Walmart Employees Encouraged To use In-house Apps

November 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Walmart Encourages Associates to Perform Tasks with Their Smartphones for Better Efficiency

“Walmart continues its push to empower its employees through technology, now encouraging store associates to accomplish everyday tasks on the job with their smartphones instead of store-supplied devices, with the intent of improving efficiency via familiarity.”

“We know technology is helping our associates be more productive and deliver for our customers in new ways,” said Brock McKeel, senior director of digital operations, on the retailer’s blog. “BYOD is just another option our people will have to access the custom apps that help associates perform their jobs.”

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Filed Under: Operations, Shopbuzz Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Shake Shack Sees Same-Store Sales Dip

November 5, 2018 by Leave a Comment

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Shake Shack, once the darling of better-burger brands, continues to show signs of struggle in the sector as it reported a same-store sales decline this week.

Comps decreased 0.7% for the quarter ended Sept. 26, while total revenue rose 26.5% and sales increased 27.2%.
Shake Shack stock prices tumbled more than 11% on the news early Friday.
During the quarter, Shake Shack opened seven company-operated stores and two licensed units.

The brand expects to launch its largest number of new stores in history in 2019, with plans to open 36 to 40 units, executives said during a call with analysts Thursday.
The company drew concern from investors following its announcement in August that it was suffering from a logjam in unit expansion, stalling growth until the later part of 2018.

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Filed Under: Global Market Buzz, Local Market Buzz, Operations, Opportunities Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Pizza Hut Says It Will Use Robots to Cook Pizza En Route

November 1, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Image result for Pizza Hut Says It Will Use Robots to Cook Pizza En Route

“Pizza Hut is fusing two of America’s favorite pastimes — pizza pies and pickup trucks — in a bid to cut delivery times as fast-food competition heats up.

As part of the restaurant’s latest partnership with Toyota Motor Corp., Pizza Hut has unveiled a robot-operated mobile pizza factory in the bed of a modified Toyota Tundra. The prototype will use automated technology to cook pies on-the-go in six to seven minutes, letting the chain expand its delivery area without the pizzas getting cold.

“We’re bringing the oven closer to the consumer’s door; nobody is doing that,” Pizza Hut’s chief customer and operations officer in the U.S., Nicolas Burquier, said in an interview. “We are pretty obsessed with improving the customer experience. The more we can get closer to their homes or the point of delivery, the better and hotter the product will be.”

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Filed Under: Cooking, Global Market Buzz, Heard on The Street, Operations, Trending Now Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Winter Restaurant Promotions That Can Help Drive Business

October 25, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Goulash, beef stew in cast iron pan, top view, close up

“With Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, and Valentine’s Day all taking place during the winter, restaurants have several holidays they can leverage to increase business. Valentine’s Day in particular, and the weekends surrounding it, are an especially popular time for couples to dine out. According to the National Restaurant Association, Feb. 14 is the second busiest day of the year for restaurants. To capitalize on the popularity, restaurants should accommodate diners by offering a special experience. Whether it’s by changing décor or providing a unique menu, going the extra mile will help your restaurant draw in more customers.”

“Cold weather results in reduced business since diners are more hesitant to leave the comfort of their homes. However, there are certain steps restaurants can take to limit the negative effects of winter.”

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Filed Under: Cooking, Heard on The Street, Local Market Buzz, Operations, Shopbuzz Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Learn How to Get a Liquor License for Your Restaurant or Bar

October 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment

bartender tricks for mixing cocktails

“Opening a bar is about a little more than choosing the perfect beer and liquor list. In fact, there are a number of restaurant licenses and permits that you need to get out of the way before you can open your doors for business. In getting caught up in dreaming about all the delicious drinks that a new restaurant owner plans to offer, many forget about the extent of the legalities they have to navigate first, legalities that can throw a serious wrench in your grand opening plans if they aren’t executed correctly.

Although alcohol laws will vary from state to state, attempting to open a bar without a liquor license is going to lead down a road of penalties, fines, and shut doors—all of which every restaurateur wants to avoid at all costs (…).”

    1. “How much does it cost to get a liquor license? The cost of obtaining a liquor license can vary greatly depending on the state. Full liquor licenses can range from $12,000 to $400,000. Beer and wine liquor licenses can cost as low as $3,000. The actual cost you can expect to pay really depends. The best way to estimate it is by chatting with bars and restaurants in your local area that are similar in size and scope to yours.
    2. How old do you have to be to get a liquor license? Like all things related to alcohol in the United States, a person must be 21 years of age to work in a bar or obtain a liquor license (…).”

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Filed Under: Openings, Operations, Opportunities Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rare Wine Auctions Show No Signs of Slowing

October 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

While Burgundy continues to reign at rare wine auctions, top Bordeauxs like Pétrus are seeing higher prices.

“In the third quarter of 2018, global sales of fine and rare wine at auction totaled $70.4 million, up a whopping 31 percent over 2017’s third-quarter total of $53.7 million. U.S. sales totaled $36.1 million, up 19.1 percent. Hong Kong sales rose 49 percent, to $26.3 million, and London sales increased by 40 percent to $8 million. As in the previous two quarters, pristine single-owner cellars and winery-direct consignments generated much of the heated bidding.”

“Acker Merrall & Condit’s first September sale, held in New York, brought in $7.2 million against a presale high estimate of $7.3 million. It was 96 percent sold. “Burgundy didn’t take a vacation this summer,” quipped Acker Merrall and Condit CEO John Kapon, in a statement. All 25 of his sale’s top lots hailed from the French region.”

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Filed Under: Events, Global Market Buzz, Local Market Buzz, Operations Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Face-To-Face Meetings Help Improve Sales Rates

October 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment

The Sales Profession Saved My Life -- and Made My Company Millions

“(…) Prospects who refuse to make a final decision even after being held accountable to their previous declarations are politely telling you “no.” And keep in mind, “no” is a perfectly acceptable answer because “no” will not kill you in sales — “I don’t know” will destroy you with false hopes of commissions that will most likely never materialize.

This selling method can be applied to any number of excuses you are likely to hear at the end of your sales presentation. By addressing “I want to think about it” or “I don’t want to change suppliers” or “I need three bids” proactively, you will be in a very strong position to get a final decision about you and your company.

Never be caught flat-footed when it comes to objections and stall tactics. Proactively anticipate and prepare for whatever excuses may come up.

The key is to combine basic psychology and sales fundamentals to proactively eliminate the inevitable excuses prospects will raise to postpone making a decision. By removing the excuses ahead of time, the prospect will be more likely to make that final decision in your presence, which will dramatically increase the probability of a successful outcome.”

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Filed Under: Enterprise Insight, Operations, Opportunities Tagged With: , , , , ,

Restaurants Are the Next Big Coworking Trend

October 8, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Spacious members working at Crave Fishbar in New York City’s Upper West Side.

“If you walk past Crave Fishbar on a weekday afternoon, you might make the mistake of thinking it’s open for lunch. The restaurant, located on New York City’s Upper West Side, certainly looks busy enough. On a recent Thursday visit, I counted a few dozen people sitting in the restaurant’s booths or at the bar. Most of them were hunched over their laptops. A few were quietly taking phone calls. Curiously, no one was talking, no one was eating, and no one was there for lunch.

Crave has gotten into the coworking business. In April, the restaurant partnered with a startup called Spacious to transform its dining room into a weekday workspace. After all, in an age where everyone seems to have a side hustle, why shouldn’t a restaurant? Founded in 2016, Spacious bills itself as a cheaper, more flexible alternative to traditional coworking spaces like WeWork.”

“Brian Owens, the restaurant’s owner, said the Spacious partnership has been a welcome source of revenue in an industry where profit margins are tight. Crave has another location, in Midtown East, which is open for lunch because it’s near offices and other businesses. But the Upper West Side, Owens said, is a dead zone on weekday afternoons.”

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Filed Under: Enterprise Insight, Local Market Buzz, Operations Tagged With: , , , , ,

Great News for Restaurants as IRS Reaffirms Deductions for Entertaining

October 8, 2018 by Leave a Comment

“The Internal Revenue Service is giving businesses a tax break they thought they had lost in the tax overhaul last year — write-offs for wining and dining clients.

The agency said Wednesday companies can still deduct 50 percent of meals while entertaining clients and customers, clearing up confusion about whether tax law changes last year had completely eliminated that benefit.”

“Kathy Petronchak, the director of IRS practice and procedure at Alliant Group and the chair of the meals and entertainment task force at the CPA group, said that the guidance and examples “align with what we had hoped to see with the clear distinction between entertainment and allowable business expenses for meals.”

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Filed Under: Operations Tagged With: , , , ,

How Eateries Can Implement a More Sustainable Packaging Strategy

October 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment

“The abundance of recent announcements by cities and foodservice companies enacting bans on plastic drinking straws can make it seem like straws are the chief culprit when it comes to plastic waste. However, straws make up a small portion of plastic waste, and over-emphasizing efforts to get rid of straws could distract from a more comprehensive approach to foodservice sustainability that would have a much greater impact than focusing on straws alone. As off-premise sales continue to grow for restaurants, foodservice packaging will only proliferate, so it’s important that restaurants invest in packaging that’s more sustainable from the start and help consumers dispose of it responsibly.

To further cut down on the amount of foodservice packaging that ends up as waste, restaurants should make sure they’re purchasing recyclable materials and disposing of them properly. A high percentage of restaurant operators report that they recycle, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2017 Restaurant Sustainability Survey, which found that 29% of restaurants recycle rigid plastics such as cups, some 22% recycle cling wrap and other flexible plastics, and 65% recycle paper and cardboard.”

View more here.

 

Filed Under: Global Market Buzz, Operations Tagged With: , , , ,
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