Revenue Management

🍴 According to the ICR Conference, the restaurant industry saw sequential improvements in traffic and sales towards the end of 2024, with a 0.3% month-over-month decline in December but a 2.4% increase compared to December 2023. Traffic rose by 0.8% in Q4 2024, in contrast to a 1.1% decrease in Q4 2023. Analysts anticipate a "stable to improved environment" with consumer spending expected to advance in 2025, while credit card and auto loan delinquencies slowed down, implying a potential peak in consumer debt. Restaurant spending is predicted to grow by a low-single-digit percentage, but traffic could be flat or slightly negative due to ongoing inflation and a cooler labor market.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, reports on food and beverage trends. Host of “In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn” podcast and columnist for The New York Sun (2005-2008). Joined Nation’s Restaurant News in 1999, after 5 years in Thailand writing for Manager magazine and Asia Times. Studied history at Tufts University, French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, and Chinese culture in Beijing and Nanjing. Worked for ABC News during Tiananmen Square protests (1989). Won 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier (2014). Lives in Brooklyn, NY, and specializes in French, Asian, and Thai cuisines. Email: [email protected] Social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, hosts the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn." He wrote for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008 and joined Nation’s Restaurant News in 1999. Thorn, a magna cum laude Tufts University graduate, member of Phi Beta Kappa, studied at Le Cordon Bleu and in China. His column won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award, and he was president of IFEC in 2005. Inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014, Thorn resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. Email: [email protected]

🍻 On Jan. 5, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy linked alcohol consumption to increased cancer risk, advocating cancer warnings on alcohol bottles. A report by the ICCPUD supports moderate drinking, 6-9 drinks per week, increases cancer and alcohol-related death risks. Murthy highlighted alcohol as a preventable cause of cancer, with 100,000 cases and 20,000 deaths annually in the U.S. The restaurant industry rebuked these findings, citing bias and conflict of interest. The National Restaurant Association and similar groups protested. Last month, a NASEM report associated moderate alcohol with lower mortality and cardiovascular disease risks. Public comments on these studies will inform the next "Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

🍽 Dallas welcomes Victory Social, a new 12,000-square-foot food hall situated near the American Airlines Center. Hospitality Alliance, known for creating dining destinations, launched this upscale space featuring six unique dining concepts and a full bar, managed by veteran chef Josh Harmon. Victory Social provides a diverse range of culinary options, including Rise & Thyme café, Birdie's Southern-Asian fusion, Park Bistro's soups and salads, Itzá Cocina's contemporary taqueria, D’oro Italiano's Neapolitan pizzas and pastas, and Victory Grill's steaks and seafood. The space also offers a private dining experience, with reservations available via Toast. Hospitality Alliance is expanding with three additional concepts at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas.

🌱 Ramps, or wild leeks, with a garlicky-onion flavor, are available from late March to early May and have become a culinary highlight signaling spring in restaurants. Their popularity on U.S. menus has increased by 32% over four years, now appearing on 0.8% of menus, particularly at fine-dining and independent establishments. This trend is driven by the demand for local and seasonal ingredients, with Gen Z and Millennials as the main consumers.

🍦 In September, Berg Hospitality Group in Houston collaborated with Carvel, known for 330 ice cream parlors. Their new venture, Buttermilk Baby, is a casual soda shop offering fried chicken sandwiches, burgers, alcoholic milkshakes, and Carvel treats like Fudgie the Whale. Aiming for 10 locations in five years, they plan to open next in Sugarland, Texas. Owner Benjamin Berg intends to combine chef-driven food with a laid-back atmosphere, targeting both kids and adults.

🍴 In the Stephens Annual Investment Conference in November, One Restaurant Group CEO Emanual "Manny" Hilario observed Thursdays to Saturdays becoming "dead days" for dining, with a shift to earlier in the week. San Francisco restaurants noted similar trends. During BJ’s Restaurants Q3 earnings call in late October, a rise in weekday traffic was reported. Placer.ai data showed an 11.3% increase in foot traffic at Dave & Buster’s on Thursdays in Q3 compared to the previous year. Promotions like BJ’s Pizookie Meal Deal and Dave & Buster’s Wednesday discounts are being used to boost midweek visits. OpenTable data revealed an 11% increase in Wednesday dining year-over-year, with 43% of Americans planning to dine out then. Toast's Restaurant Trends Report indicated an uptick in Monday to Wednesday reservations, with Monday (+11%), Tuesday (+11%), and Wednesday (+8%) in Q3 2024 compared to Q3 2023. However, Saturday remains the busiest day at 27%. Placer.ai also found a shift towards non-traditional dining days since 2019, with Monday visits growing from 10.2% to 10.7% in 2024, Friday visits declining from 17.6% to 17.1%, and Wednesday visits increasing from 11.1% to 11.4%. Furthermore, OpenTable data showed a 10% increase in solo

🍝 Char siu, Cantonese barbecued pork, is gaining popularity in US restaurants due to increased interest in Asian flavors. Chefs are incorporating char siu in various dishes, elevating it with premium meats and modern styles. It appeals to those seeking globally inspired comfort foods, with 14% of American consumers having tried it. Its presence on menus has expanded by 29% in the last four years, with a projected growth of 30% in the next four. Notably featured in restaurants in Las Vegas and Honolulu.