Labor
‘Everything has a cost’: More Bay Area restaurants are closing for mental health breaks
San Francisco Chronicle, 9/13
As restaurants face limited staff, the workers who remain say they’re more stressed than ever.
Sacramento-area restaurant Mikuni closing Mondays due to worker shortage
KCRA 3, 9/12
Chef Taro Arai takes pride in coming up with creative solutions to grow his restaurant business, Mikuni. His ingenuity has driven over three decades of growth at Mikuni Restaurant Group, expanding the sushi eatery to nine different locations. But the pandemic is proving to be one of the biggest challenges yet. Like so many other local business operators, Arai is unable to find enough workers to staff his restaurants.
Food Industry Policy
Third Parties Sue NYC over Permanent Cap on Delivery Fees
QSR Magazine 9/13
The companies call the cap an “irrational law, driven by naked animosity towards third-party platforms.”
Restaurants Close Dining Rooms Again as Delta-Driven Infections Spread
Wall Street Journal 9/12
Restaurants’ plans to return diners to indoor tables are unraveling. Chains such as McDonald’s Corp. and Chick-fil-A Inc. are slowing their dining rooms’ reopenings, given the Delta-driven surge in Covid-19 infections.
On the Side
Surprise! Your Image of Ghost Kitchens Might Be Wrong
Restaurant Business 9/13
Who knew, for instance, that 40% of the sales generated by Kitchen United’s ghost-kitchen complexes come from consumers picking up their meals instead of having the food delivered? Atul Sood, chief business officer of the fast-growing company, went so far as to call the operations “virtual food halls” for to-go customers.
CA Lawmakers Cheer Law Allowing To-Go Alcohol Sales
Patch 9/10
California state legislators unanimously approved a bill this week that, if signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, would permanently allow the sale of to-go cocktails as part of food takeout orders.
