p. 14 F&B:Layout 1 7/10/19 6:31 PM Page 16
Honeygrow brings together fast food with sustainable, high-quality and healthy meals
Spyce uses technology and automation to amaze the customers and bring more money to the bottom line
human touch and sensory elements that are an important part of any dining experience. Spyce had made it clear that they put the food and service elements first, and then augment these elements with interesting and fun uses of technology; it’s one of the better concepts we’ve seen in this genre.
Ultimate Room Service Another trend is the proliferation of online ordering and third-party delivery systems. And not just to homes, but within casino resort environments as well. We’re seeing more and more food operators wanting to extend their customer experiences into the guest room at the hotel. It used to be that you could order room service with times and menus dictated by the hotel. Now at many casino resorts, you can call down to the fast-casual restaurant and have it delivered to your room. Room service is historically a money-loser for hotels, so if you can find a way to improve the guest experience, maintain a secure hotel environment and drive business to your tenants (who probably pay percentage rent), then it is a win for everyone. Kitchen United is a concept backed by Google that aims to create 400 virtual kitchen centers and over 5,000 actual kitchens across the country to help restaurant brands increase their off-premise businesses. They are a third-party operator of kitchen and delivery services offering restaurants a way to expand their presence into new markets with a much lower capital spend than would be required if they tried to do it themselves. Off-premise dining now accounts for over $100 billion, and it is expected to double by 2025. It needs to be an integral part of any restaurant operator’s business plan. With all these examples of new and innovative concepts, let’s not forget that the restaurant business thrives on service. With automation comes a loss of some of those human-touch elements that customers hold dear. And as the labor market continues to tighten, finding quality staff hires at all levels remains a challenge. Employee training, retention and development are paramount to running a successful operation. The recent changes in many laws surrounding minimum wages, tipping, immigration and overtime are all combining to drive labor costs higher. And in the case of a casino resort environment, you may be competing with their employees who most likely have benefits packages higher than your own. So, keeping employees happy, motivated and safe in their respective positions will lead to better service levels, and ultimately, more satisfied customers. 16
Global Gaming Business AUGUST 2019
The “Uncommons” food court in the new expansion at the Sycuan casinos outside of San Diego features local chefs and restaurants, like Lucha Libre Taco Shop
Matt Armstrong is a seasoned hospitality and gaming executive with experience in the hotel, casino and retail industries. Armstrong’s expertise encompasses the disciplines of project development, construction management, property management, marketing, project financing and tenant leasing. Formerly, he was president of Gordon Group Holdings, a large developer of innovative retail projects including the Forum Shops at Caesars Las Vegas, the Beverly Center in Los Angeles and Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods. With more than two decades as chief executive officer, chief operating officer and chief financial officer at renowned casino resorts, Jeff Hartmann has played a seminal role in the growth of the gaming industry. His career spans the landmark casinos of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, Revel in Atlantic City and Mohegan Sun Pocono in Pennsylvania. Armstrong and Hartmann are the co-founders of Experientia Development Partners, the next generation of retail developers, with expertise in design, development, leasing, finance and project management. Experientia is a team of unique developers who understand not only retail development, but gaming and hotel operations as well, customizing every engagement to each client’s needs. For more information and business inquiries, visit experientiadevelopment.com.