Blog

Patrice & Associates Update on COVID and the Hospitality Industry

Patrice & Associates Update on COVID and the Hospitality Industry Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top expert on infectious diseases, told Robin Roberts of ABC News in Mid-November “the calvary is coming here. Vaccines are going to have a major positive impact.” Dr Fauci, a trusted top adviser, sees the vaccine  having a significant affect on curbing the pandemic.   This combined with thoughtful mask wearing means that we see an abatement of this pandemic within 4-6 months.  Hopefully at that point, life will return to “normal.” There is no question the hospitality industry has been hit the hardest in the last…

Read More

How Restaurants are Preparing for the New Normal

How Restaurants are Preparing for the New Normal In talking with our clients there seems to be a common thread in everyone's thoughts.  They want to transition back to normality.  This transition would be a gradual reopening of restaurants whereas festivals and ball parks may take longer. The pandemic has encouraged many restaurants who had not considered take-out to start offering it. Online ordering systems and third-party delivery apps have made this an increasingly realistic prospect. Restaurants should have a dedicated "staging area" for carry-out as many guests want to preserve the dining experience.  A separate entrance would be optimal. …

Read More

Hospitality Trending for the “New Norm”

The Hospitality Industry is embracing what may be a permanent “new norm”.  Extra sanitizing, gloves and masks are making for a safer experience as many guests prefer to dine-in.  Carry out has been a interim solution but to me, even a great steak doesn’t taste the same in Styrofoam. Many restaurants are re-staffing and looking to Hospitality Recruiters for help locate top talent.  Not all furloughed workers want to return to their job.  This paid time off, with unemployment, gave them the ability to explore their options. Restaurant Recruiters play a big part in re-staffing their hospitality clients. Many are…

Read More

New Online Accessibility Act introduced to Congress would require businesses to make their website and mobile apps accessible

Article shared courtesy of NRN.com Joanna Fantozzi | Oct 02, 2020   The Online Accessibility Act — legislation that was introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday by Reps. Ted Budd, (R-N.C.) and Lou Correa, (D-Calif.) — would officially extend the Americans with Disabilities Act to consumer-facing digital accessibility. Under the extension of the ADA, businesses would have to make their websites and apps accessible to the visually impaired. Currently, the law only applies to “public accommodations,” which only extends to physical locations. “Retailers want to serve all customers, and that includes those who are blind or visually…

Read More

Restaurants maintain steady service sentiment even as recovery slows

Article shared courtesy of NRN.com Image shared from article courtesy of Getty Images Entertainment Restaurant sales improved again in August. But even though August’s same-store sales growth is the best result for the industry since February, it revealed a slowdown in the pace of restaurant recovery. This latest Black Box Intelligence™ data suggests that in upcoming months, and likely into 2021, the recovery will continue to look more like a sluggish climb instead of the rebound to pre-coronavirus sales levels we’d all like to see. Although the economy is recovering, millions of people remain unemployed, extended government relief packages are still…

Read More

Jack in the Box reports 6.6% increase in same-store sales thanks to check growth and menu innovation

Article shared courtesy of NRN.com New CEO Darin Harris discussed how the company quickly pivoted during the coronavirus pandemic to come out on top at a rough time for the industry Joanna Fantozzi | Aug 06, 2020 Jack in the Box reported a 6.6% increase in same-store sales to round out a strong third quarter ended July 5, 2020, despite the company’s “substantial decline in traffic.” New CEO Darin Harris — who just came on board in June, replacing Leonard Comma, who announced his exit in December — attributed the company’s positive results, even with COVID-19-related traffic struggles, to average check growth of…

Read More

Wingstop Q2 same-store sales soar 31.9%

Fast-casual restaurant brand credits digital sales as it opens more ghost kitchens Ron Ruggless | Jul 29, 2020 Wingstop Inc., with its reliance on digital delivery and carry-out sales, excelled amid coronavirus pandemic restrictions with a 31.9% increase in domestic same-store sales in the second quarter, the company said Wednesday. The Dallas-based fast-casual brand, in releasing earnings for the second quarter ended June 27, said the sales gains, which were on top of a 12.8% same-store sales increase in the same quarter last year, pushed average unit volumes to near $1.4 million amid favorable wing commodity prices. “The topline momentum in our…

Read More

Large restaurant chains have mostly recovered from the effects of COVID-19, while the rest of the industry still struggles, Bank of America study says

A study of Bank of America credit card spending since March emphasizes the widened gap between recovery for large restaurant chains and small businesses Joanna Fantozzi | Jul 10, 2020 National restaurant chains have largely recovered from the detrimental effects of plummeting consumer spending during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study of credit card spending from March to July 4 from Bank of America. The research compares the expenditures trajectory between large restaurant chains and the rest of the restaurant industry (which includes small chains and independent restaurants). At the beginning of March just before pandemic-related lockdowns had started to be implemented, consumer…

Read More

Restaurants Rise: How marketing is changing in a post-COVID-19 world

This article is shared courtesy of NRN.com and can be found at the following link: https://www.nrn.com/marketing/restaurants-rise-how-marketing-changing-post-covid-19-world Written by Joanna Fantozzi - June 8' 2020 As consumer confidence and priorities change, so should restaurant strategies. What might have worked as an on-brand marketing message before the pandemic hit could be tone-deaf or miss the mark in what has become a changed industry. On day four of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality’s Restaurants Rise digital summit, Chris Hollander, chief marketing officer of Panera Bread, and Gje Greene-Wallace, director of marketing for 20-unit, Texas-based seafood chain Fish City Grill and sister concept…

Read More

Al fresco dining becomes solution for full-service restaurants…

This article is shared from nrn.com and was written Mark Hamstra | May 29, 2020 https://www.nrn.com/restaurants-ready/al-fresco-dining-becomes-solution-full-service-restaurants In states and cities where the lifting of dine-in restrictions is still potentially weeks away, outdoor dining has increasingly become a bridge solution for full-service restaurants. Perhaps spurred by growing evidence that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 does not spread as easily outdoors in fresh air, some states — including Minnesota, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and others — have either limited full-service restaurants to al fresco dining only or specifically encouraged restaurants to serve guests outdoors in their reopening plans. Related: CDC…

Read More

What Clients Say About Patrice & Associates

  • Gary Tietz is a true pleasure!

    I recently had the pleasure of working with Gary Tietz, who is a phenomenal recruiter and helped me secure a dream job. From the very beginning, his dedication, professionalism, and expertise stood out. I am thrilled to share a glowing review for him, as he went above and beyond to help me throughout the hiring process.

    First and foremost, he took the time to understand my career goals, skills, and preferences. He listened attentively to my needs and aspirations and he provided valuable insights and guidance at every step of the way.

    Throughout the recruitment process, Gary was proactive in keeping me updated on the status of my application, providing timely feedback, and addressing any questions or concerns I had. He was incredibly responsive, always available to provide support and guidance, and made me feel valued as a candidate.

    Gary demonstrated a high level of professionalism and integrity throughout the entire process. He was honest, transparent, and maintained open communication at all times, which built trust and confidence in his abilities.

    I am incredibly grateful to Gary Tietz for his hard work, dedication, and commitment to my success. His expertise, professionalism, and exceptional service made my job search experience smooth and successful. I highly recommend Gary to anyone seeking a job opportunity. He is a true asset to their profession and has my highest endorsement.

    Thank you for your outstanding work!

    Cathy A.

    Gary Tietz is a true pleasure!
  • Tim Keith got the job done! 

    As I began the daunting task of trying to find a new job, I got in contact with Tim Keith. Tim took the time to speak with me about my career goals, my past experience, and what my intentions were in finding a new place of employment.  All of which ultimately helped me find the right job for me, one that I can grow at and build something more than just a job.  He also made the communication between the new company and myself as simple as possible.  Thanks again to Tim for helping me find a place to build my career!  

    -Austin Quigley

    Tim Keith got the job done!
  • Kurt Dean was simply amazing! 

    I felt very prepared and as if I was his only client!  He feels like a new friend.  Kurt's dedication and professionalism were top notch from day 1.  

    Thank you,

    Daron P.

    Kurt Dean was simply amazing! 
  • Thank you Hez Butler, You and Your Organization were FANTASTIC!

    I had gone into retirement in 2020, when the Pandemic hit.  I worked for a business travel hotel that was hit very hard financially.  I enjoyed taking three years off enjoying my granddaughters and going on road trips with my husband. After the first two years, I had been trying to figure out what I was going to do next, do I go back to work, do I take some public speaking courses… Basically, I was bored and not doing enough to keep me busy or using the talents I had to offer. I got an e-mail from Hez Butler of Patrice & Associates, a recruiter. From the first time I talked to him, I was interested to find out what he had to offer. His communication, care and concern to help me as well as his professionalism was impressive. I wanted to hear more about this opportunity. He shared information about the role he was assisting a company to fill. He knew just enough to keep me interested. He organized the first interview and provided me with fantastic tools to insure I had a successful interview.  He helped me so much to be completely prepared for my first interview. The interview went great and much of the success was from the assistance I received from Hez! His communication was great as far as follow up with myself and the company I was interviewing for and keeping all of us organized.  Hez followed up with me timely and kept me informed on the next steps.  I have never worked through a recruiter; this was overall a great experience. I had a second interview and received an offer. I took the offer and am now back in the workforce and loving it!

       

    Many Thanks,

    Bedez Carter

    Thank you Hez Butler, You and Your Organization were FANTASTIC!
  • Working with Kathy Helfand was a pleasure! 

    She was in constant contact with me throughout the process.  Kathy gave me some great suggestions prior to my interview that benefited me, and was able to secure my candidacy!  She helped me with my resume, tailored it to perfection.  I recommend Kathy Helfand and Patrice & Associates to any professional out there looking for a career move.

    Thank you,

    Giorgio Laperchia

    Working with Kathy Helfand was a pleasure!