Labor
Facing 60% Unemployment, Restaurant Workers Struggled During Pandemic
San Francisco Public Press 7/26
The pandemic and related precautions affected millions of restaurant workers around the country — unemployment in the restaurant industry shot up to more than 40% nationwide in April 2020, and to 60% in the Bay Area according to the State of Restaurant Workers report from the advocacy group Restaurant Opportunities Centers United.
‘If anybody has kids that need a job, call me’: A restaurant taps teens to fill worker gap
Yahoo Finance 7/27
As the U.S. economic rebound intensifies the need for workers, a number of businesses are turning to teenagers to fill their staffing shortages. And teens want to work, with data showing more younger workers are punching time cards. More than 32% of teens have a summer job this year — the highest since 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food Industry Policy
SF Bar Owner Alliance Officially Recommends Bars Check Proof of Vaccination
Eater, San Francisco 7/26
The SF Bar Owner Alliance is now recommending that local bars check for proof of vaccination before allowing guests inside. As anticipated with a flurry of headlines last week, the alliance finally put out an official statement Monday morning.
Hollywood’s Antica Pizzeria’s New Outdoor Lounge Requires Rapid COVID-19 Test for Entry
Eater, Los Angeles 7/26
Los Angeles restaurants and bars are figuring out how to navigate business as COVID-19 and delta variant cases continue to surge.
On the Side
How Clean Data Can Improve Your Restaurant Operation
FSR Magazine 7/27
Every time an operator purchases an item, a multitude of data points are generated that includes what they purchased, when they purchased it, how much they purchased, who they purchased it from and what they paid for it. Most operators do little or nothing with this data—if they collect it at all.
QR Codes Are Here to Stay. So Is the Tracking They Allow.
The New York Times 7/26
Fueled by a desire for touchless transactions, QR codes popped up everywhere in the pandemic. Businesses don’t want to give them up.