On McDonald's head-scratching stand on the tip credit
Why is McDonald’s taking on the tip credit? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive takes a hard look at the fast-food giant’s stand on the tip credit, which enables businesses to pay a subminimum wage to tipped workers, so long as the tips make up the difference. We feature three guests on this podcast: Saru Jayaraman, the president and cofounder of the labor advocacy group One Fair Wage; Martin Murch, an independent restaurant operator out of Chicago, and Joe Kefauver, managing partner of Align Public Strategies and cohost of the Working Lunch podcast. (Working Lunch also looked at the topic last week.)We examine the tip credit, why McDonald’s and labor groups are against the wage and why many full-service restaurants believe they need it to remain in business. We also examine McDonald’s strategy in taking the topic on, and why it would choose to leave the National Restaurant Association over the issue. We also examine whether it really does give full-service restaurants an advantage. We’re taking on the tip credit on A Deeper Dive so check it out.
--------
27:20
--------
27:20
How the convenience-store chain Casey’s is making waves in the pizza business
What is the country’s fifth largest pizza concept doing to expand its reach?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Tom Brennan, the chief merchandising officer for the Iowa-based convenience-store chain Casey’s.That is right. Casey’s is the fifth-largest pizza concept in the U.S., at least based on sales. This is a fascinating conversation with a top executive of a company that is a growing competitor with a number of different restaurant chains, including much of the pizza business. We talk about that pizza business and how it became so vital to the company. Casey’s has been generating strong pizza sales this year even as fast-food pizza chains have been stagnant. Tom explains the company’s secret.We also talk about the company’s broader foray into the food business and we also talk about beverages and how Casey’s plans to improve its sales in that area. We’re talking convenience store pizza on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
--------
30:44
--------
30:44
Why restaurant profitability has yet to recover from the pandemic
Why are some restaurants having such a tough time this year?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Chad Moutray, the chief economist for the National Restaurant Association. We wanted to talk with Chad for two big reasons: First, the association published its data abstract on the restaurant industry, which shows some surprisingly low profitability for both full-service and limited-service restaurants. We talk about why restaurants are less profitable today compared with before the pandemic.But we also talk about the economy and why it’s so unfriendly to fast-food restaurants in particular. Many fast-food chains are seeing weak traffic, which has some speculating that lower-income consumers are cutting back. Moutray helps clear that up.We’re talking about the restaurant economy on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
--------
28:29
--------
28:29
Todd Penegor on his first year as CEO of Papa Johns
What is Todd Penegor doing at Papa Johns?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Todd Penegor, who has been CEO of the Atlanta-based pizza chain for just over a year. This is a great conversation. Penegor has helped Papa Johns regain sales momentum during a particularly difficult time, both for the sector and the fast-food business in general. The company has done this through a variety of means. We talk about the company’s focus on its core pizza. Todd talks about that effort, and he gives some hints at what may be coming. We talk about technology, including artificial intelligence, and the work being done on that front. We talk about loyalty. And we talk extensively about third-party delivery, and how Papa Johns can maintain its first-party service even as aggregators take more delivery business away.We also talk about marketing, and especially local marketing. Papa Johns has worked to shift marketing back to local after moving that spending nationally under the previous management.We’re talking pizza on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
--------
31:53
--------
31:53
How franchisees are facing the difficult operating environment
How are franchisees dealing with the current operating environment?This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Raj Patel, a multi-brand franchisee out of the Chicago area. Patel’s group operates nearly 100 Dunkin’ locations and a number of Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants, among others. We wanted to talk with him to get a franchisee’s perspective of the current environment. He provides some insight from a franchisee’s view of both those brands and why they are doing really well right now. What makes those brands tick?We also talk extensively about development strategies. Patel provides some interesting insight into competition for restaurant real estate right now. He talks about what sites cost more, whether drive-thru-only locations make any sense and the best time to walk away from a potential location.We’re talking restaurant development and franchising on A Deeper Dive so please check it out.
Polska