Restaurant And Hospitality News – February 22, 2016

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

In news this week, the House passed the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, working towards a single standard of menu calorie reporting; IHG launches a new Planet Trekkers App to highlight children’s travel experiences; and NRN features the top 10 breakout brands of 2016.

House Passes The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed H.R. 2017, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act.  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires restaurants and retail food establishments with 20 or more locations to provide nutrition information, including the number of calories in menu options.  H.R. 2017 clarifies the information retail food chain establishments must disclose about nutrition to consumers to prevent overly burdensome regulations for establishments and to provide flexibility in how restaurants display calorie information.

Specifically, the bill enables restaurants to post calorie counts online or in smartphone apps in situations where most customers do not order in-store. The legislation also eliminates criminal penalties and preempts civil litigation and allows restaurants and retailers to take corrective actions.

“This bill corrects another unintended consequence of Obamacare,” said Congressman Kevin Cramer in a statement.  “These menu regulations impose an unrealistic and burdensome requirement on many small town convenience stores and restaurants. H.R. 2017 provides the regulatory flexibility for small businesses while ensuring the consumer has access to the information they need.”

The National Restaurant Association had opposed an earlier version of the house bill that included a provision exempting supermarkets and convenience stores. Without that provision, the NRA now supports the current version of the bill, and backs national menu labeling requirements that would allow restaurant chains to adhere to a single standard for posting calorie information rather than multiple state standards.

IHG Launches Planet Trekkers App Focused On Children’s Travel Experiences

Embracing the family vacation, IHG has announced the launch of the Planet Trekkers mobile app from InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, which is designed to help children learn about and explore travel destinations before, during, and after their trip. The app was developed with National Geographic Kids.   The app is based on a treasure hunt style game that challenges users to discover indigenous wildlife, participate in local adventures, and taste native dishes.

As part of the launch, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts asked kids from across the globe to compile their Top 50 Travel List of places to experience by the age of 12. Among the top travel experiences on the list are standing in two countries at the same time; walking over an inactive volcano; floating in a lagoon; crossing the Equator; learning to cook native dishes; and bartering in a Grand Bazaar.

Simon Scoot, Vice President, Global Brands, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts said, “The InterContinental brand is dedicated to providing enriching and authentic experiences to our guests, however big or small. The launch of the new Planet Trekkers app in partnership with National Geographic Kids, helps us do this. It allows families to discover the world together in a very unique and interactive way, whereby even the youngest of travelers can cultivate a deeper understanding of the world around them.”

NRN Report Presents The 2016 Breakout Brands

A new report from the Nation’s Restaurant News presented the breakout brands of 2016, representing quick service, fast casual, casual dining, coffee and fine dining segments from a variety of cities across the nation. The emerging restaurant concepts also represent a wide range of menus, from Indian-inspired fare to poke dishes to Chinese hand-ripped noodles and vegan cuisine. All of the breakout brands break the mold, however, bringing “customers a unique experience, tapping into hot trends, and taking innovative approaches to food and service.”

The key factors driving growth include differentiated service, distinctive beverage program, funding or ownership strength, healthful menu, hot culinary niche, local or premium products and creative technology.

The breakout brands of 2016 include:

• 3 Arts Club Café, a Chicago restaurant, coffee bar and wine bar located inside the Three Arts Club building.
• By Chloe, a fast-casual vegan restaurant by ESquared Hospitality that offers a broad menu of burgers, fries, sandwiches and salads that appeal to vegans and non-vegans alike.
• Eatsa, with locations in San Francisco and Los Angeles and plans to open 10 more locations this year, is a modern take on the automat, pairing healthful food with advanced technology.
• Flower Child, a Phoenix-based “full-service restaurant disguised as  a fast-casual restaurant,” according to founder Sam Fox, which offers a seasonal menu of wraps, salads, bowls and sides that emphasizes gluten-free, organic, hormone-free ingredients.
• Havana 1957, a Cuban-inspired casual-dining restaurant with four locations in the Miami area offers “hearty island cuisine and an extensive mojito bar in an eclectic atmosphere designed to channel mid-century Cuba.”
• Intelligentsia Coffee, with 10 locations in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York, taps into the emerging super-premium coffee trend.
• Sweetfin Poké, in Santa Monica, specializes in the Hawaiian fresh-fish disk poké, and offers custom bowls featuring a range of fish, noodles, toppings, and sauces. Five more locations are scheduled to open in the L.A. area this year.
• Tava Kitchen, with three restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area, specializes in made-to-order bowls and wraps based on Indian-inspired dishes featuring a range of proteins, vegetables, and house-made sauces.
• Uchi, a sophisticated fine-dining restaurant specialized in Japanese traditions like sushi and sashimi, grilled yakimono proteins, and tempura,  has three  full-service restaurants in Dallas, Houston, and Austin.
• Xi’an Famous Foods, a nine-restaurant fast-casual chain in New York City, serves the distinctive flavors of Xi-an, the ancient Chinese capital, drawing large crowds with its noodle dishes, dumplings, and lamb burgers.