Restaurants & Cafes Industry Trends

Industry Employment Growth Steady

Although the pace of job growth slowed during the last recession, the industry has added jobs at a fairly steady pace of 1 to 2 percent per year for the past decade. Demand is higher in rapidly growing markets. Because the industry is highly labor-intensive, job growth is a good indicator of industry volume.

Environmental Concerns

Recycling and waste reduction of food and other items include using cardboard for take-out containers; recycling frying oil, bottles, cans, and plastics; and reducing the size and weight of paper products. Some restaurants compost food waste or use it to produce animal food pellets.

Liability for Grease Disposal

Many municipalities are cracking down on grease disposal violations at restaurants, a major factor in the growing number of sewer blockages and overflows. Proper grease disposal isn't cheap or easy, compared to illegally dumping it down the sink or in a manhole. Cities usually specify the number of grease traps for each establishment, according to facility size, and determine how frequently the traps must be pumped, usually every 90 days.

Self-Contained Equipment

Refrigerators and icemakers are the most critical equipment in foodservice operations. One of the most important trends is the growth of compact, self-contained refrigeration equipment, which allows for quick access to commonly used foods for preparation.