The fate of unemployed restaurant workers remains uncertain as the additional Covid-19 unemployment bonus expired this week without a plan to replace it. Our partners at Accor and Danny Meyer continue to inspire the industry, putting hospitality at the core of employee relief programs. And underused kitchens give new life to emerging delivery and take-out concepts. Read on for more hospitality industry news.
Our Customers and Partners:
- Accor’s ALL Heartist Fund Brings Vital Support to 1,300 People in the Pacific
[Hospitality Net]
Accor’s ALL Heartist Fund helps support Accor employees and partners during the pandemic. The fund, an allocation of 25% of planned dividends, has supported over 14K people in need and will continue into 2021. - Danny Meyer on the Key Takeaway for Rescuing Restaurants [CBS News]
“It was only a nightmare on the nights when I slept,” Meyer’s reflects on the pain of knowing 2,100 jobs were lost in his organization alone during the pandemic. He trusts that hospitality will continue to be the way forward.
News:
- Stimulus negotiations latest: The Senate’s Not in Town as $600 unemployment benefits are set to expire [CBS News]
The unemployment benefit keeping millions of unemployed Americans afloat during the coronavirus pandemic have expired. Senate negotiations stalled on Thursday night and senators left town for the weekend with no deal on the table. - How the Latest Republican Stimulus Would Hammer Jobless Restaurant Workers [Eater]
The GOP’s plan to replace the $600/week unemployment bonus with $200/week or less would hurt hospitality workers, 60% of whom remain out of work due to widespread and ongoing restaurant closures. - MUFSO Conference to go Virtual, Super Charge Restaurants Rise Digital Community in October [Nation’s Restaurant News]
The annual MUFSO event for the foodservice industry is moving to an online format this October due to the ongoing pandemic. The virtual exhibition will include over 16 keynotes, 40 best-practice sessions, and online networking events. - California Pizza Kitchen Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy [Nation’s Restaurant News]
The California-based casual restaurant announced a restructuring agreement to equitize the company’s long-term debt. The company will close unprofitable locations and plans to emerge from bankruptcy “as a much stronger company.”
Technology:
- Finistere: Food Tech Investment Reached $4.8B in the First Half of 2020 [The Spoon]
The Covid-driven shift in consumer behavior toward eating more at home has contributed to “extraordinary” investments in food tech and agtech. 2020 investment in agtech has already reached $2.2 billion, compared to the $2.7 billion invested in all of 2019. - 47% of Operators Say Moving to Online Ordering is Their Biggest Challenge
[Restaurant Dive]
An Upserve survey of 421 customers reported that 47% of restaurants cited moving to online ordering as their biggest challenge during the pandemic. Over 67% remain optimistic about the future.
Trends:
- Qu, Franklin Junction Partner to Create Platform Powering Host Kitchen Marketplace [Hospitality Technology]
Qu and Franklin Junction have launched a technology platform that matches restaurants that have excess kitchen space with foodservice brands or concepts looking to increase production and distribution. - Ruby Tuesday Hawking Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs to Earn Extra Revenue as a Host, Not Ghost, Kitchen [Nation’s Restaurant News]
Dozens of Ruby Tuesday restaurants are acting as host kitchens for Nathan’s Famous as part of a budding effort to pair unused kitchens with delivery/take out concepts.
