A look at today’s restaurant landscape

Although there have been many challenges over the last few years, restaurants continue to recover from labour shortages, inflation, and supply chain interruption. With 51 per cent of restaurants operating at a loss, continued rising costs are challenging operators and consumers alike, as businesses and customers try and find balance between today’s revenue and spending. […]

Will 2024 bring relief to restaurateurs?

The past few years have seen record-breaking inflation, unrelenting labour shortages, and continuing supply chain disruption, as the foodservice industry strives to recover. With some improvement in these conditions recently, is there relief in sight for restaurateurs in the coming year? The first step in looking ahead is understanding the major obstacles and pinpointing potential […]

Diners are looking for memorable restaurant experiences

As the foodservice industry continues to evolve, studies show that there has been a long-term shift in what customers are looking for when they dine out. Whether it’s as a result of the pandemic or has more to do with spending dollars wisely amid inflation, diners are looking for meaningful, lasting experiences from restaurants. Restaurants […]

Restaurants focus on value during continued inflation

As inflation and the higher cost of living persist, consumers continue to prioritize value as the try to save their pennies. Off-premise dining remains a popular choice for consumers. In fact, in-person dining decreased this month by nine per cent, with the last three months seeing a steady decline in guest counts for restaurants. As […]

Marketing tips for your restaurant’s next campaign

By Scott Mitchell As Canadians continue to navigate high inflation rates and re-consider their spending habits, there’s still a light at the end of the tunnel for restaurant owners and operators. In Q1, the restaurant industry saw visits increase by 11 per cent and spending increase by 18 per cent compared to the same period […]

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 […]

Restaurant transparency is crucial as inflation continues

As Canadians continue to face record-breaking inflation, the term shrinkflation has emerged, reflecting when the prices rise or remain the same but the portion or serving size is reduced. This has affected many restaurant menus and diners who might be paying more for less, as operators try to recoup costs and stay afloat. Shelflation is […]

The challenge of real estate inflation for franchises

Among the continuing supply chain delays, staffing shortages, and elevated food costs, many QSRs and restaurant chains are struggling with real estate inflation. As chains look for the best locations to open new franchises, rising real estate costs are making it difficult for some franchises to expand. According to Peter Saleh, managing director and restaurant […]

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 […]

Tech talk: the future of restaurants

By Jessica Brill How is today’s technology helping to shape and improve the foodservice industry? As inflation and labour shortages continue to challenge businesses, innovation can play an important role in helping to alleviate some of the stresses that come with managing those persistent challenges. We consulted five industry experts from various leading foodservice sectors, […]