Historically, going out to eat at a restaurant has been an American pastime. We all enjoy it and have come to view it as our right. Now, however, the choice of eating out at a restaurant or not has changed. Restaurant owners have to consider if they should require proof of vaccination or not as a moral stance. They have been thrust into the gatekeeper position for their communities, another example of how this pandemic is “unprecedented.” If they allow unvaccinated people onto their premises, it could be dangerous. If they allow only vaccinated people, it is divisive. Restaurant owners have been burdened with the responsibility of instilling public confidence about a virus they have no control over.

 

 

In recent weeks the argument for requiring proof of vaccination to enter a business has become more overt. Some people feel it is a political choice based on individual freedom. Others see it as a medical necessity to protect everyone’s safety. Starting August 16, 2021, New York City will be the first US city to require proof of vaccination to enter a restaurant. Wearing a mask in public establishments may not be convenient. Still, as long as we are amid a worldwide pandemic with new deadly variants emerging, the right for a restaurant owner to require proof of vaccination is not necessarily unreasonable.

 

The Department of Justice enacted a mandatory vaccine policy on July 6, 2021. This policy allows employers in public and private sectors, including restaurants, to require COVID -19 vaccination as a condition for employment.

 

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott signed a bill disallowing vaccine passports in public businesses. Everyone can enter a restaurant without showing proof of vaccination. His notion of “freedom for all” was not all well received, especially in conjunction with his executive order that masks would not be required in schools. At the same time, he announced that Texas would ask healthcare workers from other states to assist with its surge in COVID-19 cases. It seems the Wild West did not want to be totally wild as there were still people who did not support of the bill Abbott signed. It is clear there are strong and mixed opinions on this hot-button subject.

 

So, what should restaurant owners do? Should restaurants should require proof of vaccination? The answer is not so easy. At this point, what is certain is to provide a safe environment for both guests and employees so following local, state and federal guidelines and mandates is key.

Those in the foodservice industry know it’s no picnic at times. The grueling hours, the unpredictable pay, the rude customers—these things can sometimes add up and cause restaurant workers to rethink their career paths. However, at its best, a restaurant job is exciting, fast-paced, and social. A restaurant team can feel as warm and supportive as family. Those with a passion for food would have difficulty finding a career as rewarding as creating the perfect dining experience again and again.

 

The shutdown and reopening of the world since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused restaurant workers to resign at record rates.

 

A survey conducted by UC Berkeley found that the top driving factors that could prevent these folks from leaving the industry included better pay, paid sick leave/health insurance, a better work environment, and safer COVID practices. Here’s a closer look at each reason, along with some practical tips to keep restaurant workers on board in even the most challenging situations.

 

A Livable Wage

The most commonly cited reason for leaving restaurant work was low pay. Restaurant workers often make a base rate below minimum wage (often $2.13 an hour) and then work for tips, which can vary greatly depending on the shift. Implementing fair practices and procedures surrounding access to the most lucrative shifts can go a long way in helping restaurant workers feel they are getting a fair deal. Beyond that, some restaurants are trying out a radical new concept called a Fair Wage Fee, which eliminates or reduces the power of tipping and charges a set fee to ensure workers make a livable wage.

 

 

Restaurant Sick Leave and Health Insurance

A report conducted by ToastTab found that 31 percent of restaurants surveyed offered health insurance. A mere 12 percent offered parental leave. Leading the way in the industry is Sweetgreen, a salad chain now offering 5 months parental leave to new mothers, fathers, and adoptive parents. This may seem radical in an industry with high turnover; however, restaurants like Sweetgreen might be putting these policies in place to prevent turnover and create a more cohesive company culture.

 

It may not be possible to grant these expensive benefits, especially when a new restaurant is just getting its footing. But other benefits like sick leave or a flexible schedule can attract new workers who are choosing which restaurant to work for. Insurance and parental leave packages can be long-term growth goals for newer establishments.

 

Leaving Hostility Off the Table

Many leave the restaurant industry due to a hostile work environment. Reports show that sexual harassment can be pervasive in the industry. Implementing a formal sexual harassment training program can help prevent situations before they start. Beyond harassment, some first-person accounts show a culture where staying silent about toxic coworkers can become the norm. Consider creating a formal process to file and address complaints. While this may seem like you are asking for trouble, you are more likely making your workers feel empowered, which can be rare in the restaurant industry. This support—feeling like an employer has their back—can help retain your employees for a more extended period.

Safety During a Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented concern for safety in the restaurant industry that was difficult to ignore. Many employees felt powerless when their restaurants’ mask-wearing, cleaning, or social distancing protocols did not align with CDC guidelines. Keeping up to date with the current guidelines is imperative to creating a safe space for employees. Continued training surrounding the evolving safety procedures can help remind restaurant workers that their safety is valued.

 

For all of these reasons and more, it’s crucial to have access to a restaurant training program. Programs like these help create a solid foundation to ensure restaurant workers feel valued even through the most challenging times. Adequate training (should this link to the new website instead of the regular Synergy one?) can help secure the future of the entire industry.

 

When the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people could gather without wearing masks or maintaining social distancing, many saw this as the beginning of the end of the pandemic. As a result, attitudes and expectations have shifted, and consumers are now thinking about how normal life should look. Despite many unknowns, if this pandemic has proven anything, consumers remain passionate about food. Food is still what unites us, and consumers are hungry for the hospitality they missed while being stuck at home for nearly 15 months.

 

A recent study conducted by Datassentials showed that consumers are now “more concerned about the economic crisis caused by COVID than are worried about the public-health crisis.” Most consumers have also become aware of the foodservice industry’s labor shortage and inflation indicators, resulting in higher menu prices. Despite these concerns, consumers have expressed a willingness to spend more at restaurants.

 

A desire to help restaurants recover from months of limited dine-in options and economic instability is the driving motivation of consumers. Especially strong among Boomers (41%) and less for Gen Z (23%), who looked to try new and exciting dishes not easily created at home. “Millennials proved more willing than any generation to shell out for expansive, upscale, healthful, and/or locally sourced ingredients,” an article in QSR Magazine reports. Additionally, Gen Z and Millennials were more likely to “use their social circles on a restaurant’s behalf, such as praising a place on review sites or getting bigger groups together to dine out.”

 

What will cause consumers to spend more at restaurants post-pandemic?

Datassentials reports the following:

 

• Wanting to help restaurants and the economy recover
• Wanting to socialize more
• Ordering food not easily made at home
• Celebrating special occasions at restaurants
• Trying new and exciting dishes
• Tipping servers more generously than before
• Healthier food and beverage choices
• Restaurants that go the extra mile to ensure guest safety
• Restaurants that focus on locally sourced ingredients
• Ordering more expensive menu items
• Increased alcoholic beverage purchases, especially those not easily made at home
• Ordering more appetizers and large plates to share with a group
• More premium/upscale ingredients
• Ordering catering for home or work

While consumer’s pent-up demand is helping restaurants to return to pre-pandemic levels, an industry-wide labor shortage is making it challenging for operators. Consumers are paying attention to how restaurants treat their employees. Datassentials found that Boomers were most concerned with getting laid-off and furloughed people back to work. Millennials feel front-line staff should be paid like “essential workers.” At the same time, Gen Z ranked health care as their top issue, with support towards subsidized child care and unionization for restaurant workers. With enhanced unemployment benefits soon coming to an end, along with generally reduced COVID concerns, we hope to see improvements in this labor shortage for restaurants.

 

One thing is clear. Consumer behavior dramatically changed during the pandemic. Restaurants that successfully focus on adaptability and awareness towards consumer expectations will see higher customer satisfaction and greater customer loyalty.

Nearly every restaurateur dreams of transforming their establishment into a food empire. Multiple locations, international expansion, franchising — these are the stuff of food industry dreams! However, making that dream a reality can be incredibly difficult (which is saying a lot in an industry where 60% of new ventures fail within a year).

While scaling out your business is unquestionably difficult, it is possible to do it successfully. Smashburger, for example, is expected to open 40 new locations this year — even though the restaurant industry took a nose-dive in the face of COVID-19!

How did Smashburger manage to survive the pandemic and come out stronger than ever? The answer is simple: the company invests in employee training.

What Do Workers (and Customers) Want?

Anytime a business explores expanding (restaurant or otherwise), they need to ask themselves two questions: what do their customers want, and what do their workers want? Obviously, customer service is of the utmost importance for every business. Equally critical is keeping your workforce happy to improve work quality and reducing turnover.

Customers primarily want great food, a pleasant atmosphere, and friendly and capable service in the restaurant industry. In the wake of COVID-19 a new requirement has emerged — high safety standards. In a survey from the ONE TABLE initiative, nearly 40% of respondents said they wanted to see safety measures like spaced-out tables, visible sanitation and cleaning regularly, and employees wearing masks and gloves.

And what do employees want now that restaurants are reopening? Many workers are asking for safer conditions, better pay, approved sick leave, and other benefits that prove their worth within the industry. Listening to worker requests and considering these benefits just might be the determining factor for which restaurants survive in the post-COVID world.

How Training Can Help

 

 

Restaurant owners might wonder how to accommodate both their customers’ needs and their workers’, particularly when they’re also trying to expand their business. Luckily, there is one straightforward answer: TRAIN YOUR EMPLOYEES.

Proper training on issues like customer service, food safety, and sanitation will go a long way toward improving your workforce and your business. When employees are properly trained, they are more likely to take pride in their work and perform better on the job. This directly impacts your business; a well-trained and hard-working staff will attract more customers, which will increase your profits and allow you to give your employees the working conditions they deserve!

Investing in employee training and helping your staff learn the skills for success in the restaurant industry is one of the best ways to improve your business in the long run — and we’re here to help make it happen. Contact our team today to learn how the SynergySync app makes training your workers easier (and more cost-efficient) than ever.

Visit us at www.synergyconsultants.com for more information about growing a restaurant.

In early 2021, U.S restaurants were allowed to increase their capacity from 50 to 70 % and reopen their establishments for indoor dining. All while continuing to maintain the six feet social distancing and mask mandates. Opening dining services to 100% capacity is underway in states like New York, Arizona, and Connecticut, with expectations to fully open by May 19th. However, Texas has been the trailblazer by fully reopening on March 2nd. There is not a lack of hungry customers; however, there is a lack of employees.

 

UNEMPLOYMENT

 

In Longview, Texas, Lamar Richardson, manager of Butcher Shop, say’s “I’m down about eight employees as we speak. And this has all happened in the last week. Every day, every shift, I have employees calling in or not showing up.” (Source). Most employers in Texas are experiencing similar circumstances and have limited their restaurant capacity due to staffing issues. The primary concern comes from restaurant compensation competing with unemployment benefits. Many workers across the country are distressed about the industry’s lack of a safety net, contributing to the problem. Andrew Chamberlain, Chief Economist at Glassdoor, made an analysis last year that saw a rise in data entry, warehouse, and “remote” positions. At the same time, restaurant positions remained vacant. To add to the issue, younger workers who traditionally fill these positions are opting not to work due to school commitments and the worry of getting infected. Corporate conglomerates stifle independent restaurants because of competitive benefits and stability. Additionally, parents are concerned about the risks of exposure and the effect on their children’s health. Restaurant managers have tried to incentivize workers with bonuses and hope the promise of a higher minimum wage will level the playing field.

GRANTS

 

Brighter pastures have emerged for restaurants as the government confirmed on Monday, May 3rd, that they will be adding another $28.6 billion towards Small Business Association (SBA) grants through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The maximum grant is $10 million, aiming to fix displaced revenue for restaurants with up to 20 locations. The SBA is dedicating the first three weeks of the program to fund women majority-owned/veteran-owned businesses and “socially and economically disadvantaged” applicants. (Source). Tamara Patterson, Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe owner, renovated her restaurant to 7,000 square feet with a 38 employee staff before the pandemic. She hopes the grant will provide her 11 remaining employees some needed time off and enough money to pay off lingering debt accumulated during restaurant shutdowns. Executive Vice President at the National Restaurant Association, Sean Kennedy, claims the grants are “an incredible first step that is going to help tens of thousands of restaurants.” Since the start of the pandemic, the industry has lost more than $270 billion; Kennedy is confident in receiving approval for more money if necessary. (Source).

 

Take-Out

 

While most high-end restaurants focus on reestablishing their robust customer service experience, the most vital business model that remains is takeout, and delivery, specifically, takeout drinks, has become a revolutionary change for the service industry. For example, the Fish Market Restaurant Group in California took a hit within their 5 locations but saw an opportunity in the temporary liquor law change passed by the state. Instead of serving liquor out of mason jars, the company reached out to Oktober Can Seamers to create specially designed cans to be distributed within the restaurant. As a result, Oktober Can Seamers have sold to multiple restaurants to create pre-mixed cocktails into convenient, portable cans, helping restaurants stay afloat and produce an extra revenue stream. Most companies say that takeout strategies will continue throughout 2021 as the restaurant industry steadily climbs out of its financial recession.

 

Synergy Restaurant Consultants co-founder and managing partner, Dean Small, is humbled and honored to have been nominated by Orange County Business Journal for their Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards of 2021. This award is meant to recognize individuals for efforts in the creation and nurturing of business ventures.

 

If you look back at Synergy’s 33 year history, you will see it has been a project built by two hospitality industry professionals wanting to genuinely help those who dreamed of starting their own restaurants. Though it might be easy enough to opening up a foodservice business, it is hardly simple to sustain one efficiently. Culinary Institute of America graduates, Dean Small and Danny Bendas, joined hands to assist entrepreneurs see their ideas come to life.

It is serendipitous that fast-forward to today, these partners have recently launched a new hospitality entrepreneurship tool called Synergy Sync and Synergy U – two programs to help restaurant owners and managers standardize training and learn best restaurant practices. Synergy SYNC powered by Expandshare is a turnkey solution that includes a newsfeed feature for team communication, a digital toolbox of management systems, and checklists with customizable digital forms that are easily created and monitored. Train across locations with our application, on your laptop or even your phone.

 

Synergy’s mission has always been to help restaurants find operational efficiency in order to maximize profitability. In 2021, it’s finally time to get your restaurant in sync as we forge ahead for hopefully a better year for this industry!

 

With so much of the world changing around us, Synergy decided we were due for a digital facelift. Welcome to our new website!

After going through an extensive rebranding and repositioning effort, we embarked on our mission to develop a compelling and credible website for Synergy Restaurant Consultants to modernize our 30-year-old company and focus on the restaurant business of the future.

We’re excited about how our new site helps visitors understand how Synergy can serve them as a living, breathing resource center on restaurant operations topics — with the website continuously updated with relevant, keyword-rich content. We reworked our service offerings and process descriptions to better resonate with restaurant decision-makers, private equity firms, and developers. The new site architecture was redesigned to channel site visitors to the appropriate website section in a timely manner.

Besides these key adjustments, the redesigned site highlights expanded service areas and our new training and education platform. We launched this multimedia offering with our featured restaurant manager training program that combines our decades of restaurant management experience into a comprehensive online course, the first of more to come.

From a functional perspective, our new site better showcases Synergy as the technology-driven and forward-thinking organization that we are. Utilizing a responsive design, the full website displays optimally on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, with 100% of the content and features fully functional on smartphones and tablets. Most of all, our new website creates a strong foundation for our future marketing communication efforts by clearly communicating our unique value proposition, prompting conversion, and in turn, increasing the number of operators that we can help.

To bring this new website vision to life, we chose BOP Design because of the great work they have done for us in the past and their sole focus on creating top-quality B2B websites that strengthen sales efforts and bridge the gap between sales and marketing. Besides giving the Synergy website a fresh and modern facelift, BOP used their holistic approach of combining effective design, development, SEO, branding, social media, and quality copy to help us obtain our marketing objectives.

We’re very proud of our new web presence as our main vehicle for highlighting our unique value proposition throughout the website, as well as communicating a clear message about our differentiators and our mission — to elevate food, beverage, and hospitality around the world.

 

The coronavirus has taken a huge personal and economic toll on well, everyone. Many businesses have essentially been forced to cease operations or severely cut back their workforce during this crisis to slow the spread of the novel virus. The hospitality industry has especially been hit hard in multiple ways. Restaurants have been mandated to stop allowing dine-in guests and only offer drive-thru, delivery, or carryout, all while the general public has been told to stay at home.

With public fear of viral transmissions continuing to grow, the trustworthiness of eating food from outside the home is dropping. This phenomenon is worrisome to most restaurant owners. However,  some food and beverage businesses are pivoting beyond offering takeout by changing their entire business model and offering. 

No doubt, people are finding several items hard-to-find in stores and online: face masks, disinfecting wipes, and hand sanitizer. High demand and hoarding have made these products a scarcity, and unfortunately, many feel afraid and vulnerable without some of these safety products. Innovative-thinking distilleries have come to the rescue turning their key ingredient—ethanol alcohol– into something we all need now—hand sanitizer.

From Los Angeles to Maine, distilleries are trying to do their part. The recipe is simple: you’ll need at least 80 percent ethanol alcohol plus hydrogen peroxide glycerol and distilled water, according to the WHO. For some distillers, it was a no-brainer solution to the shortage. Several distilleries have donated their hand sanitizers, while others have options for others to purchase.

Here's the Newfoundland Distillery's hand sanitizer pic.twitter.com/aA87irNp7Z
— On The Go (@OnTheGoCBC) March 31, 2020
 

It’s not just your neighborhood brewery getting into the hand-sanitizing arena. Last weekend, Anheuser-Busch announced that it would redirect its sports and entertainment investments and begin producing hand sanitizer and donating it to the Red Cross. Tito’s vodka has joined in on the effort and said it would donate the hand sanitizers to their community and those most in need.

If you’re seeking a place to get hand sanitizer, Parade did a great job compiling a list of distilleries across the nation who are producing them. You can see the list here.

Synergy applauds the resourcefulness and generosity of these distillers, who are making a positive change through creative ingenuity

The world, as we know it now, has changed. From business to personal life, everything has been upended—even on a global scale. While everyone on Earth is digesting the news and trying to adjust to a new way of life, it’s challenging to sort through all the chaos and bad news. In these grim times, it’s a breath of fresh air to read uplifting stories about people doing good and giving back.

This new environment we see ourselves in spares no one. Unfortunately, in what seems like overnight, people young and old are finding themselves food insecure. Whether it is due to a sudden layoff or because children can no longer depend on the meals provided at schools to feed them, hunger is hitting home. Thankfully, kind-hearted individuals are trying to do what they can to combat this.

Take, for instance, celebrity chef José Andrés, who has converted his Mercado Little Spain restaurant into a community kitchen providing takeout meals with substantial discounts or, in some cases, free. Big chains are joining in on the giving: Burger King is offering two free kids meals with any purchase when you use their app. Moe’s Southwest Grill is giving a free kid’s entrée with every adult entrée purchased. Over at &pizza, they’re giving away free pizza to all healthcare workers and hospital staff. Local restaurants are also doing their part to feed our health care workers and residents alike. Large institutions like Disney Resorts have reportedly donated their surplus food to help local communities. Excess inventory of vegetables, fruit, dairy, packaged goods, and banquet meals was donated to Second Harvest Food Bank.

What about hospitality workers who’ve suddenly found themselves jobless? At Furlough Kitchen, a Dallas pop-up nonprofit, laid-off hospitality workers can receive a free curbside pick-up meal Monday through Saturday beginning March 25^th. In West Palm Beach, Hospitality Helping Hands or H3, is also helping feed hospitality workers who’ve been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On their first day, they provided over 1,200 meals to those in need at no cost. H3, like many nonprofits, relies on donations to keep their operations going. Feel free to check out their respective websites and consider donating.

It’s a great time to help others in need right now, and any good news is a little ray of light while we navigate these uncharted times.

With all the effort these days to provide eco-friendly packaging and to reduce waste, you would think the upcoming ban in California on latex gloves would relate to that cause. However, that is not the case, although the reason is still very critical—allergies.

The prevention of food-related illnesses consists of proper handling, storage, and cooking of food. Further, this includes ensuring that food allergens are clearly labeled on packaging and menus. You may be familiar with the frequent advisories about shellfish and peanuts; however, allergies to latex are widespread. Approximately 6% of the general population is allergic to latex. Those affected may experience itchiness, hives, wheezing, rashes, swelling, chest tightness, or even anaphylactic shock. Allergic reactions to latex can occur from ingesting or touching a latex product or even inhaling latex particles. Currently, there isn’t a cure for this growing ailment.

The new bill “would prohibit the use of latex gloves in food facilities and retail food establishments and require food employees to use non-latex utensils, including non-latex gloves.” California will join Ohio, Hawaii, Arizona, Connecticut, and Rhode Island with this latex ban. Foodservice operators do have options, however. There are several non-latex gloves alternatives available including nitrile, vinyl, and polyethylene options.

Keep your customers and your staff safe! Please follow us on social media for additional important restaurant news.