BentoBox's annual celebration champions
restaurant industry workers through a series of mission-driven
initiatives ahead of the bustling holiday season
NEW
YORK, Oct. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- BentoBox,
the Official Restaurant Technology Partner of the James Beard
Foundation (JBF), today announced its second annual National
Restaurant Workers Day (NRWD), commencing on October 24 in partnership with Gage & Tollner
Executive Pastry Chef Caroline
Schiff. BentoBox is issuing a call to action for communities
to take care of local restaurant workers and provide them with
support and camaraderie ahead of the year-end rush.
As the restaurant industry recovers and evolves this year, its
workers continue to grapple with tipping fatigue from consumers,
ongoing staffing shortages, and inflation. Despite these
challenges, consumers increasingly rely on restaurants and their
workers to fulfill their dining needs during the busy holiday
season. As a result, BentoBox is partnering with multiple industry
personalities to provide resources and mentorship for workers and
industry professionals.
Here is what's happening for National Restaurant Workers Day
2023:
Collaboration with Chef Caroline
Schiff: Kicking off NRWD, BentoBox and Chef Caroline Schiff, a pillar in the restaurant
community and champion for the well-being of restaurant workers,
have joined forces to provide industry members with essential
resources. These efforts include a 'giveaway' of restaurant
veterans' time, where they'll offer their expertise to industry
newcomers. These renowned chefs and operators include
Blake Cole, Arjav Ezekiel, Fermín Nuñez, Ana Castro and Sean Feeney. Whether it's an hour-long
bartending class, pastry workshop, or just coffee to talk business,
several restaurant workers will receive 1 on 1 facetime with some
of the best in the business.
Brunch at The James Beard House: Chef Caroline Schiff will also participate in an
event at The James Beard House hosted by BentoBox on October 24 from 10:00 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m. ET., where she will join an intimate panel for
members of the restaurant industry. Panelists also include
Sean Feeney, co-founder of
Grovehouse and co-founder and chair of ROAR, Nicole Mendoza, alum of the James Beard House
Fellows Program and cook at Zaytinya, and moderator Anne McBride, VP of programs at JBF. The panel
will cover professional development and advice for industry
professionals to grow their careers.
Grants for Restaurants: Earlier this year, BentoBox,
which is part of global payments and technology leader Fiserv,
presented the Best New Restaurant Category at the James Beard
Awards. The Best New Restaurant nominees all received Back2Business
grants from Fiserv, with the category winner, Portland, Oregon-based Kann, receiving the
largest grant sum. Additional grant recipients, eight of which are
minority-owned, included Causa, Dept of Culture, Don Artemio Mexican Heritage, Lupi & Iris,
Neng's Jr., Nolla, Obelix, Restaurant Beatrice, and Tatemo. The
Back2Business initiative has provided grants and support for
more than 1,800 small, diverse-owned businesses since its inception
in 2020.
"We're incredibly grateful for the support of our restaurant
technology partner, BentoBox, alongside Fiserv, which has enabled
us to honor some extraordinary new restaurants this year," said
Kris Moon, President and COO,
James Beard Foundation. "BentoBox and the James Beard
Foundation share a common goal in celebrating, supporting, and
elevating independent restaurants and restaurant workers. We look
forward to continuing this partnership and moving the industry
forward."
Additional NRWD programming includes a webinar titled, Balancing
Act: Crafting Sustainable Operations in the Restaurant Industry,
featuring Chef Amanda Shulman, now
live on the BentoBox website. The educational talk discusses how
Her Place Supper Club, owned by Chef Shulman in Philadelphia, is radically rethinking
work-life balance for her staff, from closing on weekends to
providing 50% health insurance. BentoBox is also the sponsor of
Friends & Family Bar Industry Nights in Oakland, California, which take place on
Monday evenings throughout October, featuring "pay what you can"
menu items for restaurant workers and community members. BentoBox
will also be distributing gift cards and local treats to several
restaurants in recognition of the annual holiday.
In addition to BentoBox's initiatives for NRWD, the restaurant
tech company published "The State of Restaurant Tipping 2023," a
report that sheds new light on American tipping culture, the most
controversial area of restaurant worker compensation today. To
understand the changing face of tipping, the report surveyed 2,500
U.S. diners, finding:
Three-quarters of diners like the feeling of tipping, but
almost the same number say they would prefer to replace the
practice of tipping with a higher base pay for restaurant
workers.
- 76% of diners enjoy tipping because it contributes to a living
wage for service employees.
- 74% of diners feel establishments should pay their staff a
living wage instead of asking patrons to tip.
As tipflation sweeps the U.S., two-thirds of American diners
say too many places are asking for tips these days.
- 87% of diners think full-service meals deserve a tip and over
half share the same feeling about takeout and delivery.
- 40% of Baby Boomers typically do not tip for takeout, whereas
only 16% of Gen Z respondents reported not tipping for
takeout.
People who have worked for tips tend to like tipping more
than those who haven't.
- Three-quarters of diners who had previously worked for tips
believe the practice of tipping leads to better service, compared
to two-thirds of diners who haven't.
- Almost half of employees who had worked for tips said they
would miss tipping if it were gone, compared to only one-third
among those who had not.
BentoBox's Tipping Report and National Restaurant Workers Day
initiatives look to inform diners, motivate restaurant owners, and
inspire the larger restaurant community to support its workers who
are the heart and soul of the industry.
To learn more about National Restaurant Workers Day and the
BentoBox Tipping Report, please visit
https://www.getbento.com/national-restaurant-workers-day/ or
https://restauranttipping.getbento.com. For additional information
on either initiative, please contact press@getbento.com
About BentoBox
BentoBox, the Official Restaurant
Technology Partner of the James Beard Foundation, empowers
thousands of restaurants to deliver on their mission of
hospitality. With the BentoBox Marketing & Commerce Platform,
restaurants are able to unify their technology into an all-in-one
commerce engine that delivers a seamless guest experience, a better
operator experience and sustainable growth. The platform enables
restaurants to build their online presence, diversify revenue,
engage with diners and increase operational efficiency through
websites, ordering, reservations, marketing tools and more.
BentoBox is part of Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI).
About the James Beard Foundation
The James Beard
Foundation (JBF) is the nation's leading culinary
nonprofit dedicated to celebrating, elevating, and supporting the
people behind America's food culture, while pushing for new
standards in the restaurant industry where all have the opportunity
to thrive. Guided by a mantra of Good Food for Good®, JBF
is committed to supporting a resilient and flourishing
independent restaurant industry anchored in talent, equity, and
sustainability. The Foundation's impact work comes to life through
the annual James Beard Awards, industry and community-focused
programs, advocacy initiatives, partnership, and events across the
country—including our new Platform by JBF space at
Pier 57 in New York City. Learn
more at jamesbeard.org, sign up for our newsletter,
and follow @beardfoundation on social
media.
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