Industry Spotlight

 

Ali Group Announces Leadership Appointments Across Ali Group North America, BUNN and ACP
CHICAGO (April 29, 2026) — Ali Group, which operates in North America under the Welbilt brand, today announced a series of leadership appointments effective May 11, impacting its global organization and North American operations, including changes at Ali Group North America, BUNN and ACP, Inc. (ACP), which includes the Amana Commercial, Menumaster Commercial and XpressChef brands.

Brad Willis has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of BUNN. In this role, Willis will have responsibility for all day‑to‑day operations at BUNN and will report to Filippo Berti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ali Group.

Willis joined Ali Group in 2009 as Chief Financial Officer of Beverage‑Air and was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Ali Group North America in 2014. In 2018, he became Chief Financial Officer of Ali Group. Throughout his tenure, Willis has played a pivotal role in guiding the organization through significant growth, providing disciplined financial leadership, supporting operational excellence and leading multiple acquisitions from due diligence through integration.

With Willis assuming the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of BUNN, David Kalinowski has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of Ali Group North America, moving from his role as President of ACP.

Kalinowski joined Scotsman Ice in 2006 and held a variety of roles of increasing responsibility there, including Chief Financial Officer, before being appointed President of ACP in 2022. Under his leadership, ACP continued to build on a more than 25‑year legacy of delivering best‑in‑class commercial ovens to the foodservice equipment industry.

Following Kalinowski’s appointment, Meghan Hurst has been appointed President of ACP.

Hurst most recently served as Vice President and General Manager for Vulcan, part of ITW Food Equipment Group, a role she assumed in 2024. She joined the company in 2014 and has held several key leadership roles, including Vice President of Sales and Marketing, developing a strong understanding of the industry, as well as the sales channels and markets served. She brings more than 15 years of experience across commercial, product and general management roles to ACP.

Hurst holds an MBA from the Fox School of Business at Temple University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from The George Washington University School of Business.

“These leadership appointments reflect the strength of our organization and our continued focus on developing and advancing exceptional talent,” said Filippo Berti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ali Group. “Brad, David and Meghan each bring the experience, leadership and strategic perspective needed to support our businesses and position them for continued success.”

About the Ali Group
Founded in 1963, the Ali Group is a global corporation headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its European corporate office located in Milan, Italy. Through its subsidiaries, the company designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of commercial and institutional foodservice equipment used by major restaurant and hotel chains, independent restaurants, hospitals, schools, airports, correctional institutions and canteens.

The Ali Group and its more than 115 global brands employ approximately 17,000 people in 30 countries and, in terms of sales, is the world’s largest group in the foodservice equipment industry. It has 80 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries and sales and service subsidiaries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, South America, and Asia Pacific.

For more information on Ali Group products and services, visit www.aligroup.com.

Media Contact
Ryan Blackman
Ali Group
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
(847) 215-5090
rblackman@aligroup.com

Source https://www.welbilt.com/News/News/2026/April/Ali-Group-Announces-Leadership-Appointments-Across

 

How restaurant traffic will trend this Mother’s Day
Based on OpenTable’s 2025 numbers, the holiday brings in a huge chunk of business, with 2026 looking promising

Mother’s Day was restaurants’ biggest day of the year in 2025, according to reservation platform OpenTable.

Families and friends celebrating mom dined out in droves, increasing restaurant traffic 12% year over year. And there’s optimism that those numbers will be just as high on Sunday, May 10.

The National Restaurant Association paints a pretty rosy picture, forecasting that 80 million American adults will dine at restaurants on Mother’s Day 2026, up from 75 million in 2025.

If it’s up to the mothers, that’s certainly the case; 42% would rather go out to eat than have breakfast in bed (only 4%), and 62% of all Americans say dining out is an important part of the Mother’s Day celebration, per OpenTable.

For 38% of respondents, that restaurant meal is a multi-generational gathering. And Gen Z is leading the charge, choosing a Mother’s Day restaurant meal more than three times as often as Baby Boomers and double Gen X.

Related:Long John Silver’s teams up with a spicy partner

In fact, OpenTable reservations for six or more diners increased by 13% in 2025. Another change last year: More guests—56%—requested a “Notify Me” alert if they couldn’t get the original restaurant reservation they requested.

Operators looking to snag Mother’s Day business this May may also tap into these trends:

• 12 p.m. is the most popular time to dine on that Sunday. A restaurant that has built a reputation as a brunch or lunch destination has an edge here.

• The latest data from review platform Yelp concurs, predicting that in 2026, 48% of people show a strong preference for dining out on Mother’s Day, with brunch a popular choice. Brunch buffets and special packages are grabbed up quickly, and unique menus with French, Japanese or global themes are a draw.

• But dinner is also in the running, according to the National Restaurant Association, with 55% of consumers opting for that meal occasion with mom and the crew. Plus, earlier dinners are trending. While noon may be the most requested OpenTable time slot, 5 p.m. saw a 14% increase in 2025, suggesting early dinner may play a bigger role this year.

• Price may be more of a factor as well. In the past, Americans spent an average of $187 per party on Mother’s Day dining, but nearly 87% expect to spend more this year than in the past.

With money tighter in many circles, diners may be seeking restaurants that offer more bang for their buck. Or opting for takeout or delivery instead of the more expensive dining-in option.

Source https://www.nrn.com/menu-trends/how-restaurant-traffic-will-trend-this-mother-s-day

 

Domino’s CEO: ‘Bring it on’ to competitors’ promotional activity
A noisy first quarter impacted the pizza chain’s performance, but Russell Weiner said it’s better positioned for the long term because of stronger profitability and scale.

Domino’s first quarter results came in below analysts’ expectations and while executives acknowledged the impact of consumer pressures and increased competitive activity, they remain bullish about the chain’s long-term market share dominance.

Perhaps ironically, they remain so because of that competitive activity.

Indeed, during the company’s earnings call Monday before market, CEO Russell Weiner exuded a “bring it on” attitude.

“My belief in the long term … is as strong as it’s ever been,” he said.

Weiner acknowledged that Domino’s biggest competitors ramped up their promotional activity in the first quarter, which impacted sales. Papa Johns, for instance, recently ramped up its carryout deals while promoting Papa Pairings, a $6.99 mix-and-match offer for two or more items. Pizza Hut recently ran a $7 Deal Lover’s Menu, featuring two-plus items for $7 each.

Those promotions, he added, were pulled from the Domino’s playbook. And though they may have softened the company’s quarterly performance, Weiner believes it is going to position the company stronger than ever in the long term.

“We’re built to do that stuff over time,” he said. “I know the kind of volumes that need to be done in order to make deals like the ones we have out there profitable. I do not believe our competition can drive those kinds of volumes because our advertising budget is as big as the two biggest competitors combined.”

That especially bodes well in a heavy value environment, which Weiner believes will continue for the foreseeable future. Not only do Domino’s executives believe their company is better positioned to play in such an environment because of higher profitability, store growth and a bigger ad fund, but also because Domino’s is gaining share across all income cohorts, including lower-income consumers, which isn’t the case for many QSRs.

“There was a lot of noise in Q1. Through all that noise, we still saw the QSR pizza category grow, and through that noise, we did take share,” CFO Sandeep Reddy said during the call. “In the long term, we believe that the competition is not going to be able to drive the profitability they need to sustain (competitive activity).

“Our playbook has been to continue to squeeze their profits. They close stores, we take sales, we take share. We are able to continue to drive this playbook forward.”

For added context, Papa Johns average unit volumes in 2025 were $1.09 million, according to new data from Technomic, while Pizza Hut’s were $790,000. Domino’s AUVs last year were $1.4 million.

“We drive renowned value and still drive profits,” Weiner said. “Profits were up last year with our franchisees. We’re the ones that can drive profitable growth and other folks are trying to follow that lead. In the short term, they may keep more of their customers, but in the long term, I think it makes it more difficult for them to compete.”

Weiner also pointed out that those competitors are planning on closing hundreds stores this year, including about 300 at Papa Johns and approximately 250 and Pizza Hut, while Domino’s is targeting about 175 net new unit openings. Notably, in 2025, Papa Johns only opened three net new units, while Pizza Hut closed about 250 locations, or about 3.8% of its domestic system. Domino’s was just shy of opening 175 new locations last year.

Weiner said Domino’s is seeing a sales lift in markets where competitors’ closures have already taken place, adding, “I think the attrition will continue.”

“Whether it’s in store closures or less sales that lead to less profits that lead to eventual closures … it’s proof that the strategy is working,” he said. “That’s why we’re bullish. The predictor of the future is what we’ve done in the past and our ability, economically with our franchisees, to continue to push within a category we expect to grow, gain share and sales, is not something that should not continue.”

This playbook, by the way, has been in place for nearly a dozen years. Weiner said in the past 11 years, Domino’s has gained 11 points of market share by driving more sales, stores and profits. Same-store sales have grown on average more than 5% annually within that time period.

“We’ve opened more than 2,000 net new stores over the last 11 years, amidst a backdrop of significant competitive closures,” Weiner added.

Further, average franchisee profits have grown almost $80,000 per store.

“This means the Domino’s franchise system is earning $740 million more in profits than it did just 11 years ago. This has been and will remain our formula for success,” Weiner said. “More sales, more stores and more profits drive more market share. More market share drives scale, which strengthens our competitive advantage. That is the Domino’s effect, working for over a decade, delivered again in Q1, and one we expect to continue well into the future.”

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/dominos-ceo-bring-it-competitors-promotional-activity

 

Fast-casual restaurant sales growth cooled in 2025
Sales among the largest fast-casual chains grew 6% last year, a notable deceleration. But standout brands defying the slowdown included Shake Shack, Jersey Mike’s, Wingstop and Cava.

Sales growth cooled considerably in the fast-casual restaurant chain segment in 2025, but it was a good year to be a Mediterranean or sandwich brand.

Sales among fast-casual chains rose by 6% overall among the Top 500 Restaurant Chains to nearly $77 billion, according to Technomic. But that growth rate marked a noticeable deceleration from the fast-casual segment’s nearly 9% average growth rate over the last three years.

Limited-service chains overall grew sales 3.1% to $361.5 billion last year, down from the 3.7% increase in 2024. Within that category, quick-service chains grew sales by 2.4%, which was roughly the same as the prior year.

Unit growth among the limited-service Top 500 chains also slowed somewhat to 1.6% growth, compared with 1.9% the prior year.

But fast-casual chains, meanwhile, grew their units by 5.1%, up from 4.8% unit growth in 2024.

Among the Top 10 fast-casual chains, however, it was Shake Shack that grew domestic sales the most last year, showing more than 15% growth with 420 domestic units, followed by Jersey Mike’s, which grew sales more than 12%. The sandwich chain’s unit count was up 8% to 3,227.

Both Wingstop and Raising Cane’s also had double-digit sales increases. Wingstop also added more restaurants last year (net 382) than any other brand, increasing its unit count by 17% to 2,586.

The slowdown in fast-casual sales overall is likely a result of consumers becoming more discerning in their spending last year, which took a toll on some fast-casual chains—particularly those deemed more expensive.

Sweetgreen, for example, grew sales an anemic 0.4% last year, despite a 14% increase in unit count.

Panera saw sales decline nearly 3% in 2025, despite 1% growth in units, and that’s on top of a 5% decline in sales in 2024. Panera was the only Top 10 fast-casual chain to see sales decline.

In a podcast on America’s Favorite Chains, Robert Byrne, Technomic’s senior director of consumer research discussed the state of fast casuals, saying the segment is being squeezed by value plays between casual-dining—which is being rediscovered by a younger audience—and quick-service.

The fast-casual segment has long been defined by higher quality food with convenience. But now all brands are convenient, Byrne said. “Digital ordering just eradicated that edge that anybody might have.”

And consumers now see casual-dining chains, like Chili’s, as being as affordable as fast casual, except at Chili’s, guests can get a drink and desserts like molten chocolate cake, he noted.

Fast casuals also tend to have customizable menus. When guests make their bowls the way they want, that can add to the price, thereby hurting perceptions of value.

Brands like Cava, however, have successfully positioned as an everyday value. The 439-unit chain kept menu price increases to a minimum last year.

Cava remains the leader among fast-casual Mediterranean concepts, riding a wave of 22% sales growth in 2025 and surpassing $1 billion in sales.

And that rising tide lifted other boats in the niche.

The 109-unit Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe grew sales more than 10%, to nearly $198 million, while 93-unit Nick the Greek was up more than 22%, and 83-unit Great Greek Mediterranean Grill topped 36% growth after adding 15 units last year.

The 43-unit Lebanese shawarma concept Naya, meanwhile, grew sales nearly 41%, with an average unit volume of $2.47 million, nearing the $2.93 million AUV set by Cava.

Meanwhile, the largest restaurant chains added a net of 3,400 locations last year, and almost half of that unit growth came from five brands (three of which are fast casual): Wingstop, Cinnabon, Chipotle, 7 Brew and Jersey Mike’s.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/fast-casual-restaurant-sales-growth-cooled-2025

 

Bojangles Opens 16 Locations in Q1, Enters Oklahoma for First Time
Bojangles, the iconic restaurant chain known for its craveable breakfast and Southern-style chicken, biscuits and tea, continues its nationwide expansion in 2026 with a series of openings, including the debut of a new restaurant in Oklahoma City, which will be the first-ever Bojangles location in the state of Oklahoma. Throughout Q1, the brand opened 16 additional locations across multiple states and entered new areas across Michigan and New York, further extending its national footprint.

“Since opening, we’ve been encouraged by how the Brooklyn community has shown up for us,” said Habib Hashimi, owner and operator of Bojangles New York. “We’ve seen excitement from guests trying Bojangles for the first time, along with longtime fans who’ve been eager for the brand to arrive in New York. It’s been rewarding to see how quickly people have embraced the food, the hospitality and the experience.”

The brand’s first restaurant opening in Michigan this past February marked another impressive milestone, delivering a record-setting debut with strong sales out of the gate and signaling increased consumer demand for bold-flavored chicken, handcrafted biscuits and breakfast offerings as Bojangles enters new regions.

Additional openings throughout the first quarter spanned a wide range of markets, including Texas, North Carolina, Arkansas, New Jersey, South Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Michigan, Alabama, Florida and New York.These openings reflect continued growth across both established Southeastern strongholds and newer expansion markets nationwide.

“Beginning 2026 with restaurant openings across multiple regions reflects the scale of our franchise system and the momentum driving our expansion,” said Brooks Speirs, Vice President of Franchise Sales at Bojangles. “Entering new markets like Michigan, New York and Oklahoma demonstrates a continued demand for our menu and the confidence operators have in Bojangles as they bring the brand to new communities.”

These openings underscore the strategic focus Bojangles places on thoughtful expansion while delivering the brand’s signature mix of bold flavors and Southern hospitality. Each new restaurant introduces guests to fan-favorite offerings, including made-from-scratch biscuits, hand-breaded fried chicken and breakfast served all day, while creating job opportunities and supporting local economies.

“As we move further into 2026, our focus remains on disciplined growth with franchise partners who understand their local markets and are committed to delivering Bojangles’ Southern hospitality every day,” Speirs added. “We’re thrilled to welcome new operators to the Bojangles family as we continue scaling the brand nationwide.”

For over 45 years, Bojangles has been a staple in the Southeast, offering iconic menu items such as hand-breaded fried chicken, fresh-baked buttermilk biscuits and mouthwatering breakfast served all day. As Bojangles accelerates its expansion, the brand is focused on partnering with seasoned franchise owners and restaurant operators to grow its footprint in new and emerging markets. Individuals interested in franchising with Bojangles should possess strong financial capacity, relevant business or restaurant experience, a sophisticated professional background and the ability to open at least three locations in their market.

To learn more about Bojangles, visit bojangles.com. For more information about Bojangles franchising, visit www.bojanglesfranchising.com

Source https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/bojangles-opens-16-locations-in-q1-enters-oklahoma-for-first-time/

 

Applebee’s franchisees sue chain over dual-branding exclusivity
Operators in Texas claim adding Applebee’s to existing IHOP restaurants broke development exclusivity agreements.

Dive Brief:
Applebee’s franchisees Apple Texas Restaurants and Apple Houston Restaurants have sued the franchisor for allegedly violating the exclusivity portions of their franchisee agreements with dual-branded IHOP/Applebee’s units, court records show.
The operators say one open dual-branded restaurant and two proposed units in Chambers, Tarrant and Dallas counties, Texas, are located in trade areas where they alone possess the right to operate units of the brand.
Dine Brands, the parent company of Applebee’s and IHOP, has touted the daypart synergies and complementary menus of dual-branded locations as important tools for overcoming sales stagnation and bolstering both brands.

Dive Insight:
The suit, which was filed in federal court in Kansas last month, could crimp Dine’s dual branding strategy. The plaintiffs are seeking a court injunction barring Applebee’s from developing new restaurants, including dual-branded locations, in areas where the plaintiffs possess exclusivity. Dine is planning to reach about 80 dual-branded U.S. locations by the end of the year, and up to 900 such locations over the next decade.

Dine has said in the past that adding an Applebee’s to an existing IHOP restaurant, or vice-versa, drives considerable sales growth and profitability for operators. But in areas where the franchisees of the respective brands differ, this could pose a problem for Dine, if the plaintiffs prevail.

The dual-branded locations are “delivering approximately 1.5 to 2.5x higher revenue,” than single-brand restaurants, Dine CEO John Peyton said on the company’s most recent earnings call.

“Those benefits come at the expense of existing franchisees like Plaintiffs, who do not operate dual-branded locations but now have to compete with them in what should be Plaintiffs’ protected territories,” the suit states.

The plaintiffs also allege that they communicated their concerns about dual-branding to Applebee’s in 2025.

According to the complaint, the brand claimed the defendants had previously breached their development agreements because they had not developed new units, closed underperforming locations, and, in one instance, suffered a lockout by a landlord.

The plaintiffs argued that these issues were not sufficient to abrogate their development exclusivity rights and are asking the court to certify that they’ve fulfilled their franchise obligations.

Source https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/applebees-franchising-dual-branding-exclusivity-lawsuit/818535/

 

McDonald’s US CIO to depart, successor named
Mustafa Husain, former VP of restaurant technology engineering, will replace Valerie Ashbaugh starting May 1.

Dive Brief:
McDonald’s SVP and U.S. CIO Valerie Ashbaugh will depart at the end of April, the company said in a Tuesday announcement. The executive is leaving after less than a year as CIO, ending a five-year stint at the fast food company across several leadership roles.
In a message to employees, Global CIO Brian Rice and U.S. COO Skye Anderson praised Ashbaugh’s work to transform the company’s consumer and restaurant platforms and bolster the company’s technology organization.
Mustafa Husain, former VP of restaurant technology engineering, will replace Ashbaugh starting May 1. The executive led innovation and engineering for the company’s global restaurant platform and focused on improving the company’s crew-facing systems, including the point-of-sale platform.

Dive Insight:
The leadership move at McDonald’s comes as it continues a transformation journey dubbed Accelerating the Arches, rolled out at the end of 2020 and renewed for a second phase in 2023.

The company is making progress on revamping its technology backbone, a key component to the growth-boosting effort, said President and CEO Chris Kempczinski, speaking in February during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call.

“When we started this journey, from a company standpoint, we didn’t have a global business services function. Today we do,” said Kempczinski. “We didn’t have [a] revenue growth management function. Now we do. We didn’t have a standardized global tech stack. Today, we’re close.”

The company reported just over $27 billion in revenues during the 2025 fiscal year, up 4% from the prior year.

McDonald’s push to upgrade the company’s IT infrastructure also comes as the business puts active loyalty members at the center of its digital initiatives.

“When you have the ability to get every market onto a common tech stack, our ability to move with speed and to deploy solutions gets increased by factors of significant numbers,” Kempczinski said in February.

The restaurant sector has been busy bringing technology up to speed. Earlier this month, Shake Shack rolled out Project Catalyst, an effort to overhaul its tech stack in pursuit of AI adoption and upgraded systems. Yum Brands, parent company to KFC and Taco Bell, partnered with Nvidia last year in an effort to infuse AI into its operations.

More than one-quarter of restaurant operators globally are already using AI at their restaurants, according to a report from the National Restaurant Association. Marketing, administrative tasks and customer ordering are some of the key use cases.

Source https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/mcdonalds-CIO-valerie-ashbaugh-mustafa-husain/818518/

 

What’s challenging restaurant chain execs in 2026
At the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix, five C-level executives shared the ins and outs of growing their brands.

Consistency, quality, reassessment, respect for roots, customer experience and building strong teams—these are some of the keys to successful growth, according to five C-level chain executives who shared speedy versions of their stories on stage Monday at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix.

Justin Rosenberg, founder and CEO of fast-casual concept Honeygrow, led off the session “C-Suite in the Hot Seat: Inside the Nest,” in a six-minute conversation with Sam Oches, editor-in-chief of Nation’s Restaurant News. Honeygrow launched in 2012 sparked by a void Rosenberg saw in the market for quick, healthy food cooked from scratch.

But in 2018, the brand hit some bumps in the road.

“We had about 30 locations, and there were restaurants that were doing incredible, and a bunch that were not,” said Rosenberg. “We were pressured to grow too fast, so we decided to take a step back and stop growth.” He had to close some locations and slow down expansion, but the experience made him stronger, he said. Now Honeygrow has close to 80 locations and Rosenberg is focusing on disciplined, consistent growth.

The menu is a differentiator, he said, with its selection of salads and stir-fried noodle dishes, transitioning well from lunch to dinner. And Honeygrow works hard to serve a quality product while keeping prices in check, which keeps people coming back. But when asked what keeps him up at night, Rosenberg was quick to answer “Uncertainty.” “You never know what’s going to happen [with the economy],” he said, “but whatever we can control we control.”

Beth McCormick, chief technology officer of Cava, was next in the hot seat, chatting with Mark Hatch, managing director of Informa Connect’s Nest Group, to which several hundred C-level chain execs belong. Fast casual Cava now has about 439 locations in 29 states and is in fast growth mode, said McCormick.

“At Cava we always focus on our foundation and enhancing the team member and guest experience,” she said. “And over the last two years, we’ve spent time really building a unified and modern data platform. We call it ‘power core,’ and that’s really been impactful not only in driving important sites and actions, but also in how it’s powering our guests and team members.”

McCormick sees technology as an asset—not a threat—to building guest relationships. “Deepening guest relationships is one of our strategic pillars … we leverage technology against the human experience, not replace it. And so the more we know, the more we can offer relevant and meaningful interactions with our guests. And we can give our team members operational efficiencies so they can spend more time with our guests. All of that creates that connection.”

Cava’s Beth McCormick in the hot seat on the RLC stage with Mark Hatch.

As far as AI goes, McCormick noted that it’s not going away, so it’s best to embrace it, learn it, figure out how to work well with it. “We’ll be very thoughtful and disciplined about it,” she said.

While Cava and Honeygrow are young brands, Marcos’ Pizza has been around since 1978, COO John Meyers told Oches during his hot seat chat. Founder Pat Gianmarco grew the chain to 120 stores, and in the last 20 years, franchise growth has powered the chain to 1,300 locations internationally.

“We were founded on quality and customer experience and we do things a little differently than others in the pizza category,” said Meyers. “We make our own dough fresh every day at every store, we season our sauce with Pat’s original recipe and we use aged cheese. Quality is what got us to where we are and what’s going to continue to help us grow.”

But customer experience also helps differentiate Marco’s in the crowded pizza segment—even though the business is largely off premise. “Whether it’s delivery, carryout or dine-in, customers are still interacting with you and that starts from the ordering platform and goes all the way until they throw that pizza box in the recycle bin,” said Meyers. “We’ve put a lot of investment back into our online ordering platform.”

Marco;s has built its business on four strategic pillars: Speed, taste, order accuracy and hospitality, he added. Speed and taste have been the focus for a very long time, but “we put a big focus on order accuracy last year, and we were able to raise our top box score by 8 points,” Meyers said.

Marco’s is on an aggressive growth trajectory, with the goal of adding 80 stores a year, but the biggest challenge that comes with that growth is consistency. “We really just want everybody to have a perfect experience everywhere they go,” said Meyers

Schlotzsky’s is a brand that has gone through a lot of changes since it launched 55 years ago, said Chief Brand Officer Donna Josephson Varner. “We’re on a journey now to get back to our roots and turn it into a growth brand,” she told Hatch during her turn in the not seat.

It started with a rebranding, adding “deli” back to the concept’s name to once gain make it Schlotzsky’s Deli. “We made that change based on the consumer,” said Varner. “Two thirds were calling us Schlotzsky’s Deli anyway and the others weren’t sure what we were. Some through Schlotzsky’s was a dry cleaner.”

Now the name reflects the menu’s strengths of overstuffed sandwiches on signature sourdough bread.

Varner is also rebuilding the fast casual’s customer base. “When I joined two years ago, I was told to find some new guests, because our guests are really old, but we found that wasn’t really true. Our core customer is a millennial,” she said.

To address that customer’s needs, the brand is launching a new prototype that eliminates friction points for both the guest and franchisee. That store model has clear directional areas, pointing to kiosks, in-person ordering, delivery pickups, etc. “It speeds the ordering process and increases operational efficiencies in the back-of-house,” she said, “but it also lowers the cost of entry for franchisees.” Being grounded in the consumer and refreshing the brand is setting Schlotzsky’s Deli back on the path of growth.

Roland Gonzalez moved up from COO of Church’s Texas chicken to become CEO about a year ago, and in that year, he has focused on balancing a legacy brand with modernizing it, he told Oches. Digital sales were his first challenge.

“A couple of years ago our digital sales were only about 6% or 7%. Now they’re more than 18% and we’ll be exiting the year north of 20%,” said Gonzalez. When kiosks and catering ramp up, those numbers will go even higher.

As far as growth goes, Church’s is “a tale of two different businesses,” he added. “Internationally, we have 600 locations and 1,500 more in the pipeline, with 600 slated to open in China,” he said. U.S. expansion is a little slower, but the brand is looking at new markets, including three units opening in Philadelphia.

As far as the menu goes, value is a top priority. Church’s is staying true to its roots by serving the best quality chicken for the price, he added. “Our guests have clearly told us that if the price is too high, it’s not going to work. We’re located in a lot of underserved areas, and having a menu architecture that’s priced fairly both for individuals and families is what makes us successful.”

Right now, Church’s offers three pieces of chicken or three tenders and a biscuit for $4.49—some soft drinks are more than that, Gonzalez noted. “People are seeing that as a good deal and adding on a side and drink, so the average ticket is more like $10 to $11,” he added.

That formula has added up to a 6% boost in traffic two years in a row—a boost that makes Gonzalez very excited about the future.

The Restaurant Leadership Conference is hosted by Informa, parent company of Restaurant Business and Nation’s Restaurant News. It concludes on Wednesday.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/operations/whats-challenging-restaurant-chain-execs-2026

---

Foodservice Equipment

 

Making Smart Restaurant Equipment Decisions
When Jon Jacobs opened Polliwogs Eatery & Pub in Mississippi in the late ’90s, he learned a few costly lessons when outfitting the kitchen infrastructure, particularly as the business grew and the menus evolved. At one point, his team needed new fryers, but they had unused pizza ovens. That’s just one example from his decades on the equipment and supply side of the industry, including leadership roles at TriMark USA, and serving on the Georgia Restaurant Association board,

He relies on this experience as operator, buyer and advisor in his role as president of operations for SilverChef, a provider of flexible restaurant equipment financing. Learn why he understands that equipment is a major investment, and why it’s important that it supports the menu execution, not defines it. In this conversation with Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine, he discusses the need for an operations-first approach, budget adaptability, flexibility, and the risks of trying to “get by” with the wrong equipment.

What are the best things an operator can do before opening a restaurant to ensure they make the most practical decisions when selecting restaurant equipment?
One of the best things an operator can do is to try to apply their concept beyond how it’s written on paper. This can include testing the menu, mapping out kitchen workflows, and seeing where consistency and speed need to be maintained. Many operators get caught up in the concept and then make large financial decisions based on it, rather than on how it will come to life in day-to-day operations.

For new operators, spending time in comparable kitchens, speaking with experienced operators, and understanding the realities of expectations can go a long way. Equipment is a major investment, and it’s important that it supports the menu execution, not defines it. With an operations-first approach, menu decisions and equipment selections are more likely to hold up once service begins.

Is there any specific budgeting advice you can give someone?
Building a budget that allows for strategic pivots is key. We’re heading into summer, a peak time for restaurants across the country, but data show that 68 percent of U.S. consumers are reducing restaurant spending. Economic uncertainty and shifting consumer sentiment make it harder to predict profit and income, and as a result, free cash flow ensures that you can handle any challenges that come down the line.

With an operations-first approach, menu decisions and equipment selections are more likely to hold up once service begins.

Operators need adaptable budgets that allow for strategic pivots in marketing or product development should they be impacted.

Successful operators are those who can scale up or pull back without additional financial strain. Equipment is a major upfront cost, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of operational flexibility.

What are the most common missteps operators make when overspending or underspending on equipment? Are there items they should focus on more, or does it vary with the type of business?
A common misstep across all restaurant types is overestimating volume and investing in equipment that exceeds actual needs, often tying up capital in underutilized or the wrong types of equipment. On the other hand, some operators will underspend on core equipment like refrigerators, which are essential regardless of restaurant type.

The equipment needs of each restaurant will vary depending on what they plan to serve, but for many new operators, a guiding principle should be to invest in core staple equipment while remaining flexible for products tied to specific menu items. Menu items may need to change quickly in response to customer demand and interest, and operators want to avoid being locked into equipment that doesn’t adapt as the business evolves.

What lessons did you learn about selecting equipment–In what ways would you make changes?
One of the biggest lessons is that the industry doesn’t stand still. Menus evolve, customer preferences shift, and operational realities change and in many cases, faster than expected. Treating equipment decisions as permanent can limit an operator’s ability to respond to those changes.

Equipment is a major upfront cost, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of operational flexibility.

Leading with flexibility is a lesson that I would recommend all operators understand and put into practice from the start. The ability to adjust your equipment mix without significant financial consequences is incredibly valuable.

Pizzas and french fries require very different types of equipment, so operators who want to make a menu pivot would benefit from equipment financing to avoid the burden of owning expensive pizza ovens they no longer need. Flexible financing models that allow operators to try equipment before fully committing and adapt over time can reduce a lot of the pressure to get every decision right upfront.

What role does flexibility play in the restaurant equipment selection process? How does it solve common operator problems?
Flexibility is one of the most important and often overlooked considerations. Many operators starting out view ownership of all assets as key, but in restaurants, the opposite is true. Demand, staffing, and costs are constantly shifting, and many restaurants pivot or make strategic changes in response to customer feedback. Equipment is one of the largest investments operators can make, and they make it before they’ve even opened their doors or tested their menu with consumers.

A common problem for operators is sinking capital too early. Approaches that enable operators to rent, test, and scale equipment as needed help reduce risk, improve cash flow management, and create space to refine the business over time. It turns equipment from a fixed cost into an operational cost.

What are the risks an operator takes by using the wrong equipment?
The wrong equipment can slow down service, create inconsistencies in food quality, and add unnecessary strain on staff. Over time, that impacts both the guest experience and team retention.

There are also financial implications that often get overlooked. Inefficient or poorly suited equipment can lead to higher maintenance costs, increased energy usage, and using equipment incorrectly can often result in it breaking down faster. For many operators, the ability to pivot is crucial, and the wrong equipment can be a bottleneck, limiting menu improvements and ultimately restricting growth in a highly competitive market.

Drawing on your experience, what is some outdated advice new restaurant owners rely on when making equipment decisions?
A common piece of outdated advice is that owning equipment outright is always the best path forward. This may work for larger operators down the line who have an established customer base, but for many operators finding their niche, owning equipment can be a weakness. Many business owners take pride in ownership, but this doesn’t always align with the realities of today’s restaurant environment, where adaptability and cash flow management are critical.

The most successful operators today are the ones who can test, learn, and evolve quickly—and increasingly, they’re choosing equipment strategies that give them that freedom, rather than locking them into decisions that are difficult to reverse.

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/making-smart-restaurant-equipment-decisions/

 

TriMark Names VP of Strategic Sourcing
TriMark USA LLC named Zeeshan Malik executive vice president of strategic sourcing.

Malik joins TriMark from Foodbuy USA, where he most recently served as vice president of sourcing, North America. Overall, Malik spent more than 16 years with Foodbuy and parent company Compass Group. His background also includes 17 years working with “retailers worldwide,” per a release announcing his hiring.

Brand Snapshot: TriMark USA

Company type: Foodservice equipment and supplies dealership
Headquarters: Mansfield, Mass.
2025 revenues: $2.22 billion, making it the second largest foodservice equipment and supplies dealer in the country, per FE&S 2026 Distribution Giants study
Malik will also co-lead TriMark’s previously announced 2027 plans to deal more directly with its largest equipment suppliers and exit the NexGen industry buying group. He will do this by working with Karen McCain, a TriMark executive vice president. Beginning January 1, 2027, Malik will add the TriMark category management team to his responsibilities, the release added. McCain will shift her executive leadership team responsibilities to lead key strategic initiatives and merger and acquisition activities.

“Our company-wide transformation that began in late 2024 – building a modern, high-performance organization that’s digitally enabled, customer-obsessed, and powered by great people – remains on track,” said Terry O’Brien, CEO of TriMark USA, in the release. “Zeeshan’s deep international sourcing experience and relationships advance this effort, further allowing TriMark to deliver the industry-best value our customers expect.”

Source https://fesmag.com/topics/the-latest-news/23617-trimark-names-vp-of-strategic-sourcing

 

RSG Hires Lusk for Key Accounts Post
Derek Lusk assumed the position of key account director for Refrigerated Solutions Group, which is the parent company of Norlake and Master-Bilt.

Derek Lusk
In his new role, Lusk will work with “key chain accounts” and help “customers navigate evolving operational and regulatory demands,” per a company release.

Prior to joining RSG, Lusk served as a national account manager at ITW Food Equipment Group. He previously spent nearly 15 years with Franke Foodservice Systems, holding a range of leadership roles across account management, program development, and market strategy.

Source https://fesmag.com/topics/the-latest-news/23612-rsg-hires-lusk-for-key-accounts-post

---

Tabletop & FOH

 

The understaffing of restaurants is costly, and likely to get worse
A new report by the National Restaurant Association details how lack of staff is not just an inconvenience. It can materially impact growth, service and sales.

Restaurants should not underestimate the costly impact of understaffing.

So argues a report out Thursday from the National Restaurant Association and Workday, which found that understaffing is not just a marginal inconvenience, it is a material drag on growth, service quality and sales.

“Being short just one employee can cost a restaurant thousands of dollars in annual sales. The restaurants best positioned to grow are those that treat workforce decisions as a business imperative,” said Chad Moutray, the association’s chief economist, in a statement.

Restaurants employed an estimated 15.7 million people in 2025, which is about 10% of the nation’s workforce, the report said.

According to the report, the number of restaurants that said they were understaffed is shrinking.

In 2025, 22% of operators said their restaurants lacked enough staff to meet consumer demand. That was down from 32% in 2024 and well below the 78% in 2021 in the aftermath of the pandemic.

But Moutray, who spoke this week at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix, said he expects workforce challenges to get worse over the next few years, with population rates declining and immigrant deportations continuing.

The Congressional Budget Office projections for growth in the population have the U.S. going net negative as soon as 2030, and Moutray said he expects it will be sooner.

“I think that really begs the issue of where your customers are going to come from. Where is your labor going to come from? And, obviously, from a federal standpoint, where’s the money going to come from?” he posed.

The National Restaurant Association report found that 62% of operators said recruiting and retaining employees was already a very or fairly significant challenge for their business.

And those that are short-staffed are feeling the impact.

Nearly 8 in 10 short-staffed restaurant operators said it limited their ability to grow, leading to slower service, reduced sales and increased overtime expense and employee stress, the report said.

Nearly half of understaffed restaurants said they could not operate at full capacity, and 43% postponed expansion plans or modified their menus. More than one-third (34%) reduced hours, and 1 in 5 closed on days they would normally be open.

The pace of hiring also has an impact—and that’s where use of technology can help.

New employees can be a short-term cost to the business. When a new hourly worker is hired, it takes an average of 31.8 days on the job for them to become “net positive. For managers and salaried staff, it takes an average of 72.2 days, and other leadership roles could take 3-6 months, the report said.

Technology available to the industry has helped reduce the time it takes to hire new workers to as little as 1 to 3 days, the report said, including automation, AI-enabled tools and data-driven platforms that can streamline recruitment.

Post-hire technology tools have also helped improve workforce management. Nearly half of restaurants now use scheduling software, 40% provide digital onboarding resources, and only about 26% said they use AI tools.

But, despite widespread fears that technology use would eliminate jobs, that doesn’t appear to have happened.

When asked if jobs had been permanently eliminated over the past two to three years as a result of an investment in technology, only 6% of all operators said “yes.”

Joe Guszkowski contributed to this report.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/workforce/understaffing-restaurants-costly-likely-get-worse

 

Making a menu that works hard to boost profitability
Three operators share their strategies for maximizing margins as costs continue to rise and consumers grow wary of menu price hikes.

Consumers seek affordability and operators want profitability. Can the two co-exist in today’s restaurant economy?

Three chain restaurant CMOs showed how they’re finding the right balance during a panel on Monday at Informa’s Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix. Joel Bulger of WOWorks, Cathy Chavenet of Paris Baguette and Katie Love of Sonny’s BBQ shared menu strategies that are working for them. Here are some of their takeaways.

Focus on items that are simple to execute. When a menu item is operationally complex, it will turn out to be more expensive than it seems if you’re basing price on cost of goods, said Love. If you’re using a lot of labor and bringing in more SKUs, it erodes profits. And if the complex item is not executed well, it can turn off guests and they won’t return. Make simplicity a priority to improve margins.

Cross-utilize to the max. The operators all agreed that they never bring in a SKU for just one menu item — it has to work across multiple platforms. Chavenet, who oversees R&D along with marketing at Paris Baguette, shared a clever cross-utilization idea that doubled as a zero-waste solution. Before large cakes are frosted, the tops and sides may be shaved to even them out and make them smoother, resulting in a pile of cake scraps. The team recycles those scraps to create “cake cups” that are layered with fruit and cream and sold for $3 as a small treat.

Value = food + experience. Fast-casual and full-service restaurants are working to deliver value without discounts, deals and low prices. For WOWorks’ concepts like Frutta Bowls and Saladworks, it’s about making it easier on the consumer. “For a lot of my brands, customers walk down the line picking ingredients to build a bowl or plate,” said Bulger. “If you’re new and there are 10 people behind you, it’s terrifying, so we created chef favorites that are curated. They sped up the line and accounted for about 12% of orders.” There’s a lot of talk about how a restaurant’s ambience and service can add value, but ease of ordering may not be as obvious.

Value means different things on- or off-premise. For guests dining in at Sonny’s BBQ, the Southern-style hospitality and tempting aroma of smoke wafting through the restaurant creates value, said Love. But for takeout and delivery customers, it’s about speed, convenience, accuracy and food quality. The same goes for Paris Baguette — without the smoke. “You walk into our cafés and our cases are filled with fresh, house-baked pastries and beautiful cakes,” said Chavenet. “Combined with our photography and messaging, it creates an immersive experience.”

High demand can translate to higher menu prices. The demand for protein is at an all-time high, and Sonny’s leaned into that demand with limited-time $10.99 protein plates featuring cost-effective chicken and pork. “They performed really well, but when the promotion ended, our customers practically stormed the gates,” said Love. Realizing they could lose loyal guests, Sonny’s brought back the protein plates at a higher price: $12. “We haven’t had a single comment from somebody calling out that we raised the price by $1, and the plates have been performing better than before,” she added.

Beverages are profit centers. Operators have known for a long time that high-margin, low-cost drinks are a sure way to increase the check, but these days, those drinks have to be on-trend. WOWorks has added a virtual dirty soda brand to its portfolio, which is being tested at several locations. “They couldn’t be easier to make — soda, plus some sort of sweet cream, plus pumps,” said Bulger, “and it’s very high profit and purely incremental, especially with delivery orders.”

Paris Baguette does seasonal LTOs, with a theme that weaves throughout the food and beverage menu. This summer, it’s blueberries. The fruit is showing up in pastries and cakes as well as drinks, such as blueberry latte, blueberry lemonade and blueberry matcha. And Sonny’s has developed a line of non-alcoholic cocktails geared to Gen Zers, since the chain’s customer demographic skews a bit older, said Love. The young team members are loving the flavors and selling the mocktails, she said, an indication that Sonny’s hit the target.

Tell your story. The three marketing pros agreed that it’s good to brag a little. Market the quality of your ingredients, the hand-crafted techniques you’re using, the baker, chef or pitmaster in the back of the house, the origins of a menu item … all those stories enhance a brand’s value in the eyes of the consumer and can justify the price you charge. “Make people feel good about the money they’re spending in your restaurant,” said Love.

Informa’s media brands, Restaurant Business and Nation’s Restaurant News, moderated several of the panels and sessions at the Restaurant Leadership Conference, which concluded on Wednesday.

Source https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/marketing/making-menu-works-hard-boost-profitability

 

Managing Mother’s Day Demand Without Slowing the Kitchen
Few days carry as much pressure for restaurants as Mother’s Day. Tickets start rolling in quickly, but what matters more is what’s behind each order, because people are celebrating, and even small issues can leave a lasting impression.

Orders on Mother’s Day behave differently from a typical rush because many are tied to group decisions, even when individuals are placing their own orders. If that experience feels unclear or takes too long, they’ll leave instead of spending time figuring it out.

No one wants to be tied to a bad experience on a day like that, which makes ordering in the first place extremely important. If the menu slows things down, customers will simply move on.

Group Ordering Changes How Menus Should Work
Most menus still assume one person ordering for one meal, but Mother’s Day orders often fall into two buckets at the same time.

Some customers plan ahead and place larger, bundled orders for pickup, like family meals or holiday packages, while others order closer to mealtime by building a cart on the fly for a group at home. Both show up through online ordering, and both put pressure on the same operation.

A common mistake is treating Mother’s Day like a single-day event. In reality, a meaningful portion of demand forms earlier in the weeks and month leading up to the special day.

A customer trying to feed six or eight people doesn’t want to scroll through dozens of individual items and build a cart from scratch. While having a massive menu gives guests lots of options, it also creates hesitation and decision overload with questions like, how much food is enough and which combinations make sense.

At the same time, operators are managing in-store dining rooms that are often full. Kitchens are balancing dine-in tickets, scheduled pickups and delivery orders all at once. If the online experience pushes too many custom, complex orders into the system at the wrong time, it slows everything down. Having a clear structure helps on both sides, especially when operators limit the menu to items that travel well and can be produced quickly during peak windows.

Family-style meals and pre-set bundles reduce decision time and make execution more predictable, especially when those options are placed front and center online instead of buried in the menu. When those options are easy to find, they’ll help guide customers toward orders that are faster to produce and easier to get right during a busy service.

The Highest-Value Orders Happen Before Sunday
A common mistake is treating Mother’s Day like a single-day event. In reality, a meaningful portion of demand forms earlier in the weeks and month leading up to the special day.

Customers who plan ahead behave differently. They spend more time selecting a full meal, make fewer last-minute changes and they are less sensitive to small price differences, which means those orders tend to be larger and more stable.

To drive pre-orders, start promoting a few weeks in advance and make menus easy to access from the homepage or ordering link. Pulling demand forward gives teams a clearer picture of expected volume and helps managers plan purchasing and staffing before the rush begins.

Restaurants that rely only on day-of traffic often see everything hit at once, and that’s when both the ordering flow and the kitchen start to feel it.

Where Large Orders and Peak Demand Break Down
Large orders can break down from the little things that pop up while making the ticket. For example, a modifier isn’t very clear or an item sells out while a customer is mid order, which results in guests having to go back through the process and slow down order speeds. Small orders are easy to sort out when a mistake happens, but it can be a nightmare to keep track of large orders and what still needs to be done.

A missed item on a weekday can be fixed with a quick refund or redelivery. Mother’s Day doesn’t leave much room for that, especially when the kitchen is already at capacity and drivers are tied up.

Strong execution starts before the order leaves the kitchen with clear labeling, packaging that holds up in transit and final checks on larger orders to reduce the chances of issues. When something does run behind, a quick update helps manage expectations before frustration builds.

Mother’s Day Can Carry Value Beyond a Single Day
Many restaurants see orders from customers who don’t typically order directly and they come in during one of the most demanding services of the year, which makes the experience even more important.

When everything runs smoothly, customers remember it. The process felt easy, the order showed up as expected and the meal met the moment. Having a nice and smooth experience lowers the barrier for the next order without needing much extra effort.

Following up while that experience is still fresh can bring those customers back. A reminder of what they ordered or an easy way to reorder keeps things simple and familiar. Restaurants that handle the volume well and keep the experience consistent give customers a reason to come back.

Elliot Hool

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/managing-mothers-day-demand-without-slowing-the-kitchen/

---

Food & Beverage

 

Coffee Project NY Earns Spot on World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops List
Coffee Project NY, New York City’s independent coffee retailer, roaster, and education hub, has been recognized by The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops, ranking #3 in New York State, #22 in the USA and #63 across the continent. The announcement was made at the very first North, Central America and The Caribbean’s 100 Best Coffee Shops Gala, held in San Diego, California during the week of April 12th.

Founded in 2015 by Chi Sum Ngai and Kaleena Teoh, Coffee Project NY is rooted in values of sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation, and strives to make specialty coffee approachable and accessible to all. The brand is built around close relationships with small, often under-the-radar emerging farms, rare cultivars, and limited lots chosen for both quality and storytelling. Because they work in small, fast-moving releases, more producers get a moment in the spotlight, creating a constantly evolving portfolio that invites both newcomers and seasoned coffee enthusiasts alike to explore.

As the first-ever Specialty Coffee Association-certified Premier Training Campus in New York, Coffee Project NY also educates future Q Graders – the coffee industry equivalent of sommeliers – teaching them how to evaluate, score, and describe coffee at the highest level.

Coffee Project NY has locations in the East Village, Tribeca, Hell’s Kitchen, FiDi, Chelsea, Fort Green (BK) and Long Island City (QNS). Select products are available on Amazon or via their website.

Source https://www.qsrmagazine.com/news/coffee-project-ny-earns-spot-on-worlds-100-best-coffee-shops-list/

 

Hydration becoming key functional beverage trend
KANSAS CITY — Functionality remains at the forefront of consumer shopping trends. Many are maintaining their hunger for foods and beverages formulated with higher levels of protein and fiber for strength and satiation. Now, consumers are adding a focus on hydration to the mix.

New data from PepsiCo, Inc. suggests that, while 95% of American consumers understand the importance of hydration, over 150 million consumers regularly report signs of mild to moderate dehydration, including unregulated body temperature, low cognitive focus and increased thirst.

PepsiCo’s position is supported by public health officials who have linked poor hydration habits to fatigue, reduced cognitive performance and kidney problems, particularly among older adults.

Several hydration-focused beverages, such as Gatorade and Pedialyte, have long been on the market, but a lack of understanding about the benefits electrolytes have on general hydration support has pigeonholed the beverages into sports nutrition and health categories.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about hydration is that it only matters for elite athletes or extreme situations,” said Damian Browne, senior vice president of research and development, US Beverages at PepsiCo. “In reality, mild to moderate dehydration can build gradually across the day for most people, often without realizing it, and thirst is not always a reliable signal.”

As the general population increases interest in functional beverages that support hydration, manufacturers are steadily rolling out products formulated with electrolytes.

“Hydration has shifted from a box you check at the gym to a daily wellness ritual, so electrolytes are naturally moving from the sidelines into the center of the beverage set,” said Erin Smith, customer marketing manager at Imbibe, a beverage product developer. “In recent global launches, we’re seeing a clear ‘hydration plus’ mindset …. That classic sports drink idea is now showing up in more everyday formats and use cases, not just intense workouts.”

Purpose and formulation
Integrating electrolytes into beverage formulas supports hydration in several ways. The functional ingredients aid in stabilizing pH levels and balancing water levels within the body to optimize hydration. Electrolyte infusions can occur through the addition of minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium.
While beneficial ingredients, the minerals alter a beverage’s organoleptic properties.

“Electrolytes aren’t a drop-in ingredient,” Smith said. “Once you start adding meaningful levels of sodium, potassium or magnesium, you change the whole flavor balance of the drink – saltiness goes up, bitterness or minerality can creep in and you often have to rethink sweetness and acidity to keep it enjoyable.”

Beverage manufacturers have found citrus flavors pair well with added electrolytes.
“Citrus and tropical flavors tend to work naturally with mineral profiles, which is why you see those flavor families a lot in the category,” said Eran Mizrahi, co-founder of Source86, an ingredient supplier.

Q Mixers, for example, added a line of sparkling canned beverage mixers to its portfolio in March. The beverages are formulated with electrolytes and feature tropical flavors like pineapple passion, raspberry lemon, watermelon lime and peach nectarine.

Syncron, a performance beverage brand, debuted Syncron Hydrate, a functional beverage formulated with electrolytes. Available in flavors such as berry, lemon lime and orange, the beverage is intended to support muscle recovery and to optimize hydration.

The Kraft Heinz Co. turned its focus towards children’s hydration with a new Capri Sun-brand innovation. Capri Sun Hydrate, described by the company as one of the first-to-market hydration beverages formulated specifically for children, is made with “essential electrolytes” and 50% less sugar than leading sports drinks.

Tropicana Brands Group is riding the hydration wave, too, with Tropicana Hydrate, a juice line that offers electrolytes and coconut water to boost hydration.

Cross-functionality
While electrolytes alone may be added to a beverage’s formula to increase functionality, manufacturers are utilizing the minerals alongside additional functional ingredients to offer optimized wellness support.

“The most interesting products right now are not just electrolytes on their own, but the products that combine them with complementary ingredients,” Mizrahi said.

Sonic Drive-In, for example, has added Sonic Refreshers, a line of hydration- and energy-focused beverages, to its menu. The beverages are formulated with electrolytes and caffeine.

The Campbell’s Co. recently launched a limited-time V8 Energy drink that blends electrolytes into the energy beverages formulation.
Protein and hydration

Beverage companies are beginning to roll out formulas that combine protein with hydration support.

Systm Foods added a clear protein beverage to its REBBL brand that is formulated with whey protein, potassium, magnesium and sodium, and available in such flavors as mixed berry, lemon lime, strawberry watermelon and mandarin orange.

Beyond Meat, a plant-based meat company, entered into the beverage category with a protein beverage formulated with plant protein and electrolytes.

“There’s been a huge rise in beverages that give you meaningful protein but without the thick texture of your usual shake,” Mizrahi said. “It feels like a logical next step to add electrolytes into those types of products since hydration and recovery are already close to that positioning.”

Powder mixes
While several beverage manufacturers have launched ready-to-drink products with electrolytes, others are introducing drink mixes that may be added to a beverage to heighten functionality.

True Citrus unveiled True Lemon Wellness, a functional powdered drink mix formulated with electrolytes. The launch included three options of health-and-wellness support such as immune health, energy boosts and appetite control.

Sprinter, the vodka soda brand from television personality Kylie Jenner, debuted beverage mixes made with electrolytes, collagen peptides and hyaluronic acid to boost skin health and hydration.

GLP-1s and the future
The rise of hydration-focused beverages is timely. The use of GLP-1 medications continue to alter consumer diets, and hydration support has become more necessary and sought after.

“GLP-1 medications can quietly raise the stakes on hydration because reduced appetite, nausea, and gastrointestinal side effects mean people are losing both fluids and electrolytes while often eating and drinking less overall,” Smith said.

GLP-1 medications and rising interest in functional products is stoking the fire behind electrolyte formulations, and beverage experts are already seeing the effect on the category’s future.

“As more hydration products enter the market, not all of them will justify a premium price,” Mizrahi said. “Retailers and consumers will probably be more selective and eventually some level of recovery or hydration support will just become a given in many beverages, even outside the traditional sports category.”

Source https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/30213-hydration-becoming-key-functional-beverage-trend

 

Suja Life preparing to launch IPO
OCEANSIDE, CALIF. — Suja Life, Inc., a beverage manufacturer, filed a registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering (IPO). The company, which applied to The Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “SUJA,” stated that share numbers to be offered and price range have not yet been determined.

Suja Life currently markets three brands in the natural healthy beverage category, including cold-pressed juices under its Suja Organic brand, wellness shots under its Vive Organic brand, and functional sodas under its Slice brand, which the company acquired in 2024. The company’s brands generated $219 million, $63 million and $10 million in net sales for fiscal 2025, respectively, with an average of 10 stock-keeping units across 37,000 stores, according to the filing.

Suja Life’s total fiscal 2025 net sales of $327 million represent a 26% increase from 2024’s $259 million in net sales and a nearly 21% CAGR from 2023 to 2025.
Through the IPO, Suja Life aims to capitalize on consumer momentum within the $3.9 billion natural healthy beverage category, which is growing at a rate four times faster than the total beverage market, the company said in the filing, citing SPINS data for the 52-week period ended Dec. 28, 2025.

“The opportunity before us is significant,” said Maria Stipp, chief executive officer of Suja Life, Inc., in a letter to future shareholders. “The beverage industry is undergoing one of the largest shifts in consumer preferences to date. Across categories we see consumers voting with their wallets for beverages with lower sugar, cleaner ingredient labels and functional benefits.”

While the company grew its household penetration by 31% in 2025, Stipp identified “significant whitespace opportunity” for Suja Life as the company has reached just 11% total household penetration, according to SPINS. Suja Life plans to expand its market share by increasing shelf space, securing additional displays and adding SKU variety within its existing distribution network while looking to deepen penetration in the away-from-home and e-commerce channels, according to the company.

Suja Life also said it expects to broaden its portfolio through functional platform launches, flavor innovations, price-pack architectures and exploring product category adjacencies.

“Becoming a public company represents the natural next step in our evolution,” Stipp said. “The public markets will provide the resources and opportunity to accelerate our innovation agenda, broaden distribution and execute on strategic acquisitions — positioning us as a definitive leader in better-for-you beverages.”

Source https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/30149-suja-life-preparing-to-launch-ipo

---

HVAC & Plumbing

 

How Bitcoin Empowers HVAC Business Owners to Gain Financial Control
Unlocking Financial Control Through Bitcoin: An HVAC Perspective
In recent years, Bitcoin has evolved from a niche digital currency to a powerful symbol of financial control and independence. As HVAC business owners navigate the complexities of their financial landscapes, understanding the implications of Bitcoin can be pivotal in gaining better control over their resources and expanding their financial literacy.

Understanding the Economic Freedom Bitcoin Offers
For many, the journey into cryptocurrency begins with an exploration of economic freedom. What does it mean to control one’s finances without fear of inflation or government intervention? Bitcoin stands out as an innovative solution. With its decentralized framework, Bitcoin empowers users by enabling them to manage their holdings with greater autonomy than traditional banking systems allow. No longer are individuals constrained by the limitations of their local financial institutions, enabling HVAC professionals to make more savvy investment decisions.

Bridging the Educational Gap in Financial Literacy
As Bitcoin grows in popularity, a troubling trend is emerging: financial literacy lagging behind technological advances. Business owners must equip themselves with knowledge about Bitcoin and its implications in a changing economic landscape. Bitcoin education initiatives are crucial for fostering informed decision-making. By understanding how Bitcoin operates and the potential pitfalls, HVAC professionals can navigate its complexities effectively, positioning themselves ahead of their peers who may overlook this critical asset.

The Power of Informal Networks and Inclusivity
The inclusivity of Bitcoin reflects a significant departure from traditional banking norms. For HVAC business owners, this means they can engage in transactions without falling prey to the exclusions often faced by underserved communities. The capacity to conduct business outside conventional banks opens doors to new opportunities, particularly when operating in diverse market environments.

Future Insights: The Role of Bitcoin in HVAC Financial Strategies
What does the future hold for HVAC businesses adopting Bitcoin? As Bitcoin fluctuates in value, its role as a store of wealth and a medium of exchange becomes ever more pertinent. By accepting Bitcoin, HVAC companies can streamline cross-border transactions, reduce fees, and attract a broader customer base. Anticipating the rise of a cryptocurrency-centric economy positions HVAC business owners for sustained growth in a competitive market.

Realizing the Risks and Rewards
While the benefits of Bitcoin are compelling, it’s crucial to acknowledge the associated risks. Its volatility can be intimidating. HVAC owners must balance their portfolios wisely, and a strategic approach that incorporates both traditional and digital assets could be the key to financial success. Diligent monitoring of financial trends in Bitcoin can provide critical insights for making informed decisions.

Taking Action: A Call to Embrace Financial Autonomy
As HVAC business owners look toward the future, embracing the dynamics of cryptocurrency, particularly Bitcoin, offers a pathway to enhanced financial autonomy. Educating oneself about Bitcoin’s mechanics, exploring online resources, and integrating this digital asset into business practices can significantly impact long-term financial health. This moment is a chance to redefine what it means to be financially independent in an evolving landscape.

In conclusion, as HVAC professionals consider the many lessons Bitcoin offers, the time to act is now. Embracing this disruptive technology can propel your business towards greater financial control and independence.

Source https://hvacindustryjournal.com/how-bitcoin-empowers-hvac-business-owners-to-gain-financial-control

 

Managing Supplier Compliance During the Low-GWP Refrigerant Transition
The HVACR industry is currently facing one of its biggest changes in years. As we move toward low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants to meet EPA standards, the way you manage your business must change, too. For contractors, a great installation is only half the job. The other half is proving your business is a safe bet through solid data.

With new rules coming from the American Innovation & Manufacturing Act (AIM Act), such as lower 15-pound leak detection thresholds and mandatory automatic leak detection for large systems, your list of suppliers and their safety requirements is shifting. If your vendors aren’t compliant with these standards, your company carries the risk of heavy EPA fines, operational shutdowns, and even the loss of insurance coverage. Here is a practical guide to auditing your vendors to ensure they have the right certifications and digital records before your team starts the job.

Why Compliance Matters More Now
Insurance costs for property owners are rising due to more lawsuits and expensive damage claims. In fact, national multifamily insurance costs rose 55% between 2021 and 2024, largely because the “liability market” is becoming more difficult for businesses to get coverage due to a 300% increase in jury awards over $10 million since 2020. Additionally, water damage remains a primary driver of these costs, as the average insurance payout for such a claim now ranges between $11,098 and $12,514. To keep their own insurance affordable, your clients are checking their vendors more closely. Your compliance data—like your safety records and insurance certificates—is now the “key” that lets you onto the job site. If that data is missing, you become a liability that clients will stay away from.

How to Audit Your Vendors
To keep your business moving forward, you need a proactive way to handle your suppliers and their paperwork.
● Set Up Early Alerts: Don’t wait for an expired certificate to stop your work or freeze your payments. Set reminders for 30, 60, or 90 days before a document expires. This gives your partners time to update their forms so your status stays “green-lighted”.

● Sign up for a centralized platform that manages vendor relationships: Scattered folders and expired PDFs are a cause for concern that can slow down your operations. To avoid the hassle of searching for necessary documentation, you need a single digital “source of truth” where all your vendor data lives. Using a centralized platform like VendorAccess.com allows you to keep your credentials in one place, making them easy to share with clients and ensuring you stay in a “ready-to-work” status. This type of system also protects your business by vetting subcontractor paperwork before they ever turn a wrench, which is critical since an uninsured subcontractor can void your own insurance coverage altogether. Furthermore, keeping your digital W-9s and tax forms updated in one hub eliminates manual data entry errors that often lead to “missing” checks and delayed payments.

Compliance is a Competitive Edge
In the HVACR world, speed is everything. When an emergency repair comes up, property managers look for “ready-to-work” vendors who are already vetted. If your paperwork is done and correct, you stay at the top of their list.
Staying compliant is a good way to protect your business, while also helping you market it. By treating your certifications as a core part of your strategy, you protect your profits and stay ahead of the competition. Digital tools are the foundation that allows your team to do what they do best—provide expert service.

Source https://www.achrnews.com/articles/166068-managing-supplier-compliance-during-the-low-gwp-refrigerant-transition

 

How fast AI has changed since last year
If you were in the AI conversation a year ago, you probably remember the tone. A lot of it still sat just over the horizon. People were trying to sort out what was real, what was marketing, and what might eventually turn into something useful.

Agents came up, but mostly as an idea. Interesting, sure. Worth watching, absolutely. But still far enough away that most distributors and manufacturers in the PHCP and PVF industry could keep it in the “not yet” category.

That category got smaller in a hurry.

One of the clearest ways to understand what has changed since last year’s Applied AI for Distributors event is this: some of the things that were being discussed as next are now showing up as current. Agents are the obvious example. Last year, they were part forecast, part concept. This year, they’ve moved into the live conversation because people can see what they look like in practice.

That shift shows up in the direction the technology has taken. A year ago, most AI systems were still confined to responding to prompts. Now, you’re seeing the early versions of something different. In simple terms, an agent is a system that can take a goal, figure out the steps required, and execute them using tools and data along the way. Instead of just generating an answer, these systems can plan a sequence of actions, use software, and work toward an outcome.

AI is now writing its own code, testing it, and helping improve the systems that power it through iterative loops. Models are interacting with browsers and other tools to gather information and complete tasks across multiple steps. None of this is fully mature, but it’s no longer theoretical. The conversation has moved from “this might be possible” to “this is starting to show up,” which is a real change from where things stood even a year ago.

For distributors and manufacturers in the PHCP and PVF industry, that changes the posture. Last year, it was reasonable to spend time getting oriented. Most teams were still trying to understand the tools, test the output, and decide whether any of it belonged in a real workflow. This year, the question is less about whether AI belongs somewhere in the business and more about where it is already starting to earn a place.

It’s a better conversation, but also a tougher one. It forces leaders to update their assumptions. Many companies are still reacting to the version of AI they saw six or nine months ago. That version is already outdated. The capabilities have moved, and the practical use cases have moved with them.

That is part of what makes this year’s Applied AI for Distributors event more relevant than a standard industry gathering. The event is landing at a moment when the conversation has caught up to the technology. It makes sense to ask how far agents have already come, where they are starting to show up inside real operations, and what that suggests about the next stretch of the curve.

DSG deserves some credit here. Topics like agents were on the table before most of the market had a clear feel for them. Now that the technology has advanced and the conversation has moved with it, there is real value in going back to that room and hearing what they are watching next.

That’s the practical reason to stay close to this event. Not because AI is trendy or because every software company suddenly added new language to its pitch deck. The pace is fast enough now that leaders need a sharper read on what changed, what is usable, and what is coming into view earlier than expected.

For ASA members, especially those trying to separate signal from noise, that is the useful lens. Last year’s “future” is already showing up in the current conversation. The smart move now is not to admire the speed of it. It is to recalibrate around it.

Applied AI for Distributors takes place June 23–25 and brings together distribution leaders, operators, and technology teams focused on practical application. The agenda is built around real use cases across pricing, quoting, customer service, inventory, operations, and sales, along with workshops on building an AI roadmap and working with emerging capabilities like agents. More information and registration details are available at appliedaifordistributors.com.

That is part of what makes this year’s Applied AI for Distributors event more relevant than a standard industry gathering. The event is landing at a moment when the conversation has caught up to the technology. Last year, it made sense to talk about where agents were headed. This year, it makes sense to ask how far they have already come, where they are starting to show up inside real operations, and what that suggests about the next stretch of the curve.

If this interests you, Applied AI for Distributors is the industry’s leading event for distribution executives who want to move beyond the hype and learn how AI is delivering real business value today. Attendees will hear from distributors already putting AI to work, explore practical use cases across pricing, quoting, customer service, inventory, operations, and sales, and learn from 40+ AI-enabled technology providers focused on the distribution sector. With executive speakers from companies including Grainger, Graybar, ADI Global, Summit Electric, IBM, and others, plus workshops on building an AI roadmap and AI agents, this event is designed to help distributors identify where AI can improve productivity, strengthen customer experience, and create competitive advantage. Register at www.appliedaifordistributors.com.

Source https://www.supplyht.com/articles/107187-how-fast-ai-has-changed-since-last-year

---

Controls Engineering & IoT

 

Evaluate and Optimize Restaurant Tech Stacks
Get a handle of restaurant technology portfolios in this first of a two-part series from the James Beard Foundation.

Learn the BASICS framework, the current role of AI and automation in restaurants, and more from Emma Blecker of “Make It Makes Sense Consulting.”

Operating an independent restaurant has never been more complex given the technology landscape, and technology decisions can be the catalyst that transforms a business into an efficient, profitable and scalable operation. Emma Blecker, Restaurant Executive and Hospitality Tech Consultant, founder of Make it Make Sense Consulting, will provide owners and operators a clear, practical breakdown of the absolute technology essentials needed to run an operationally sound and sustainable restaurant.

Watch the video here https://youtu.be/jcEZojaS254?si=l5ehDHwtHEJsY_nh

Learn more about the James Beard Foundation 2025 Independent Restaurant Industry report at jamesbeard.org

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/evaluate-and-optimize-restaurant-tech-stacks/

 

AmEx links Resy with Claude for restaurant bookings
American Express (AmEx) has connected its restaurant reservation service Resy with Anthropic’s conversational assistant Claude, allowing diners to find places to eat and check availability as part of a chat exchange.

The company said Claude now connects with Resy so diners can browse available tables in real time and secure a table.

In a statement, AmEx said: “By connecting with conversational AI tools like Claude, Resy is helping to meet that need by surfacing available tables at just the right moment, connecting more restaurants with more diners.”

The financial services company said the arrangement is also part of its wider push to build AI-driven services for its Card Members and to embed its “unique assets, like Resy, into leading AI platforms”.

The payments company acquired Resy in 2019. By July 2024, when the digital restaurant reservations and management platform marked its tenth anniversary, Resy listed 20,000 bookable restaurants.

In January, Indian online food delivery platform Swiggy launched AI-based ordering that allowed users to place food, grocery and dining requests.

The functionality was built on Anthropic’s open-source model context protocol (MCP), which enables AI tools to connect securely with external systems and complete tasks.

Source https://www.verdictfoodservice.com/news/amex-links-resy-with-claude-for-restaurant-bookings/

 

Little Caesars deploys high-capacity drone delivery
The pizza chain has partnered with Flytrex for what it said is the largest capacity of any food delivery drone in operation, at 8.8 pounds

Little Caesars is jumping into drone delivery and making sure the entire family is fed in the process. The pizza chain teamed up with Flytrex to deploy the new Sky2 drone that can transport up to 8.8 pounds, which means it can carry two large pizzas and sodas in a single delivery and which the companies said is the largest carrying capacity of any food delivery drone available today.

The Sky2 drone has a 4-mile range and supports remote pickups directly from restaurant locations, delivering orders in an average of 4.5 minutes. Drone delivery is now live at the Little Caesars location in Wylie, Texas, and includes integration with the chain’s ordering systems.

“Innovation at Little Caesars has always been driven by one thing — making it easier for customers to enjoy our pizza,” Vice President of Innovation Trish Heusel said in a statement. “Partnering with Flytrex to bring full family meals by drone delivery is a major leap forward, and a clear example of how we’re pushing the boundaries of convenience, speed and accessibility in our category.”

The Sky2 is a fully autonomous drone utilizing an octocopter configuration, meaning it is equipped with eight rotors. The additional rotors allow the drone to lift heavier payloads compared to the more common quadcopters (four rotors) or hexacopters (six rotors).

“A big part of advancing this market is making sure people can get the food they actually want, when they want it. Until now, drones simply weren’t capable of delivering a full family meal. The Sky2 changes that. This partnership with Little Caesars expands what drone delivery can do and better meets customers’ expectations, which will drive real, lasting adoption of this technology,” Flytrex CEO and co-founder Amit Regev said in a statement.

Flytrex also has relationships with Charleys Philly Steaks, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Raising Cane’s, El Pollo Loco and others. Flytrex and Little Caesars first teamed up in 2023 to test drone delivery in Texas and North Carolina. In September 2025, the company received an investment from Uber to help scale drone delivery.

Additional restaurant brands experimenting with drone delivery include Chipotle, GoTo Foods, Panera Bread, Freddy’s, Wendy’s, Papa Johns, Sweetgreen, Chick-fil-A and more.

This latest announcement comes on the heels of Little Caesars’ app launch in ChatGPT that allows customers to order, plan meals, receive personalized recommendations and more. In a statement announcing that partnership, Chief Marketing Officer Greg Hamilton said the chain wanted to meet customers where they already are and “be the go-to for their pizza occasions.”

“It’s not just about technology for technology’s sake — it’s about making life a little easier for people who love great pizza,” he said.

Little Caesars finished 2025 with about $4.5 billion in sales, marking a 1.4% year-over-year increase, according to Technomic. The company has nearly 4,400 domestic locations.

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/little-caesars-deploys-high-capacity-drone-delivery

---

Jan/San & Disposables

 

Private label becomes a structural force in the U.S. tissue Market
Long term growth is driven by changing consumer behavior, evolving retail strategies and the expansion of the club channel

Private label is strengthening its position in the U.S. tissue market as a long term structural shift rather than a temporary response to inflation. This view was highlighted by Luigi Lazzareschi, CEO of Sofidel, who emphasized that the trend reflects a deep and lasting transformation across the industry.

According to data from Circana, private label sales in bath tissue increased from 1.4 billion dollars in 2011 to 5.3 billion in 2025, while market share rose from around 10 percent to approximately 37 percent. In paper towels, share expanded from 27 percent in 2014 to 45 percent in 2025, with market value growing from 1.8 billion to 4.5 billion dollars. Combined, these categories reached close to 10 billion dollars in private label sales last year, more than tripling over the past decade.

Three main drivers explain this shift. First, a lasting change in consumer preferences, particularly among younger generations such as Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who are more willing to adopt private label and remain loyal when quality is competitive. Second, an evolution in retailer strategy, where private label serves both margin improvement and customer loyalty building. Third, the expansion of the club channel, led by players such as Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club, which has accelerated premium private label adoption.

Sofidel growth in the United States reflects this strategy. The company entered the market about fourteen years ago without a domestic industrial base and now operates fourteen facilities with sixteen machines. Its expansion followed a two phase approach focused first on geographic coverage and logistics efficiency, and later on quality upgrades and technological investment, including the acquisition of assets from Clearwater Paper.

Private label currently holds around 40 percent market share across tissue categories and continues to grow faster than the overall market. This dynamic increases pressure on national brands to clearly define and demonstrate their value proposition. At the same time, maintaining balance in the category requires consistent quality, sustainable pricing and ongoing innovation to avoid value erosion.

In this context, the structural shift toward private label is already established. The key challenge for industry players is to manage this transition effectively while sustaining growth and market stability.

Source https://tissueonlinenorthamerica.com/private-label-becomes-a-structural-force-in-the-u-s-tissue-market/

 

How Commercial Cleaning Companies Meet Evolving Expectations
Businesses are increasingly examining what makes a commercial cleaning company different when selecting long-term service providers.

As expectations evolve, cleaning providers are evaluated on more than basic service delivery. Factors such as consistency, communication, and accountability have become central to decision-making. Organizations are placing greater emphasis on partners who can align with their operational standards and provide reliable support over time.

Big League Clean, a Denver-based commercial cleaning business, shares its top three strategies to meet these shifting client needs and deliver an enhanced quality of clean.

1) Consistency at the Core

Reliable service delivery is one of the most important factors for commercial clients. Providers that implement standardized processes, detailed scopes of work, and routine inspections are better positioned to maintain consistent results. This level of structure helps reduce variability and ensures that cleaning standards are upheld across all areas of a facility.

2) Transparency and Communication

Clear communication practices are another key differentiator. Many businesses now expect regular updates, quick response times, and dedicated points of contact to ensure issues are addressed efficiently. Ongoing communication can help prevent small concerns from becoming larger operational challenges, while also improving overall service visibility.

3) Comprehensive Service Capabilities

Providers that offer multiple services under one framework can simplify operations for businesses managing large or complex facilities. This approach reduces the need for multiple vendors and streamlines facility management. It also allows for greater coordination across different service areas, which can contribute to more consistent outcomes.

In addition, many organizations are prioritizing providers that can adapt to evolving facility needs, whether through flexible scheduling or tailored service plans. This adaptability supports long-term partnerships and helps businesses maintain continuity as operational demands change.

Source https://www.cleanlink.com/news/article/How-Commercial-Cleaning-Companies-Meet-Evolving-Expectations–32710

 

Visible Cleaning: Redefining Food Service Standards
In today’s food service environment, cleanliness is no longer judged solely by what happens behind the scenes. Today, it is defined by what guests see and experience. Visible cleaning, backed by simple, standardized practices, has emerged as a powerful driver of customer perception, trust, and ultimately, business performance.

This shift has been building for years but accelerated significantly in the wake of the pandemic. Today’s guests are more informed, more observant, and more apt to share their feelings (whether positive or negative). For operators, that means cleanliness has moved from an operational requirement to a far-reaching, brand-defining imperative.

The rise of visible cleaning: Perception is reality

Cleanliness has always mattered, but now it directly influences where—and whether—customers choose to dine. According to recent research conducted by Datassential (Cleaning & Sanitizing, September 2024), 90% of consumers say cleanliness impacts their decision to eat at an establishment, and 84% say they prefer to see employees cleaning while they dine. These are clear signals that visibility is now an expectation, not a preference.

Visible cleaning serves as proof of perceived quality. Guests cannot audit back-of-house procedures, review sanitation logs, or verify compliance protocols. Instead, they rely on visual cues—wiped tables, clean restrooms, and consistent routines—to determine whether an environment is safe and well-managed.

This is where perception becomes reality. Even in a technically clean space, inconsistent or unclear practices can create doubt. A reused cloth, a missed surface, or an unaddressed spill can quickly undermine trust. In a world shaped by online reviews and social media, one visible lapse can outweigh dozens of positive experiences.

At the same time, expectations have evolved. The gold standard of cleanliness established in healthcare settings—where visible sanitization is routine—is now influencing food service. Guests have grown accustomed to seeing cleaning in hospitals, gyms, and grocery stores. They now expect that same level of transparency and rigor when dining out.

Where it matters most: High-visibility, high-touch areas

While all cleaning is important, not all areas carry equal weight in the eyes of the customer. Guests form impressions quickly, often within moments of entering a space, and those impressions are heavily influenced by what they can see and touch.

Front-of-house areas are especially critical. Tables, chairs, bar tops, and counters are immediate touchpoints. A sticky table or visibly unclean surface creates an instant negative reaction. Open kitchens and food preparation areas also play a growing role, as guests increasingly expect to see cleanliness maintained in real time.

Certain high-touch zones deserve particular attention:

Condiment stations: Frequently overlooked, these areas are among the most prone to cross-contamination due to repeated handling and infrequent cleaning.
Checkout and point of sale (POS) systems: Smudges and residue are highly visible on screens and surfaces, signaling neglect if not addressed regularly.
Restrooms: Often viewed as a “trust test,” restroom cleanliness strongly influences overall perceptions of the establishment.
Ultimately, cleanliness in these visible, high-touch areas directly shapes customer behavior, impacting not only first impressions, but also how often guests return, and whether they return at all.

The balancing act: Simplicity drives consistency

For operators, the challenge lies in delivering visible, effective cleaning without disrupting service speed or workflow. The key is simplification.

Complex cleaning systems—those requiring multiple steps, measurements, or tools—introduce variability and increase the likelihood of inconsistency. When processes are difficult to follow, staff may skip steps or develop workarounds, leading to uneven results.

A simplified, standardized approach helps ensure:

Consistency across shifts and locations
Compliance with sanitation protocols
Efficiency without slowing operations.
Equally important is ensuring that staff have what they need, where they need it, when they need it—and that they know how to use it. Reducing friction in the cleaning process increases the likelihood that it will be performed frequently and correctly.

Access matters: Cleaning in the moment

One of the most overlooked drivers of consistent cleaning is accessibility. If cleaning tools are stored separately from where they are needed, they are less likely to be used regularly.

Staging cleaning solutions within arm’s reach, at workstations, service areas, and high-traffic zones, enables staff to clean in the moment. This not only improves hygiene outcomes but also increases the visibility of cleaning actions, reinforcing customer confidence.

When cleaning becomes a seamless part of the workflow, it becomes more frequent, more consistent, and more visible.

Training for behavior, not just compliance

Even the best systems require effective training. Too often, training focuses on what needs to be done, rather than how to do it.

Driving behavioral change requires:

Clear, simple instructions
Visual and bilingual training materials to meet diverse workforce needs
Step-by-step guidance using images or diagrams
Verification, such as asking staff to demonstrate proper techniques.
Meeting staff where they are—and making training accessible and repeatable—ensures that cleaning practices are understood, adopted, and sustained over time.

From chore to competitive advantage

Perhaps the most significant shift is the role of cleaning as a brand differentiator.

Traditionally viewed as a back-of-house necessity, cleaning is now part of the guest experience. Visible cleaning signals professionalism, care, and operational discipline. It reassures guests that the environment is controlled and safe.

Consumers are not just noticing that cleaning is happening; they are evaluating how it is done. Research from Datassential (Cleaning & Sanitizing, September 2024) shows that 67% of consumers feel more confident in food safety when single-use disposable wipes are used instead of reusable cloths, and 78% prefer to see tables cleaned this way. This perception ties directly back to familiarity with healthcare standards, where single-use solutions are common.

The tools and methods used for cleaning have become part of the brand message. Guests interpret these signals as indicators of quality and trustworthiness.

Simplicity, consistency, and confidence

Simplified, ready-to-use cleaning approaches, like disposable wipes, can further enhance consistency and confidence. By eliminating the need for mixing or measuring, these solutions reduce variability and ensure the correct concentration is applied every time.

Regulatory guidance has evolved to reflect this shift. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now recognizes that when ready-to-use surface sanitizers are used according to their label instructions, additional testing to verify concentration is not required (FDA Food Code 2022). This reduces operational burden while supporting compliance.

For operators, the benefits are clear:

Simplified processes drive operational efficiency
Consistent results build trust
Visible execution enhances the guest experience
Embedding cleanliness into brand culture

The most successful organizations treat cleaning and sanitizing not as a task, but as a core element of their culture. When integrated into onboarding, training, and daily operations, visible cleaning becomes second nature.

It also becomes a powerful storytelling tool. Guests may never see a checklist or audit report, but they will remember what they observed. Every visible cleaning action is an opportunity to reinforce brand trust.

In a competitive and economically challenging environment, this matters more than ever. By simplifying processes, improving access, investing in training, and embracing visibility, food service operators can turn cleaning into a strategic advantage. In doing so, they not only protect their operations but also strengthen their brand.

For more information on food safety and sanitation practices and resources, visit the Sani Professional website.

Source https://www.issa.com/articles/visible-cleaning-redefining-food-service-standards/