7shifts

750,000 restaurants in the US pay their staff a sub-minimum wage, making it a pretty common practice in the industry. But is it fair to employees? Is there a better way to structure team pay that makes them want to stay longer? In this edition of Food Runner, we highlight 4 owners who've successfully reimagined what fair pay looks like in their restaurants today.

Why complicate your restaurant management with multiple tools when you can have everything integrated seamlessly on one platform? It’s like trying to navigate multiple roads to reach the same destination. With 7shifts, streamline your scheduling, communication, and compliance all in one place. Focus less on managing tools and more on creating memorable dining experiences. Ready to simplify your restaurant operations? Start your FREE 14 day trial - https://bit.ly/3LhssdM

How can restaurants tackle employee retention head-on? 7shifts' Dominick Costantino offers insight into the current foodservice labor market, which is experiencing the ongoing ripple effects of the Great Resignation and rising costs. Eateries are scrambling to meet soaring customer demand by focusing on employee retention strategies such as flexibility, benefits and fostering a positive work environment. 🍽️ #restaurants #foodservice #operations #workforce https://lnkd.in/g_xwAr9D

64% of restaurant employees said “More recognition from management” would increase their engagement at work. However, when we asked how often they currently receive feedback (either positive or constructive), a quarter of all employees said they rarely received any at all. It's crucial to give your team recognition and feedback. That's why we're excited to be working with Pryze App!

Last month, California restaurants breathed a sigh of relief when they found out the "junk fee" ban wouldn't affect them. Senate Bill 478 outlaws hidden fees, so businesses have to build them into the advertised price. Initially, the ban applied to restaurant surcharges like service charges and automatic gratuities. A last-minute amendment allowed restaurants to keep using them, as long as they displayed the fees clearly. Surcharges on restaurant checks are on the rise, and their purposes range from staff wellness to rising food costs. But diners are fighting inflation too, and these fees have sparked debate - so much so that there are websites dedicated to listing restaurants that charge extra fees. Is a restaurant service charge the same as AirBnb's cleaning fee, or an airline's fuel surcharge? Stella Dennig, Co-Owner of Daytrip in Oakland, doesn't think so. Daytrip uses a 20% service charge that goes directly to employees, divided by the hours they work. They also offer health stipends, which isn't common in the industry. "Room to be able to have a service charge has been a huge step forward for restaurant workers...so reverting back to tipping would feel like a massive step backward," Dennig told us. "It definitely feels like a lose-lose scenario." The other option for restaurants is to fold the service charge into the menu price. We polled LinkedIn this week and half of voters said restaurants should include them in the price. But Dennig worries that the sticker shock would be too high compared to those that just charge tips. A slew of restaurants that tried to go "tipless" in the mid-2010s weren't able to make it work. The White House introduced a bid for a nationwide ban on "junk fees" in October 2023. The FTC conducted a hearing on their proposed rule in April, and the government could pass it this year. Since Biden introduced the bill, there’s no telling whether Republicans will approve it if they win the November election. Read more about the junk fee ban and how it will impact restaurants on the 7shifts blog.

Have you ever tried Keralan cuisine? "Rich with aromatic spices, coconut and curry leaves, the cuisine is a celebration of the bounty of the land and the sea," reads Thattu's homepage. Thattu is a Chicago restaurant that celebrates food from the southwest Indian coast. The New York Times named them one of the Best Restaurants in America last year, as did Eater on their Best New Restaurants list. Chef and Co-Owner Margaret Pak chatted with Dominick Costantino on The Pre-Shift Podcast about her love for the cuisine of her partner's homeland. Pak shares her inspiring transition from corporate life to culinary arts, detailing her journey from selling spicy ketchup to opening a successful food stall and finally establishing an award-winning restaurant. The episode delves into her experience with food pop-ups and and her innovative no-tip service model. Pak also discusses the significance of transparent menu pricing, equitable staff wages, and her future plans, including participating in prestigious culinary events and creating retail condiments. Listen now on the Pre-Shift podcast. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and more.

Scaling a restaurant to multiple locations, while continuing to offer a fair comp package requires a solid business plan. We love this webinar by Square with Christopher Tompkins, founder of Broad Street Oyster Co. where they discusses restaurant expansion and lessons learned along the way. Broad Street Oyster Co. uses 7shifts and Square together to analyze sales and labor data, allowing tight control on their margins as they scaled from 1 - 6 locations. Watch the full webinar. 👇 https://squ.re/4ddKFVO

"Junk fee" bans recently passed in California and Minnesota, and the FTC has proposed one for the country. Should these bans impact restaurants?

Thanks for the feature Entrepreneur Media! Our Founder and CEO Jordan Boesch chatted with Shawn P. Walchef about the employee experience and why it's a great time to be a restaurant operator. "Ninety percent of restaurant operators do not do an exit interview," Boesch said. "This meant there was a huge opportunity to give restaurant operators insights earlier and in real-time so they can react." Hear it on the Restaurant Influencers podcast or watch it below 👇 https://lnkd.in/eZgws3sx