Revenue Management

🍴 The Consumer Price Index data shows menu prices increased by 0.3% in August 2023, slightly up from July's 0.2%. Year-over-year, food-away-from-home prices rose 4%, compared to 4.1% in July. Limited-service meal prices rose 4.3% and full-service meals 3.8% over the last 12 months. Food-at-home prices remained flat in August after a 0.1% increase in July, with a year-over-year rise of 0.9%, marking 17 months that restaurant prices have outpaced grocery prices. The pricing gap between grocery and restaurant inflation is now 310 basis points, nearing the 390 basis points in 2016, according to Mark Kalinowski of Kalinowski Equity Research.

🍴 In July, food index rose by 0.2%, matching June. Food-at-home index up by 0.1%, food-away-from-home by 0.2%. Over 12 months, grocery prices increased by 1.1%, restaurant prices by 4.1%, surpassing the 21-year average of 3.3%. This period marks the 17th consecutive month of restaurants outpacing grocery prices. The Consumer Price Index also rose by 0.2%, bringing the inflation index below 3% (at 2.9%), the first since March 2021. Full-year 2024 restaurant industry same-store sales growth projected to be the lowest since 2016, excluding 2020.

🍴 The Breakfast Club reported a revenue of £17.8m for the year ending 31 March 2024, a slight dip from £18m the previous year. EBITDA for restaurants increased 40% to £2.8m, and group EBITDA turned a profit of £884,000 from a loss of £76,000. Operating profit saw a £1.1m positive swing. Four new sites were added, totaling 16, including a 256-cover restaurant at Gatwick Airport. A second franchise opened in St Pancras International, with more to come.

🐔 Wingstop UK, named the UK's fastest growing restaurant group in June for the second consecutive year, started exploring a sale after unsolicited buyer interest. Goldman Sachs is handling the sale process, begun recently, with the brand's valuation undisclosed. Founded in the US in 1994, Wingstop reached the UK in 2018 and has grown to 48 sites. They plan to open at Leeds's White Rose Shopping Centre and aim for 57 locations by year's end, with a long-term goal of 200 sites in five years.

🍔 Restaurant delivery sales in Britain increased by 17.1% in June over the same month in 2023, following an 11.3% rise in May. The cool weather and Euro 24 football tournament prompted more at-home dining. Takeaway and click-and-collect sales, however, dropped by 1.1% year-on-year in June. In total, combined sales of deliveries, takeaways, and click-and-collect were up 9.7% compared to June 2023. Deliveries made up 11.2% of restaurant spending, while takeaways comprised 4.4%.

💾 STAAH SwiftBook's Smart Pricing feature enhances booking strategies by providing customized discounts aligning with guest booking behaviors to drive direct bookings and increase revenue. It offers six discount types, including Advance Purchase, Multi-Night, Device-Specific, Last-Minute, Pay Now, and Regional Discounts. These target early reservations, longer stays, mobile users, spontaneous bookers, advance payments, and international guests, thus maximizing occupancy and revenue. Users can find and set up Smart Pricing in the STAAH Max V2 dashboard under 'High Conversion Tools'.

💸 In June 2024, inflation stood at 3.6% with a significant month-on-month rise of 1.3%, the largest increase in 12 months. The foodservice sector sees this as a return to levels seen five months prior. Shaun Allen of Prestige Purchasing and Reuben Pullan of CGA by NIQ acknowledge the volatility of the market, urging vigilance. Vegetables, particularly potatoes due to poor weather conditions impacting 2023 crops, face double-digit inflation, while two other categories show year-on-year deflation, bringing some relief amidst ongoing cost challenges.

🍺 Chidensee Watthanawongwat, Kitiya Mokkarat, and Supatta Banklouy formed Sawasdee Hospitality Management in April to introduce less familiar Thai dishes to the U.S. They operate Soothr in East Village and Sappe in West Village, New York City. Sawasdee plans to expand across the country, including Los Angeles and Miami. They aim for an upscale Thai dining experience, diverging from typical takeout menus. Sappe offers skewers from $20, dook fu salad at $29, and Crying Tiger for $22, while Soothr features dishes from $14 to $28, including dry Sukhothai noodles for $18 and massaman curry at $28. Sawasdee's next venture is introducing Thai barbecue hot pot in Manhattan.

🍹 Chefs Zachary Engel of Galit in Chicago and Satinder Vij of Ilili in Washington, D.C. reinterpret Kibbeh nayeh using tuna, mixing global flavors. Roman Andres presents a scallop tostada at Siempre J.B. in Las Vegas, while Gladstone’s in Pacific Palisades, Calif., serves scallops over green risotto. Balcón Rooftop in Midtown Manhattan introduces a purple gin cocktail with blueberries, passion fruit, and Champagne.

🍴 Spaghetti House, operating eight restaurants in London, saw turnover rise to £10m from £9.8m despite a challenging year. Profit margin increased from 75% to 77% due to efficient wastage control and a central distribution process. However, the group swung to a loss, contrasting with last year's profit of £334,681, which included £1m of one-off income. Adjusted EBITDA improved from -£545,321 to £52,483. A new brand, A Braccetto, launched earlier the year in Earl's Court, featuring a menu with classic regional dishes.