Miscellaneous

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  • 2 min

Af&co and Carbonate to make annual trend predictions this week

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor, with tenure at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality from 2016, previously wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008), Manager magazine and Asia Times in Thailand (1992-1997), and was a runner for ABC News in 1989. A magna cum laude Tufts University graduate (1990), a Phi Beta Kappa member, and Le Cordon Bleu-trained, Thorn won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and joined the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. His expertise spans food and beverage trends, French and Asian cuisines, and restaurant operations.
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  • 2 min

Cocktail-inspired scents, Scotch eggs, and Fado dinner

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, hosts "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast. He reported on NYC food scene in The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008 and covered business in Thailand during 1992-1997. A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate and Phi Beta Kappa member, Thorn studied French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in 1986 and Chinese in Beijing during Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. He won a Jesse H. Neal Award in 2006 and joined Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014.
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  • 2 min

Lough Erne Resort elevates Black Friday with tempting new Golden offer

🏆 Lough Erne Resort introduces Golden Friday offer valid until 2nd December 2024, with stays up to 31st March 2025. Guests can save up to 40% on accommodations, spa, golf, and afternoon tea. Prices start at £159 per room per night; a second night is £119. Each room receives a £30 voucher. General Manager Gareth Byrne announces the promotion as an enhancement to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
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Incognia Partners with Grubhub to Enhance Platform Security, Improve CX

🍕 Wonder is acquiring Grubhub from Just Eat Takeaway.com for $650 million, with the transaction including $500 million in senior notes and $150 million in cash, expected to close in Q1 2025. Wonder also raised an additional $250 million from new investors. Grubhub has over 375,000 merchants and 200,000 delivery partners in the U.S. Wonder, founded by ex-Walmart U.S. e-commerce CEO Marc Lore, has 28 locations in the Northeastern U.S. and plans seven more by year-end. Grubhub covers the vast majority of the U.S. population and operates a loyalty program, campus dining services at over 360 universities, and corporate accounts with more than 10,000 companies.
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  • 3 min

How The Fort restaurant in Colorado preserves its historical building

🍱 Sam Arnold built The Fort in Morrison, Colorado, in the early 1960s using traditional adobe materials, continuing a 60-year-old tradition now upheld by his daughter, Holly Arnold Kinney. The adobe façade, matching the red rocks of Colorado's Fountain Formation, offers thermal benefits and durability, requiring biannual maintenance by a specialized El Salvadorian crew. The Fort, preserving historical integrity and culinary tradition, served over 80,000 customers last year and features menu items ranging from $9 to $125.
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  • 2 min

GENERATOR Partners With Thai Music And Culture Festival, Wonderfruit, To Launch Dorm-Style Boutique Camping And Gamification

🏕 Generator partners with Thailand's Wonderfruit festival for the December event, introducing a social hospitality experience in Asia. Accommodations include private, air-conditioned bell tents, RVs, and a first-of-its-kind dorm-style option for solo travelers. Boutique Camping features activities, art installations, music sessions, and games like beer pong and Mölkky, with a restaurant and bar. Generator CEO Alastair Thomann highlights the goal to create shared memories, while Wonderfruit's Jon Lor emphasizes the new Shared Tents concept for solo attendees.
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  • 1 min

Shelf service: Ikea launches first high street restaurant

🍽 Ikea launches its first high street restaurant in London, replacing a former Wasabi on King Street, with 75 seats available. The menu, similar to in-store restaurants, features signature meatballs at £5.50, battered haddock for £6.95, penne pasta at £2.95, and a full cooked breakfast priced at £3.75. Matthew Gould, market manager at Ikea London City, highlights the affordable dining options and the iconic Swedish meatballs as key draws for customers.
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