As the hiring struggles continue in foodservice, operators are increasingly relying on teenagers to make up a significant proportion of their restaurant workforce. New data from Black Box Intelligence shows that teenagers aged 18 years or younger comprise a significantly larger section of the restaurant workforce than they did in 2019. In limited-service restaurants, teenagers made up […]
RestoBiz spoke to four owners and operators about the continued effect of the pandemic on labour 21 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and foodservice operators are far from out of the woods. Whereas the first year of the pandemic was characterized by panic, shutdowns, layoffs, and other evolving measures, staffing challenges have been a major […]
Ontario’s restaurants and other foodservice, hospitality, and tourism businesses have been dealing with something of a labour crisis in recent months. That has been attributed to a variety of factors, including staff leaving the workforce for good due to the effects of COVID-19, a perceived lack of job security, government benefits offsetting the financial costs […]
Takeout has surged in popularity throughout the pandemic. But while the customers are happy and restaurants are surviving, what is the toll on restaurant workers? In tandem with a combination of factors, including dining rooms being closed for long periods, increased technological adoption, and customers’ desire to both continue supporting local restaurants and also attain […]
By David Hopkins The vaccine passport has now rolled out in Ontario, and with it comes increased uncertainty and complications for restaurant operators, who have already faced incessant turmoil and scrutiny over the past year and a half. While the details of the vaccine passport and its enforcement vary from province to province, the gist […]
By Timothy Wingate, Joshua Bourdage, Malika Khakhar, and Samantha Jones Public health researchers have called food allergy reactions “a growing public health epidemic in Canada” affecting around one in 13 Canadians and one in five Canadian households. Dining out can be risky and stressful for people with allergies, in part because many restaurant employees lack […]
On October 1, a minimum wage increase likely to affect numerous foodservice and hospitality operations will come into effect in four Canadian provinces. In Ontario, the general minimum wage applying to most employees will increase by 10 cents from $14.25 to $14.35 per hour. A 10 cent raise will also be applied to the student […]
With a labour shortage sweeping North American foodservice, the pay that restaurant workers receive, particularly the wages of hourly employees, is under review. New research suggests, rather unsurprisingly, that higher pay positively impacts customer service. Researchers at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business compared restaurant reviews where the minimum wage has increased versus those […]
A new white paper from JLL’s Big Red Rooster has suggested that diners still prefer engaging with staff at quick-service restaurants (QSR) to a fully technological experience. Most consumers still prefer working with staff throughout their dining experience, reports the research. Over half (54 per cent) want help navigating the menu, 59 per cent want […]
The Ontario Restaurant, Hotel, and Motel Association has issued a statement recommending policy inclusion of mandatory vaccinations for hospitality employees. “ORHMA, in its role as an industry association… recommends the policy inclusion of mandated vaccination for Ontario’s hospitality workers with exception of those employees experiencing medical issues in which case they should be medically and […]
