Restaurant And Hospitality News – June 15, 2015
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
In news this week, Chipotle follows the industry trend of extending employee benefits, while May Restaurant Sales rose 1.1 percent; Wyndham announced new LEED certifiable prototypes for 2 of its brands, and 3D printers are making their way into the hands of Michelin Star Chefs.
Chipotle Extends Benefits To Part-Time Employees
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. executives have announced the expansion of benefits – including full tuition reimbursements, sick pay, and paid vacations – to all employees beginning July 1, 2015, according to the Nation’s Restaurant News. The move is designed to reflect the company’s commitment to providing career paths for its employees. JD Cummings, recruitment strategy manager at Denver-based Chipotle, and William Espey, brand voice lead in Chipotle’s marketing division, stated: “We just made an announcement internally that we are now going to be offering sick pay and paid vacation time for all employees at all levels of the company, including all entry-level employees” Cummings said. “And we’re going to be offering the full-tuition reimbursement that we offer salaried employees to all hourly employees.” The move follows a growing industry trend to expand benefits in employment development. Starbucks Corp. also announced the expansion of its tuition reimbursement program this spring for its employees.
May Restaurant Sales Were Up 1.1 Percent
According to data reported by TDn2K’s Black Box, restaurant sales rose 1.1 percent in May, and while the same-store sales growth rate softened, the industry has now posted eleven consecutive months of positive same-store sales growth. The Nation’s Restaurant News reported that Q2 2015 is set to be the fourth consecutive quarter of positive growth in same-store sales, according to The Restaurant Industry Snapshot for May. The Snapshot is based on weekly sales from over 20,000 restaurants representing $55 billion in annual revenue. “The industry continues to experience an encouraging period of expansion, and we remain optimistic about 2015 resulting in another year of positive sales growth for restaurants,” said Victor Fernandez, executive director of insights and knowledge for TDn2K. “However, as the U.S. economy has been showing some signs of slowdown during the first half of the year, which goes beyond just the effect of bad winter weather, the chain restaurant industry has also shown signs of sales growth beginning to slow down. The decline in May was unexpected, but not inconsistent with macroeconomic results. We will monitor results closely to see if performance returns to levels consistent with our more favorable forecasts for this year.” Despite declining guests counts of the restaurant industry as a whole, rising average checks are driving sales growth.
Wyndham Announces LEED Certifiable Prototypes For Days Inn And Super8 Brands
Wyndham Hotel Group has announced the introduction of two LEED certifiable construction prototypes for its Days Inn and Super 8 brands, building on company initiatives to refine its prototypical offerings across its six brands, providing “complete, turn-key design-forward solutions.” The two new prototypes are complemented by updated offerings for the company’s 4 other brands, all of which come at a time when the company is seeing significant interest in new domestic construction. “This is one of the strongest development environments that we’ve seen in the U.S. in the last decade and we want to be sure that all of our brands are well-positioned and that we’re making it easy for prospective developers to do business with us,” said Geoff Ballotti, president and chief executive officer at Wyndham Hotel Group. Wyndham Hotel Group also has launched a newly updated online portal: www.whgdevelopment.com, designed to educate current owners and prospective developers about its design and development offerings.
Michelin Star Chefs Embrace 3D Printing To Create Master Dishes
According to the IB Times, some Michelin Star chefs are using 3D printing to innovate and hasten prep times to create master dishes. Chef Mateo Blanch from La Boscana, a restaurant in Lleida, Spain, told the IB Times, “I am using the 3D printer in my restaurant, and I like to use it in front of customers so that they can participate and see how I am making their food, and I’ve had really good feedback from my customers.” Blanch told an audience at the 3D Printshow 2015, in London, that 3D printing is capable of “revolutionizing” restaurant cuisine, because it saves time and allows chefs to explore their creative streaks. “It has changed the way I work with food. I now work with the 3D printer to make forms and shapes that would have been impossible to make so quickly by hand. I am capable of a level of precision that would never have been possible before.” Blanch uses the Focus 3D printer, which prints everything from food, ceramics, plastic, silicone, nylon, bronze, and wood. Frits Hoff, Flounder and managing director of FabLab Maastricht in the Netherlands, told IB Times, “The problem is that most companies are focusing on the technology aspect, that’s why we work with Michelin chefs who are very innovative and can think of new things to use the 3D printer for.” Blanch explained that the 3D printer will be able to create so many things in the future, “snacks, meals, desserts, everything.”