True 'Cue Organization Certifies Wood-Smoked BBQ As Far North As Washington DC
Image Source: Campaign For Real Barbecue
In 2013, the “Campaign for Real Barbecue” began certifying barbecue restaurants that cook entirely with wood or charcoal as opposed to gas or electricity. Active in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky, the Campaign recently announced its expansion north into the Virginia and Washington D.C. metro area. Co-founded by barbecue authorities Dan Levine and John Shelton Reed, the Campaign explains all certification criteria and lists all certified barbecue restaurants on its website.
Federal Judge Rules In Favor Of Fast-Food Employees In Labor Dispute
Image Source: Paul Sancya/Associated Press
A federal judge has overturned a prior ruling that made it difficult for employees to win lawsuits against companies for violations made by franchisees or contractors. The prior rule effectively shielded parent companies and prevented workers at franchises like McDonald’s and Burger King from winning cases regarding minimum-wage law infractions and overtime infractions. More than 15 states disputed the rule, and last week, Judge Gregory H. Woods of the U.S. District Court in Manhattan stood by them, overturning the prior Labor Department ruling.
1 In 6 Restaurants Has Closed, Says National Restaurant Association
Image Source: Dapiki Moto
According to a recent survey by the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry has experienced 100,000 closures since the start of the pandemic. From March through July, the industry lost $165 billion in revenue. According to the report, 40% of restaurateurs say it is “unlikely their restaurant will still be in business six months from now if there are no additional relief packages from the federal government.”
Michelin Delays Latest U.S. Restaurant Guides Due To Pandemic
For many restaurateurs, achieving and maintaining Michelin stars is an honor worth working toward. Michelin-starred restaurants also attract a large volume of visitors. During the pandemic this year, the Michelin organization has tracked how many of its starred restaurants have been open at any given time. In late April, only 13% of them operating around the world. In early September, the number increased to 83%. However, in the United States, only 27 Michelin-starred restaurants are open. Unlike in some other countries where Michelin stars are nationally awarded, the U.S. Michelin guides only pertain to four major cities in the country: California, Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C. Of course, these locations have all had strict lockdowns in place since last March. While Michelin inspectors have visited restaurants in each of these cities during the pandemic, many establishments are not open. As a result, a Michelin spokesperson confirmed last week that all four 2021 U.S. Michelin Guides will be delayed. “Official timing will be announced as the pandemic recovery takes shape,” said the spokesperson in a statement. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, however, Michelin inspectors have finished their work for the unreleased 2020 guide. Theoretically, a 2020 announcement of Michelin stars could still be made and a 2020 guide could still be released.
New York City Resumes Indoor Dining At 25% Capacity
New York City restaurants will be able to open for dining indoors at 25% capacity again starting September 30th, Governor Andrew Cuomo said. The city’s restaurants are among the last in the nation to reopen for indoor dining. All customers must have their temperature taken at the door, and if contact tracing information is needed, at least one member of each party will be asked to provide it. “This may not look like the indoor dining that we all know and love, but it is progress for restaurant workers and all New Yorkers,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. Customers will not be allowed to sit at bars, owners face harsher filtration and ventilation restrictions, tables will be distanced six feet apart, and customers must wear masks when leaving the table. “Restaurants are essential to New York’s economic and social fabric, and indoor dining is a key component to the industry’s recovery,” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance. Nearly 1,000 of NYC’s 50,000+ restaurants have closed during the pandemic, so the reopening is welcome news. However, for many restaurants, opening at 25% capacity is neither profitable nor sustainable. “I doubt I’m going to open at 25%,” said Amanda Cohen, chef-owner at Dirt Candy. “Without more federal or state aid, maybe I can last for a month.” Governor Cuomo hinted that if infection rates hold steady, restaurants may be able to open at 50% capacity on November 1. But many restaurateurs say that what’s really needed is more government aid.
McDonald’s Tests Reusable Returnable Coffee Cups
Early next year, McDonalds in the U.K. will offer customers the choice to buy beverages with reusable plastic cups and lids that are later sterilized for another customer. McDonalds is the first food service company to partner with Loop, a company that created a system of reusable packaging for consumer products such as ice cream and shampoo. The pilot program will determine whether or not Loop is effective in the fast food sector. Most McDonald’s restaurants in the U.K have already started to recycle paper cups and deliver them to recycling centers. With the new Loop program, customers who use a reusable cup pay a small deposit, and if they stay in the store, they can leave the cup in a Loop bin and get their deposit back. If customers leave with the cups, they have the option of returning the cup another day or returning it to another Loop site. Loop brings the cups to a cleaning facility to be sterilized and hygienically sealed. Then the cups are returned to the restaurant. McDonald’s had already partnered with another reusable cup company, ReCup, in Germany. The Loop pilot program hopes to capitalize on ReCup’s success and expand the reusable cup program internationally.
