That said, food equipment is also no exception when it comes to the sight-unseen risks of buying online. Arguably, these risks are even more pronounced in an industry where hands-on demonstrations and product testing have been so integral to the process.So, how does an operator make the most of this opportunity?By doing the necessary research to answer 3 fundamentally important questions.   1. Is the Food Equipment Manufacturer Reputable? Think like your customers, particularly your younger adults born in the digital era and far more inclined to order online. Even when it comes to trying a new restaurant—a dissatisfaction risk paling in comparison to that of an online equipment investment—24% of Gen Zers and 17% of Millennials look to social media for insight. Largely a result of e-commerce, where pricing shouts more loudly as products have to sell themselves, the online food equipment market has exploded with off-shore and other knock-off bargain options that appear legit. If the equipment on your computer screen isn’t listed under a familiar brand or manufacturing name, it doesn’t automatically mean the quality isn’t good. But it does make doing your research more imperative. Digging in FER, FE&S, and other industry sources is a good place to start and, of course, first-hand accounts from your peers can be invaluable. But it can also prove worthwhile to cast a wider net for grassroots foodservice-operator commentary on sites like Reddit or Quora.   2. Do You Know the Details of Your Food Equipment Application? Most likely, when it comes to ordering food equipment online, we’re not talking about a chain-wide spec or serving the unique need created by an innovative menu item. But even for a comparatively standard equipment purchase, knowing your equipment performance and physical kitchen specs is essential. With the merciless challenges of labor, inflation, sourcing and a $20 minimum wage, this isn’t the time to eyeball it. Hold the equipment information up against a realistic view of your menu, your customer sales and projected volume needs, your available space and workflow ergonomics, power capacity and every other detail this purchase must meet. If the information online comes up short or leaves you in doubt, move on to number 3.   3. Are You Buying From a Foodservice Expert? Right up front, if the online source makes it difficult to get the answers you need, it’s probably a sign to move on—if for no other reason than the fact it’s unlikely you can count on any support after the sale. If you do manage to connect with someone, hold the service supplier to an even higher standard than the equipment itself. Many online suppliers’ websites have become remarkably robust, with spec sheets, usage guides, interactive 360° views, product videos—you name it. And all of it can be extremely useful. But it can also be more of a testament to the company’s marketing and IT than its industry expertise relative to your operation. Given enough time, you’ll know if you’re communicating with well-trained staff who have real experience in foodservice—whether it’s following up your questions with intelligent questions of their own, explaining where food equipment value differentials can hide, or pointing you to a better application solution you didn’t see elsewhere on the site. If they demonstrate integrity and transparency in the process of that conversation, that’s even better. But, again, you won’t know if you don’t hold them to that higher standard.

Does this mean the conventional daypart model is looking at extinction? …No. But it does mean new opportunities are arising for operators who like to think strategically. 1. All-Day Dining Calls for Foodservice Menu Evaluation In this new daypart dynamic, diners are more motivated by spontaneous hunger and less so by the conventional mealtime clock. Menu options ought to be reflective of this trend, allowing for daypart crossover and more snack-oriented options (think about expanding appetizer varieties, for example). And, more than ever, menus should gear toward craveable items. Likewise, this ‘spontaneous hunger’ also drives convenience demand (more on this below), as consumers are looking to satisfy that hunger ASAP. So, optimizing this opportunity also means looking into more hearty handhelds, bowls, and other items that can condense full meals into one, easy-to-consume item. All this said, however, ongoing menu innovation should continue to be part of the strategy. No matter how intense the hunger, consumers still have an entire digital world at their fingertips and a short attention span to go along with it. They won’t simply revert to standard, base-level sustenance because they don’t have to. Continuing to entice them with LTO and other unique menu items is as critical as ever. 2. All-Day Dining Means Cranking Up Your Convenience Game Whether truly a remote-work situation or just a laziness that’s part of the trend, all-day, hunger-inspired dining is naturally accompanied by an off-premises shift. Understanding what comes with this food-to-go expectation further reinforces why launching or expanding drive-through, pickup, and delivery capabilities is a worthy investment. But it’s important to explore this with thoughtful consideration for the post-pandemic dine-in rebound, not at the expense of it. In tandem with this are investments in digital ordering, payment, and loyalty programs that have become the accelerant for rapid-growth chains. On the labor side, flattening traditional mealtimes might actually work to operators’ advantage. According to a 2023 survey by Toast, “flexible schedule” was far and away the #1 reason “employees took their current restaurant job.” This demand isn’t new. But it can better serve all-day dining’s rising need to spread the workforce more evenly around the clock. Likewise, always being prepared means equipment arsenals should also evolve to facilitate longer food holding. This includes determining the right balance of high-performance units to maximize food quality—especially in delivery scenarios. 3. One More Facet Opportunity Remote Work Creates for Foodservice A wrinkle in this new employee taste for remote work is that employers are negotiating to recapture, at least, some in-office time. Thus hybrid models are becoming more prevalent. Part of making that work are incentives like in-office lunches. This, in turn, has given rise to catering services. In fact, according to TouchBistro’s 2024 State of Restaurants Report, roughly 54% of restaurants said they plan to introduce catering services this year. Compared to adding multiple new locations (44%) and opening one location (43%), catering was the top way operators plan to boost revenue.

Here are 4 reasons why, between the market and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), many directors are determining that a more intentional investment in food prep makes both immediate and long-term sense. 1. School Nutrition Standards Are Changing While the details won’t be announced until April, everyone is anticipating that the USDA’s new requirements will involve more whole grain and will draw tighter (though, phased in) restrictions on sodium. For many, knowing how this will make sourcing more difficult—especially concerning premade and packaged foods—the writing is on the wall. “With new guidelines proposed, along with extra money put into commodities a little over a year ago, the USDA is looking for more scratch cooking in schools,” says one of several industry experts cited in a recent article by Foodservice Equipment Reports (FES). In the face of notorious labor issues, directors are incentivized to reevaluate how they can improve productivity and efficiency in their food prep to answer this scratch-cooking call. The good news is that several strong market demands are adding a pull-through component that can make this regulatory push feel a little less like a burden. For example . . . 2. Plant-Based Consumption Is Growing Among School Students First, at the college & university (C&U) level, what really took root in coastal regions is quickly becoming more mainstream, exemplified by an expansion of plant-based menu options across the Big Ten. Further, a recent study has revealed how 81% of college students will choose a plant-based default option on the menu, even when they know a meat alternative is available upon request. This trend is cascading down through k12—or, more appropriately, from Gen Z all the way down through the Gen Alphas coming up the ranks at the elementary level. According to Datassential, 31% of Alphas are already eating on-trend ingredients like plant-based foods several times a week, while the item with the highest menu penetration in the past four years is plant-based chicken (+418%)! (Datassential, FoodBytes: The ABCs of Gen Alpha, 2023.) 3. The Fast-Casual Model Can Work Well for Schools More compelling than the undeniable growth of fast-casual formats are the reasons why they’re growing—and how these reasons can translate to school operations for the way both fast-casual and schools serve an age-similar, time-strapped consumer. Fast casuals are gangbusters for the way they provide healthier, fresher menu options through a quick-paced convenience model. But it’s also about what many call the “democratization of food,” whereby fresh food prep allows patrons to customize their food orders. Customization is why convenience stores likewise offer advantages that school foodservice directors can emulate for success and why, as the same FES article points out, “School foodservice operators (are placing) more equipment on the front lines in the form of action or finishing stations.” 4. Eliminating Food Waste Is a Sustainability Tentpole Opposite health & wellness, the other driver behind the popularity of plant-based menu options, particularly among high-school- and college-age consumers, is sustainability. Foremost is how plant-based menu items are a tangible demonstration of progress in this area and, therefore, resonate very well with younger generations that want to see sustainability in practice. But, as schools move toward more scratch cooking, there are opportunities to advance the cause even further by reducing food waste in the back of the house. From optimizing the use of ugly produce and root-to-stem techniques to extending produce shelf-life a return to scratch cooking with the right food prep tools in hand can pay big dividends beyond labor savings.

It’s time to plan. Yes, youth demands and preferences can change. That’s an understatement. However, a high-level look at trends can provide some reliable foundational blocks. Here are 4 to keep in mind 1. Gen Z Rates Convenience Over Cuisine Like their Millennial predecessors, Gen Z consumers are a health-minded group to the degree that it influences their preference for higher quality foods, as defined by cleaner labels and more natural ingredients. But, unlike Millennials, Zoomers are the first generation born into the Internet age. They’re what Z-dedicated research firms like Knit refer to as the first “digitally native” generation. For Zoomers, on-demand isn’t just important. It’s all they know. And that’s driving two major foodservice factors, in particular. First, according to a recent nationwide study by YPulse, another youth-focused research firm, “more than half of Gen Z and Millennial consumers agreed convenience was more important than cuisine.” That’s up from 44% in 2017, back before Gen Z really weighed in. And 7 out of 10 said they prefer meals on the go. (ConvenienceStore News, Aug. 2023.) Operators who haven’t invested in developing their off-premises menu offering and kitchen functions are missing a forthcoming opportunity that’s, arguably, already here. Second, Gen Z has no idea what life was like without online ordering and bill pay, touchless transactions, mobile-enabled loyalty programs and the lot. (Fun fact: According to NCSolutions’ own Gen Z report, only 9% have even heard of call waiting!) Further, per that same NCS report, social media is, by far, Zoomers’ most trusted resource for making purchase decisions. Going forward, operators must continue to make their customer experience—or engagement, ordering, eating, paying and off-ya-go process—seamless, even when labor is tight. 2. Innovating to Gen Z Should Be More ‘Fluid’ Constant menu innovation remains a smart strategy for appealing to the next generational wave of consumers, as indicated by Knit’s Restaurant & Dining Report which shows 55% of Zoomers like LTOs (limited-time offers). The most compelling forecast in this respect is in the beverage category and, more specifically, what Forbes refers to as the remarkable ‘NoLo’ demand for no- and low-alcohol cocktails, driven largely by the rise of Gen Z. By the numbers, non-alcoholic cocktail searches are up 225%, according to Pinterest’s Trend Forecast for 2023. Right alongside that, the NoLo market that hit $11 billion last year is projected to grow by 7% this year, which marks a 2% increase over the growth of the last four years combined. (the Zero Proof’s Non-Alc Forecast 2023.) It’s not a coincidence that the trendline is making such a dramatic curve at the same time that Gen Z is steadily aging into buying-decision adulthood. Operators who invest in more inventive and even exotic NoLo cocktail recipes will have a captive audience in the years ahead. Innovating in a stubborn economy is especially wise. 3. For Gen Z, Sustainability Has to Be More ‘Down-to-Earth’ Tangible Gen Z is extremely skeptical of big brands’ self-promotion, especially when it comes to messages that get outside of a brand’s actual product. So, while sustainability does, indeed, matter to younger generations—and they like to know how foodservice operations are moving in that direction—the closer operators can connect their particular sustainability efforts to what’s on the plate, the better. In other words, for Gen Z, putting forward sustainable sources and operational efforts to reduce carbon footprint is great. However, expanding plant-based menus and vegan options and using root-to-stem and other zero-waste kitchen techniques have more impact. 4. Peek Ahead to the Gen Alpha Food Consumer Even though the generational wave behind Gen Z is just a ripple on the horizon—born between 2010 and 2024—Gen Alpha is worth a glance for two reasons. Foremost, within as few as five years, the Alphas will blow past Gen Z and the Baby Boomers to become the second-largest cohort behind Millennials. (Mintel Report: 4 Facts About Gen Z Consumers, July 2023.) Second, understanding today’s younger adults can provide prophetic insight into the next up-and-comers—namely, what looks like Alpha’s lean toward a balance of healthy and indulgence. After all, it makes perfect sense, given that the majority of Alpha parents are Millennials. It’s early. But keep in mind that, while Gen Alpha parents say fresh fruits & veggies are their #1 eating rule, somehow their kids also prefer McDonald’s 5x more than any other restaurant. (Morning Consult’s Analyst Report, A Brand’s Guide to Gen Alpha, March 2023.) Just something to think about, while you master the Gen Z market.

With shifting consumer demands, changing regulations, and more high-tech equipment, you may notice health inspectors spending more time scrutinizing your operation, particularly how you clean and maintain your food equipment. As the manufacturer behind an extensive catalog of NSF-approved food equipment, Nemco feels your concern for upholding the highest standards in food safety, which is why we’re keen to share our insights regarding four hot-button issues for today’s health inspectors. 1. Cut the ice: cold-food holding goes under the microscope Over the past few years, the growing consumer demand for fresher food and hands-on customization has made cold food holding solutions a greater priority—for both foodservice operations and health inspectors. An impressively extensive salad bar or self-serve station offering an array of sauces, condiments, garnishes, or fresh toppings may give your operation an element of appeal that your local competition doesn’t have. At the same time, it presents a troublesome scenario for foodservice teams. Maintaining temps at or below that critical 41°F mark with traditional ice baths can require disruptively frequent monitoring by your staff or run the risk of food-borne illness. Smarter, safer foodservice operations will shift from the old fingers-crossed, check-and-hope system of ice baths to investing in more reliable cold food holding equipment that won’t melt your peace of mind. 2. A can-do attitude: can openers as bellwethers for overall kitchen hygiene Veteran foodservice operators know there’s one unexpected appliance that health inspectors love to scrutinize: the industrial can opener. Why? Because health inspectors know that, as a seemingly marginal tool among the ranks of kitchen equipment, the can opener is likely one of the first food-safety corners an undisciplined foodservice operation will start cutting. If they find disgusting food residue gumming up the blades, teeth, gears or other parts of the can opener, it’s very probable a thorough inspection will turn up quite a few other health concerns. Conversely, a spotless can opener indicates rigorous attention to food-safety protocols. And, just to come clean, not all can openers are created equal: some can openers lend themselves to better food safety by virtue of their engineering. 3. Need to vent: CA’s more stringent ventilation requirements could waft across state lines Updated in 2020 and again in 2022, California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards keep toughening the ventilation requirements for additions or alterations to commercial kitchens within the Golden State. (Note: these do not apply to kitchens that are part of healthcare facilities.) Essentially, foodservice facilities with exhaust outflow rates greater than 5,000cfm have a new compliance table to follow that dictates which type of hoods are required relative to what type of cooking appliances are being used. CA health inspectors will be especially attentive to Type I Hoods responsible for greasy smoke removal. While California is known for leading the way on government regulations related to health & safety and environmental protection (think Proposition 65 and plastic bag bans), it’s unclear whether this specific regulatory change will catch on elsewhere. Even without updated codes elsewhere, it’s natural to reason that this will put proper ventilation on more health inspectors’ radars, regardless of their jurisdiction. 4. Scrubbing data: IoT integration will tell you when to maintain equipment—and much more Today’s kitchen appliances can talk to us in ways previous generations of equipment couldn’t. IoT stands for the “Internet of Things” and refers to how physical objects, including appliances in commercial kitchens, are embedded with sensors, software, and other technology so as to connect and exchange data with other devices via the Internet. For foodservice, the benefits are numerous. They could look like a walk-in cooler that alerts you when the target temperature is off, a deep fryer that signals when it needs a deep clean, or a food processor that reminds you to order replacement blades before your current ones lose their edge. For smaller foodservice businesses, the primary upside of IoT will be for maintaining equipment and keeping it operating up to code. Larger businesses will likely have the resources to dive further into their data to also minimize food waste, increase efficiency and achieve better profit-margins. Expect health inspectors to start questioning foodservice managers as to how they’re leveraging their IoT capabilities to keep their operations up to health code more reliably. As kitchen equipment becomes more adept at communicating its maintenance needs, the tolerance for excuses will grow shorter.