8 takeaways from the National Restaurant Association Show
RESTAURANT SHOW
clusions to coloring and coatings. The company just partnered with Coca-Co- la, if you want to get a sense of how big this demand is becoming. Other notable drink samples in- cluded: a slushy-ice cream concoction accented with popping boba balls and a choice of crunchy toppings like crumbled ginger cookies and crispy chili-lime bits; a butterfly pea flower drink that changes color; and an Ins- tagram-ready, bubble-topped cocktail that releases a smoke-filled aroma when the bubbles are pierced. Several companies selling THC-in- fused cocktails and infused non-alco- holic spirit alternatives were showing off their wares in the Show’s bar area. The availability of these weed-spiked drinks currently varies widely, based on state regulations, but the drink makers said they are working on ex- panding their presence not only in restaurants but in grocery and conve- nience stores, too. One such company, Flora Hemp Spirits, sells a Delta 8 (25 mg of THC per 2 ounces) and a Delta 9 spirit (10 mg of THC per 2 ounces). The company also sells CannaCocktails, canned cocktails with 5 mg THC, and CannaSpritz, a seltzer with 3 mg of THC. Another brand, Wynk, which says it is legal in 37 states, sells flavored seltzers with a 1:1 THC-CBD content of 5 mg each. Cannabis-infused drinks are ready for prime-time “Everything’s driven by the consum- er. It’s very easy to see the opportuni- ty in this category because cannabis is being legalized and normalized. More people are trying it,” Adam Peabody, CEO of Flora Hemp Spirits, said. “I think in 5 to 10 years it will be a 50/50 market share split between THC-in- fused beverage and the alcohol cate- gory. It’s a generational thing. Cybersecurity a growing concern It is almost impossible to prevent a cyberattack, according to restaurant tech executives who spoke during a panel on cybersecurity Monday. The criminals have simply become too nu-
Von Kutzleben noted that the compa- ny used to determine labor based on sales. “But if you think about increas- ing prices, that wasn’t the best indi- cator of how to best serve the guest and the ebb and flow of customers,” she said. Now, she said, the company is using traffic patterns to determine labor. “It was a little bit of a no-brain- er,” she said. Takeout and delivery at Applebee’s has soared in recent years, particularly after the pandemic. The casual-dining chain is eager to address that demand with improved facilities and is testing drive-up windows at some locations, said Vicki Hormann, executive director of off-premise at the chain. The problem? It’s not exactly easy to do at many Applebee’s locations. “We’re a 40-year-old brand,” she said. “Some of our locations are 40, 20 years old. They would require a recon- figuration of traffic flow and the ability to drive up.” That’s a classic problem for a lot of restaurant chains working to ad- dress consumers’ growing need for off-premises sales. Many of their facil - ities were not exactly built with take- out in mind, requiring creative ideas to accomplish the task. In Applebee’s case, pickup lockers have been a savior, Hormann said. The chain uses the lockers for curbside and delivery orders. And they don’t re- quire a completely new configuration.
merous, varied and sophisticated to keep up with. Cyberattackers today run the gam- ut from state-backed organizations to college kids trying to score a free meal to so-called hacktivists looking to make a point. Many attacks are now perpetrated by AI bots, making them even more difficult to stop. The best thing a restaurant can do to protect itself is buy cybersecurity insurance, said Leon Davoyan, CTO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “It’s like riding a motorcycle,” said Fat Brands CIO Michael Chachula. “It’s not a matter of if you’re gonna go down, it’s when you’re gonna go down. It’s not if someone’s gonna try to attack you, but when.” Delivery and takeout growing pains Third-party delivery has caused some real headaches for restaurant chains’ labor strategies. At Tropical Smoothie Café, Chief Marketing Officer Deborah
8
National Restaurant Association Show 2024
PHOTO CREDIT: FREEPIK.COM
Powered by FlippingBook