Monthly Archives: April 2021

• Bloomin ‘Brands CEO David Deno told CNBC restaurant sales were 12.6% above 2019 levels.
• He said the company has taken advantage of the delivery option and reopened dining rooms to boost sales.
• He also said that manpower has not been a problem for the company, despite a labor shortage in the industry.

Business is booming for Bloomin ‘Brands, owner of restaurant chains like Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill.

David Deno, CEO of the company, told CNBC on Thursday evening that sales exceeded 2019 levels by 12.6% so far in the second quarter, and finding workers has been easy despite outcry from many from the service industry about a labor shortage.

Deno saw sales growth with customers returning to restaurants and continuing to use the take-out and delivery options enhanced by the pandemic.

Deno told CNBC’s “The Exchange” that he hoped to get the “magic” of the two dining rooms reopened with “great service” as well as continuous deliveries and deliveries to increase sales.

The growth is a turnaround for the company, which was placed last year on a list of companies likely to default on their debt amid the pandemic. At the time, a representative told Insider that the company was in strong financial health, driven by positive cash flow in its deferral business.

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Regarding the workforce, the CEO said the company did not put on leave or lay off its restaurant workers last year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. “So when we turned the dining rooms back on and people came back, we already had staff,” Deno said on CNBC.

Read more: Employers claim to want to improve workers’ well-being, but refuse to do the only thing that will really help them: pay them more

Much of the service industry has raised alarms about a shortage of manpower and an inability to return to normal service levels because of it. Some chains have had to reduce opening hours or keep dining rooms closed to account for the lack of workers.

Others have launched hiring campaigns and offered incentives to candidates.

Although millions of people are still unemployed because of the pandemic, experts believe low wages and stimulus funding could be two of the reasons people are not returning to work.

For Bloomin ‘Brands, however, Deno said the company has a high retention level and low revenue compared to the rest of the industry.

“People want to see two things. First, they ask what they are going to be paid, see what they are going to be paid. And… they want to work in a great environment, and we think we are able to offer the two, so we were able to recruit the people we need, ”he told CNBC.

A Bloomin ‘Brands spokesperson told Insider the company “is constantly hiring and now needs to hire more people due to increased sales compared to 2019.”

• Bloomin ‘Brands CEO David Deno told CNBC restaurant sales were 12.6% above 2019 levels.

• He said the company has taken advantage of the delivery option and reopened dining rooms to boost sales.

• He also said that manpower has not been a problem for the company, despite a labor shortage in the industry.

• See more stories on the Insider business page.

Business is booming for Bloomin ‘Brands, owner of restaurant chains such as Outback Steakhouse and Bonefish Grill.

David Deno, CEO of the company, told CNBC on Thursday evening that sales exceeded 2019 levels by 12.6% so far in the second quarter, and finding workers has been easy despite outcry from many in the service sector regarding a labor shortage.

Deno attributed the growth in sales to customers returning to restaurants and continuing to use delivery and delivery options reinforced by the pandemic.

Deno told CNBC’s “The Exchange” that he hoped to get the “magic” of the two dining rooms reopened with “great service” as well as continuous deliveries and deliveries to increase sales.

The growth is a turnaround for the company, which was placed last year on a list of companies likely to default on their debt amid the pandemic. At the time, a representative told Insider the company was in strong financial health, driven by positive cash flow in its deferral business.

Regarding the workforce, the CEO said the company did not put on leave or lay off its restaurant workers last year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. “So when we turned the dining rooms back on and people came back, we already had staff,” Deno said on CNBC.

Read more: Employers claim to want to improve workers’ well-being, but refuse to do the only thing that will really help them: pay them more

Much of the service industry has raised alarms about a shortage of manpower and an inability to return to normal service levels because of it. Some chains have had to reduce opening hours or keep dining rooms closed to account for the lack of workers.

The story continues

Others have launched hiring campaigns and offered incentives to candidates.

Although millions of people are still unemployed because of the pandemic, experts believe low wages and stimulus funding could be two of the reasons people are not returning to work.

For Bloomin ‘Brands, however, Deno said the company has a high retention level and low revenue compared to the rest of the industry.

“People want to see two things. First, they ask what they are going to be paid, see what they are going to be paid. And… they want to work in a great environment, and we think we are able to offer the two, so we were able to recruit the people we need, ”he told CNBC.

A Bloomin ‘Brands spokesperson told Insider the company “is constantly hiring and now needs to hire more people due to increased sales compared to 2019.”

Read the original article on Business Insider

The study, which tracks data from 37 groups including Gaucho, Byron and YO! Sushi, overall like-for-like sales grew only 0.2% last month.

Hotel brands in London did particularly poorly with a 1.6% drop, while the rest of the country saw a 0.8% increase in sales compared to August 2016.

“These figures reflect the difficult summer that many pubs and restaurants have endured,” said Mark Sheehan, Managing Director of Coffer Corporate Leisure.

“There is no hiding place. These figures at constant scope are well below inflation. For restaurants in particular, they reflect the [increase in] new openings that took some of the trade from established operators.

CGA Vice President Peter Martin added that although sales were “slow and hard fought”, hospitality was still performing well. in the face of rising prices for meat, dairy products and eggs.

“The industry has already had to absorb significant cost pressures this year, especially with regard to property costs and food inflation – and most operators have passed at least some of this on to consumers through price increases, ”explains Martin.

“The only positive point is that consumers continue to go out to eat and drink …[restaurants] do not suffer like other sectors of the economy, such as car sales. “

Overall, August hotel sales are down 0.6% recorded in July.

Read Restaurantmagazines 10 tips for tackling food price inflation here.

Jonathan Key, director of drinks and bar at Bentonville’s restaurant The Preacher’s Son and Undercroft – the intimate bar and lounge in the restaurant’s basement – said the owners had recently transformed the cocktail bar into The Oasis at Undercroft on the tropical theme. The temporary (pop-up) event started on March 19 and will run until April 30.

Undercroft’s first pop-up took place in 2019 with Christmas-themed Miracle on 2nd Street. Key said New York-based Miracle chose Undercroft to host the pop-up, which returned to the bar this past holiday season. Miracle launched the pop-up concept in 2014 and expanded to four locations in 2015 and internationally in 2016.

According to the National Restaurant Association, in 2019, temporary pop-up restaurants were the second trend in restaurant concepts, behind fast-casual concepts led by chefs. In northwest Arkansas, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the timing of pop-ups and provided the opportunity to host them. And they succeeded.

The success of the Miracle at Undercroft pop-up led staff to consider other pop-ups and develop The Oasis at Undercroft.

“We focused on this island-style tropical theme and paid homage to the original Tiki movement in the 40s and 50s,” Key said. “The plan before was that we were hoping to do this in 2020, but we all know what happened then. Unfortunately, we had to push it back for a year and we’re very happy to be able to bring it to you.

Key didn’t know what to expect when hosting Miracle this past holiday season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but reservations were high.

“We are following suit at Oasis,” Key said. “The plan is to have a good time and bring that getaway, especially after the year we’ve all had, and make it feel like you’re going to another world or another part of the world without leaving Bentonville. “

Key and other Undercroft bartenders created the cocktail menu and pop-up program. Roxy Erickson, curator of Miracle pop-ups, has completed the decor and design work.

“We’re taking Undercroft to the bare bones and completely transforming the entire bar,” Key said. “Normally, the Undercroft is seen as a dark, underground living room vibe. The good thing is that you can easily transform the whole space by changing all the decor and changing the layout. There is thatch everywhere you feel like in a hut – lots of different fishing nets, buoys and fish. He transposes all the space to give the impression of being in a different area.

Key strongly recommended making reservations to attend the pop-up.

“We’ve learned from our previous pop-ups that reservations are a great way to ensure that every guest who comes here has the full experience, and that they have a set table and time for that table,” said Key. “That way they can take up all the space and be guaranteed a spot.”

The bar will offer the new cocktail menu as well as its beer and wine list. Classic cocktails from the bar will also be available.

The next pop-up is in the works and staff have come up with several ideas, Key said. Customers can expect another pop-up within six months of this one.

Undercroft has eight bartenders, and including the staff at The Preacher’s Son, there are 30 to 40 employees. Undercroft’s redesigned layout has a capacity of approximately 55 to 60 customers. COVID precautions include checkerboard seating and table spacing, Key said. In addition, masks are mandatory and hand sanitizer is available. Key noted reservations help with the rotation of customers in and out and that tables are cleaned between each reservation.

ROOST TO SET
Recently, 28 Springs in downtown Siloam Springs launched the Roost pop-up restaurant.

Deputy manager Chris Strobl said that amid the pandemic, 28 Springs’ business had declined, and even before it was down. He said the restaurant wanted to reach a wider audience than in the past and had struggled to reach the blue-collar crowd.

Strobl said COVID has sped up the pop-up’s launch schedule and provided an opportunity to try it out. With Roost, it’s more accessible, with nothing fancy on the menu, like aioli or other dishes you might see in a fine-dining restaurant, he noted.

And the pop-up was a success. The number of weekday customers more than doubled to over 80 people. The restaurant served about that amount on weekends. It rose to 160-200 people on Fridays and Saturdays, he said.

Managing Director Brandon Bralley said the restaurant spent a few months working on its first pop-up before launching the concept in mid-February. It changed some of the settings, the waiters’ uniforms and the menu, Strobl said.

“This pop-up will continue to last throughout our open time,” said Bralley. “We’ll end up calling ourselves Roost at 28 Springs once we decide to roll out this 28 Springs menu, which will be completely different from what it was before. It will be a more refined, upscale cuisine.

It is expected to include steak, seafood and poultry options and will be developed for customers who come for special occasions, Bralley said. The restaurant doesn’t plan to host another pop-up anytime soon, but he noted that it might consider adding seasonal menus.

“This should generate as much business as we aimed at,” said Bralley, adding that sales had almost doubled. “We are focusing on what best reaches the community and the surrounding areas at the moment. We understand this as much as everyone else.

In mid-February, the restaurant stopped serving the 28 Springs menu and customers ordered exclusively from the Roost menu. A 28 Springs menu is expected to return, but a timeline has yet to be determined.

Chef Kurt Plankenhorn said the restaurant would need time to develop the new menu and get approval before 28 Springs returns. In this case, the Roost and 28 Springs menus will be offered. Customers of both will be served in a single kitchen, Bralley said.

The restaurant has around 25 employees and a capacity of 140 customers. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.

CAPACITY EXTENSION
Last fall, Experience Fayetteville began hosting pop-up lounges exclusively in the Town of Fayetteville outdoor refreshment area as an extension of the bars and dining areas of restaurants and patios with limited capacity. due to the pandemic. The city’s open-air refreshment area, created in July and recently expanded

until April 2024, allows people to buy and drink alcoholic beverage outside the restaurant. The pop-up lounges offer restaurant customers an outdoor space to consume their take-out and take-out drinks. Additionally, people can enjoy live music and fresh air while practicing social distancing and safety protocols, said Hazel Hernandez, vice president of marketing and communications for Experience Fayetteville.

“Pop-up lounges were meant to help bars and restaurants as well as local musicians,” Hernandez said. “At the start of the pandemic, restaurants were limited and not everyone had enough seating on the terrace. It was a way for us to increase the capacity of a restaurant so that the community could support our local bars and restaurants and experience downtown Fayetteville in a safe and outdoor environment.

Experience Fayetteville hosted three pop-ups, and they had a good turnout, Hernandez said.

“Most importantly, all of them have helped support the businesses in Fayetteville, which is what makes them successful for us,” she added. “There’s always a learning curve when trying something new, and it’s important to keep trying new things and learning from successes. “

The next pop-up show is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on April 2 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on April 3 on Dickson Street and West Avenue.

“We will have live music on both days, and the sun should be shining for a memorable spring event in Fayetteville,” she said.