This week the New York Times published an article investigating the costs of operating a restaurant in NYC versus the rest of the country. Among factors considered were rent per square foot, cost of produce and labor, and regulations. The author found that all of these factors are individually more expensive in New York City than other parts of the country, and in sum combine to create a prohibitively expensive business environment for restaurateurs. The article, which can be found here, succinctly characterizes the very difficult business of operating a food business in New York City. Of particular note was the increased price of produce in NYC versus the West Coast. It is well worth a read for current operators, those considering the industry, or the generally curious reader.
Veggie Grill Raises Additional $22 Million in Funding
The West Coast vegan chain Veggie Grill recently announced that they have received an additional investment to the tune of $22 million. With this money the chain plans to expand beyond its 28 units on the West Coast into new markets including the Midwest and East Coast. Steve Heeley, Veggie Grill’s CEO, also indicated that the brand is evaluating nontraditional locations for expansion such as airports and college campuses. Fueled by this new round of investment the chain expects to double in size by 2019. The growing demand for meatless food options – especially among college students and Millenials – makes this seem very reasonable.
You can read more about the expansion of Veggie Grill here.
Will Mobile Ordering Replace Drive-thru Window?
Drive-thru window in fast-food industry has attracted people by allowing customers to enjoy their take-out foods without stepping out of their car. However, considering the cost of installation and window drive way space, restaurant owners might not always be willing to spend their money on installing the drive-thru window, especially in metropolitan area like New York City. Now, with the aid from mobile ordering technology integrated in POS, restaurant is no longer spending its money on construction cost to have take-out food order delivered to its customer, and customer could just line up digitally on the way they getting food.
You can read more about the opening here.
Are You Excited Making Your Own Wine?
Have you ever thought about making wine with your own secret recipe? However, with high entry barriers for individuals in the wine making business, most people choose to purchase wines in liquor store rather than enjoy the wine-making process. Now, A company in New Jersey, California WineWorks, offers wine-making service to allow individuals to become real winemaker themselves. With the customized outsourcing production concept and help from experts, it is a great for people always want to customize their taste and lifestyle.
You can read more about the opening here.
Can Chipotle Make a Comeback by Offering Desserts?
Photo Sourced from Eater.com
It’s no surprise to anyone that Chipotle has had a hard time recovering sales after the infamous E. coli/Norovirus/Salmonella scandal. They have struggled with sales and gaining their customer loyalty back. However, an earnings call with investors this past Tuesday shows several new items that could help the struggling Chipotle. The chain is now testing the idea to add two new desserts to the menu; no specific details were released. The chain could also be getting a new face lift with a new restaurant design which has already been implemented in certain locations. New technologies for ordering was another item on the agenda at this investor call. Several new ordering options could soon hit stores as soon as January. These include table top ordering, pick-up time technology, and a new way to order and pay without even downloading an app. Lastly, Chipotle plans to end their investment with the growing Asian-Inspired concept, ShopHouse. However, plans are being made to investment in other concepts such as, Pizzeria Locale and Tasty Made. Will these changes be enough to help Chipotle get back on their feet and become a brand we can all trust again? Read the full story here.
April Bloomfield’s White Gold Opens Tomorrow
Tomorrow April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman will open their boutique butcher shop on the Upper West Side. The butcher shop will be offering select takeout snacks tomorrow, and the full service restaurant attached will open next week. The impetus for this move comes from the already staggering amount of burgers being produced by the duo’s currently operating restaurants. It has been estimated that the Spotted Pig serves 75,000 burgers a year alone. This move will give more control over the entire burger supply chain. You can also find White Gold’s burger meat at Salvation Burger and the Lobby Bar at the Ace Hotel.
You can read more about the butcher shop and restaurant here.
Alamo Drafthouse to Open in Downtown Brooklyn
Do you enjoy a night out at the movies, but hate overpriced popcorn, soda, and candy? You’re in luck! Texas cinema chain Alamo Drafthouse will open its long-awaited location in Downtown Brooklyn on October 28th. Located in the City Point complex, the Alamo Drafthouse will offer patrons full dining and bar opportunities during their movie watching experience. The food menu features appetizers, salads, flatbreads, sandwiches, and desserts. The drinks menu features everything from cocktails, craft beer, wine, and mocktails for children. The Drafthouse is within reasonable walking distance of neighborhood favorite Cobble Hill Cinema and the United Artists location – both on Court St. To this point, the Alamo Drafthouse CEO recently spoke about this opening, stating that he believes NYC is still in need of more theater screens.
You can read more about the opening here.
A Fire in Winter — Hot Pot
Do you know what dish is the most popular in the cold winter in worldwide now? I know its hot pot. It consists of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat (usually they are beef or lamb), leafy vegetables, fish balls, baby sausages, wontons, egg dumpling, seafood and so on. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. You can find really good hot pot stores at Chinatowns in Manhattan and Flushing. The price is very good, usually for a small handful ingredient the price is between $3-$8. If you want to know informations for the hot pot, please click here.
Joy Luck Place — New Dim Sum place near Chinatown
Dim Sum is the most famous in a long list of dishes in a Hong Kong meal. The newest addition to NYC Dim Sum offerings is Joy Luck Place. The name may be a reference to the Amy Tan novel, Joy Luck Club. It is located at 98 Mott St, very close to Chinatown in Manhattan. In recent years, dim sum has become more and more popular in North America area. Joy Luck place offers impressively shaped, bite-size portions of dumplings, spring rolls with lightly seasoned fillings of meat, seafood and vegetables. Fluffy buns with various filling and glutinous rice – all get deliciously steamed. These small dishes will definitely be a big surprise, and just ignite the taste buds. In addition, the price is very reasonable. Plates are priced at $2.25, $2.75, or $3.25 depending on the size. Delicious food and reasonable prices give you a good reason to visit this store, if you want to get more information, please visit here
Ten Restaurants That Changed America
Yale historian Paul Freedman has released his newest book this year, Ten Restaurants That Changed America. Freedman synthesizes historical analysis, contemporary sources, and interviews in order to offer the reader an insight into how these household names developed and affected the American gastronomical landscape. With an introduction by Danny Meyer, this book offers much to those interested in American restaurant history. With colder weather approaching, its important to have a page-turner handy for those gloomy fall and winter days.
You can find out more about the book over at the WSJ.
paigepapers.com 