Food & Beverage
The outbreak of COVID-19 had a significant impact on the food service industry. Many restaurants were forced to shut down, and workers lost their source of income. However, many restaurants are reopening and quickly adapting to survive the changes after the pandemic. Restaurant managers have entered a rebranding journey to optimize the customer experience and […]
Latest
Food & Beverage
Revitalizing On The Border: A Rebranding Journey for Enhanced Client Experience
The outbreak of COVID-19 had a significant impact on the food service industry. Many restaurants were forced to shut down, and workers lost their source of income. However, many restaurants are reopening and quickly adapting to survive the changes after the pandemic. Restaurant managers have entered a rebranding journey to optimize the customer experience and […]
Articles
The Food Industry’s Understaffing Problem: A Positive Change for Employees and Customers
The food industry is known for its fast-paced, high-stress environment. However, in recent times, the food industry’s understaffing problem has made things much more challenging! The food industry is feeling the pinch of understaffing, with over 60% of establishments admitting they are struggling to recruit enough employees. In spite of that, this challenge has […]
Food & Beverage
Healthy Living: A Growing Trend in Restaurant Industry
Greek salad, pasta salad, cucumber avocado salad, garden salad, corn salad, cole slaw, Caesar salad, Caprese salad, macaroni salad… and the list goes on and on. There are an infinite number of salads one can create—not just salads for healthy living. And everyone seems to have a preference for their own unique spin on a […]
Food & Beverage
Loyalty Programs That Work: Strategies for Building and Sustaining Customer Loyalty in the Restaurant Industry
Loyalty programs use points, miles, or other currency to incentivize customers to purchase or engage with the brand. Customers can redeem these points for discounts, free products, exclusive access, or other perks. Technology, such as mobile apps and online accounts, allows customers to easily track and redeem their rewards and receive personalized promotions […]
Articles
As Buyers Embrace Organic Foods, Producers Can Learn from Millennia-Old Methods for Operating a Sustainable Business
As climate concerns continue to rise, customers are relying more and more on sustainable, organic products. According to a report out of the WWF, searches for sustainable goods rose by 71% between 2016 and 2021 in high-income countries like the United States, Germany and Canada, but also among developing economies like Ecuador and Indonesia. […]
Articles
Food Sustainability is on Consumers’ Minds Worldwide. What’s Driving the Desire for It?
Food sustainability is a high priority on consumers’ shopping lists worldwide and they have an increasing appetite for sustainable food that reduces their carbon footprint. According to findings in a new survey from Yara and IPSOS on European consumer demand for sustainable food, when asked if food companies should work to reduce emissions in […]
Latest
Adapting the SLR Magic of Anamorphic Filmmaking to the Panasonic Lumix Ecosystem Creates Endless Filmmaking Possibilities
The Panasonic Lumix System revolutionized independent filmmaking through the convergence of a handheld DSLR style body, larger than video camera sensors for a narrow depth of field, and the versatility and utility of interchangeable lenses. By being mirrorless and with the use of adapters, a broad gamut of vintage and modern lenses became available for […]
AV is Bridging the Gap Between the Real World and the Metaverse at Industry Conferences
How is AV helping bridge the gap between the real world and the metaverse? Some of the best examples can be seen in the midst of large-scale trade shows and industry events. For example, ETHDenver, an annual blockchain conference held in Denver, Colorado, hosts more than 20,000 technologists every year to innovate and develop […]
Why Authentic Content Should Be at the Forefront of Your Company’s Marketing Strategy
Media today is the most powerful it’s ever been, and with the introduction of new channels to consume it daily, the consumer can become easily overwhelmed with a plethora of choices. How does your channel stand out? Authentic media might be the clickbait. With the likes of TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services like Spotify, […]
Latest Articles

Articles
As Buyers Embrace Organic Foods, Producers Can Learn from Millennia-Old Methods for Operating a Sustainable Business
As climate concerns continue to rise, customers are relying more and more on sustainable, organic products. According to a report out of the WWF, searches for sustainable goods rose by 71% between 2016 and 2021 in high-income countries like the United States, Germany and Canada, but also among developing economies like Ecuador and Indonesia. […]
Food Sustainability is on Consumers’ Minds Worldwide. What’s Driving the Desire for It?
Food sustainability is a high priority on consumers’ shopping lists worldwide and they have an increasing appetite for sustainable food that reduces their carbon footprint. According to findings in a new survey from Yara and IPSOS on European consumer demand for sustainable food, when asked if food companies should work to reduce emissions in […]
As Consumers Go Green, How Can Alcohol Producers Make the Spirits Industry More Sustainable?
To the modern consumer, environmental footprint matters. Roughly 90% of Gen Z consumers surveyed in a recent First Insight study said they’d be willing to shell out extra money for sustainable products. Furthermore, Gen Zs were found to be highly influential among their extended circle of consumers, impacting the buying patterns of their parents […]
Chipotle Looks to Ghost Kitchens to Make Farmesa a Reality
The West Coast plays host to one friendly kitchen ghost as Chipotle Mexican Grill launches their fresh eatery concept, Farmesa, in Santa Monica, California, this March. While its not the company’s first foray into ghost kitchens, it’s the most focused investment into the decentralized kitchen concept. Farmesa will serve a variety of bowls ranging […]

Articles
Chipotle Looks to Ghost Kitchens to Make Farmesa a Reality
The West Coast plays host to one friendly kitchen ghost as Chipotle Mexican Grill launches their fresh eatery concept, Farmesa, in Santa Monica, California, this March. While its not the company’s first foray into ghost kitchens, it’s the most focused investment into the decentralized kitchen concept. Farmesa will serve a variety of bowls ranging […]
Fast Food Foot Traffic is Dipping While Net Sales Remain Up. Can QSR Keep This Dynamic Up?
It’s been a tough couple of years for restaurants and QSRs. The pandemic, supply shortages, and inflation have done the notoriously tight-budgeted industry no favors. But as those issues fade into history, what does the future hold for the restaurant and QSR industry? Recent Revenue Management Solutions quick-service restaurant (QSR) data for January 2023 […]
McDonald’s and GM Boast Positive Q4 Earnings to End 2022 on a High Note
Ba Da Ba Ba Bah, McDonald’s is lovin’ their Q4 earnings. The golden arches were shining bright when McDonald’s reported their fourth-quarter earnings results Tuesday, January 31, 2023. Mcdonald’s beat Wall Street expectations of $5.75 billion in revenue with a reported $5.93 billion. U.S. same-store sales were up, and McDonald’s adjusted earnings per share were […]
California Storms Have Farmers Rushing to Avoid Crop Shortfall
(Bloomberg) — California farmers are facing costly damages from weeks of severe California storms that may trigger more expensive US fruits and vegetables in a time of massive food inflation. “The numbers are going to be somewhere in the hundreds of millions and perhaps in the billions,” Dave Puglia, head of the trade group Western […]

Articles
California Storms Have Farmers Rushing to Avoid Crop Shortfall
(Bloomberg) — California farmers are facing costly damages from weeks of severe California storms that may trigger more expensive US fruits and vegetables in a time of massive food inflation. “The numbers are going to be somewhere in the hundreds of millions and perhaps in the billions,” Dave Puglia, head of the trade group Western […]
Chipotle Seeks to Hire 15,000 Workers Amid Tech Layoffs
(Bloomberg) — Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is adding 15,000 jobs across its North American locations — a sign that demand for restaurant food is robust despite high inflation and economic uncertainty. The burrito chain’s hiring push is meant to ensure its more than 3,000 US restaurants are fully staffed for the company’s busiest season, which […]
Egg Price Increases Cause a Clucking Headache for Grocers and Shoppers
People say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Thanks to an outbreak of avian flu, and continued inflation woes, breakfast is quickly becoming one of the more expensive meals too. Egg price increases are leaving restauranteurs, grocers, and shoppers reeling. The wholesale trade value for a dozen “Midwest large” eggs went […]
Where Did All the Breakfast Traffic Go?
Breakfast traffic is slowing. Revenue Management Solutions said breakfast traffic in the QSR segment dropped 7.4% in a year-over-year comparison from November 2021 to November 2022. Yet dinner traffic for the same month dropped less than 1% from the previous November, and lunch was down 3.9% from 2021’s figures. Morning commuter traffic is up, but […]
Latest Podcasts

Food & Beverage
Healthy Living: A Growing Trend in Restaurant Industry
Greek salad, pasta salad, cucumber avocado salad, garden salad, corn salad, cole slaw, Caesar salad, Caprese salad, macaroni salad… and the list goes on and on. There are an infinite number of salads one can create—not just salads for healthy living. And everyone seems to have a preference for their own unique spin on a […]
Loyalty Programs That Work: Strategies for Building and Sustaining Customer Loyalty in the Restaurant Industry
Loyalty programs use points, miles, or other currency to incentivize customers to purchase or engage with the brand. Customers can redeem these points for discounts, free products, exclusive access, or other perks. Technology, such as mobile apps and online accounts, allows customers to easily track and redeem their rewards and receive personalized promotions […]
Navigating the World of Restaurant Franchising
Restaurant franchising allows individuals to operate a business using a proven business model and brand. The franchisor provides training and ongoing support while the franchisee pays an initial fee and royalties. Franchise agreements are detailed, with territorial restrictions and the option to renew or terminate. Franchising reduces risk but requires significant investment. But what are […]
Finding and Keeping Great People to Help Achieve Your Vision
José Andrés, Chef and Founder of World Central Kitchen, once said, “The business of feeding people is the most amazing business in the world.” While this rings true for many chefs and restaurant owners, the last several years have put businesses in delicate financial situations and has resulted in numerous closures across the […]

Food & Beverage
Finding and Keeping Great People to Help Achieve Your Vision
José Andrés, Chef and Founder of World Central Kitchen, once said, “The business of feeding people is the most amazing business in the world.” While this rings true for many chefs and restaurant owners, the last several years have put businesses in delicate financial situations and has resulted in numerous closures across the […]
The Growth of Ghost Kitchens in the Restaurant Industry
Necessity-meeting technology played a vital role in the rapid acceleration of ghost kitchens during the COVID-19 pandemic. The global market size of ghost kitchens grew to 56.71 Billion dollars in 2021, and the industry forecasts a 112.53 billion ghost kitchen market by 2027. While one can typically find ghost kitchens in dense urban areas, there […]
What Can Employers Learn from Employee Exit Interviews?
Managing a restaurant is challenging, especially when the way restaurants operate is changing all the time. In the last couple years with the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants have had to adapt with the times in unprecedented ways. From staff shortages to supply chain issues, there’s a lot to juggle, but there are always ways for […]
A Full Course on How Restaurants Can Maintain Post-Pandemic Business Growth
The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a major hit to the restaurant industry, which would see new trends and change it forever. Some of those trends were devastating while there were others that helped improve the success of some businesses, per Forbes. But in managing the new growth that a lot of restaurant owners […]

Food & Beverage
A Full Course on How Restaurants Can Maintain Post-Pandemic Business Growth
The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a major hit to the restaurant industry, which would see new trends and change it forever. Some of those trends were devastating while there were others that helped improve the success of some businesses, per Forbes. But in managing the new growth that a lot of restaurant owners […]
How Online Schooling Transformed and Created Access to Culinary Education
Online schooling has been around since the late ‘80s but didn’t become more common until the early ‘90s. Today, all types of educational courses can be accessed and completed solely online — even hands-on disciplines, such as culinary schooling and experiential trades. In addition, even though predominantly higher education or certain trades offered online […]
Lobster and Franchising
Lobster and franchising are not often two words one would hear in a sentence together. And yet, franchising lobster is exactly what two cousins did from Maine. But how did their journey begin, why did they decide to franchise, and why was franchising the right fit for them? On the newest episode of The […]
Training Employees of the Deskless Workforce
Onboarding and training are crucial to success and ensuring long-term employees. It’s their first welcome in the company and essential to keeping them long-term, and this point is proving itself time and time again in industries with a deskless workforce. So, what are the elements of good onboarding, and why is it so important […]
Latest Videos

Articles
Is Cash Still King for Restaurant Goers? Exploring the Trend of Cashless Payments
Key Insights: 60% of people believe society will go cashless in their lifetime. Restaurants that don’t offer various cashless payment options could miss out on business. Not offering cash payment options could be a discriminatory practice. Is the world reaching the apex as a cashless society? Perhaps, not yet, but more and more, people are […]
The Drive-Thru is Pivotal for QSR’s But How Can They Be More Efficient?
The pandemic accelerated many aspects of the restaurant industry, including the ways in which consumers interact with QSR’s. Bringing in the Global Head of Technology for Xenial, host Barbara Castiglia spoke with Chris Siefken about the changing nature of QSR’s and the technology that is here to address them. Restaurant technology is, and always has […]
Why Restaurants Are Historically Slow at Adopting New Technology
The restaurant industry has historically been slow to shift and adopt new technology. Ben Simmons, Co-founder and COO of Table Needs recalled a meeting in 2012 when a restaurant owner was considering building a website. Websites were pretty mainstream, but it shows an example of generalization. Today, as reported by Restaurant Dive, 77% of […]
Loyalty Programs Should Maximize Customer Value Not Discounts
Groupon has it wrong. Or at least partially. Taking a deep dive into customer data and analytics, Zach Goldstein, CEO & Founder of Thanx, a loyalty, CRM, and guest engagement platform shares his insight on what it means to build customer loyalty with The Main Course host Barbara Castiglia. Our understanding of what loyalty […]

Food & Beverage
Loyalty Programs Should Maximize Customer Value Not Discounts
Groupon has it wrong. Or at least partially. Taking a deep dive into customer data and analytics, Zach Goldstein, CEO & Founder of Thanx, a loyalty, CRM, and guest engagement platform shares his insight on what it means to build customer loyalty with The Main Course host Barbara Castiglia. Our understanding of what loyalty […]
Jollibee Has the Mission to be a Top Five Restaurant Group in the World
Barbara Castiglia interviews Maribeth Dela Cruz, President of Jollibee North America, to discuss Jollibee and its presence in North America. Jollibee is on the fastest growing Asian restaurant companies in the world. Cruz has been with the Jollibee company for thirty years and has worked her way from shift manger to her current role as […]
Coffee Entrepreneur Discusses How He Has Helped Establish One of the Most Popular Chains in the Midwest
The co-CEO and co-founder of Biggby Coffee, Mike McFall, talked with host Barbara Castiglia of the podcast “The Main Course,” about the rise of his coffee chain. Founded in Lansing, Michigan over 27 years ago, today Biggby Coffee is one of the most popular coffee chains in the Midwest region. McFall said decades ago […]
The Retired CEO of YUM! Brands Has the New Goal of Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
David Novak was the first of his family to graduate from college. He studied journalism at the University of Missouri and started working in advertising. After a few turns in his career, Novak found joy in working in the restaurant industry. He eventually co-founded Yum! Brands and acted successfully as CEO for many years. […]

Food & Beverage
The Retired CEO of YUM! Brands Has the New Goal of Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
David Novak was the first of his family to graduate from college. He studied journalism at the University of Missouri and started working in advertising. After a few turns in his career, Novak found joy in working in the restaurant industry. He eventually co-founded Yum! Brands and acted successfully as CEO for many years. […]
Burnout is a Concern in the Hospitality Industry But How Does Your Team Address It?
Healthy Pour is a consultancy whose mission is to improve the mental health and well-being of individuals, communities, and organizations within the hospitality and adjacent sectors through education, coaching, intervention development, and research. Laura Louise Green, Founder of Healthy Pour, joined Barbara Castiglia to talk about this critical concern in the restaurant and hospitality […]
Is Holistic Nutrition the Answer for Improving Overall Nutritional Needs?
In the latest episode of the podcast “There’s More to IT,” host Jason Claybrook brings on his wife Niki, and diverges from technology to discuss maintaining healthy-eating habits, as more and more people return to work traveling as pandemic restrictions ease. As a holistic nutrition consultant based in Texas, Claybrook consults clients that have […]
Using Data to Create a Smarter Restaurant
Jessica Valenzuela conceptualized the GoGoGuest system while using the free wifi at cafes around Europe. What started as a wifi marketing solution has evolved into a more significant consumer connection. The company’s capabilities connect the consumer to the restaurant amenities and leverage their information back to the restaurant. Today, GoGoGuest services over 300 customers across […]
Revitalizing On The Border: A Rebranding Journey for Enhanced Client Experience
The outbreak of COVID-19 had a significant impact on the food service industry. Many restaurants were forced to shut down, and workers lost their source of income. However, many restaurants are reopening and quickly adapting to survive the changes after the pandemic. Restaurant managers have entered a rebranding journey to optimize the customer experience and […]
The Food Industry’s Understaffing Problem: A Positive Change for Employees and Customers
The food industry is known for its fast-paced, high-stress environment. However, in recent times, the food industry’s understaffing problem has made things much more challenging! The food industry is feeling the pinch of understaffing, with over 60% of establishments admitting they are struggling to recruit enough employees. In spite of that, this challenge has […]
Healthy Living: A Growing Trend in Restaurant Industry
Greek salad, pasta salad, cucumber avocado salad, garden salad, corn salad, cole slaw, Caesar salad, Caprese salad, macaroni salad… and the list goes on and on. There are an infinite number of salads one can create—not just salads for healthy living. And everyone seems to have a preference for their own unique spin on a […]
Loyalty Programs That Work: Strategies for Building and Sustaining Customer Loyalty in the Restaurant Industry
Loyalty programs use points, miles, or other currency to incentivize customers to purchase or engage with the brand. Customers can redeem these points for discounts, free products, exclusive access, or other perks. Technology, such as mobile apps and online accounts, allows customers to easily track and redeem their rewards and receive personalized promotions […]
As Buyers Embrace Organic Foods, Producers Can Learn from Millennia-Old Methods for Operating a Sustainable Business
As climate concerns continue to rise, customers are relying more and more on sustainable, organic products. According to a report out of the WWF, searches for sustainable goods rose by 71% between 2016 and 2021 in high-income countries like the United States, Germany and Canada, but also among developing economies like Ecuador and Indonesia. […]
Food Sustainability is on Consumers’ Minds Worldwide. What’s Driving the Desire for It?
Food sustainability is a high priority on consumers’ shopping lists worldwide and they have an increasing appetite for sustainable food that reduces their carbon footprint. According to findings in a new survey from Yara and IPSOS on European consumer demand for sustainable food, when asked if food companies should work to reduce emissions in […]
As Consumers Go Green, How Can Alcohol Producers Make the Spirits Industry More Sustainable?
To the modern consumer, environmental footprint matters. Roughly 90% of Gen Z consumers surveyed in a recent First Insight study said they’d be willing to shell out extra money for sustainable products. Furthermore, Gen Zs were found to be highly influential among their extended circle of consumers, impacting the buying patterns of their parents […]
Navigating the World of Restaurant Franchising
Restaurant franchising allows individuals to operate a business using a proven business model and brand. The franchisor provides training and ongoing support while the franchisee pays an initial fee and royalties. Franchise agreements are detailed, with territorial restrictions and the option to renew or terminate. Franchising reduces risk but requires significant investment. But what are […]
Chipotle Looks to Ghost Kitchens to Make Farmesa a Reality
The West Coast plays host to one friendly kitchen ghost as Chipotle Mexican Grill launches their fresh eatery concept, Farmesa, in Santa Monica, California, this March. While its not the company’s first foray into ghost kitchens, it’s the most focused investment into the decentralized kitchen concept. Farmesa will serve a variety of bowls ranging […]