Miscellaneous

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor at Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016, specializes in food trends. He holds a history BA from Tufts University and a Cértificat Elémentaire from Le Cordon Bleu. Thorn wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and contributed to the Oxford Encyclopedia (2012, 2015). He was inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. Thorn resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., and has worked extensively in the U.S. and Asia.

📈 Uchronia showcased British art at London's Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park for Frieze Art Fair, October 15-19, 2025. The underwater-themed suite, featuring celadon-green decor developed with Pantone, is available for two months. Collaborating with UK studios, the suite includes James Shaw’s extruded plastic furniture, Jochen Holz’s glassware, and Govindia Hemphill’s moire fabrics. Uchronia, 2023 Dezeen emerging interior designer, aimed to merge tradition and modernity through these unique designs.

🛩 In 2024, 22% of U.S. flights were delayed, highlighting on-time performance (OTP) as a critical industry metric. However, TNMT's analysis of over 15,000 Tripadvisor reviews from the top five U.S. and European airlines reveals no direct correlation between OTP and traveler satisfaction. Notably, Southwest Airlines achieved high satisfaction with a 78% OTP, emphasizing comfort and crew friendliness as key factors. In contrast, within U.S. legacy carriers, punctuality aligns with satisfaction, with Delta leading. European airlines show a negative correlation, suggesting operational focus may reduce passenger experience quality.

🧁 2022 saw a labor crisis in restaurants, prompting a focus on culture. Dutch Bros (1,083 locations) hires "broistas" to emphasize relationships. Firebirds connects front and back-of-house staff to strengthen culture. South Block grew from 3 to 7 locations in a year, shifting hiring to passion-driven approaches. Executives see culture as a path to profit and opportunity, with Firebirds doubling personal time off for employees. The conversation was part of CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs.

🍺 NEIT, in October 2025, collaborated with Chef Endo Kazutoshi to launch Silent Harmony, a limited edition Irish whiskey. Crafted over 34 years since 1991, Silent Harmony is a triple-distilled single malt, priced at £2,995 per bottle. Only 185 bottles will be available, reflecting a blend of tradition and contemporary aesthetics, with floral and herbal notes. This collaboration exemplifies NEIT's storytelling ethos and Chef Kazutoshi's precision in crafting excellence.

🏝️ SCHLOSS Spa at the SCHLOSS Roxburghe hotel won Scotland’s Best Hotel Spa 2025 at the World Spa Awards. This 5-star hotel, located in the Borders, also holds an AA Recommended Spa status. The "Reconnect with Nature" package, priced at £310 per person, includes archery, walks, massages, and more. Set in 300 acres, the estate offers golf, fishing, and whisky tasting. Dining options feature Sunlaws and Charlie’s.

💸 Amazon's "enshittification" journey began with attractive customer offerings, leveraging investor funds to subsidize prices and shipping. Over time, it exploited both users and business clients, enforcing price hikes with tactics like its "flywheel" strategy and excessive fees. Merchants now suffer a 45-51% fee burden, causing inflated prices across platforms. With $50 billion in annual search placement fees, Amazon manipulates search results, making the top listings pricier. This systemic issue requires policy intervention, not individual consumer action.

📚 Fredericia, a Danish furniture brand, launched its first showroom in Tokyo's Omotesando area, collaborating with local studio Flooat. Opened in an industrial concrete building, the showroom blends Danish and Japanese aesthetics, aiming for a gallery-like feel. The design incorporates exposed concrete and neutral colors, highlighting Fredericia's wooden furniture. The space emphasizes craftsmanship and a serene atmosphere, resonating with Japanese home sensibilities. This opening follows another Danish brand, Frama, in expanding into Tokyo.

🛫 Airlines and OTAs risk losing $117 billion in 2025 revenue due to outdated payment systems. A survey of over 1,000 travelers from the US, UK, Brazil, Spain, and Hong Kong shows 17% experience card declines. 13% switch to competitors, and 5% abandon purchases. 92% prioritize payment ease; 60% abandon bookings if preferred methods aren't available. Payment preferences vary: 71% of Brazilians use Pix, while over 40% in the US and UK prefer PayPal.