CONTENTS APRIL 2025
EQUIPMENT AT NAFEM, ROBOTS SLIP MOSTLY INTO THE BACKGROUND................................................4
SPECIAL REPORT COVID 5 YEARS LATER PANDEMIC VOICES.......................................24 COVER STORY CHILIHEAD: KEVIN HOCHMAN BRINGS PRIDE BACK TO CHILI’S.............18 MENU WALK-ON’S SPORTS BISTREAUX BROADENS MENU WHILE STAYING TRUE TO ITS CAJUN ROOTS...........................................................14 EMERGING BRANDS CHIP CITY COOKIES CO-FOUNDER GETS CREATIVE WITH CROISSANTS.......................16
HOW THE BUSINESS HAS, AND HAS NOT, CHANGED SINCE THE PANDEMIC...............26
5 YEARS LATER: HOW THESE INDIES HAVE FARED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.....................30
MARC LORE WANTS AI TO FEED YOU............6
COVID MADE DELIVERY A WAY OF LIFE FOR RESTAURANTS............................................. 34
TECNOLOGY HOW TECH IS HELPING RESTAURANTS SPEED UP THE HIRING PROCESS............................12 FINANCE ONE BIG POST-PANDEMIC CHANGE AT RESTAURANTS: MORE PEOPLE ARE DINING ALONE...........................................................10 SCREENS TAKE CENTER STAGE AT THE NAFEM SHOW: NAVIGATING THE FUTURE OF KITCHEN TECHNOLOGY.................................................8
THE RESTAURANT LABOR LANDSCAPE HAS VASTLY IMPROVED SINCE THE PANDEMIC ................................................... 38
RESTAURANT CATERING IS BACK, BUT IT LOOKS DIFFERENT POST-COVID................44
THE PANDEMIC BROUGHT FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS TO A CROSSROADS............48
FROM OUR COLUMNISTS
AT KRISPY KREME, A REMINDER OF RESTAURANTS’ DIGITAL RISK..........................................................51
TACO BELL SHOWS IT’S GOOD TO HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME..........................................................52
Photo courtesy of Somedays Cover Photo by Terri Glanger
APRIL 2025 RESTAURANT BUSINESS
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