Kitchens are notoriously noisy but they don’t have to be. Small steps in facility design and equipment selection can greatly reduce noise levels. Foodservice designers can lead the design team toward strategies for creating quieter kitchens. Keeping noise levels low increases kitchen staff productivity, reduces accidents and allows for mindful eating in the dining room. New building standards such as the WELL Building Standard from the International WELL Building Institute suggest certain decibel levels.
We have a trifecta of great events on the horizon. It all starts in May with our annual Dealer of the Year and Industry Awards Gala, which coincides with the National Restaurant Association's annual trade show, which takes place May 19-22 in Chicago.
No one and no company can stay the same forever. Without growing and flexing all the time, we become stagnant, a path that inevitably limits opportunities. Getting comfortable with change and bringing something to the table that promotes growth are imperative not only to success but to the very survival of all companies in the foodservice industry.
Having a solid information technology (IT) infrastructure and a top-of-the-line technology platform continues to become increasingly important for all foodservice operations.
In the last three years, Whitewater, Wis.-based Toppers Pizza has doubled in size to an 84-store chain, 21 of which are company owned and the rest franchised. Founder Scott Gittrich created a systemwide partnership with Feeding America to provide food to hungry families in need, and the chain's franchisees additionally participate in many local-level charitable activities.
Joe Christina, CEO of Church’s Chicken discusses the variety of changes to this quick-serve restaurant chain in the last few years. Church’s Chicken now has more than 1,600 restaurants in 27 countries and international territories.
As a woman who has worked closely with men in male-dominated industries for more than three decades, you can believe the #MeToo movement holds some resonance for me.
Independent, often family-owned, businesses, served as the cornerstone of the foodservice equipment industry for decades. But not a day seems to go by without a national player buying a smaller company. And that includes the service agent community.
In this issue of FE&S you will find a couple of key content updates.
It’s March and that can only mean that the FE&S awards season is underway. In this issue, we highlight some of the very best examples of creative tabletop installations across five industry segments. Our team of independent judges curated a list of winners that exemplify the best in current trends across a variety of foodservice applications.
Instead of suggesting that a tabletop looks old or dated, the better option is to use the term refresh. It is far less offensive when approaching the topic with operators.
It is December and that means it's time for the annual directory issue of FE&S as well as for my annual dose of humility as a prognosticator. For the record, in the last year I have also been wrong about the durability of Bitcoin, the outcome of Brexit and the timing of the first female president of the United States.
When John Varner joined EMR in January 1978, his industrial background was well-suited for the company. As the company transitioned to specializing in foodservice equipment, Varner found himself installing the first conveyor oven in a large pizza chain back in 1983. “Although the foodservice equipment segment was foreign to me initially, as time went on, it became a great fit, and I’ve been here ever since,” he says.
Whether a foodservice operator plans to open their first location or wants to add scale to an existing concept, they often fall prey to the same mistakes.
As the principal, creative director and guiding force of DMAC Architecture P.C., Dwayne MacEwen builds beautiful, functional spaces. Notable restaurant projects include Chromium at Chicago's Midtown Athletic Club, the upscale ambience that comes with fine dining at Michael Jordan's Steak House and the eclectic contemporary presentation that fits the menu at Roka Akor.
We've always been strong proponents of developing an emergency plan. Each situation has something different to contend with, but regardless of the reason — hurricanes, wildfires, snowstorms, whatever — when power goes out, our experience has proven to us that having an emergency plan can be quite helpful.
Troop Café operates like any other restaurant — almost. While we serve great food, our actual mission is to train U.S. military veterans in foodservice and hospitality with the end goal of transitioning them to jobs in the hospitality/foodservice industry.
Aaron Yohn was working on cars for a living just seven years ago when a friend told him about an opening at K&D Factory Service Inc. (KDFSI).
