US restaurants turn to grocery sales to help offset losses

O’Fallon, Mo. (AP) — Charlene Gulliford at the Gandy Dancer never figured there would come a day when the Michigan restaurant known for its steaks and seafood would sell toilet paper and cartons of eggs, but the coronavirus has restaurants in survival mode.

The popular restaurant in Ann Arbor now doubles as a grocery store, offering staples such milk and bread in addition to meats and fish from its own pantry — and yes, even paper towels and the ever-elusive toilet paper. Sales began two weeks ago and the Gandy Dancer has found an income source to make up for some of its lost dine-in business, while also filling a need since traditional grocers are struggling to keep up with demand.

“A lot of people are saying they’re happy to support us, but a lot of people are saying, ‘Thank you for helping us,’” said Gulliford, the restaurant’s general manager.

The idea is catching on nationwide. Stay-at-home and social distancing orders meant to slow the spread of COVID-19 have put restaurant dining on hold, forcing many to close and leaving others barely surviving. From large chains to mom-and-pop eateries, restaurants are increasingly turning to grocery sales.

Panera this week launched Panera Grocery, offering not only the St. Louis-based chain’s popular breads, bagels and sweets but items such as milk, eggs and fresh produce that its 2,100 U.S. stores normally use to make meals. Grocery items can be delivered or picked up.

Subway is selling groceries at 250 of its stores in five states -- California, Connecticut, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington. Potbelly Sandwich Shop franchises launched Potbelly Pantry, offering mostly foods that the chain uses to make its sandwiches, such as meats, cheeses and breads.

Panera’s vice president of wellness and food policy, Sara Burnett, said the decision to sell groceries is a reaction to “the unprecedented crisis our country’s going through right now.” She wouldn’t disclose how much the pandemic has cost Panera, but she said 30 percent of its business typically comes from in-restaurant dining, “and that obviously is completely gone.”

The National Restaurant Association says the industry has lost 3 million jobs and $25 billion in sales since March 1. Spokeswoman Vanessa Sink said 3% of restaurants have closed permanently and another 11% expect to do so by the end of the month.

The move to grocery sales has been swift. Panera would typically spend months on a new business proposal, doing research, conducting surveys and opening test markets. Not this time. Panera Grocery went from an idea to launch in two weeks, Burnett said.


Grocery items sold by restaurants vary greatly. Some offer mostly the types of things already in their pantries, such as meats, vegetables, fruit, cheese, milk and eggs. Others, like the Gandy Dancer, offer a much broader selection.

Union Loafers in St. Louis is opting for quality, even if it means a higher price. The restaurant began selling locally produced goods such as eggs, milk, jams and meats on March 31. Co-owner Sean Netzer said patrons don’t mind the higher price — most items are selling out daily.

The chain restaurants, which buy in extraordinary bulk, can afford to sell at a lower cost. Subway and Panera Grocery prices are comparable to grocery store prices, the companies said.

Gulliford said the Gandy Dancer’s prices are more than competitive and can even be cheaper than the grocery store’s. For example, six lemons sell for $1 and potatoes are $1 per pound, she said.

Many of the restaurants-turned-grocery stores are offering “contact-free” service in which the customer place orders by phone or online and the goods are delivered straight to the trunk or backseat of the car. Gulliford said the elderly, who are at a higher risk of serious illness or death from the coronavirus, are especially appreciative of being able to avoid going into stores.

Restaurant operators aren’t sure if grocery sales will continue once the pandemic passes. Panera sees this as “kind of a tipping point to see what our customers need,” Burnett said.

Gulliford said the future is especially difficult to predict during this unprecedented time.

“It just really depends on what the new normal is,” she said.

The Associated Press

Japan’s ‘fake food’ can be more appetizing than the original

They may look good enough to eat, but Japan’s mouthwatering food replicas are only for show as restaurateurs compete for the attention of hungry customers.

They’re common sights in this food-obsessed nation, with everything from sudsy beers and perfectly glazed sushi to hamburgers and deep-fried pork cutlets, known as tonkatsu, on display.

Making fake food is a craft that Noriyuki Mishima has spent the last six decades perfecting.

“I haven’t counted but I must have made tens of thousands of these dishes,” said the 79-year-old, as he painted a plastic roast of beef.

“The toughest thing is probably getting the color right.”

There are no complex machines or special tools at Hatanaka, an eight-person firm in a Tokyo suburb where veterans like Mishima see themselves as artists.

It’s just simple cutting tools, paint brushes, airbrush guns and drying ovens at the little company with a “Fake Food Hatanaka” sign out front.

They don’t use wax anymore. It’s durable silicone these days, but the practice has otherwise changed little since the first replicas were made in Japan about a century ago.

During the early 1920s, artists producing models of human organs for doctors, were approached by restaurants to do the same thing for the food they wanted to sell.

The idea spread rapidly as eating out soared in popularity and rural people flocked to the cities. Unused to what city restaurants had to offer, the models gave country dwellers and locals alike a quick visual rundown of the chef’s specialities.

Artist’s touch

They’re also a handy point-and-order option for foreign tourists in a country where most menus are in Japanese only.

“Photos don’t really give a sense of volume. The replicas are the actual size, so customers know immediately when they go into a restaurant what to expect, even before they’re served,” said Norihito Hatanaka, who runs the family company which was founded in the mid-sixties.

Hatanaka doesn’t worry much about new technologies, such as 3-D printers, taking over the food replica business.

“3-D printers cannot recreate an artist’s touch and it would ultimately be more expensive because the materials are pricey and you’d still have to keep painting them,” he says.

“It’s a job for humans who have the creativity that machines lack. They don’t know what is beautiful and appetising.”

For veteran Mishima, some of the hardest work is in reproducing raw products like sushi.

“When it’s grilled fish, the characteristic colors are easier to recreate,” he said. “But creating the colour of freshness–that’s tough.”

Any food can be recreated from a silicone mold, whether it’s a spongy cake or sizzling hamburger.

Each bit—bun, meat, tomato, cheese—is made separately before they’re painted and assembled piece by piece.

The last step is a coat of varnish to give food a glistening look sure to catch the eye of peckish passers-by.

But replicas don’t come cheap. A single dish can cost several hundred dollars, so some restaurants rent food model sets by the month for upwards of 6,000 yen ($50).

Bacon headbands

Takizo Iwasaki—whose eponymous firm controls about half the market in Japan—is widely credited for turning faux food into what is now a $90 million business.

It’s not a growth industry, though.

High-end restaurants shun the idea of plastic replicas to display their dishes, and the idea hasn’t caught on much outside Japan.

But Mishima and his colleagues—twenty-something women—don’t think replicas are going to fade into culinary history just yet.

“It’s been a childhood dream to make this fake food,” said employee Asumi Shimodaira, as she worked on a plate of inedible ravioli.

For company president Hatanaka, it’s the action models, like a spaghetti-wrapped fork suspended in air, that are his favorite.

But the firm isn’t content to stick to old recipes. It is pushing into new lines like fake food fashion accessories, such as fruit earrings, fried egg rings and bacon slice headbands.

They also make pieces for those looking for unique footwear or fun window displays. One pair of boots, covered in plastic toast and dripping with fake ice cream and fruit sauce, can sell for 36,000 yen.

“We’re not satisfied just taking the orders from restaurants,” Hatanaka said. “We like to make original creations too.” JB

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Hot chef, meme sensation ‘Salt Bae’ to open restos in London, New York

If you’re well versed on the latest trends that the internet and social media has to offer, chances are you’ve stumbled upon a video of a suave-looking man expertly filleting and sprinkling salt on a slab of meat.

After his clip was shared on Instagram, the internet quickly dubbed him as the eccentric and sensual chef “Salt Bae”, but in real life, Turkish restaurant owner Nusret Gökçe is just a simple man with a burning passion for cooking meat.

The viral pony-tailed chef, who co-owns the global Nusr-et chain of grill houses, has since become one of the most popular memes of 2017—with his clip reaching 8 million views and even gaining 2.5 million followers on Instagram.

His magnificent salt-sprinkling pose has been imitated online in several spoof videos, while his likeness was even printed on T-shirts worn by celebrities like pop star Rihanna.

Gökçe’s sudden popularity has even reached a global scale and was immortalized in graffiti in Melbourne.

Banking on his recent name recognition, “Salt Bae” will reportedly expand his business and open branches in London and New York over the next few months, according to Business Insider.

Despite not knowing any foreign language apart from native tongue, the proud father of nine is optimistic that he’ll be able to “communicate with people through meat.”

The internet sensation also said he’s amazed of his sudden fame and even shared the story behind the salt meme.

“That move at the end [salting] came automatically,” he was quoted as saying in the report. “I did not do that to show off. It is just my signature. You can think of it [as] a kind of final touch for a painting. It was a final touch to the meat; I was blessing the meat.”

Gökçe added that his videos online were mostly shot by his staff, in an effort to promote his restaurants.

Although most people would see him as ”uncouth,” Gökçe is incredibly modest and shared that he came from humble beginnings.

“I am the son of a mine worker. My father and mother [are not literate],” Gökçe shared. “I cannot go to school due to financial difficulties. I started [working for] a butcher as an apprentice when I was 14. Meat has become a passion for me.” Khristian Ibarrola

source: technology.inquirer.net

Steamed fish with lime sauce

For readers who like a tangy broth with their steamed fish

Several years ago, in a Thai restaurant somewhere in Pasig, my friends and I had a fish dish which I thought was absolutely heavenly.

The fish was laid over a simmering broth that was bewitchingly sour, spicy, sweet and savory all at the same time—a rare, perfect balance of flavors.

Made with limes, chilies, garlic and a touch of sugar, the broth was kept bubbly hot by a flame placed underneath the fish platter.

The restaurant has since closed, unfortunately, but I’ve never forgotten that dish. Whenever I dine in a Thai restaurant I look for it in the menu, hoping to recapture once more that enchanting tangy flavor.

Perhaps the best one I’ve tasted so far is the one at Tamarind—a Thai restaurant in SM Aura, where it’s listed on the menu as “pla manao.”

Other Thai restaurants also serve pla manao, but the taste of the broth is different. Maybe it’s because, lacking a supply of limes, these restaurants use lemon or calamansi instead, which isn’t the same at all.

Real limes have an emerald green interior, contain no seeds and have a unique flavor all their own. Even their fragrance is so inviting, their whiff hinting not of sourness but, strangely, of sweetness.

Limes are so enticing and can be used to enhance so many recipes that I wonder why nobody imports them to Manila. Or, for that matter, why we can’t grow our own limes here, like they do in Thailand. A substitute for lime would be dayap, but there doesn’t seem to be an abundance of dayap in Metro Manila, either.

To get my supply of limes, I buy them whenever I travel, or I cajole friends and relatives living overseas to bring me some whenever they come to visit (the limes from Australia are particularly good).

Recently, during a trip to Hong Kong, I swiped some limes from the breakfast buffet which were scattered nonchalantly around a bunch of fruits (if they knew how rare these are in the Philippines!).

As a result, I was able to cook pla manao at home, using those precious limes.

Here’s the recipe, for readers who like a tangy broth with their steamed fish. I hope they’ll be able to find their own source of limes like I did.

Steamed Fish with Lime Sauce
1 large whole apahap (seabass)
Coarse salt
1 whole head garlic, peeled and crushed
8-10 stems wansuy (coriander)
Water, for steaming

For the lime sauce:
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
5 tbsp white sugar
5 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
½ c fresh lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes, see tips)
1/3 c water
1-2 siling labuyo (bird’s eye chilies), optional
For garnish:
Wansuy leaves
Chopped garlic
Bird’s eye or long chilies

Clean the apahap well, removing the gut and the scales (you can ask the fish monger to do this for you when you buy the fish). Cut two diagonal slits on both sides of the belly and near the tail of the fish. Rub the fish with coarse salt, then rinse well.

Insert some garlic cloves and wansuy leaves inside the fish. Prepare the steamer, making sure there’s enough water in it. Arrange the fish in a heat-proof plate and place it in the steamer. Cover the steamer tightly.

Steam the fish over medium heat for about 15 minutes (depending on the size of the fish). Check the fish after around 15 minutes.

The fish is cooked when the eyes have bulged and the flesh of the fish is white and flaky (should not be glassy). If it is not yet cooked, continue steaming for a few more minutes.

When the fish is cooked, take it out of the steamer and remove the garlic and wansuy leaves.

Transfer the fish to a clean plate. Pour half of the lime sauce over it and garnish with wansuy leaves, garlic and chilies. Serve the remaining lime sauce on the table. Serve immediately.

To make the lime sauce:
Combine the garlic, sugar, patis, lime juice, water and chilies (if desired) in a saucepan. Heat for one to two minutes. Pour half over the cooked fish and serve the remaining sauce on the table. Garnish the fish with wansuy leaves.

Cook’s tips:

Green lemons are not the same as limes, but they can be used in this recipe, too (though the taste will be slightly different). A better substitute would be dayap.

Make sure you use wansuy, not kinchay, which may look similar to wansuy but has a very different taste and aroma.

You can also cook this with lapulapu, mayamaya or any whole white fish.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

McDonald’s testing bigger, smaller Big Macs

NEW YORK, United States — McDonald’s is testing bigger and smaller versions of its Big Mac as the world’s biggest hamburger chain pushes to revive its business.

The company says it’s testing a “Grand Mac” and “Mac Jr.” in the Central Ohio and the Dallas areas, and will see how they do before deciding on a national rollout.

The Grand Mac is made with two third-pound beef patties, which may be a way for the company to make its famous burger more substantial as burger competitors have made the regular Big Mac seem skimpy to some. It will sell for $4.89. The Mac Jr. is basically a single-layer Big Mac, and McDonald’s says it’s “easier to eat on the go.” That will sell for between $2.39 and $2.59.

McDonald’s Corp. has been fighting to turn around its business after seeing customer visits decline in recent years. The Oak Brook, Illinois, company has said it needs to move faster to keep up with changing tastes.

Last week, the company held its biannual convention with franchisees in Florida to discuss plans to refresh the business.

The test was first reported in Columbus Business First.

source: business.inquirer.net

A Mother’s Day itinerary from breakfast to dinner

Almost all Filipinos know that the second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day while Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. But did you know that officially, by virtue of Proclamation No. 58 (1998) by then-President Joseph Estrada, both occasions “should” be celebrated on the first Monday of December?

As for the May and June dates, we owe that tradition to the Americans as well as the Proclamation No. 266 (1988) by former President Cory Aquino. Proclamation No. 58 may be the more legal and formal basis, but nobody seems to mind that the de facto and accepted dates for Mother’s and Father’s Days happen during in the summer months instead of in December.

Now that we got the nitty-gritty technicalities of the “holidays” out of the way, here are some ideas that you can do to treat (for some of us, and especially for me) the most important woman of in our lives.

Breakfast in bed

Treating our moms to a meal need not be too expensive nor complicated. Whip up some eggs, fry some slices of bacon or ham and toast some bread together with butter before serving it on a tray. It only take some effort and waking up before she does; besides, nobody refuses the idea of having breakfast in bed. Add a hand-written letter or heart-warming card and there’s no better way to start a day dedicated to moms the world over.

Flowers

Fresh flowers would perfectly compliment that breakfast tray of food. Skip the flower shops inside the malls and head over to Dangwa Flower Market in Dimasalang, Sampaloc for fresh and most importantly, lower priced flowers. Do buy in bulk, say a dozen or two red, pink or white local roses to get the best rates. Before pulling out your wallet though, always remember to haggle and negotiate the price down to your budget’s range.

Croque

The family can have brunch or lunch buffet at Croque Cafe + Bakery for only P399 per person. The French-themed cafe along Arnaiz (Pasay) Road will serve hearty dishes such as Grilled Pork Belly Humba Sauce with Pineapple Quinoa Salad, Herb Roasted Chicken with Chorizo Paella Rice and Fish of the Day with Potato Risoto.

Spa/massage

For the son or daughter who wants to pamper his/her mother, nothing comes close to indulgence and luxury that Sofitel Philippine Plaza’s LeSpa. For P6,000++, the three-hour Spa VIP Package starts with a 60-minute relaxing massage followed by a 90-minute Rejuvenating Facial and culminates in a 30-minute Royal Foot Massage.


Spiral, Sofitel Philippine Plaza

For the highlight of the day, head over to Spiral Buffet Restaurant as Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila’s Master Chefs have teamed up with six celebrity chefs to feature their heirloom recipes.

For Mother’s Day weekend, some of the featured dishes incorporated into Spiral’s buffet spread include the Gravlax and Cream Cheesecake of chef Mia Manuel, the Whole Baked Lapu-lapu made famous by chef Suzette Montinola of La Cocina de Tita Moning, chef Nina Daza-Puyat’s French Onion Tartlettes and Portobello Mushroom fries and Triple Chocolate Champorado by actress Judy Ann Santos.

During the formal media launching last April 28, I was able to sample a few of the dishes mentioned above. The whole baked lapu-lapu was a great start; the fish was cooked through but was still flaky and moist.

Chef Mia Manuel’s gravlax—Nordic raw salmon dish cured in salt, sugar and dill—is better eaten with a piece of bread or toast. Unfortunately, slicing the salmon into small bits made the gravlax play second fiddle to the thick layer of cream cheese.

As I was eating both the tasting portion and a later bigger portion, I could barely taste the salmon. The texture could use some improvement too as the cream cheesecake layer was really dense.

Judy Ann Santos’ Lumpiang Shanghai and Triple Cholocate Champorado were actually not bad, but the taste should be very familiar to most Filipinos. One would not guess that garlic and onion powder and bacon were added to enhance the taste of the fried spring rolls while trio of cocoa powder, milk and dark chocolate fell short to the real taste and full flavor of the tablea used in traditional champorado.

The celebrity chefs' dishes can be distinguished by the purple labels that accompany the serving dishes. Sunday brunch on May 10 is set at P3,650++ for adults and P1,600++ for children, while the dinner rate is P2,650++ for adults and P1,450++ for children.

Two more celebrity chefs will share their favorite family recipes on Father’s Day, with chef Ariel Manuel of Lolo Dad’s fame featuring Stewed Lamb Leg with Dried Mangos, Roasted Quail with Maple and Beef Salpicao with Mustard.

Chef Sandy Daza meanwhile shares his culinary discoveries and inventions such as Leyte Humba, Chicken in Coconut Milk, Hoisin Chicken with Chinese Sausage, Beef Burgundy and Smoked Fish Tofu Balls. Rates for the Father’s Day Sunday brunch and dinner are priced the same as those for Mother’s Day.

The truth is though, we as sons and daughters do not need a special day to show our love and appreciation to the women who stand as our “ilaw ng tahanan.” Whether we recognize Mother’s Day as the second Sunday of May or the official and proclaimed one during December, let us try to make every day special with regards to how we treat, love and respect the mothers in our lives.

Wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all the dedicated and loving mothers in the world, most especially to my dear mom and grandma. — BM, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Canada approves Burger King's bid for Tim Hortons

OTTAWA – Canada's government approved Burger King Worldwide's C$12.64 billion ($11.10 billion) takeover of coffee-and-doughnut chain Tim Hortons Inc., which will create a new company based north of the border.

Burger King had agreed to buy the iconic Canadian company in August in a transaction that would create the world's third-largest fast-food restaurant group, but the cash-and-stock deal was subject to approval by regulators.

"The result of this transaction is this new global company... which will now be based in Canada," Industry Minister James Moore said in a statement.

"Our government is pleased to see companies like Burger King investing in Canada's economy and looking to benefit from our low taxes and open markets."

Moore said that after a review of the deal, Burger King had agreed to a number of commitments, including setting up the headquarters in Oakville, Ontario, and listing the company on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Tim Hortons will be managed as a distinct brand, and at least half of the members of the brand's board will be Canadians.

Burger King has also agreed to expand Tim Hortons by opening new restaurants at a significantly greater pace than currently planned both in the United States and globally.

Canada's Competition Bureau gave its stamp of approval to the deal in October. – Reuters

Papa John's Grabs Pizza Share On Web Orders, Ad Claim

Papa John's may be No. 3 in size in the pizza wars after Yum Brands' Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza, its chief rival in deliveries.

But the growing operation led by founder John ("Papa John") Schnatter claims it is tops in quality, at least among the major chains.

Its advertising tag line: "Better Ingredients. Better Pizza."

That quality message makes its slightly higher prices easier to swallow, management says.

A bevy of emerging pizza players in local and regional markets might beg to differ, claiming their handcrafted pies have even fresher ingredients and taste better.

True or not, such claims may not add up to much when it comes to the ordering power of the Web.

More than 40% of Papa John's U.S. orders in 2012 came from digital sources, whether through a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet or personal computer, said Chief Financial Officer Lance Tucker in a recent phone interview.

At Domino's, digital orders make up 35% of the total.

"We're taking market share from the smaller mom and pops and local and regional chains," Tucker said. And he says a chief reason is its ability via digital orders "to reach consumers wherever they are."

Papa John's is increasingly everywhere. It opened its 4,000th restaurant last year and ended the year with 4,163 units. Of those, 3,204 were in North America and 959 in international markets.


"Domino's is a little more mature in the U.S. and on a faster growth trajectory internationally," said restaurant analyst Peter Saleh of Telsey Advisory Group. "Papa John's has more growth prospects in the U.S. and there is no reason it can't get to 2,000 or 3,000 overseas. It's at an earlier stage."

New Restaurants

Papa John's intends to open 230 to 260 net new units this year, roughly evenly split between North America and the rest of the world. Its two biggest overseas markets are the U.K. and China.

The company's international business attained profitability last year for the first time in years.

Schnatter told analysts in the fourth-quarter earnings call that agreements are in place to open 1,400 units worldwide over the next six years.

Papa John's fourth-quarter same-store sales in North America grew 5.2% and 7% in global markets. For the full year, they were up 3.6% and 7.1%, respectively.

First-quarter results will be released Tuesday.

"They probably had a fine quarter," Saleh said. "But this is a company that doesn't build business for any one particular quarter. They build for consistent growth and results over a long period of time."

Analysts expect Papa John's first-quarter earnings to rise 18% over last year to 81 cents a share on revenue of $364 million, up 10% from the prior year, according to a Thomson Reuters poll.

Tucker attributes much of the company's steady growth in sales, profits and unit openings in recent years to founder Schnatter's return to leading day-to-day operations in late 2008.

He oversaw new brand-building efforts, including beefed up marketing. The company extended its three-year sponsorship with the NFL earlier this year "for the long term," Schnatter said in the conference call.

Papa John's also got a new spokesman last year in the Denver Bronco's Peyton Manning, who also morphed into a Papa John's franchisee in the Denver market.

"Papa John's is also pushing hard on its loyalty rewards program," Saleh said.

 Digital Orders

Papa John's management says average orders through digital channels are typically higher than phoned-in orders. Since customers can see the entire menu on their screens, they are more apt to supersize their orders with add-on items.

Orders are also more accurate than those phoned in. And as analyst Saleh says, they save on labor costs since a store employee doesn't have to spend time taking an order over the phone.

"So it's cost savings on labor and food waste and higher customer satisfaction and higher average checks," he said.

Domino's has also pointed to the advantages of taking orders online, both domestically and overseas. Its first-quarter profit, reported on Tuesday, jumped 25.6% to 59 cents a share. Revenue grew 8.6% to $417.6 million. Both were above analysts' estimates.

Domino's same-store sales in the U.S. rose 6.2% while international's jumped 6.5%.

Pizza Hut didn't fare so well. Yum Brands said Pizza Hut's same-store sales in the U.S. fell 1% in the first quarter.

Pizza Hut has had a tougher time competing with upstart local pizza restaurants, analysts say.

Major pizza chains make up about 55% of the pizza delivery market, so the category is still fairly fragmented, Saleh says. Independents make up 30% and smaller chains comprise the remaining 15%.

"There is still a lot of share for the major pizza chains to capture from small independents and small chains," he said.

Those smaller operators don't have the same level of marketing resources, and their smaller scale means they're at a buying disadvantage in terms of food costs.

Restaurant analyst Lynne Collier of Sterne Agee expects food costs to rise only slightly this year, 2% to 3%, most of it beef-related.

But she noted in a recent report that cheese prices are on the rise due to a drought in New Zealand, the largest exporter of dairy products.

Big chains typically lock in prices on key products over a longer period to offset cyclical price swings.

source: news.investors.com