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There is no question that restaurants will be laser-focused on safety and sanitation for years to come. Whether dining in or off premises, there are more consumer demands for operators to demonstrate cleanliness than ever before. Join DMA for a webinar that will share all sides of the situation including potential solutions for some challenges currently in the marketplace.

Who Should Attend

Chipotle is opening its first digital-only restaurant called the Chipotle Digital Kitchen. Located in Highland Falls, NY, the restaurant is opening Nov. 14 for pick-up and delivery only. Full Story

Fast casual seafood chain Captain D’s is launching a new restaurant prototype called Express which features a significantly smaller footprint than its traditional models. Full Story

McDonald’s also recently shared some model-of-the-future designs that it expects to reach more than 10,000 restaurants worldwide, reported QSR Magazine (Nov. 10). Full Story

“Customers’ desire for convenience, speed, and ease will only grow, and we’re ready for that. We’re taking steps to accelerate our phenomenal drive-thru advantage,” said Mason Smoot, SVP and chief restaurant officer. “We know better than anyone what drive-thru customers care about. It starts with speed of service.” Food Institute Focus

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds were among the latest government leaders to issue lockdown orders due to the virus. Most of California’s larger counties were moved back into the most restrictive reopening tier, meaning that indoor dining and some other businesses would have to shut down again. In Iowa, restaurants and bars were ordered to close at 10 p.m., with a 15-person cap on indoor gatherings and 30-person cap outdoors, reported The New York Times. Full Story (Nov. 17)

In Today in Food, the Food Institute also tracked shutdown orders in many states, including North Dakota, Washington, Oregon, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Michigan. Philadelphia and Chicago were among the cities ramping up protective efforts, as well. This news was likely not welcome among restaurant industry professionals across the country.

For an industry suffering more than most during the pandemic, many looked to their legislators for help. As an example, the Independent Restaurant Alliance of Oregon petitioned the state to provide various relief measures, including COVID-19 testing, financial assistance, and clearance to sell to-go cocktails. About 300 Oregon-based restaurant and bar industry members signed a letter to Gov. Kate Brown after shutdown measures were enacted, reported The Oregonian (Nov. 16). Full Story

The financial impact of remaining open were apparent, too. The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) began adding more restrictions to outdoor dining as winter approaches. New regulations require restaurants to retrofit their curbside outdoor dining setups with more safety features including heavy filler material, more reflective strips, and brightly-colored snow sticks, among other stipulations, reported Eater (Nov. 16). Full Story

The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) was one of the voices calling for greater federal assistance, arguing that restrictions on the industry were particularly untimely during the holiday season. Full Story

IFDA President and CEO Mark Allen noted the organization was disheartened by a lack of progress on a second stimulus package, noting Congress and the Administration should know how much revenue generation could be lost during the holidays due to the lockdowns.

“It appears that little effort is being made to protect and assist these small businesses just as they would otherwise be making much-needed income at the end of the year. Another round of restaurant closures and restrictions are devastating to the industry that was just beginning to rebound. Also, while the pandemic continues, the winter months, which will greatly impact outdoor dining, are likely to hurt worse than any in recent memory,” he said.

The National Restaurant Association (NRA) also joined the fray, and sent a letter to the National Governors Association claiming there is no scientific evidence linking restaurants to the increase in COVID-19 cases and urging them to consider policies and regulations that will enable the industry to safely serve their communities for the duration of the pandemic. The letter noted that restaurants have enhanced FDA Food Code practices, while restaurants have updated floorplans to ensure social distancing of at least six feet between guests while in a restaurant. Full Story

The lockdowns also came at a time of recovery for the industry. Although October represented the best month for same-store sales growth in the restaurant industry since February, the recovery seemed to slow due to fears of a coming second wave of COVID-19, according to Black Box Guest Intelligence. Guest sentiment was more positive year-over-year during October based on restaurant food and service, according to a separate Black Box report. To see more, check out the Economic Pulse section. Food Institute Focus

Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM), a food processing and commodities behemoth, which has had its hands in numerous businesses (such as Oil Seeds and Corn Processing; Chemicals, Packaging; Fertilizers; and Paper & Pulp) for nearly 120 years, has been making a big push in the direction of nutrition over the last several years.

Nestlé SA, the largest food and beverage company in the world, noted the pandemic definitely raised consumers’ awareness on health, which has been a boon for its growing health-sciences unit.

CEO Mark Schneider mentioned that the Health Sciences unit represents only about 3% of Nestlé’s overall sales, but said, “we are transforming Nestlé Health Science into a nutrition and health powerhouse through a combination of strong organic growth and targeted acquisitions. The recent additions of Zenpep, Vital Proteins, and Aimmune Therapeutics are further steps in the expansion of our nutritional health offerings.”

Meanwhile, Danone S.A., a world leading food company out of Paris, focuses on several business lines: Essential Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Waters, and Specialized Nutrition (including Early Life Nutrition and Advanced Medical Nutrition).

Ultimately, technology and advancements in health and nutrition science are paving the way for the rise of personalized nutrition and the end of a one-size-fits-all approach to daily nutrition, and most of the world’s largest food companies are at the table. Food Institute Focus

Although October represented the best month for same-store sales growth in the restaurant industry since February, the recovery seemed to slow due to fears of a coming second wave of COVID-19. Same-store sales growth (-7.5%) was up 0.6 percentage points from September’s year-over-year results, down from the average 3.6 percentage point increase reported between July and September. Comparable traffic (-13.7%) remained below last year’s levels. Full Story

Guest sentiment was more positive year-over-year during October based on restaurant food and service, according to a separate Black Box Guest Intelligence report. October became the third consecutive month in which more than 50% of all restaurant food mentions were classified as positive. This is a substantial increase from the 34% of food mentions that were classified as positive back in April. Full Story

If the success of Wendy’s nationwide breakfast roll out in the midst of a worldwide pandemic is any indicator, menu innovation matters more than ever. Considering the disruption to morning school and work routines, this growth is a testament to the love consumers have for restaurants and the draw of new items. 

Developing the ‘next big thing’ is an art that can be optimized by data. SCORES, Datassential’s menu concept testing platform, can simplify your innovation process. Quickly screen concepts with a sample of 1,000 consumers to understand key performance indicators like purchase intent and uniqueness. We are pleased to offer a special DMA Partner Rate for testing. 

Contact Kelley Fechner to learn more about this limited time partner rate, and take your menu development to the next level or click here to learn more.

U S Chemical is excited to introduce an EPA approved, ready-to-use cleaner disinfectant based on proprietary AHP® technology that delivers a fast, effective cleaning performance. USC Shurguard HP RTU cleans and disinfects high-touch surfaces in just ONE minute!

Learn more via this brochure.

While most foodservice professionals and operators are familiar with Dawn, Comet, and Spic N Span , please see the attached link on new and innovative Safeguard and Microban products which provide added protection against COVID-19 and other harmful bacteria and pathogens. Additionally, take a look at an overview of our complete Total Food Service Solution and offerings, featuring Cascade Professional, Dish machine Equipment and 24/7 Service & support. Learn more via this brochure.

Feel free to contact us to learn more. Please contact James Kennedy (kennedy.jh@pg.com), Bruce Bykowski (bykowski.bd@pg.com) or Taft Sales (sales.tl@pg.com) to learn more about the Total Foodservice Solutions program from P&G Professional... delivered by DMA!

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