Allergens concern hospitality employees
Access Hospitality has released research declaring that just 47% of hospitality employees are confident they are relaying the correct allergen information.
The same research, which was conducted with 121 employees, found 48% were concerned about the way their business manages allergens. Furthermore, 62% said they were relying on pieces of paper to relay allergen details to customers, with only 14% employing a hand-held device. Just under 10% said that they referred queries to the chef.
McDonald’s commits to the digital experience
McDonald’s committed itself to investing £1bn in its UK and Ireland estate (over the space of three years) and plans to open 60 new restaurants this year. The investment will be made in restaurant refurbishments and improving the “digital experience” for customers.
The move follows McDonalds trial of a new grab and go format, with no seating and smaller self-order screens, on London’s Fleet Street during 2019.
In the wake of Brexit
In the second half of February, the Home Office caused concern amongst business owners when it announced new immigration rules. It plans to introduce a “points-based” immigration system, something which is expected to negatively impact the hospitality industry.
Anyone wishing to live in the UK will need to gain 70 points to be eligible to apply and these points will be awarded for certain requirements, such as already having a job offer from an approved employer (20 points). If passed, visa applicants will need to earn more than £25,600. That amount drops to £20,480 for ‘specific shortage roles’ which doesn’t include kitchen staff. This is an issue for food operators as it will mean no EU visas for entry-level jobs like waiting or baristas.
Drinkers want better quality beer
Almost half (47%) consumers say they are willing to pay more for better-quality drinks, the CGA has said. The report, called Premiumisation: Change, Challenge And Opportunity demonstrated an increase in high-end drinks sales in 2019, including 21% growth in super-premium spirits. Furthermore, it claims ‘premiumisation’ is reshaping the beer category, a conclusion it has drawn given that 848,000 more people drank world lager in 2019 than in 2016.
The report also showed an increasing separation between super-premium niche brands and big mainstream names in the out-of-home drinks market.
At Preoday, we pride ourselves on our industry knowledge and the experience we have in client markets. By keeping abreast of the latest industry trends and company news, we continue to put ourselves in the best place to understand their unique needs.
It’s not as catchy as: ‘When is a door not a door?’ (answer, when it’s a jar) but it speaks to the idea that in-car collection, and the technologies that support it, are flexible enough to bend to the needs of a business and its guests.
Delivery can be daunting to the uninitiated, and it might be tempting to sign up with a third-party ordering aggregator that offers the service, such as UberEats, but other options could suit your business and brand better. Here we present three different ‘levels’ of delivery, starting with the most basic – and cheapest method: doing it yourself.
