Foodservice Archive > Page 10

Can Subway Reset as Competition Gains Steam?

Just months after revamping its menu and tapping new pitchmen, Subway is making more bold moves, as competing sandwich chains like Firehouse Subs, Jimmy John’s, and Jersey Mike’s gain market share. The world’s largest sandwich …

Restaurant Show Puts Plant-Based in Spotlight

CHICAGO – Plant-based protein options were plentiful at the recent National Restaurant Association show, with old timers Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Kellogg’s Morningstar Farms joined by newer companies – such as Daring, Next Gen …

Automation, Marketing to Gen Z Key Themes at Restaurant Show

CHICAGO – Members of the restaurant industry gathered in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show between in late May to taste the latest in culinary trends. Major themes at the show included automation, marketing …

Dangerous ‘Forever Chemicals’ Seeping into Food Supply

For years, farmers looking for less expensive fertilizer turned to treated sewage sludge. Now, however, there’s evidence the sludge may have contaminated as many as 20 million acres with so-called forever chemicals – per- and …

Third-Party Delivery Apps Facing Uncertain Future

Third-party delivery firms are making headlines again. A growing number of investors, customers, and workers are fed up as the companies hemorrhage money and relentlessly chase growth— burning cash, customers, and vendors along the way …

Analysis: How Severely Will Inflation Impact Small Restaurants?

Half of all small business owners and nearly three-quarters of restaurateurs fear inflation will drive them out of business this year, the Alignable Small Business Inflation Poll indicates. “It’s the mom-and-pop diners and the small, …

Predicted Increase in Travel Could Benefit QSRs

U.S. gas prices breached $4 per gallon in every state in March, according to AAA, while JP Morgan predicts they could surpass $6 by the end of the summer. Regardless, after two years of COVID …

Blackouts in the Forecast for Summer

The food industry should be on high alert this summer amid warnings from the North American Electric Corp. that high temperatures, drought and the prospects of extreme weather could contribute to blackouts across the continent. …

Q&A: Plant-Based Menu Innovations Gen Z Students Love

Colleges and universities are on the frontline of plant-based foodservice innovation as they cater to the Gen Z students who will help shape the future of menus. For additional insights, The Food Institute spoke with …

Mexican Food Hotter than Ever

Even a lingering pandemic has done little to slow the momentum of Merkado, an independent restaurant serving Mexican comfort food in San Francisco. The establishment, which features a menu inspired by Yucatán and Jaliscan cuisine, …

NYC Grubhub Debacle Furthers Restaurant-Delivery App Tensions

Is the relationship between third-party delivery companies and restaurants starting to fray? A Grubhub promotion offering free lunch to all New York City customers on Tuesday turned into chaos for both restaurants and customers. The app was offering …

Analysis: How Papa Johns is Accelerating Growth

Pizza chain Papa Johns has mounted a charge during the pandemic, leading to plans to open as many as 1,800 new locations worldwide by 2025. “Our outlook for developing new stores and introducing more customers …

Influx of Teens Impacting Workforce

Everyone remembers that first job: the first whiff of responsibility outside school or home, the ability to put cash in one’s pocket that didn’t come from mom or dad, that incredible flush of independence. But …

No Shortage of Shortages as Supply Chain Issues Persist

As supply chain problems persist, there’s no shortage of shortages these days. A baby formula shortage has become wide ranging, for example, with a current out-of-stock rate of 40%, up from 31% in early April. …

Vietnamese Restaurants See Opportunity at the Drive-Thru Window

Vietnamese restaurants see potential in the fast-food category. Many American cities, such as Philadelphia, Washington and San Jose, California, are experiencing a surge of new Vietnamese restaurants, reported The New York Times (April 26). And Vietnamese restaurateurs are hoping to …

Amid Inflation, Loyalty Programs as Popular as Ever

Loyalty and subscription services helped companies retain current customers and attract new ones, even as the pandemic upended many business models. “Loyalty programs are popular right now for several reasons,” Jacob Borgeson, director of product …

Restaurants Grapple with Rising Chicken Prices

Chicken is not as cheap as it used to be. USDA reported prices for skinned boneless chicken breasts in the Northeast region were ranging between $3.30 and $3.35 per lb. on May 4. Food Institute …

Restaurants Roll the Dice on Gambling Partnerships

In the same vein as national restaurant brands increasingly marketing to marijuana users as states continue to legalize the drug, the restaurant industry is aligning with sports betting to help boost revenue. And with good …

As Inflation Rises, Consumers and Food Companies Pivot

It’s been four decades since consumers were slapped with a double whammy of rapidly rising food and gas prices. In the 1970s and early 1980s consumers coped by switching to generics, changing their diets, and …

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U.S. Sushi Industry Poised for Change on Supply Concerns

In America, the sushi business is booming. Yet, industry leaders like Taka Tanaka know change is on the horizon, creating uncertainty. Though America has a growing appetite for sushi – the segment is expected to …

Crisp & Green CEO Sees ‘Amazing Runway’ for Salad Chain

WAYZATA, Minnesota – Crisp & Green isn’t the first fast-casual restaurant to focus on salads. Yet, founder Steele Smiley promises an unrivaled focus on freshness and healthiness. He feels competitors “have left this amazing runway …

Report: 40% of Consumers Buying Plant-Based Foods

Nearly half of consumers are buying plant-based products in 2022. A new report from Acosta found that 40 percent of consumers surveyed in March purchased plant-based protein and/or dairy alternatives within the last six months, …

How Restaurants Can Retain Price-Conscious Consumers

A recent survey of middle-income households shows 57% anticipate buying fewer takeout and dine-in meals, reported Restaurant Business (April 20). At the same time, restaurants are struggling to keep prices in check. With these factors in …

Fried Food Demand Continues to Sizzle

Consumers are still loving all things fried. Market research service Mintel Menu Insights found that the number of fried foods on U.S. restaurant menus rose 5% during the first three quarters of 2021. And with …

Restaurant Brands Increasingly Court Marijuana Users

Image courtesy of Wingstop While 18 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. have legalized marijuana for recreational use, it remains illegal on the federal level. Yet, several national restaurant brands are incorporating marijuana into their marketing …

Food Businesses Step Up Sustainability Efforts

For Earth Day, The Food Institute takes a closer look at recent industry efforts to meet the growing sustainability expectations of consumers. RETAILERS Sam’s Club recently revealed new sustainability efforts for its Member’s Mark private-label …

Demand Growing for Clean Label Meat Alternatives

As a broader variety of plant-based protein alternatives enter the market, health-conscious flexitarians are turning a more critical eye towards ingredients and production methods. In 2021, consumer interest in clean label grew by 86% within …

Teen Spending Up, Interest in Plant-Based Down

Teens are spending more money (+9%) and food is a top priority, according to Piper Sandler’s Taking Stock with Teens Spring 2022 survey. With these themes in mind, below are key findings that food industry …