Epson’s LightScene and Tim Horton’s Welcome Image

This edition of MRM’s Daily Bite features Epson, McDonald’s, Tim Horton’s, HotSchedules and Sprinkles, sbe, RCP Companies and Southern Fried Hospitality, Gen3 Hospitality and Elephant Bar, FoodLogiQ and Digital Signage Expo.

Send news items to Barbara Castiglia at bcastiglia@modernrestaurantmanagement.com.

Epson Introduces LightScene

Epson introduced LightScene™ – a new category of accent lighting laser projectors for digital art and signage. LightScene is designed to simultaneously illuminate and project dynamic content on virtually any surface or material to engage audiences and provide an immersive experience for commercial signage applications in markets such as retail, hospitality, showrooms and museums. 

“Consumers crave memorable and engaging experiences. Display technology is changing the way consumers interact with brands and products, from the ease at which they are able to receive information to the way they digest an abundance of content,” said Remi Del Mar, senior product manager, Epson America. “The new LightScene laser projector category will provide solutions to businesses creating captivating, immersive environments to engage customers with their product or brand, without impacting the overall atmosphere.

With two models available in a sleek, spotlight form factor – LightScene EV-100 in white and LightScene EV-105 in black – the laser projectors blend in discreetly  and offers an array of configuration, mounting and programming options. The technology offers the best of both worlds – beautiful displays and unobtrusive visuals – while providing performance, versatility or reliability.  

“It’s a value add for restaurants,” Del Mar told Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine. “Augmented reality projects provide both data and dynamic content.” The success of a concept is in creating immersive and capitvating display solutions without impacting the overall atmosphere. It’s having technology in the pantry.”

Additional features include:

• 3LCD laser technology – Epson laser technology provides up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation1, plus a sealed optical engine for amazing image quality and outstanding performance
• Robust content management – Includes templates, effects, color filters, and customizable options; users can create playlists, control the projector and schedule functions remotely with an easy-to-use, web-based application or over the network with Crestron®, Art-Net and more
• Scalable for an array of applications – Daisy-chain multiple LightScene projectors and utilize Edge Blending technology for versatile, impactful displays
• Easily programmable – Playlist and playback functions allow for seamless content management for single or multiple LightScene projectors
• Flexible positioning – Includes vertical and horizontal rotation with 360-degree mounting on tracks, floors, walls, or ceilings; 1.58x powered optical zoom and powered focus allows for installation in both large and small spaces
• Expansive connectivity – HDMI®, RJ-45, wired and wireless LAN, and SD card slot2 for direct content storage when needed
• Bright visual display system – Offers up to 2,000 lumens of color brightness and 2,000 lumens of white brightness for vibrant, rich colors3

Epson teamed up with designers from London, New York and Tokyo to showcase examples of how LightScene brings retail and hospitality exhibitions to life. These examples will be showcased in Epson’s booth at DSE, along with ideas and design concepts from U.S. design agencies such as All of It Now. The Epson LightScene projectors will be available May 2018 for $2,499 (MSRP). The laser projectors come with a limited warranty of three years or 20,000 hours, whichever comes first, and next business day replacement, including free shipping both ways4.

McDonald’s Expands Archways to Opportunity

McDonald’s Corporation will allocate $150 million over five years to its global Archways to Opportunity education program. This investment will provide almost 400,000 U.S. restaurant employees with accessibility to the program as the company will also lower eligibility requirements from nine months to 90 days of employment and drop weekly shift minimums from 20 hours to 15 hours. Additionally, McDonald’s will also extend some education benefits to restaurant employees’ family members. These enhancements underscore McDonald’s and its independent franchisees’ commitment to providing jobs that fit around the lives of restaurant employees so they may pursue their education and career ambitions.

The Archways to Opportunity program provides eligible U.S. employees an opportunity to earn a high school diploma, receive upfront college tuition assistance, access free education advising services and learn English as a second language.  

“Our commitment to education reinforces our ongoing support of the people who play a crucial role in our journey to build a better McDonald’s,” said Steve Easterbrook, McDonald’s President and CEO. “By offering restaurant employees more opportunities to further their education and pursue their career aspirations, we are helping them find their full potential, whether that’s at McDonald’s or elsewhere.”

Accelerated by changes in the U.S. tax law, McDonald’s increased investment in the Archways to Opportunity Program includes:

• Increased Tuition Investment:
  • Crew: Eligible crew will have access to $2,500/year, up from $700/year.
  • Managers: Eligible Managers will have access to $3,000/year, up from $1,050.
  • Participants have a choice for how they apply this funding – whether it be to a community college, four year university or trade school. There is no lifetime cap on tuition assistance – restaurant employees will be able to pursue their education and career passions at their own pace. The new tuition assistance is effective May 1, 2018 and retroactive to January 1, 2018.
• Lowered Eligibility Requirements: Increase access to the program by lowering eligibility requirements from nine months to 90 days of employment. In addition, dropping from 20 hours minimum to 15 hours minimum (roughly two full time shifts) per week to enable restaurant employees more time to focus on studies.
• Extended Services to Families: Extension of Career Online High School and College Advisory services to restaurant employees’ family members through existing educational partners Cengage and Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL).
• Additional Resources: Career exploration resources for eligible restaurant employees to be available later this year.
• Creation of an International Education Fund: Grants to provide local initiatives and incentives in global markets to further education advancement programs.

“Since its inception, Archways to Opportunity was meant to match the ambition and drive of restaurant crew with the means and network to help them find success on their own terms,” said David Fairhurst, McDonald’s Chief People Officer. “By tripling tuition assistance, adding education benefits for family members and lowering eligibility requirements to the equivalent of a summer job, we are sending a signal that if you come work at your local McDonald’s, we’ll invest in your future.”

After launching in the U.S. in 2015, Archways to Opportunity has increased access to education for over 24,000 people and awarded over $21 million in high school and college tuition assistance. Graduates have received college degrees in Business Administration, Human Resources, Communications, Accounting, Microbiology and more.

“Without the forethought, planning and initiative by all employers, we will not fully prepare today’s workforce for tomorrow’s economy,” said Maria K. Flynn, president and CEO, JFF a national nonprofit that builds educational and economic opportunity for underserved populations in the United States. “McDonald’s enhanced offering to employees – and their families – for increased access to further education is the kind of corporate investment that ensures an opportunity for all in the future economy.”

“McDonald’s is making it easier for workers to access education benefits and they are making those benefits more generous. The fact that they are extending the Career Online High School program and their college advisory services to family members of workers can be game changing for some families,” said Jamie Fall, director, The Aspen Institute’s Upskill America. “Plus, paying the tuition up-front for workers instead of through a reimbursement process allows far more workers to take advantage of the program. These are all very positive advancements to their Archways to Opportunity program.”

Tim Horton’s Unveils Guest-Centric Design

Tim Hortons® revealed its revitalized Restaurant design that provides Guests with a modernized Restaurant experience. The new Welcome Image is a part of Tim Hortons® focus on always striving to improve the guest experience, through a more contemporary restaurant environment, premium quality coffee and food, and new creative ways to connect with guests.

“We know that Tim Hortons® is a fundamental part of Canadian culture and we’ve worked hard with our Restaurant Owners to ensure we’re delivering exactly what our Guests have come to expect from their favourite local coffee shop – we want Tim Hortons® to always be their home away from home,” said Alex Macedo, President of the Tim Hortons® brand. “Throughout the creative process, we conducted extensive market testing that revealed our new Welcome Image is not only approved, but loved by our Guests across the country.”

Together, with restaurant owners, Tim Hortons® will invest C$700 million to bring the Welcome Image to a majority of Canadian Tim Hortons® Restaurants over the next four years. As part of the new image, the  exterior will be designed with natural looking, lighter, and more inviting materials.

Inside, Restaurants will be decorated with artwork that reflects Tim Hortons® values and history – including a commissioned portrait of Tim Horton, a mosaic of iconic brand images and a photo wall that features Tim Hortons® unique coffee-sourcing and proprietary blending process. Guests will also enjoy upgraded, open concept seating that fosters the sense of community at the core of the Tim Hortons® brand.

“The expectations of our Guests are evolving, and as Canada’s most iconic brand, so must we,” said Macedo. “Together with our Restaurant Owners, we’re focused on taking Tim Hortons® to new heights – from revitalizing the Restaurant experience and evolving our menu offerings to developing creative campaigns that make all of our Guests proud to call their local Tim Hortons® home.”

HotSchedules with Sprinkles

Cleo Mediterráneo Opens in Middle East

Cleo Mediterráneo, the acclaimed Mediterranean culinary concept from Chef Danny Elmaleh and sbe’s Disruptive Group, today announced the opening of its first Middle East location at The Avenues in Kuwait City in partnership with M.H. Alshaya Co. This is the first of five Cleo restaurants to open across the Middle East, with the second outpost slated for early 2019.

Sam Nazarian, Founder & CEO of sbe, said: “Following the incredible success of Cleo’s expansion in the United States and The Bahamas in 2017, we’re delighted that our eighth location of the social dining brand will be our first in the region.” He adds: “The award-winning M.H. Alshaya Co. has been a strategic partner of ours since 2010, supporting the growth of our Katsuya brand. The Middle East is a significant part of sbe’s growth strategy and we’re thrilled to work with leading partners in the region to help us expand our culinary footprint to some of the most exciting cities in Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and more.”

The opening in Kuwait continues an exceptional period of success for the Cleo brand which in 2017 saw the opening of its first international property at SLS Baha Mar (part of the integrated resort destination in The Bahamas), the huge success of celebrity hotspot Cleo Third Street in Los Angeles, and the first Cleo in New York at Mondrian Park Avenue, which was called one of the “14 hot new global restaurants for 2018.”

Cleo The Avenues, which officially opened on March 22, features 168 seats and will retain Chef Danny Elmaleh’s signature contemporary Mediterranean cuisine with an added local flavor. The menu celebrates ingredients and cultures of the eastern and southern Mediterranean, putting a spotlight on Cleo favorites including Brussels sprouts, spicy cigars, and other shared plate favorites from babaganoush to crispy artichoke hummus enjoyed on fresh baked Taboon bread.

Over the last few years, sbe has seen success with five Katsuya restaurants throughout the region, with an additional six more in the pipeline. Additionally, sbe is close to announcing a strategic partnership in UAE for Umami Burger, its leading premium burger brand, and is in active discussions to launch Umami in Qatar and Bahrain.

sbe’s hotel brands are also on the cusp of significant growth in the Middle East region, whose momentum began with the October 2017 debut of the highly-anticipated Mondrian Doha. Boasting exceptional designs by Marcel Wanders, Mondrian Doha features eight culinary and entertainment venues, including Magnolia Bakery, Morimoto and CUT by Wolfgang Puck. Next, sbe has plans to open Delano Dubai in late 2018 with Mondrian Dubai and SLS Doha following in 2019, and Hyde Doha in 2020.

RCP Partners with Southern Fried Hospitality

Gen3 Hospitality Takes Over Elephant Bar

FoodLogiQ Raises Funds for Expansion