Labor
Food Delivery Robots: Wave Of The Future Or Scourge Of The Worker?
LAist 8/24
Somewhere in Santa Monica, a human orders a salad, a latte and a donut for delivery from Alfalfa, a sunny Ocean Park cafe. The order pops up in the kitchen and the staff prepares the food. Instead of handing it to a driver, an employee walks to a boxy Coco delivery robot.
California Law Denying Basic Workers’ Rights to Food Delivery Drivers Found Unconstitutional
Eater SF 8/23
Denying food delivery drivers the same protections as other workers in the state is unconstitutional, a California judge ruled Friday, August 20. In a 12-page ruling, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch asserts Proposition 22, which insulates big tech companies from having to classify workers as employees, won’t fly in part because a portion of the law prevents the legislature from giving collective bargaining rights to drivers.
Food Industry Policy
Survey: Restaurants Less Likely to Mandate Vaccination
FSR Magazine 8/23
Restaurants are less likely to require vaccination than other employers, according to recent data. A new Littler Mendelson survey of 1,600 employers found only 9 percent of respondents in retail and hospitality either require or plan to require vaccination compared to 21 percent of all survey takers.
COVID: San Francisco Restaurants, Bars Begin Checking for Proof of Vaccination
New York Times 8/23
On Friday, San Francisco became the first major city in the nation to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination for people dining inside restaurants, working out in gyms or attending indoor concerts.
On the Side
Crypto Comes for Food Tech
The Spoon 8/23
When Internet omnipresence Gary Vaynerchuk introduced his new NFT restaurant concept and Brave Robot announced it was accepting crypto payments, my knee-jerk reaction was eye rolling, but after sitting with it, I get it.
Tom Curtis promoted to president from COO of Burger King Americas
Nation’s Restaurant News 8/23
Tom Curtis has been promoted to president of Burger King U.S. & Canada, parent company Restaurant Brands international announced Monday.
