Tabletop/Front Of House News

Recycled furnishings, solar-powered utilities and waste reduction measures all count as ways QSRs are practicing more sustainable operations. But as keen as customers are for brands that adhere to such earth-friendly practices, the folks at the helm of these restaurants say there’s nothing easy or cheap about incorporating sustainability into everyday operations. In fact, at a…

Opening a new restaurant means navigating a maze of creative, logistical, and legal challenges that would make American film producer M. Night Shyamalan blush. From tricky wage and hour laws to devilishly short immigration forms, there are employment law hurdles lurking around every turn. With a little forethought, new restaurants can avoid being stuck in…

Carlisle Corp. has sold its remaining three fast-casual LYFE Kitchen restaurants to the brand’s Chicago franchisee, L3 Hospitality Group. “We are proud of the local LYFE Kitchen brand we have developed in Chicago and are thankful for the opportunity to make additional enhancements,” said Gail Taggart, co-founder of L3 Hospitality, in a statement Friday. “We will…

Finding the right way to market one’s private dining space can be tricky. “That’s a funny thing,” Scott Shor at Edmund’s Oast says, “we don’t really go out of our way to market.” Instead of paid advertising, the restaurant group relies on its reputation as a dining destination, which is built from the restaurant, bottle…

Over the past several years, there’s been a technological revolution happening at the restaurant table. Eateries ranging from quickservice to fine dining are employing technology both to connect customers with staff members and to entertain them. Tabletop technology runs the gamut from small, sometimes indiscreet buttons to tablets with all the bells and whistles. The…

The quickening shift in restaurant sales from in-store dining to carryout and delivery is changing how human resources departments recruit and retain workers, leaders of four growing organizations said. “We will see a material shift in the next couple years in how HR is viewed within the boardroom,” said Paul Damico, CEO of the 39-unit…

A new San Francisco law seeks to ban the “insanely awesome” subsidized corporate cafeterias that have grown up in the Bay Area. If the law passes, companies like Google and Facebook won’t be allowed to operate cafeterias in any future office buildings in San Francisco. The law, which is endorsed by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association…

Oprah Winfrey is making a significant investment in True Food Kitchen and joining the board of the growing chain, which is eager to see whether the Oprah Effect translates into significant gains in the restaurant world. Winfrey was introduced to the decade-old chain by her friend, health expert Bob Greene, when Winfrey and Greene tasted…