Labor
SF District Attorney seeks to force DoorDash to change driver status
San Francisco Chronicle 8/13
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin on Wednesday added new firepower to the lawsuit he filed in June against the restaurant delivery service DoorDash over its classification of couriers as independent contractors instead of employees.
Food Industry Policy
Documented Cases of Restaurant Transmission of Coronavirus Could Further Delay Indoor Dining
SFist 8/12
Data is beginning to emerge from contact tracing in states where indoor dining and drinking has resumed that proves that restaurants and bars can become vectors for spreading COVID-19, spelling bad news for the hospitality industry as a whole.
Five New Bars Can Open in SF’s Underserved Neighborhoods
Eater, San Francisco 8/12
California’s Alcoholic Beverage Control will allow five new bars to open in San Francisco, but only in specific neighborhoods.
On the Side
From full-service to grocery hybrid: Why 1 restaurant chose to renovate during the pandemic
Restaurant Dive 8/12
Cotton Blues Kitchen & Marketplace used the business slowdown to recreate the dining experience with a market, grab-and-go items and a smaller dine-in menu.
Restaurant menus slim down to maximize efficiency and boost margins
Restaurant Business 8/12
Call it menu simplication, streamlining or shrinkage. It’s happening in every segment of the industry, from quick-service to fine dining, as operators downsize menus to make them more efficient and profitable.
The Bay Area’s fanciest dinners are now on farms, limo ride included
San Francisco Chronicle 8/12
Fine dining in San Francisco isn’t technically dead during the pandemic — it’s moved to farms, with additions like limo rides with Champagne, tours of farms and sunset views of Wine Country hills.
Am I a Jerk if I Cash In My Restaurant Gift Cards?
Eater San Francisco 8/12
How are restaurants feeling about gift certificates being used? I have a couple from before COVID-19, but I’m afraid I’ll be hurting the restaurant if I use them. Thoughts?
Resilience, innovation will help the restaurant industry rebuild
Smart Brief 8/12
Restaurants are facing unprecedented challenges amid the coronavirus pandemic, but new technologies and the resilient spirit that’s always been at the industry’s core will help it bounce back, The National Restaurant Association’s Tom Bené said during a virtual conference session last week.
What Will Separate the Fast Casual Winners and Losers Post Pandemic
QSR Magazine August 2020
Where can investors and operators find the best opportunities for value creation?
Restaurants Continue to Evolve as Pandemic Stretches On
FSR Magazine August 2020
There has been a seismic shift across all industries in what we would once consider normal operating procedures. One of the most affected industries—hospitality—has been forced into an unimaginable position by the COVID-19 pandemic.