Revenue Management

💸 The Consumer Price Index rose by 0.2% in April, resulting in a 12-month inflation rate of 2.3%, the lowest since February 2021. Food prices are up 2.8% from last year, with grocery prices falling 0.4% in April and menu prices increasing by 0.4%. Egg prices dropped 12.7% monthly but are still 50% higher than last year. Full-service meals rose 0.6% over the month, leading to a 4.3% annual increase. Restaurant pricing has outpaced grocery pricing for the 25th consecutive month, contributing to a 1.7% year-over-year decline in domestic QSR traffic in April. The RMS Q1 survey revealed 40% of U.S. diners spend less on restaurants, with 25% opting for grocery meals due to better value.

📖 Ron Ruggless, with a career spanning over three decades, is a senior editor at Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1992. Before joining NRN, he spent 10 years at the Dallas Times Herald as a restaurant critic, assistant business editor, and more. Ruggless edited the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth and has been published in Food & Wine, Food Network, and Self magazines. His expertise lies in foodservice mergers, acquisitions, and operations. Email: [email protected], Twitter: @RonRuggless, LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless, Instagram: @RonRuggless, TikTok: @RonRuggless.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor with expertise in food and beverage trends, French cuisine, and Asian cuisines, particularly Thai, has been with Nation's Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016. He wrote for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008 and earned a BA in History from Tufts University in 1990. Thorn won the Jesse H. Neal Award in 2006 and was inducted into Disciples d'Escoffier in 2014. He is based in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🌊 The Boat, a restaurant and micro-farm in Lichfield, Staffordshire, helmed by Chef Liam Dillon, is Michelin guide recommended and included in the Estrella Damm Top Gastropubs list. Earning Three Rosettes and noted for its wine list and sustainability, it was a finalist in the 2024 AA sustainability award. Over eight years, Liam transformed a pub into a venue with on-site produce, including 5 bee hives, pigs, 24 hens, and various crops like cicely and wasabi. The Boat's menu, featuring Porthilly rock oysters, Staffordshire lamb, and more, is based on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, and supplemented by an aquaponics system farming trout. Guests can choose from a la carte or tasting menus, complemented by organic and biodynamic wines.

🍴 La Colonna at Hotel Le Fontanelle, opened in 2006 in Chianti Classico, offers a 5-star Italian dining experience under Chef Francesco Ferrettini. With a philosophy centered on tradition and high-quality local ingredients, the restaurant features a menu that changes seasonally, including dishes like risotto alla milanese made with Ticino Valley Carnaroli rice, San Miniato saffron, and 30-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano. The hotel's aromatic garden supports sustainability and enriches dishes with fresh flavors, showcasing Italy's authentic flavors and landscape.

💾 Yield management is a strategy to increase hotel revenue by selling rooms at optimal prices. It's slated for effective use in 2025. The concept revolves around offering the right room at the right price to boost sales. The article did not provide specific numbers or statistical data. The date mentioned for the context of yield management's implementation is the year 2025. No further factual data were provided in the text provided.

🍝 Food delivery in Asia-Pacific rose during COVID-19 and continues to thrive due to technology and smartphones. Popular providers are Food Panda, Deliveroo, Pop Meals, Swiggy, Uber Eats, and Zomato. A GlobalData survey indicates a high percentage of consumers prefer delivery services.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, hosts podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn." He wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and spent five years in Thailand as a journalist for Manager magazine and Asia Times newspaper. With a BA from Tufts University and culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Thorn was inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014. His expertise spans food and beverage trends, French cuisine, Asian cuisine, and restaurant operations. Contact him at [email protected] or through social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (@foodwriterdiary), and Instagram (@foodwriterdiary).

🍴 III Forks, established in Dallas in 1998, moved from its original 20,000 square foot location to a 6,000 square foot space in Addison on April 8. The relocation to Village on the Parkway represents a shift towards a luxury boutique-inspired design by Harrison, featuring a wine display with over 1,200 bottles. Under President Curtis Osmond, the steakhouse aims for a more intimate experience with private dining resembling a speakeasy. The menu, managed by Chef-Proprietor Chris Vogeli, now includes more beef varieties, such as 75-day dry-aged steak, American wagyu from Snake River Farms, and A5 wagyu from Miyazaki, Japan. Lighter options and weekly fish specials are also highlighted. The Addison model will guide future III Forks expansions in Texas and neighboring states.

🌶 Mango chile, a blend of tropical fruit and fiery spice, is gaining popularity, especially when mixed with habanero peppers. Despite habaneros' spiciness, they're used sparingly for a broad appeal. Mango chile has seen a 61% increase on U.S. menus (predominantly casual dining and independent restaurants) in four years, although it's present on less than 1% of menus. Datassential reports 55% of Americans are aware of mango chile, and 31% have tried it.