214. The Independent Restaurants | Can They Survive?

The Restaurant Report

The real heartbeat of the restaurant industry is that of the independent operator. With this sector being one of the most affected by the Cerveza Flu, it’s clear there needs to be a new understanding of running an operation in the future.This sector will need to address one of the savviest consumer sets in the history of modern society.
Gen Z visited restaurants 66 fewer times in the 12 months through February 2022 than Gen X did in 2002 when 18- to 24-year-old Gen X consumers visited restaurants 284 times per year. While Millennials visited restaurants 40 fewer times per person per year than Gen Xers in a comparable age range.
The key aspects of this downturn are also related to the falling sentiment in overall service in hospitality.
Combine this with the expectation of technology integration of 94% of the overall demographic, and you have a new age in how operators need to function.
In this episode, I chat with veteran multi-unit and independent operator Vaugahn Dugan to explore the real magic that needs to occur for the independent restaurant operator to make it.
With the California Foodservice Instant Rebates Program, California Investor Owned Utility (IOU)* customers can get valuable Instant Rebates on qualifying energy-efficient equipment for their businesses.
You can skip the paperwork and receive an Instant Rebate as a discount directly on your invoice when you purchase qualifying high-efficiency natural gas or electric commercial foodservice equipment from participating dealers.