The future of ghost kitchens
June 2, 2023
We’ve seen the rise of ghost kitchens over the last few years, but do they have the appeal they once had, and will we see even more of this pandemic trend pop up in the future? Initially, some commercial realtors predicted that by 2025, ghost kitchens would make up as much as 20 per cent ...Read more about this postThe current state of the foodservice industry
May 15, 2023
As the foodservice industry continues to recover through elevated food prices and ongoing labour challenges, what does it look like in today’s economic landscape? Givex’s annual survey provides insight into diner preferences and industry trends. While inflation and a possible recession have motivated many Canadians to cut back on discretionary spending, the study found that 28 ...Read more about this postAccording to experts, there’s no end in sight for food inflation
April 24, 2023
Food inflation continues to weigh on restaurants and consumers. We have watched food costs reach record-breaking levels in this last year and experts predict that it will continue beyond 2023, offering elevated numbers into 2025. Current inflation has surpassed previously predicted numbers for 2023, reaching 10.6 per cent in February year over year, significantly above the ...Read more about this postOff-premise dining continues to help restaurant revenues grow
April 13, 2023
As the seasons change, and restaurants get ready to open their patios and continue to fill their tables, off-premise dining is still in hot demand. Takeout and delivery helped many restaurants survive the pandemic and get back on their feet afterward, and it will continue to help the industry grow well into 2023. It seems diners ...Read more about this postWhy non-alcoholic beverages are a must for your menu
April 11, 2023
Non-alcoholic beverages aren’t just mocktails; they can also include fancy hot drinks, slushies, milkshakes, and more. Consumers often buy these items to treat themselves, providing an opportunity for restaurants to up those cheque totals. Each category of non-alcoholic beverages has its place on the menu and offers its own advantages for your restaurant – and for ...Read more about this postRestaurants are branching out, developing new revenue streams
April 5, 2023
As restaurants continue to search for ways to find success amid inflation and labour shortages, many are exploring new revenue streams to boost their bottom lines and avoid raising menu prices. In fact, only 23 per cent of restaurants plan to increase their prices, even though 85 per cent of Canadian customers say they would ...Read more about this postRestaurants adapt to address the long-term labour shortage
March 30, 2023
The foodservice industry has been fighting the ongoing labour shortage ever since they were allowed to reopen after the pandemic and many of them are preparing to struggle for the long haul. Last year, 25 per cent of restaurateurs were confident that the labour shortage would end in the next six months, however now, 90 ...Read more about this postShrinkflation hits restaurant diners in Canada
March 28, 2023
We’ve certainly heard a lot about inflation in the news lately, but how is “shrinkflation” affecting the foodservice industry? According to Sylvain Charlebois, professor at Dalhousie University, shrinkflation is when a food manufacturer reduces the quantities its producing, but sells the product for the same price. Because this practice is increasing, the Canada Revenue Agency has ...Read more about this postRestaurants and bars to be hit with Canada’s new alcohol tax hike
March 27, 2023
Amid the foodservice industry’s struggle to recover, the Canadian government is getting ready to introduce the largest alcohol tax hike in history. On April 1, the federal alcohol duty is set to go up 6.3 per cent. The yearly increase has always been considered a nuisance for the industry, as alcohol excise duties are imposed at ...Read more about this postConsumers raise hygiene standards for restaurants
March 22, 2023
These days, consumers are looking for higher levels of hygiene from the businesses they frequent, including the restaurants they visit. In the past, a quick swipe of the table with a damp cloth did the trick for many, but consumers now want to feel like they are entering a safe and sanitized environment when they ...Read more about this postIncreasing restaurant revenues and profitability
March 20, 2023
By Travis Traini Restaurant revenues are still in the news as businesses continue to try and recover. After the difficulty of operating through the pandemic, restaurateurs are facing new operating challenges including staff retention and labour shortages (especially skilled labour), significant inflation in food costs, economic effects on customer spending, rising interest rates, and increases in ...Read more about this postA look at today’s rising menu prices
March 17, 2023
As rising food costs continue to make headlines, many restaurants have raised their menu prices to help find a balance and offset their increased expenses. Rather than simply upping prices across the board, it’s a good time for restaurants to evaluate their margins, engineer their menus, and adjust pricing to better the bottom line. RELATED: Is ...Read more about this postCanadian restaurant chains are going greener
March 13, 2023
As the recent single-use plastic ban takes effect in Canada, more restaurants are going greener, adjusting their practices to reduce their environmental impact, and addressing consumer demand for higher sustainability from the businesses they frequent. RELATED: Sustainability matters to Canadian consumers With 57 per cent of diners looking for more sustainability from QSRs, some of the biggest ...Read more about this postFast-food restaurants face competition from convenience stores
March 8, 2023
The fast-food market is becoming even more competitive, as convenience stores continue to get attention in this space. With persistent labour shortages, supply chain delays, and the significant growth of off-premise dining, many stores are expanding, capitalizing on higher food margins to help grow their profits. Can convenience stores deliver what diners are looking for? Consumers ...Read more about this postLower wait times to raise your restaurant’s revenue
March 3, 2023
As a restaurateur, prioritizing your guest experience is vital in garnering return visits, and longer wait times could be hindering your restaurant’s success. Nobody likes waiting, and your diners are no exception. In fact, a study of 94,000 diners found that the revenue of a popular restaurant increased by 15 per cent when wait times ...Read more about this post