Creating a holiday menu that gets social media attention

As holiday flavours start to make restaurant menus festive, social media can play a large part in the success of your restaurant this season. Research shows that 41 per cent of diners use social media to help choose a restaurant, and with 90 per cent of restaurants running at least one social media account, standing […]

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Merry menus arrive early for QSRs

Just halfway through the fall, Christmas is on the minds of some QSRs, opting to launch menus filled with festive favourites this month. As the launches seem to get earlier each year, operators are looking to get ahead of the competition, attracting guests with annual best-sellers and new and exciting options for the season. This […]

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How to successfully add functional ingredients to your menu

By Lola Marks Functional ingredients are popping up across Canadian menus, and chances are, suppliers have already pitched everything from adaptogenic mushrooms to probiotic dressings. While the opportunity to attract wellness-conscious diners is genuine, so is the risk of overpromising or misusing a trendy ingredient without understanding it. Knowing how to vet these functional ingredients […]

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Understanding the data helps you create a marketing budget that works for your restaurant

By Yaroslav Lugovatskyi Imagine it’s Tuesday morning. Your restaurant’s marketing report shows 143 conversions, but orders haven’t increased. Should you increase the budget, change the offer, or leave the campaign running? Before making a decision, take a closer look at what those 143 conversions actually represent. They may not represent 143 different people – or […]

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Tea can close the holiday margin gap for restaurants

By Shabnam Weber December has always been the season when the beverage program earns its keep. Office parties, family dinners, and festive prix fixe menus fill dining rooms, and the bottles of wine and rounds of cocktails that come with them have long done the heavy lifting on the bill. That equation is changing, though, […]

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Get a head start on holiday catering

As we head further into fall, many companies have already begun planning their holiday events. Research shows that 92 per cent of decision makers plan to spend the same or more on this year’s workplace holiday party, with the average per-person spend reaching $59. This offers operators the opportunity to build the bottom line this […]

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What restaurant operators need to know about takeout packaging

By Junso Zhang As off-premise dining makes up a large portion of restaurant revenue, choosing the right takeout packaging can make or break the customer experience. Takeout packaging is often selected by material first, categorized by paper, plastic, moulded fibre, compostable, or recyclable. In real restaurant operations, however, material alone rarely tells you whether a […]

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AI tools are on the rise for restaurants

As restaurant technology continues to evolve, operators are leveraging more tools to increase accuracy, add efficiency, and improve delivery. Studies show that 73 per cent of diners are comfortable with AI at a restaurant, up from only 33 per cent last year. This affords operators the opportunity to embrace some of the technology that can […]

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Five food holidays to celebrate in November, from nachos to mousse

As we head towards a busy holiday season, November offers some fun food holidays to encourage guests to visit, offer some innovation on the menu, and help attract attention for your restaurant. You may also want to include LTOs as part of the celebration so you can really drive traffic and sales into the holidays. […]

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Start smart: Planning your restaurant’s walk-In cooler

By Arjan Dhillon In a restaurant build-out, the walk-in is often one of the last things specified and one of the first things built. Once the panels are up, changing the size, the door, or where the compressor goes means moving walls, re-running electrical or re-quoting the refrigeration. So, make decisions in these categories before […]

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Burger Brand Booster: Why Personalized Desserts Add Sweet Sales

Dessert is not just business; for consumers, it’s personal. Fact is, having the flexibility to personalize dessert offerings can be a major driver of dessert purchases for burger operators.

According to the market research firm Datassential, 34% of consumers cite customization as a top factor overall. Categories with particularly high demand for customization include cheesecake (37%) and frozen treats (35%).¹ And 53% of operators customize milkshakes and malts, classic staples for burger operations, with the highest level of customization among speed-scratch ice cream products.¹

Sweet Meets Heat: How to Turn Sweet-and-Spicy Branded Desserts Into Signature Menu Moments

Dessert is a hot trend, and it’s getting hotter — literally.

Sweet-and-spicy, or “swicy,” flavor combinations are gaining momentum as consumers embrace bold, layered and globally influenced flavors.

Social media buzz continues to build around inventive desserts, from Dubai chewy cookies and croissant egg tarts to over-the-top freakshakes. Datassential’s August 2026 trend tracking gave Dubai chewy cookies a 39% consumer interest level and an 88 momentum score, while freakshakes reached 38% interest and an 82 momentum score.¹ Strawberry lemonade posset was also among the notable dessert conversations tracked by Datassential in Q2 2026.²

The Perfect Blend: How to Balance Iconic Dessert Brands, Creativity and Efficiency

Dessert shops and ice cream parlors are built on delivering memorable treats that keep guests coming back. Forty-three percent of consumers prefer classic, traditional dessert items, with 27% citing brand as an important factor when selecting a dessert.¹ For dessert-focused operators, that presents an opportunity to combine the familiarity of trusted brands with original recipes and presentations that set their menu apart.

In the following Q&A, Mondelēz chef Joel Minkoff shares his expert insights on using iconic Mondelēz brands as flexible and efficient building blocks for signature desserts and beverages.

The Perfect Finish: Building a Dessert Menu That Complements Your Pizza Program

For pizza operators, desserts aren’t just random add-ons; they’re an opportunity to increase check averages, encourage repeat visits and round out the guest experience. Forty-four percent of operators across segments cite adding desserts to their menu as a key driver of sales growth.¹ Consumer preferences are also shifting toward flexibility: 54% are interested in mini desserts, and 61% ate their last dessert as a snack.¹

In the following Q&A, Mondelēz Chef Joel Minkoff shares his expert insights on capitalizing on these and other trends to introduce customizable, margin-friendly dessert options that complement the core menu.

Beyond the Bun: Mondelēz Chef Serves Up Dessert Insights for Burger Operators

Today’s consumers are shifting away from one-size-fits-all dessert concepts to personalized options that align with their tastes and preferences. Desserts have surged 40% on menus,¹ with 34% of consumers citing customization as a top factor in their dessert choice.²

The following Q&A with Mondelēz chef Joel Minkoff gives burger operators food for thought on how they can capitalize on the trend.

Pouring On Profits: Why Dessert Beverages Are a Sweet, Low-Risk Way to Boost Sales

While much attention is focused on consumers’ appetite for desserts you eat, the market is brimming with interest in drinkable desserts. Consumers are increasingly intrigued by the idea of beverages inspired by desserts, and dessert and snack operators thirsty for more sales will want to tap into the trend.

The market research firm Datassential reports that 40% of consumers are interested in trying dessert-inspired beverages at foodservice operations.¹ In fact, dessert-inspired beverages are the highest-interest option among trending beverage concepts, and 34% of consumers expressed a hankering for over-the-top dessert beverages.¹

What’s more, among consumers who are increasing their consumption of beverages as a treat, 32% say they’re more likely to replace desserts or sweet snacks with rich, scrumptious beverages.¹ Milkshakes, for example, are a go-to treat for many consumers. Nearly 40% enjoy them as a dessert, and 37% choose them as a snack.²

Treat Time: How Branded Desserts Sweeten Sales for Sandwich Operators

For sandwich operators today, the best thing since sliced bread is dessert. No longer an afterthought to the sandwich occasion, dessert has become one of the easiest ways for sandwich operators to drive traffic and elevate everyday visits. In fact, consumers are so sweet on dessert, over a quarter say they’re consuming more desserts overall — a stat that rises to 34% among Gen Z and 35% among millennials.¹

The Whole Pie: Top Dessert Brands Turn Pizza Night Into a Higher-Check, Repeat Occasion

For pizza operators looking to increase check averages, dessert concepts featuring recognizable branded ingredients can help drive incremental sales and add variety to the menu.

Because they tap into the social and experiential side of dining, desserts can drive both repeat visits and higher check averages, especially among families and groups. Leaning into communal and experience-driven occasions with incremental items like desserts, especially as limited-time offers to jumpstart sales, is a low-risk way to build customer loyalty and frequency.

Sweet Additions: Expert Tips for Building a Dessert Program That Works for Your Pizza Menu

Pizza restaurants have long built their identity around the pie — but smart operators know the meal doesn’t have to end there. We spoke with two Mondelēz Away From Home culinary experts, Chef Carmisha Ramsey and Joel Minkoff, to get their best strategies for integrating desserts into pizza menus in ways that drive revenue, spark customer excitement and help keep guests coming back. From OREO-branded LTOs to dessert pizzas built with your own signature dough, here’s their practical roadmap for operators who want to finish strong.

Flipping for Desserts: Burger Operators Lean Into Low-Risk Menu Innovation

How to Select Table Coverings for Foodservice

Table coverings sit at the intersection of maintenance, budget, and guest experience. Get those features right, and benefit from fewer replacements, less cleaning labor, and a room that looks and sounds the way you’ve envisioned. In this article, we review the key decisions that determine whether operators achieve their desired results or end up with […]

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Streamline Autumn & Winter Baking With Smarter Equipment

Autumn and winter bring the year’s most rewarding baking season into commercial kitchens. To keep lines moving while producing vast quantities of sought-after baked goods, kitchens must prepare for operational hurdles that slow down cold-weather shifts. Below, we break down the most common seasonal prep, baking, and cleanup bottlenecks, and the equipment that solves them. […]

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Knife Identification Quiz

“A kitchen without a knife is not a kitchen.” – Masaharu Morimoto Restaurant kitchens rely on a range of knives, each designed to excel at their specific tasks. Test how sharp your knife identification skills are by taking our quiz!

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Are Your Smallwares & Equipment Still Safe to Use?

Testing your worn or old smallwares and equipment is a proactive way to stay ahead of health inspections, prevent cross-contamination and foodborne illness, and serve the highest-quality food possible. Here is our quick and easy guide for determining if your smallwares and equipment are safe to use.    How to Spot Unsafe Smallwares & Equipment […]

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What’s on the Pillow Menu?

One of hospitality’s most personal amenities is gaining fans all over the globe: the pillow menu! We track its beginnings, explore the different types of pillows guests are seeking, and look at the challenges operators face when implementing this refreshing amenity. How the Idea Traveled Hospitality historians generally point to the late 1990s at The […]

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The Equipment Behind a Safer Commercial Kitchen

Oftentimes, contamination incidents come from small, repeatable gaps in a kitchen’s daily routine. September is National Food Safety Education Month, which provides an annual checkpoint for commercial kitchens to review operational procedures, audit inventory, and replace worn gear. These are the four areas operators should review first, along with the equipment that makes the safe […]

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Why Better Bakeware Belongs in Every School Kitchen

You may not be serving fine-dining aficionados at school, but quality still counts, especially when it comes down to your bottom line. Choosing commercial bakeware is an investment in durability, consistency, and efficient, smooth service. Here’s how selecting high-quality sheet pans, muffin tins, and loaf pans pays off. Bakeware Under Pressure Bakeware gets a workout […]

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The Restaurant Industry Has a Leadership Problem

Foodservice is facing a new labor shortage challenge, except now it’s middle management and leadership roles that operators are trying to fill. We explain the circumstances that brought about this challenge and strategies operators can act on right away. Restaurants Face a Shortage of Experienced Leaders The foodservice labor market is seeking general managers, executive […]

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Could Grandmother’s Kitchen Be Your Next Menu Concept?

One of our favorite dining trends of the year disregards novelty and Instagrammable plating entirely. Instead, the vibe is reminiscent of grandma’s house. Grandma-core, also called nonna-stalgia, is giving what guests are seeking: a comfortable, lived-in atmosphere that says, “sit down, you’re staying for seconds.” The New Appeal of Old-Fashioned Hospitality Grandma-core means comforting, scratch-made, […]

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A Patient-Centered Approach to Hospital Foodservice

Since the mid-20th century, hospital food was produced in large batches, loaded onto tray lines, and delivered according to rigid schedules. While this institutional model serves an operational purpose, it leaves patients with inconsistent food quality and meals arriving when they are not hungry. The result is untouched trays, dissatisfied patients, and waste. Numerous hospital […]

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New Beverage Station Solutions for Caterers

Event design prioritizes movement, texture, and visual harmony above all else, with beverage stations now acting as focal points within event layouts rather than an afterthought. This guide walks you through what to look for as you outfit your next beverage station, featuring value-minded products, all new from TableCraft. Let’s get into it. Elevate the […]

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Tip Pooling: What Servers Really Think

Ask 10 servers what they think about tip pooling and you’ll get 11 opinions, a couple of them shouted. Few topics get the front of house as fired up. In this article, we look at the pros and cons of tip pooling to get to the bottom of this polarizing topic and help you decide […]

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Wasserstrom Expands Equipment Shipping Capabilities

Exciting news! The Wasserstrom Company is expanding its operations in Arizona at the Wasserstrom Phoenix Distribution Center. Our Arizona campus has been serving our West Coast clients since 1993 with our sister company, N. Wasserstrom, manufacturing and distributing equipment, and The Wasserstrom Company distributing smallwares. The facility is undergoing a 77,730 square foot expansion, transforming […]

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Adaptive Reuse: Gas Station Edition

If you’re scouting locations for your next restaurant, are vacant gas stations on your shortlist? These sites come with built-in advantages that would cost a fortune to replicate from scratch. We cover what gas station adaptive reuse offers and where the real costs are hiding. The Built-In Benefits of Converting Old Gas Stations Adaptive reuse […]

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Quiz: Can You Read a Menu?

Modern menus evolve fast with terms like “regenerative” or “functional” reflecting real shifts toward sustainability, transparency, and healthier food. But new terminology doesn’t replace old terminology. Rather, it stacks on top of it. Add in centuries-old French vocabulary, and menus can be a lot to take in. Think you can tell your confit from your […]

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Everyone Wants a Gatsby Moment

There’s a reason people still reference F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel when seeking inspiration for their next great event: 101 years later, Gatsby remains a cultural shorthand for buzzworthy gatherings. In this article, we look at how the Gatsby Collection by FOH brings the essence of Jazz Age elegance, Art Deco design sensibilities, and upscale […]

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Dubai Chocolate: Foods Demystified

What happens when you combine excellent flavors, satisfying textures, stunning visuals, social media influencers, and a luxury brand name? You get a perfect viral food storm, like the one that catapulted Dubai chocolate into our collective must-try list. In this article, we share how a chocolate bar shook up the luxury dessert space while altering […]

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Filter Maintenance & the Real Cost of Neglect

In some restaurants, filters are forgotten until the ice machine stops making ice or the combi oven displays a “Scale Build-Up” error. Read on to learn what really happens when you treat your filters as an afterthought — between the explosive belly aches and financial loss, we’re betting you will never forgo proper filter maintenance […]

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This 3-Well Rethermalizer Helps Kitchens Do More With Less

The labor shortage problem never fully resolved itself after the pandemic. Operators are expected to do more with fewer crew members and tighter margins. These pressures even change how equipment is evaluated. For instance, can the equipment help with a staff shortage, reduce mistakes, or keep service moving Equipment has to pull its weight in […]

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Black-Owned Restaurants to Know and Support

Happy Juneteenth! This holiday commemorates June 19, 1865, the day news of emancipation finally reached the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas. Currently in the US, there are efforts to dismantle civil rights protections, suppress Black history, erase Black military contributions, suppress Black voters, and sanitize public records across national institutions. While individual actions […]

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Built for the Next Big Sip

A few years ago, “dirty soda” was largely a phenomenon only found in Utah. Today, it’s one of the fastest growing beverage trends in foodservice. Google searches for dirty soda increased 50 percent in 2025, showing a sharp growth in consumer interest for soft drinks enhanced with cream, flavored syrups, fruit purees and other mix-ins. […]

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75 Years of Cambro: A Look Back at the Moments That Built What’s Next

A chef once got a CamSquare tattooed on his body. When someone asked why, he said it was because his kitchen was always running out of them, so that way he’d always have one.  That kind of loyalty isn’t accidental. It’s been earned over 75 years of solving real problems for real operators, one kitchen […]

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The Cambro System Helping Illegal Pete’s Keep Service Moving

In a fast-moving kitchen, success often comes down to what you don’t see. Smooth service doesn’t happen by chance; it’s a direct result of keeping ingredients accessible, teams aligned and mistakes to a minimum. For Colorado-based fast casual restaurant, Illegal Pete’s, that system starts with something deceptively simple: how they store their food. “I think […]

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Cambro Expands East Coast Operations with New 380,000 Sq. Ft. Distribution Center in North Carolina

Cambro has officially opened Holt Distribution Center, a new 380,000-square-foot facility in Mebane, North Carolina, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued investment in its East Coast operations. Located next door to Cambro’s nearly 500,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility, the new building allows for a seamless connection between production and distribution. Together, the two facilities […]

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How Tender Greens Took Root

Standing in a buzzing taqueria line in San Francisco, Erik Oberholtzer had a revelation: could chef-driven cuisine be served as quickly and affordably as street food? The idea became Tender Greens, a concept built to deliver “good food, really healthy fresh food, to a lot of people at a price point they could all absorb.” […]

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From Surplus to Solution: How La Soupe Is Revolutionizing Hunger Relief in Cincinnati

A Culinary Mission Born from Compassion In the heart of Cincinnati, La Soupe is tackling food waste and hunger with a bold, chef-driven approach. Founded by Chef Suzy DeYoung, the nonprofit began when Susie learned that many students in local schools had nothing to eat on weekends. Armed with culinary know-how and a passion for […]

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Rogue Island’s Game-Changing Makeover: How a $50K Shelving and Storage Upgrade Transformed One Rhode Island Restaurant

Running a successful two-tier restaurant in a historic downtown building is no small feat—just ask Chef-Owner Ryan Bassett of Rogue Island. Opened in 2013, Rogue Island pays homage to Rhode Island’s storied culinary influences, from French Canadian to Italian and Irish. Yet despite the restaurant’s vibrant menu and loyal following, the space itself posed unique […]

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The Authenticity ‘The Bear’ Captures About the Restaurant Industry

While movies like Chef, Burnt and Waiting… have spotlighted the fast-paced, high-pressure world of the foodservice industry, only one television show stands out in its realistic depiction of this environment: The Bear. This series has captured the hearts and minds of both food enthusiasts and industry professionals alike, thanks to its authentic portrayal of kitchen […]

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Cambro Manufacturing Breaks Ground on New 380,000 Sq. Ft. Facility in North Carolina

Cambro Manufacturing held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, June 12, for their new 380,000 sq. ft. distribution facility in Mebane, North Carolina. The new building will be across from their current 500,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility that opened less than 10 years ago. Cambro is thrilled to expand its operations to better serve its customers […]

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How Wolf Connection Provides Soul Food for Visitors

In the shadowy wilderness, wolves emerge as enigmatic and often misunderstood creatures, captivating the human imagination with their mysterious presence. Far removed from the sinister portrayals that have permeated folklore and popular culture, these majestic beings embody a complex tapestry of intelligence, family bonds and ecological significance. When it comes to wolves and humans, a […]

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