The Pay Transparency Movement Has Arrived in New Jersey
The New Jersey Pay and Benefit Transparency Act. Effective June 1, 2025, New Jersey has joined a growing number of states enacting pay transparency laws with the implementation of The New Jersey Pay and Benefit Transparency Act (the “NJPBTA”). The NJBTA is designed to combat wage disparities and provide employees and job applicants with greater access to information concerning a company’s compensation practices. While many employers from neighboring states, like New York, may already be familiar with the concept of salary disclosure with pay transparency laws already in place, New Jersey’s new law is a significant shift for businesses that have previously operated without pay transparency obligations. The NJBTA applies to both private and public employers, with 10 or more employees, over 20 or more calendar weeks that conduct business, employ people, or take applications for employment within New Jersey. Covered employers must, in all job postings or advertisements for transfer opportunities (whether posted externally or internally), disclose the salary or hourly pay (or ranges), general descriptions of benefits, and any other applicable compensation programs. Additionally, covered employers are required to reasonably notify current employees of job promotion opportunities, whether announced through internal or external channels. The law applies broadly, with limited job postings or advertisements being exempt from its requirements. According to Governor Murphy of New Jersey, the law is meant to ensure workers have access to essential information to further the broader goal of making New Jersey a more equitable and attractive place to work and reside in. The NJBTA adds another compliance layer that hospitality employers must manage carefully. For hospitality employers, where roles are often filled quickly and hiring tends to be high-volume and continuous, this change in the law will shift the way employers operate and require extra steps in ensuring that job postings and advertisements are compliant with the law. Specifically, employers must be sure to review not only how they structure compensation but also how they communicate about it publicly and internally. Employers must note that the risks of non-compliance are real and expose them to monetary fines…
How Far Will AI Voice Ordering Spread for Restaurants?
AI voice ordering in FSRs can handle phone and online orders, allowing customers to make requests ahead of time at all hours of the day. Full-service restaurants are starting to incorporate artificial intelligence to assist operations. AI voice ordering implementation is spreading, with companies using it for simple tasks. Its capabilities could become more complex, assisting workforces in the fastest-paced environments. It is gaining attention because of how much it supplements strained staff, minimizing employee stress and improving the customer experience. AI voice ordering in FSRs can handle phone and online orders, allowing customers to make requests ahead of time at all hours of the day. It uses natural language processing to translate and create orders in point-of-sale systems. The tool can also personalize upselling to customers. If an FSR has a loyalty program, an AI can use phone numbers to suggest monthly deals or specials based on a diner’s order history. Some staff may feel uncomfortable pushing products and promotions to callers, but an AI tool can recommend the perfect drink or side pairing with an entrée based on customer feedback and data. Restaurateurs historically experience high turnover, with some states increasing minimum wages to entice people. They also know how demanding FSR work can be, expecting employees to juggle a never-ending to-do list while keeping a smile on their face. Waitstaff, bussers and chefs can stay at their posts without wondering who will run to answer the ringing phone. Newk’s Eatery is a fast casual that partnered with a San Francisco-based company to have an AI fulfill all these needs. The model was ready within two weeks, handled 182 hours of calls and was fully aware of the menu and customization options. Newk’s Information Technology Vice President, Adam Karveller, mentioned how much it helped, saying, “… we just didn’t have the staff that we once had in order to answer those calls in a quick, efficient, and accurate manner. Sometimes calls were altogether ignored depending on the staffing of the restaurant and we were missing out on serving our customers.” Quality control is a fundamental metric for restaurants, and AI enables experts to single-task and focus on their jobs to provide the best experience possible. Guest expectations constantly increase, and giving workers more time to dedicate to their craft and training is the best way to consistently ensure high praise and five-star online reviews…
Bielat Santore & Company – Restaurant Industry Alert
WE SELL RESTAURANTS!
Since 1978, the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry Bielat and Richard Santore, have sold more restaurants and similar type properties in New Jersey than any other real estate company.
HERE IS A NEW LISTING JUST ON THE MARKET
MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ RESTAURANT & BAR
Well-maintained restaurant and bar located in Monmouth County, NJ, with high visibility on a major highway. The establishment features 100 seats plus 20 at the bar, equipped with a wood-fired pizza oven. An additional private event room on the second floor offers seating for 100 guests and includes a bar…
Contact Richard Santore, 732.531.4200 for additional information.
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How Independent Restaurants Win with Agility, Authenticity, and Community
Small but mighty. National chains bring with them the benefits of size: expansive advertising budgets, advanced technology, and nationwide name recognition. But with that scale often comes complexity: more layers, less flexibility, and a growing distance from the communities they serve. Independent restaurants and smaller multi-unit brands may not have the same reach, but they have something just as powerful: the ability to adapt quickly, get to know their guests by name, and become a meaningful part of their neighborhoods. Below, we examine how small restaurants can leverage their strengths into a competitive edge, offering practical, community-driven strategies that go beyond general advice. 1. Move Fast. Learn Faster. Large organizations often move slowly by necessity. Whether it’s a loyalty program, a seasonal menu, or a community initiative, every change tends to pass through multiple departments and approvals. Independent restaurants, by contrast, can stay flexible, and that flexibility gives you a chance to not just try new ideas, but to learn quickly what works and what doesn’t. That kind of freedom is a real advantage. It means you can be creative. A few possibilities include:
- Create a guest innovation panel: invite a small group of loyal customers to try new items or features first and give feedback in exchange for perks
- Offer a “one-day-only” surprise dish: let your chef highlight whatever’s freshest or most inspiring that morning, and promote it on your sidewalk sign and social. This keeps your menu dynamic and lets you test ideas without commitment.
- Offer micro-promos linked to weather or local events (e.g., “It’s raining: free coffee with any pastry today!”). Big chains can’t adjust offers on the fly like you can.
- Set up a “feedback wall” in-store where guests can post sticky notes with ideas or vote on your next special. Fun, interactive, postable, and quick to implement.
- Experiment with flexible happy hours: maybe test a late-afternoon window one week and a late-night one the next, to see what draws the most guests based on your specific neighborhood rhythms.
Small teams mean shorter feedback loops, faster learning, and more opportunities to test, refine, and deliver what your guests want, while larger competitors are still navigating their more complex processes. 2. Build the Kind of Local Partnerships Chains Can’t…
How Full-Service Restaurants are Making a Comeback
Menu innovation and operational improvements are driving the segment’s turnaround. With a few exceptions, the full-service segment had a tough time in 2024 and early 2025. Closures at major chains from Red Robin to Denny’s and Outback Steakhouse dominated headlines. Bankruptcies at legacy brands like Red Lobster, TGI Fridays, and Hooters were also a recurring theme. But we are starting to see signs of recovery and renewal in the segment. Traffic at casual dining concepts stabilized in the first half of 2025, for instance, according to Placer.ai data. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Michael Halen notes that casual dining outperformed quick-service in the first half of this year, driven by hospitality and strong value perceptions “via portion sizes and reasonable prices.” Family dining same-store sales have also turned positive recently, according to Black Box Intelligence. Further, according to Chatmeter’s new “2025 Full-Service Reputation Ranking Report,” full-service chains are catching a tailwind from menu innovation and operational improvements. Brands that launched menu updates, including TGI Fridays, Olive Garden, and The Cheesecake Factory, saw notable engagement and positive feedback in Chatmeter’s Pulse Ai: Signals, which analyzed more than 1 million reviews across 10 of the largest casual dining chains from June 2023 through June 2025. Those reviews increasingly mentioned healthier options, such as The Cheesecake Factory’s “SkinnyLicious” menu, which was updated earlier this year. Full-service chains have also gotten credit for operational improvements and technology upgrades, such as digital ordering, loyalty programs, and pay-at-the-table solutions. These initiatives have driven higher satisfaction scores at Outback Steakhouse, Chili’s, and Applebee’s. “Multi-location full-service restaurants have struggled to compete with fast food restaurants on value, but we’re starting to see them adapt to customer feedback and drive positive business momentum,” Chatmeter chief executive officer John Mazur said in a statement. “Customers are no longer just seeking a good deal — they are rewarding brands that are delivering menu creativity and operational excellence”…
How Restaurants Are Navigating Economic Headwinds
Smarter not smaller. In order to address ongoing economic strains, more restaurant operators are choosing to strategically use technology and data to become “smarter, not smaller.” This approach focuses on targeted investments in technology designed to yield measurable benefits, helping them build more resilient and profitable businesses. “Operators are investing in tools that deliver fast, measurable ROI,” Samir Zabaneh, CEO of TouchBistro, told Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine. “That means smarter scheduling, streamlined menus, better inventory control, and automation that frees staff to focus on hospitality. It’s no longer about cutting corners, it’s about running tighter, tech-driven operations that make every dollar count.” Data: A Backbone of Restaurant Success. Data has become indispensable for restaurant success. Operators are moving beyond reactive measures, proactively using insights to optimize every facet of their operations. “Restaurateurs are using data to guide everyday decisions and improve margins,” explains Zabaneh. A prime example can be seen in labor management. The TouchBistro 2025 State of Restaurants Report revealed that 99 percent of operators are spending more on labor. However, nearly 29 percent have successfully reduced labor costs by leveraging POS sales data to accurately predict staffing needs, ensuring efficient deployment without compromising service quality. Data is also a driving force behind technology adoption. By analyzing performance data to pinpoint workflow inefficiencies, many operators are automating routine tasks. Over half of full-service restaurants have automated online ordering (57 percent), invoicing (54 percent), and email marketing (53 percent), leading to more efficient teams, increased productivity, and often, higher sales. Even menu decisions are now data-driven. With escalating food costs, operators are streamlining menus based on detailed sales insights, emphasizing top-selling, high-margin items to protect profitability while maintaining a positive customer experience…
What Consumers Want from Restaurants at Breakfast
Operators can boost traffic and sales by addressing customers’ morning meal priorities. Value, convenience, and food quality are the three big drivers that will draw consumers into a restaurant for breakfast. No big surprise there, but priorities differ on weekdays vs. weekends, according to Technomic’s recent Breakfast Consumer Trend Report. The report also found that there’s a slight shift away from takeout toward dine-in visits, but when consumers opt for breakfast off-premise, online ordering and mobile payment rules. As with all restaurant meals, value is a top consumer priority at breakfast. It’s more important on weekdays (63%) vs. weekends (61%), the latter a change from 2021 when 67% of consumers were seeking “good value for the money spent” on weekends.
Nevertheless, 28% of weekend breakfast eaters are looking for “breakfast options that are inexpensive,” up from 22% in 2021. Meanwhile, dine-in visits have increased in fast-casual and fast-food restaurants, while takeout and drive-in orders are down. Operators can capitalize on this trend by encouraging add-ons and unique beverages to compete with the growing number of specialty coffee and tea concepts. These changes have the potential to increase check averages and leverage profit opportunities, said the report…
Restaurants Create ‘Ozempic Menus’ For Diners on Weight-Loss Drugs
Mini meals with bite size portions for people taking GLP-1 weight-loss drugs that reduce appetite. GLP-1 weight-loss drugs work so well because they reduce appetite — a game changer for patients, but a concerning development for restaurants. Now, some eateries are creating an “Ozempic menu” of smaller meals named after the blockbuster Type 2 diabetes treatment, which has become famous for its side effect of helping people lose weight. The bite-size portions are meant to entice diners who are taking GLP-1 medications like Wegovy or Zepbound — which are specifically approved for weight loss — and have similar experiences to a TikTok user who said, “I took four little bites, and I can’t eat any more of my food ’cause I’m full.” GLP-1s mimic at least one hormone produced by the gut to signal fullness, leading people to eat less and have fewer cravings. About 2% of American adults now take a GLP-1 drug to treat obesity, according to a report released by FAIR Health in May 2025. That amounts to millions of people. Besides feeling full quickly, patients are also advised to eat smaller meals and avoid certain foods to minimize side effects like nausea and vomiting. Clinton Hall, a group of burger and beer restaurants in New York City, is known for large portions, but it recently introduced a mini meal that includes a petite hamburger, a few fries, and a small beer for $8 — a third of the price of a regular-size combo. “It 100% is targeting the growing number of GLP-1 users. That market has definitely increased, especially over the last year and a half,” Greg Mecane, marketing director for Clinton Hall told TODAY. “It is catching fire. People are coming in specifically for it.” Smaller portions mean smaller bills, but the strategy pays off by drawing more customers in who may have shied away from eating out, the restaurant chain told NBC’s Emilie Ikeda…
Did You Know?
Tesla’s new retro-futuristic diner is a restaurant, charging station and marketing ploy. Elon Musk’s long-awaited concept is open in Los Angeles. With a Jetson’s design vibe, $14 tuna melts, and a side of protesters, guests are lining up to try it. Elon Musk is officially in the restaurant business. The long-awaited Tesla Diner opened in Los Angeles last week offering an all-day menu of grilled cheese ($9), burgers ($13.50), tuna melts ($14) and beef-tallow fries ($4) served in Cybertruck-shaped packaging. It’s part restaurant, part Tesla charging station and part experiential marketing ploy for the Musk-founded electric car maker and its products…
Employee Tip
The Hidden Ingredient to Restaurant Resilience? Better Communication Tools. In the fast-paced world of food service, communication is everything. From taking orders to coordinating back-of-house operations, every moment counts. Yet many restaurants are still relying on outdated or overly complex communication tools that slow down operations and hinder their ability to deliver exceptional service. A recent survey of 1,000 managers in the retail, hospitality, and restaurant industries reveals just how crucial communication has become. Nearly all (96 percent) restaurant managers rely on communication technology in their daily operations, with the most popular tools being mobile phones (74 percent) and in-app platforms (46 percent)…
