The Human Ingredient: Reducing Turnover and Managing Labor Costs
Despite McDonald’s well-chronicled hiring of 62,000 new employees on its April 19th “National Hiring Day,” surveys of restaurant human resources departments and recruiters, summarized in the People Report Workforce index, continue to indicate increased pressure on restaurant employment in Q4. After rounds of drastic cuts during the recession – resulting in more hours, heavier workloads, [...]
Read moreA touch-screen “Fries with that?”
With iPad2 sales soaring and the Kindle Fire poised to be a bestseller this holiday season, it’s clear that mainstream consumers have become comfortable with mobile touch-screen shopping. For restaurant chains toying with the idea of adopting tech-forward ordering interfaces, now might be the time to strike. Menus on spill-proof, drop-proof tablet computers are spreading [...]
Read moreThirsty for More?: How Restaurants Can Combat Declining Drink Sales
As commodity costs rise and restaurant margins are squeezed further, many restaurants were hoping that consumers would continue to be thirsty for high-margin drinks. Unfortunately, in 2011, consumers purchased 846 million fewer carbonated soft drinks; in the past five years, overall drink orders are down by 5%. Restaurants are trying a variety of techniques quench [...]
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