In pursuit of a serial dine-and-dasher

We're kicking off today's edition with a wild story of a brazen serial dine-and-dasher hitting bars and restaurants around San Francisco. He didn't even let an arrest slow him down, allegedly.

Dine-and-dashers are the worst, but what we like about this story is how people in the industry worked together to track this guy. Service industry workers alerted each other in a private Facebook group of the dine-and-dasher's habits and places he was visiting. They even created an interactive map with the establishments targeted by the dine-and-dasher, according to the San Francisco Standard. 

But how many arrests will it take to actually stop him?

On the menu:

💠 The wildfire aftermath for L.A. restaurants
💠 Champagne sales fizzle
💠 Trump talks "no tax on tips"
💠 The effects of Ozempic on restaurant sales

How Chicago’s Kibbitznest redefines screen-free socializing

What would it take to put your phone away and simply engage with the people (and books) around you? Kibbitznest Books, Brews & Blarney in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood offers exactly that: A space designed for meaningful, screen-free connections.

Founded in 2015 by Anne Neri Kostiner as a nonprofit, Kibbitznest, Inc. is “dedicated to the preservation of quality human interaction.” The business arm is a "bookbar" that brings together popular brews and books in a predominantly screen-free space.  

“Anne saw a need in the community for a place where people could come and balance all of the screentime that they are inundated with nowadays,” says current owner Paige Hoffman. “[She recognized that] there should be a place where people can just slow down.”

The absence of Wi-Fi in the bookbar is intentional. Without the distraction of digital devices, guests are encouraged to engage with one another through conversation, board games and other live events. The venue offers craft beers, wines, classic cocktails and light snacks, all served alongside a curated selection of new and used books for purchase.

Video- and picture-taking is encouraged, but with an abundance of “Wi-Fi-Free zone” and “No Internetting” signage posted around the space, don’t expect to break out your laptop.

Kibbitznest also hosts live events, including storytelling nights, trivia contests, comedy shows and musical performances. University of Chicago Graham School instructors are often invited to lead discussions on diverse topics, from social issues to literary classics. Kibbitznest also collaborates with local authors, artists and performers, further supporting the city’s creative community. 

Taking a page from Kibbitznest's book:

• Patrons are hungry for face time with each other. In this case, it’s in a screen-free atmosphere with low-cost entertainment options, and the model has proven hugely popular.
• Even analog experiences translate well online. Kibbitznest patrons put their phones away, but that doesn’t stop them from engaging online later. With more than 14,500 followers on Instagram, Kibbitznest continues to stay connected to patrons—and reach new people—with its screen-free strategy.
• Local connections resonate. Bringing in other people and organizations for special events lightens the load of getting the word out about your location. When others have enthusiasm for your space, they bring their friends and fans along. –Brent LeBlanc

Above: Kibbitznest Books, Brews & Blarney (Courtesy)

What's on our radar: A New Jersey restaurant is facing blowback after putting a "Proud Boys Burger"—made of "white American cheese, onion ring layers of truth, resilience pickles, freedom fries, cancel culture coleslaw, and liberty sauce"—on the menu. Members of the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist organization designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, were convicted of seditious conspiracy for their part in inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. The restaurant has since apologized and fired the staff member who created the burger.

What we're following: A Tacoma, Wash. restaurant says it was forced to close due to the city's grease-trap policy. The city requires larger grease traps for restaurants using delivery services like DoorDash, regardless of the size of the restaurant or volume of orders. 

What we're reading: L.A. restaurants that survived the fires wonder if they'll survive the aftermath. "I don't foresee anyone coming here and spending two hours at dinner," Leo Bulgarini, owner of Bulgarini Vino Cucina, tells the LA Times. "This business is pretty much dead for at least a year."

What we're watching: Husk restaurant digging out of South Carolina's historic snowstorm using restaurant tools, including a pizza peel and a squeegee. Whatever it takes! 

Plus: Are we too bummed to drink Champagne? Sales are down, and Jean-Jacques Guiony, the chief financial officer of luxury Champagne brand Moët Hennessy recently said: "Maybe the current global situation, be it geopolitical or macroeconomic, does not lead people to cheer up and to open bottles of Champagne."

Trump continues 'no-tax-on-tips' rhetoric

Talking about tips always gets people riled up. This was the case over the weekend when President Trump discussed his "no tax on tips" campaign promise at a Las Vegas event. “If you’re a restaurant worker, a server, a valet, a bellhop, a bartender, or one of my caddies ... or any other worker who relies on tipped income, your tips will be 100% yours,” he said. 

He didn’t offer many new details, like whether he wants to eliminate federal income and payroll taxes on tips. If federal taxes were removed, it wouldn’t impact many who work in tipped occupations, like servers. These workers would get some relief if payroll taxes were removed from tips, but they would get less in Social Security payments after they retire. (CNN) 

Side effects of GLP-1s for restaurants 

A recent study of GLP-1 users from Cornell and the data firm Numerator took a holistic look at the long-term impacts of these drugs, which include Ozepmic and Wegovy. It turns out many people who use these drugs don’t take them consistently, often due to the cost and side effects, explains Numerator Chief Economist Leo Feler. This study focused on those consistent users (about 6% of the shoppers Numerator tracks) and found small changes in their shopping that should be on restaurants’ radar. These changes included purchasing more yogurt and fresh produce at the grocery store and opting for chicken entrees or garden salads at restaurants. These users tended to skip salty snacks and pizza. Basically, they’re not eating to "satisfy a craving,” Feler says. Although there’s been a lot of coverage of these drugs, they’re still not widely used. But Feler and many others expect these drugs will become cheaper and more accessible soon. The bottom line: Restaurants have time to adjust their menus, but not much. (Restaurant Business) 

63

Percentage of consumers who plan to order from a restaurant on Valentine’s Day

(Popmenu)

💠 Lots of thoughts on limited wine lists 

💠 LG invested in restaurant robot maker Bear Robotics

💠 Actor Bradley Cooper brings Philly cheesesteaks to NYC

"People love that quid pro quo. Consumers are perfectly happy giving up their information in exchange for getting something relevant back. That's not a bad trade for them." -Zach Goldstein, founder and CEO, Thanx 

(🎧The Simmer)

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