February 1, 2018 View in browser

A daily briefing of the stories shaping the business of dining out.

Today in Restaurants

I spend an embarrassing amount of time thinking about the french fry delivery problem, which McDonald's claims it has solved, but really it has not. As evidenced by packaging innovation from other places (the boxes at New York's Martina, for example, that vent for steam but still keep the pizza hot), delivery of food that was initially developed to eat immediately is a real challenge.

Speaking of innovation, it's important to pause and think about the human impact of technological business decisions. Today's featured Megatrend thinks through the pitfalls of cashless restaurants and digital ordering, and the divide those features create when not everyone can participate.
Restaurant Megatrends 2018: Ordering and Payment Technology Creates Diner Haves and Have-Nots
As restaurants streamline their operations and hone app-based loyalty programs, technology dictates the divide between those who can participate and those who can't.
Top Stories
Bloomberg
Has McDonald's Solved the French Fry Delivery Problem?
Skift Take: [Spoiler alert] It hasn't. Even the most casual french fry connoisseur knows that soggy fries aren't a heat problem, they're a bag problem. Fast delivery will help, but hot fries will steam themselves in a bag, every time.

Vice
Two Years After Paris Attacks, Café at the Bataclan Reopens
Skift Take: The space has been completely renovated and is a warm and welcome gathering place in spite of the associations with its name.

Vogue
Dominique Crenn and Resy Are Bringing an All-Female Dinner Series to San Francisco
Skift Take: Female chefs have long contributed so much to the industry. This dinner series is a worthwhile celebration.

Bloomberg
Chili's Comeback Is Still a Work in Progress
Skift Take: There's still nothing to distinguish Chili's from TGI, Applebee's, Houlihan's, and the rest of the mid-market pack. The food may be cheap-ish, but it's certainly not good, no matter how much you spend on marketing.

Restaurant Hospitality
New App Rates Restaurant Noise Levels
Skift Take: "WE SAID THAT WE THOUGHT THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCELLENT IDEA!"

Skift Table's morning newsletter shares the daily news stories that will shape the industry. Every Wednesday, we dive deeper with additional analysis and original reporting.

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