/franchising
Hatco 29 hatcocorp.com
Jennie-O Turkey Store C2-1 jennieofoodservice.com/all-natural
Jones Dairy Farm C4 jonesdairyfarmfoodservice.com
Kikkoman Sales USA, Inc. 40-41 kikkomanusa.com
Monin 35 monin.com
National Restaurant 16 restaurant.org
Association
Red Gold, LLC 10, 33 redgold.com
Saputo Cheese USA Inc 44-45, 46 saputousafoodservice.com
Server Products 22 server-pumps.com
Stratas Foods C3 stratasfoods.com
Sysco Corporation 2 sysco.com
Texas Pete 30 texaspetefoodservice.com
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AN INNOVATION ROAD MAP
THE BIG IDEA

Olive Garden asked a cross-
functional team—finance, marketing,
operations, communications and
others—to build on its Never Ending
Pasta Bowl promo.
“We sold 100

Each year, Olive to see how it did.” THE
Garden has
sold more $100
—JESSICA DINON, MANAGER
OF COMMUNICATIONS
START
passes—up to Dinon says the Pasta Pass isn’t as
22,000 last year— much about ROI as it is connecting
all selling out in
less than a second.
ROI with guests, and that it’s an example
of how Olive Garden has improved
communication with consumers.
YEAR
ONE
The promotion
has led the
chain to shift its
EVOLUTION
OF SOCIAL
MEDIA GROWTH OLIVE MEASURES
OF SUCCESS
Pasta Pass
guests came
GARDEN’S
marketing and in, on average,
social media voice 10 times
to “talk to guests In addition to the during the
NEVER ENDING
like real people,” one-second sell-out, promotion.
says Dinon. Olive Garden looks Most users
at social media brought other
PASTA PASS
volume and pop paying guests
culture references. with them
With only 100 passes across
840 restaurants that first year, during each
corporate made sure managers MANAGER visit.
remembered that the passes RESPONSE KNOCK-
existed—as well as the logistics
of how to process them. OFFS Olive Garden initially had to
GUEST address consumers saying the deal
“The success of it would be

REACTION was “too good to be true.” Same
with last year’s Pasta Passport—an
HOSPITALITY surprising and probably scary to
UPGRADE all-inclusive trip to Italy for $200.
other brands.” —DINON
Now, with
more passes
available, OTHERS CHAINS
Since Pasta Passes all general GO UNLIMITED
are personalized, managers
managers can get a Pasta
personalize the Pass to give
experience, Au Bon Pain’s Endless Smashburger’s
to one loyal
addressing the Coffee Mug: For $199, Burger Pass:
guest.
guest by name users get a mug for The $54 pass got
and making a free refills in 2018. users $1 burgers Knowing that the pass
connection. for 54 days. sells out in a second, and
that guests are watching
the clock, Olive Garden
now provides how-to-buy
information upfront.
Bacon doesn’t make everything better.
JONES BACON DOES. DRY AGED
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on the star ingredient. Jones bacon is dry aged, and while it takes extra time, it results in
a subtly sweet and smoky flavor you can’t get anywhere else. Try our cherrywood smoked
bacon and taste how Jones can make even the most ordinary dish extraordinary.
For more information, or to request a sample, visit JonesDairyFarmFoodservice.com.

Or, contact Bryon Coleman at bryonc @JonesDairyFarm.com or (920) 691-0230.
© 2017 Jones Dairy Farm

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DELIVERY MOVES PARTIALLY IN-HOUSE P.23 FOOD COST FORECAST FOR 2018 P.

Go All Natural. Call 1-800-328-1756

©2017 Jennie-O Turkey Store, LLC

To learn more, visit syscofoodie.com/brands or contact your local marketing associate.

Director, Shared Regional Vice

An Anchor-iginal favorite bursting with house-made appeal

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