Getting your loyalty program up to date

With the continued inflation and restaurant costs, does your loyalty program still offer value to your customers and make sense for your business? As your customers’ and your restaurant’s needs change and evolve, so, too, should your loyalty program. And while those changes are not always well received initially, it’s important for restaurants to maintain […]

Are record-high food costs finally slowing down?

Consumers and restaurants continue to battle food inflation, but some costs have started coming down since January, albeit not to pre-pandemic levels. Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of the Agri-Foods Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, recaps the items with the largest price reductions so far this year: Tomatoes (- 38 per cent) Cucumbers (- 31 per […]

Restaurant prices remain on the rise

With so much talk in the media about inflation and rising food costs, many restaurants have increased their menu prices to try and offset their costs. Just how much have prices gone up for consumers as operators have raised rates to try and recoup some of the losses felt over the last few years? According […]

According to experts, there’s no end in sight for food inflation

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 […]

Restaurants adapt to address the long-term labour shortage

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 […]

A look at today’s rising menu prices

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 there an upside of inflation for restaurants?

Restaurants continue to struggle with food costs and labour shortages, but some experts are seeing inflation as a catalyst for positive change. David Hopkins, president of The Fifteen Group, sees the situation as a great opportunity for restaurants to tighten their operations and increase efficiency. Adjust pricing to address inflation “Restaurants have always had to […]

Food costs continue to soar, even as Canada’s inflation rate slows

Canada’s inflation rate slowed to 6.3 per cent in December (the lowest it’s been since February 2022), with the cost of living declining 0.6 per cent in November and December. According to reports, the reduced rates are directly related to lower gasoline prices, resulting in December’s lowest one-month dip since April 2020. Food prices, however, […]

Will 2023 bring the foodservice industry closer to recovery?

As the foodservice industry continues to move towards a full recovery, restaurants are gearing up for a challenging 2023. Restaurateurs are not especially optimistic, with only 16 per cent expecting profits to increase and 50 per cent preparing to lose money next year. In an effort to boost bottom lines, over 30 per cent have […]

2023 sees food prices rising even higher

As consumers and restaurants continue to struggle with record-high food prices, there’s no end in sight for Canadians. Even though the Bank of Canada has helped to lessen some of the causes of food inflation, but global factors like gas prices and the value of the Canadian dollar will play a part in what happens […]