Lauren Coughlin

2 weeks ago | fermag.com | Lauren Coughlin

No matter the direction your business is headed, an efficient starting point is the National Restaurant Association Show—at which equipment innovation is a cornerstone. The 2025 event, slated for May 17-20 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is set to include 2,000 exhibitors, roughly a quarter of which will be equipment manufacturers, according to Caitlin Rodgers, senior director of marketing at Informa Connect Foodservice Group.

1 month ago | fermag.com | Lauren Coughlin

When it comes to being on the same page in a kitchen, paper checklists once reigned supreme. But, as third-party kitchen connectivity providers continue to innovate, operators have the chance to do the same—in some cases, regardless of the age or make of their equipment. Today, a host of tech-savvy solutions can automate, analyze and ease several back-of-house tasks, tackling efficiency hiccups—both in equipment performance and in terms of labor—and putting money back in operators’ pockets.

1 month ago | fermag.com | Lauren Coughlin

During an uncertain economic and political moment domestically, investing in a larger global footprint may seem like risky business. But, operators told FER, international growth is actually among the best ways to increase both brand awareness and profitability right now. “This is our moment to seize the opportunity and create an enduring impact across borders,” says Antonio Bautista, chief international development officer at Dave & Buster’s.

1 month ago | fermag.com | Allison Rezendes |Lauren Coughlin

Product smarts were on full display Feb. 26-28 at The NAFEM Show in Atlanta, as foodservice manufacturers showed off their latest rollouts. An estimated 600-plus exhibitors and 20,000 attendees descended upon the Georgia World Congress Center over the three-day show. Here’s a bit of what we saw:More compact footprints. Expansive as a show floor may be, the same is not true in many of today’s kitchens—and manufacturers know it.

Jan 14, 2025 | fermag.com | Lauren Coughlin

There’s little guesswork when it comes to a hot holding cabinet’s function. “It gives you the ability to make the food in advance, but then keep it at serving temperature without continuing to cook it or drying it out,” summarizes one manufacturer. As straightforward as it may be, makers have worked to differentiate their units via digital controls, insulation improvements and more.