Restaurants see increased demand for women's sports

Today we're talking performance reviews for restaurant tech and an increased interest in women's sports. But first: We know Halloween just passed, but it’s time to think about holiday cocktail season. Put down the shaker and pull up a chair for the latest edition of The Prep. 

On the menu:
💠 We're going to the mall for the eats
💠 Where are the bar hooks for purses?
💠 A theme park menu hacker
💠 Implementing great restaurant tech
💠 A "crookie" contender from a celeb chef

What we’re keeping an eye on: The synergy between restaurants and malls. Yelp data finds more people are visiting malls for dining experiences. 

What we’re reading: The Week’s take on one of the biggest restaurant questions: Why are America's restaurant chains going bankrupt?

The restaurant tech on our radar: Table 22, the subscription and membership platform for restaurants, which just raised $11 million. Founder and CEO Sam Bernstein spoke to The Simmer. 🎧

The restaurant trend we want to see more of: Bar hooks! “Why do bag-toters often find ourselves suspending them from our own appendages — or worse, relegating them to the dark, sticky nether region between the foot bar and the wall?” writes Maggie Hennessy in Bon Appétit.

Plus: A fired Disney employee allegedly hacked the theme park’s menu system to alter peanut allergy information.

Restaurants and bars see demand for women’s sports 

The Sports Bra, the Portland, Ore. bar dedicated to women’s sports, helped usher in similar concepts across the country. And now, thanks in part to the wild ratings success of the latest WNBA season, bars and restaurants that typically highlight men’s sports are also seeing demand for women’s sports. “You see a lot of men requesting women’s sports now,” says Bar Louie CEO Brian Wright. “So it’s kind of an entire paradigm shift of how women’s sports are being viewed. You very seldom saw a group of men coming in saying, ‘Can you put on that WNBA game?’ Now, that’s really becoming commonplace.” (AP)

Hiring great restaurant tech

Restaurant tech has become a vital part of running a restaurant, so why not treat your tech like a team member? Evaluate your tech stack by asking the same questions you’d ask about an employee. “Are your technologies viewed as valuable team members? What would their performance review look like?" says Tricia Houston of the strategic consultancy and market research firm KS&R. “Similar to how your team will develop emerging leaders, they can do the same for technologies. Or even identify when technologies reach ‘retirement age.’” (QSR) 

"How are we feeling about the “Crookie” trend y’all?! Mine has a toffee chocolate chip cookie baked inside and then a little American buttercream on top. I’m going for a Great American Cookie Company meets croissant vibe."

-Aaron Clouse, Food Network competitor and executive pastry chef at Littleton's Market in Columbus, Ohio, who shared his signature take on the dessert mashup (shown above) via Threads.

💠 Rethink your shrimp cocktail with these plating trends

💠 The restaurant lover’s guide to picking a president

💠 Starbucks will not longer upcharge for non-dairy milk 

45%

Number of surveyed Gen Zers said they’re spending more on restaurants compared to the previous year (Revenue Management Solutions)

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