Will AI Ordering Go Mainstream at Restaurants?

In response to labor shortages, some restaurants are turning to AI-powered bots that answer phones and communicate with customers.

FI Live Replay: Resilience In Today’s Corporate World

Watch the replay of The Food Institute’s recent livestream on corporate resiliency. What makes a company and its employees resilient in today’s challenging business climate? For starters, building a culture of success and ensuring that …

Could a 4-Day Workweek Benefit the Food Industry?

Along with Henry Ford’s assembly line in 1926 was the introduction of the standard five-day workweek. And while it certainly remains the norm, some groups are beginning to challenge this time-tested schedule in pursuit of …

Labor Shortage Update: Restaurants Limit Delivery, Online Sales to Focus on Dine-In

The labor shortage continues to take a toll on restaurants across the U.S., just as the holiday season gets underway. For example, a California Boston Market shut on Thanksgiving after staff did not show up, …

Major Retailers Begin Intense Hiring Push

The retail industry is hiring at a record pace. In June, the industry saw 1.1 million job openings even after more than 1.1 million workers got hired in a massive hiring spree, reported NPR (Aug. 26). Still, employment …

Oregon McDonald’s Hiring Workers as Young as 14 Amid Labor Shortage

Food companies have had to get creative to attract workers during the ongoing labor shortage. An Oregon McDonald’s is now even looking to hire teen workers as young as 14, according to a report from …

Bojangles’ New Approach Amid Labor Issues: Taking Two Days Off

Bojangles closed all of its company-owned stores today and will do so again on September 13 in an effort to give its employees and managers a “well-deserved break.” However, employees will not be paid for …

UPDATE: Restaurants Forced to Get Creative to Lure New Hires

Restaurants are struggling to win back employees so far in 2021. The Food Institute reported on this issue back in early April when QSRs were finding hiring new workers particularly challenging, and the issue has …

Unionization Threatens to Increase Amazon Costs

Some 5,800 Amazon employees at the company’s Bessemer, Alabama, warehouse voted in the last two months on whether to unionize in a move that could energize the labor movement and mean higher prices for those …

Food Companies Incentivizing Workers to Get COVID-19 Vaccinations

Though not requiring workers to get COVID-19 vaccinations, some food retailers are incentivizing them to get the shots. Among the first to do so was Dollar General, which offered employees four hours of pay to …

Companies Show Thanks to Employees as Pandemic Continues

Food companies are showing their appreciation for employees in several ways as 2020 comes to a close. Chipotle has paid out over $40 million in bonuses and assistance pay to employees during COVID-19, reported QSR …

Restaurants Focus on Employees as More Closures Loom

The coronavirus pandemic has caused 8,400 retailers and 110,000 restaurants to close across the U.S. this year, according to industry statistics, reported The Economic Times (Dec. 14). And even more closures could be on the …

Retailers Bring Back Hazard Pay and Bonuses

Several companies have recently made announcements regarding bonuses and hazard pay, following reports of retailers not sharing enough of their pandemic profit with their employees. Here are a few: Amazon After ending its $2-an-hour pay …

COVID-19 is Increasing, but Hazard Pay for Retail Employees is Not

Despite rising coronavirus cases across the country, hazard pay for retail workers is not keeping pace. Industry observers say many retailers are not sharing enough of the profits they have earned during the pandemic with …

Retail Employees Feel Effects of COVID-19

Food Institute Focus – Retail Employees Feel Effects of COVID-19