Facing pressure from QSRs and other competitors, the family-dining segment continues to focus on its core competencies – namely breakfast and lunch – to meet consumers' needs.
For a gourmet meal, head on over to … the food court?
Battered by the recession and competition from non-mall retailers, shopping centers are trying to attract customers with a decidedly upscale culinary hook.
Burger joints and smoothie shops are giving way to sushi bars and churrascarias. Flatware is replacing plastic utensils. And forget grungy cafeteria seating with the sticky table tops and fluorescent lighting. Now customers are chowing down in Wi-Fi-equipped patios with lush landscaping, waterfalls, fireplaces and city and ocean views.
Years ago, Steven Polen, 59, would have never ventured to a mall to eat. But he recently headed to Westfield Century City just to have lunch at its food court, now called the “dining terrace” following a posh makeover.
The calendar may be rolling over to fall from summer, but the food safety season never ends for the foodservice industry. This article takes a look at some developments in this area offers a few tips as to how operators and other foodservice professionals can help maintain food-safe environments.
Value engineering is a term that both design and MAS consultants either fear or shun. But for designers who specify foodservice equipment, value engineering represents an unfortunate reality, and one they may have faced to a greater extent in the last couple of years because of a damaged economy that has resulted in tighter than normal budgets.
Eric Norman of MVP Services in Dubuque, Ia., however, has a solution for this issue that has worked well for him in assisting foodservice operators from all industry segments. Known as single-source and pick-three specification, it's an approach that Eric's father Ed taught him, and it is something other consultants might use, too.
Durable equipment and supplies represent a key ingredient as foodservice operators continue to feed Americans' seemingly insatiable appetite for these Italian pies.
While weathering the economic storm of the past two years, foodservice operators have had to deal with a plethora of factors as they try to get their businesses back on track and plan for their futures.
High-volume operators use tray lines to make up many meals at once and to clean afterwards.
Several industry-leading consultants share their perspectives on operator trends and developments when it comes to planning for their facilities and purchasing foodservice equipment and supplies.
As the sandwich concept continues to grow in popularity and variety, operators require foodservice equipment to support prep and holding tasks specific to their menus.
Updating an existing concept can be as exciting as it is challenging. In order to generate the right return on investment, it is important to understand what’s driving the need for change and how that impacts customer expectations.
Thanks to consumers' interest in healthier and portable foods that can be eaten on the go, the juice-bar segment of the foodservice industry continues to prosper.
Thanks to a focus on value and convenience, the B&I segment seems poised for a comeback.
Many foodservice companies are searching for innovative ideas but the easiest one to implement may be creating a greener operation.
Five foodservice professionals share their thoughts on what individuals and companies need to do to cultivate the next wave of talent that will propel the industry forward.
Americans' growing taste for Mexican-inspired cuisine continues to drive this foodservice segment to new heights, despite a challenging business environment.