Miscellaneous

🎬 Harkins Theaters partnered with The Culinary Edge to launch The Backlot in July at The Shops at Norterra, Phoenix, AZ. The 90-year-old brand offers a family entertainment center with bowling, darts, and an arcade. The Studio Canteen serves film-themed dishes like pizzas, burgers, and desserts. The Culinary Edge, a San Francisco consultancy, ensured an unforgettable menu. An indoor-outdoor bar offers drinks, including local brews and mocktails.

✈️ Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) becomes the first airline group to partner with Adobe, Google, Skyscanner, and Visa. This collaboration aims to enhance digital engagement and payment processes, offering a data-driven, personalized travel experience. Clarence Lee, MAG’s Chief Digital & IT Officer, and Dersenish Aresandiran, MAG’s Chief Commercial Officer, highlight its potential to transform customer journeys. This strategic move positions MAG towards its goal of being a leading global aviation group.

🎙 Josiah Mackenzie shares insights from over 1,000 podcast interviews on how hospitality leaders can prepare effectively and communicate confidently to create value for listeners. This solo episode emphasizes the power of podcasts for exchanging stories and ideas in the industry. 🎧

🍷 Since the 2000s, China experienced rapid industrialization, leading to urbanization and a significant urban middle class. This consumer base fueled both domestic and international investments. As incomes increased, wine consumption surged. However, wine consumption has recently declined, prompting traditional wine producers to seek new markets.

🍷 Since 2000, China experienced rapid industrialization, leading to urbanization and a large urban middle-class consumer base. This group drove domestic and international investments. As incomes increased, wine consumption became popular, but it has since declined sharply, prompting traditional wine producers to seek new markets.

🥤 Summer 2025, India: Temperatures soar over 40°C, marking peak sales for soft drinks. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo dominate, but Reliance Consumer's Campa Cola challenges, aiming to shift the market from a duopoly to an oligopoly. April to early June are crucial months, traditionally boosting sales of water, carbonates, and nectars.

📱 Finnish national airline Finnair, in May 2025, introduced ancillary combos, becoming the world’s first airline to offer bundled services. Initially available in limited European markets, these include seat selection and internet access, with plans for more combinations. This innovation follows their transition to native orders, enhancing customer experience by consolidating all booking details into a single record. Finnair aims to improve personalization and pricing through this digital transformation.

🍴 Bret Thorn has been the senior food & beverage editor for Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and joined Restaurant Hospitality in 2016. He won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award for his column in Nation’s Restaurant News. Thorn holds a BA in history from Tufts University (1990) and a culinary certificate from Le Cordon Bleu (1986). He has authored entries for the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (2012) and Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets (2015).

🍴 Bret Thorn is the Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, with a podcast, "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn." He’s been with Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999, covering food trends. A Tufts University graduate and Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, Thorn has extensive experience, including a column for The New York Sun (2005-2008). He was inducted into the Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014 and has authored entries for notable food encyclopedias.

🍴 Nobu Matsuhisa opened his first restaurant in New York's Tribeca in 1994. Over 31 years, his empire has expanded globally, including places like London, Las Vegas, and Malibu. Nobu Dallas, opened in 2005, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. Matsuhisa emphasizes strategic partnerships and market choices, and embraces local cultures. Training and consistency enable his restaurants to thrive. He advises against hasty expansion, advocating step-by-step growth with a focus on efficiency and replicable processes.