Insights & Trends
Energy-Efficient Countertop Fryers: Top 4 Features to Look For
Choosing an energy-efficient countertop fryer is essential to reducing business costs—learn how to choose the most efficient fryers within this helpful guide.
Types of Grills: What Kind is Best for Your Business
Learn the 3 main types of grills and determine which would be most beneficial for your business.
Choosing the Right Food Truck Equipment
Food trucks are essentially restaurants on wheels. They need all the same areas that a restaurant does, but in a very compact space. Since they’re mobile, food trucks also have to be self-contained and carry their own water supply, utilities, and infrastructure. This is why the right food truck equipment and layout are so crucial to ensure an efficient and profitable operation.
Finding the Best Commercial Patio Heater for Your Business
Cooler weather shouldn’t mean that you need to close your patio. A commercial patio heater is ideal for extending the outdoor dining season at your restaurant or bar.
It IS easy being green! Sustainable restaurant practices made simple.
The concept of sustainability can be described as the practice of living within our means. Whether that principle applies to our checking account or the inventory in our refrigerator, living sustainably is all about making our available resources last until they can be replenished without disrupting the supply. Being conscientious of resources and waste hasn’t always been a priority in the restaurant industry, but thanks to lots of research and public awareness, the times, they are a-changin’.
What is a Ghost Kitchen (a.k.a Delivery-Only Kitchen)?
Though ghost restaurants started becoming trendy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was only during 2020 when these delivery-only restaurants really started to skyrocket in popularity. According to a recent report by CBRE, ghost kitchens could account for as much as 21% of the restaurant industry’s total profits by 2025. That’s big business. So what is a ghost kitchen exactly? Let’s take a closer look at what they are, how they operate, and what their impact will be on the industry going forward.
Plant-Based Restaurants: The Future of Sustainability (and Profitability)
Sustainable cooking and kitchen practices are major factors influencing the recent proliferation of plant-based restaurants, but they’re not the only ones. From vegan fast food options designed to attract new customers, to a heightened focus on catering to diners with food sensitivities, there are a variety of reasons why vegan options should be on your restaurant’s radar.
Self-Service & Food Safety in a Post-Pandemic World
At long last, some semblance of normalcy has returned. As the country emerges from the grips of a global pandemic, we’re left with one question: What comes next? Customer perception has been rewired to keep sanitation top of line, and this has created some concern over the future of self-serve salad bars and buffets. Learn what consumers want and tips for safe self-service in a post-pandemic world.
How Home Meal Kit Service Can Boost Your Restaurant’s Bottom Line
The Covid-19 pandemic inspired an unprecedented wave of innovation and creativity throughout the restaurant industry, as businesses struggled to stay afloat while reducing capacity limits and practicing social distancing. Now that the world is starting to open back up again, industry experts have been speculating about how many of these Covid-era innovations will stick around for the long haul. Home meal kits and grab-and-go options are two of the most popular trends of 2020, but will they continue to be viable in 2021 and beyond?
2021 State of the Restaurant Industry: Where Do We Go After 2020?
2020 was definitely not an ideal year for anybody. Especially those in foodservice. But good news, things are looking up. See what’s trending and what’s in store for the foodservice and hospitality industries in 2021.
Grab-N-Go: School Solutions for Safe Serving, Portable Meal Programs, and A-La-Carte Upsells
The right grab-n-go solution can resolve many obstacles school meal programs have faced as a result of COVID-19. These include safely delivering meals to students, alleviating menu fatigue, and softening the financial blow by promoting a-la-carte upsells.
Disinfecting Solutions: Should You Be Using Bleach?
Though bleach can be used as a powerful disinfectant, it’s not without its cons. The concentrated Q.A. disinfectant solution is EPA-approved for killing viruses similar to the coronavirus, and less corrosive. Read for more benefits.
10 Ways to Optimize Your Restaurant Delivery
With more restaurants turning to delivery services, we discuss how to optimize for short waits and fresh food.
What are Charger Plates?
Charger plates, sometimes referred to as show plates, are a growing trend often observed in elegant and private dining setting such as banquets, catered events, and exclusive golf clubs. These large plates, used for displays and suggestive selling, elevate the ambiance and the overall dining experience – really giving a charge to your tabletop presentation.
How to Make a Profit Selling Juice
There’s a lot to cover when it comes to making and selling fresh juice. A juice business is nothing new, but it’s something that you should consider if you haven’t yet. In the United States, juice businesses can be profitable because of the popularity among customers for the convenience in getting required nutrients, making the juice business a natural pair.
Why You Should Introduce Juicing to Your Restaurant
You’ve probably heard about juicing through social media, news articles, and celebrities. It’s making its mark as a healthy and delicious way to consume your daily produce. Many food establishments are getting on board with this trend from brunch restaurants to smoothie stands. We’re going to take you through the benefits of drinking juice for your customers as well as the benefits of selling juice in your business.
A Day in the Life of a Food Truck Operator
Have you ever dreamed of starting your own food truck? Learn what an average day in the life looks like from the view of two successful food truck operators.
4 Approaches To Pop-Up Success
Operating a pop-up is a great way to test the market and expand your reach. Just be sure to match your strategy to your goal.
Shared Kitchens: What They Are and How They Can Help Your Operation
Shared kitchens are rising in popularity, providing sanitary commercial spaces to expand your operation, great for catering and delivery services.
Vent vs. Ventless Dishwashers: Pros, Cons, and Considerations
Ventless dishwashers alleviate the need to install a Type II hood in your commercial kitchen, adding more flexibility to your dish room layout. Learn all about the pros, cons, and additional considerations for ventless dishwashing units.
Restaurant Patio Ideas to Wow Your Customers
A well-designed outdoor dining space will add valuable seating and atmosphere to your business. This article will give you some ideas on decorating and furnishing your restaurant patio in order to maximize the environment and entice customers.
10 Common Mistakes Bar Owners Make
Running an efficient bar takes hard work, and mistakes are inevitable. However, certain pitfalls can be avoided by learning about the common mistakes many bar owners make.
Deciding What Type of Bar to Open
Opening a bar first begins with deciding which type of bar to open. The type of bar that’s right for you needs to fit with your personality as well as customer needs. Learn all about the various types of bars here.
The Growing Problem: Food Waste in Restaurants
By now, you are probably no stranger to the concept of food waste in some capacity. Whether you’ve read about how restaurants donate their unused/unsold food to local shelters, or how food waste is negatively impacting the environment, there are endless resources to learn about this problem. We explored the world of food waste in restaurants and how you as an owner, chef, or employee can reduce the waste that your foodservice business produces.
Custom Dinnerware by Homer Laughlin
Your dinnerware should help tell your story. Did you know that the average 18 to 34-year-old has approximately 500 followers on various social media platforms? And it seems like everyone is always snapping pics and posting their dishes – especially when serving presentation is prioritized. Posts by as few as ten people can generate thousands of impressions online. Make sure your logo is front and center with customized dinnerware by Homer Laughlin.
Why You Should Consider Using Restaurant Delivery Services
Is a third party delivery service ideal for my restaurant? How do I start using it?
Trend Alert: The Future of Warewashing
Every two years, the biggest show in commercial foodservice takes place. NAFEM – the National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers – presents a unique opportunity for commercial distributors and manufacturing partners to come together to experience firsthand...
What Do They Mean? NSF, UL, ETL and Energy Star Rated
While shopping for restaurant equipment, knowledge is power. In the course of your search for equipment, you will find NSF® listed, UL® certified and ENERGY STAR® rated items. In many cases, people do not always know what...
