Cracking the food-delivery code

An upscale New York restaurant pivoted to take-out during lockdown and never looked back. We’ll share how it utilized to-go orders to expand its business. Younger drinkers are definitely judging your restaurant by its wine program, specifically by the glass offerings. Now might be a good time to give your list a spring cleaning before summer sipping begins. And when did salads require a steak knife? Let’s discuss. 

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Dream team. Restaurant industry experts share the interviewing techniques that landed them top-tier team members, as well as best practices to create harmony between guests, owners and employees.

Denver nuggets. Some restaurant owners in Denver are operating smaller restaurants inside existing restaurants to showcase techniques and dishes they might not otherwise offer.

Lifting spirits. Organizations are stepping up to help bar and restaurant professionals build sustainable careers while fostering a more supportive industry. Things like PTO, health insurance and paid leave are essential for well-being.

Search party. Here are five simple ways to help drive online business to your restaurant and entice prospective diners.

Pipeline problem. San Francisco restaurants have one, thanks to a rash of culinary school closures and a major drop (55%) in the number of people working in food service. 

A data-driven approach to food-waste solutions

Tackling food waste in the restaurant industry is no small feat. ReFED, a U.S.-based national nonprofit, collaborates with businesses to help reduce food waste through the use of data and innovative tools. The Prep spoke with Jeffrey Constantino, ReFED’s communications director, about how its work provides a foundation for restaurants and other food businesses to launch waste reduction efforts. -Brent LeBlanc

What is ReFED’s mission, and how does it support restaurants?

ReFED’s mission is to catalyze the food system toward evidence-based action to stop wasting food. We engage food businesses, innovators, funders and policymakers to drive systems-level change. For restaurants specifically, our business services team provides custom analytics and advisory support to help them understand where in their operations waste is being generated and which solutions could help reduce it.

Which food-waste reduction strategies have the most immediate impact for restaurants?

We estimate that restaurants generated 12.7 million tons of surplus food in 2023, with nearly 70% coming from plate waste. Offering flexible portion sizes and à la carte options can help reduce that. In the kitchen, using waste-tracking tools such as Leanpath and Winnow is one of the most cost-effective ways to identify where food is being wasted and how to prevent it.

How can restaurants measure the financial impact of reducing food waste?

The value of uneaten food in full and limited service restaurants exceeds $27 billion annually. Restaurants can measure financial impact by using tracking tools that quantify waste and assign value to it. Our Insights Engine—a free online resource offering data and resources to understand and address food waste—helps restaurants explore specific solutions and their projected return. For example, tracking food waste in foodservice could create a net financial benefit of nearly $4 billion per year.

What are the biggest challenges restaurants face in reducing food waste?

Since most waste comes from what customers don’t eat, many restaurants feel it’s out of their control. But this is actually a major opportunity. Solutions like portion flexibility and consumer education can make a big difference. We help restaurants understand the scope of the problem and guide them to strategies that work.

How can restaurants get involved in food donation efforts?

Currently, less than 1% of surplus food from restaurants is donated, mainly due to challenges with prepared food storage and transport. But there are organizations that specialize in this, and our Solution Provider Directory makes it easier to find them. Restaurants can learn about food donation organizations in your area by looking through ReFED’s Solution Provider Directory and sorting by Food Rescue organizations.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

This fine-dining restaurant cracked the delivery code

New York’s high-end Italian restaurant L’Artusi was a dine-in only restaurant for years, until COVID hit. When lockdown happened, like most businesses, they were forced to pivot. And that included adapting to take-out culture, which continues to help the restaurant stay profitable today.

“For 15 years, we had assumed that our food, particularly our pasta dishes, wouldn’t travel well,” says owner and operating partner Kevin Garry. “But we were pleasantly surprised. Some dishes, like our roasted chicken, actually got better in a box, with the steam keeping it extra juicy and the sauce tightening up nicely. For the pasta, [executive chef] Joe [Vigorito] found that by slightly over-saucing, we could maintain the integrity of the dish by the time it reached our guests.”

Packaging was another critical issue for Garry and his team. He says they ensured each bag was neatly packed, labeled and sealed so that customers had peace of mind their food hadn’t been tampered with.

L’Artusi has had so much success with takeout, it opened a fast-casual concept nearby called Via Porta that focuses on meal kits, sandwiches, pastries and healthier grab-and-go options. 

Says Garry, “Looking back, the decision to lean into delivery was one of the smartest moves we made and it has become a sustainable part of our business model. As much as we love welcoming guests into our restaurant, we understand that life has changed for many of them and consumer behaviors will continue to change.”

Why it matters: More than half (52%) of U.S. consumers say they believe that ordering delivery and takeout from restaurants is now an “essential part of their lifestyle.” Being adaptable with your brand will ensure you not only keep your current clientele, but also attract new customers. Plus, a strong take-out game will give you an advantage in times of financial instability and vulnerability. (National Restaurant News)

Cheers! Why a good wine program is essential

Predictable, boring, expensive and a missed opportunity. These easily define many wines by the glass being offered in restaurants, which is a slap in the face to younger drinkers.

Gen Z and Millennial drinkers have unfairly been dismissed by many operators who assume they don’t drink nearly as much as their Gen X counterparts or don’t drink at all. And this is exactly why restaurants should be paying more attention to their wine lists.

Some do.

Terre, a trattoria in Brooklyn, New York, offers every one of its 100-bottle selection available by the glass, with at least half in the $15 to $19 range and all thoughtfully chosen from environmentally friendly winemakers.

Similarly, Penny Roma in San Francisco offers a mix of classic and esoteric wines, the latter which appeals more to younger guests who are more willing to have educational conversations with the staff.

Understandably, not every restaurant can employ a sommelier, and operators rarely have the capacity to pick out boutique or eccentric wines that may spark interest. On top of that, wine prices are rising, so instead of charging $24 a pop, restaurateurs are charging less and eating the loss.

To combat this, some restaurants are offering just a handful of interesting wines that can mingle with more mainstream offerings on the wine menu, and offsetting the price of wines by the glass by increasing the price of cocktails.

Why it matters: Piquing the interest of the next generation of wine drinkers is essential, not just to keep your restaurant afloat with alcohol sales, but to compliment the culinary offerings coming out of the kitchen. Whether it's offering a weekly special, selling wine by the carafe to help offset costs or being more intentional with your wine program altogether, it’s a business savvy move to appeal to generations who are often overlooked and looking for a reason to continue to patronize your establishment. (The New York Times) 

Using tech to optimize outdoor dining 

Summer is not only a time for guests to linger a little longer over chilled drinks in the warm sun, but an opportunity for restaurants to turn their outdoor patios into a money generating machine. 

Too many restaurants treat patios as a way to accommodate extra guests, but if done correctly, your outdoor space should be an extension of your indoor guest experience. “Guests don’t lower their expectations just because they’re sitting outside,” says Kevin Bryla, chief marketing officer of SpotOn point-of-sales systems.

In addition to making sure your patios provide shade, music and ambience, he reminds operators that tech should also be added to the mix to make the guest experience feel smoother, not more complicated. And that handheld devices and QR codes are easy ways to let guests order that second round of drinks and pay when they’re ready.

Why it matters: With the proper tech systems, orders get placed more quickly, payments happen on the spot and servers can take care of more customers with fewer mistakes, faster ticket times and higher check averages. When you have more guests to deal with during patio season, that extra revenue (and less labor) is essential for restaurants operating on slim margins. (Modern Restaurant Management) 

47%

Number of adults who pick up takeout from restaurants, coffee shops, snack places or delis at least once a week. (National Restaurant Association)

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"I loved it. Did I get the first menu right? Yes, in terms of great food. No, in terms of what Austin and that market and a relatively higher seat count restaurant needed... but over time, we evolved. I figured out what people wanted to eat."

– Kristen Kish, chef, author and host of Top Chef, on what it was like creating the first menu for her restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, TX.

(🎧 Second Life Podcast)

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