Comment
The Comment section on Catering Today features expert opinions, editorials, and thought leadership from across the UK hospitality industry. It offers in-depth perspectives from restaurateurs, chefs, trade body leaders, and analysts on the key issues shaping foodservice — from staffing and supply chain challenges to innovation, sustainability, and market recovery. Catering Today’s commentary highlights diverse industry voices, providing critical insights and strategic viewpoints that help hospitality professionals navigate commercial, regulatory, and operational change.
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Oct- 2019 -1 October
Understanding restaurant CVAs and closures
As recently reported by Catering Today, the number of restaurant insolvencies has risen by 25% in the past 12 months. This news came within weeks of 23-site restaurant chain Abokado announcing it was entering into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) and follows a general trend of high-profile closures throughout the…
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Sep- 2019 -18 September
Maintaining service levels over the festive period
Festive trading in hospitality can be fraught with difficulties – it’s likely there will be new staff to manage, more covers needed, different menus to roll out and altered table layouts to navigate – not to mention that all of this sits on top of the inevitably increased footfall. The…
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13 September
Spilling the beans on the future of coffee machines
Coffee machines have been around for over a century. In fact, the earliest concept of the coffee machine dates back to 1818, when Mr Laurens, a Parisian local, invented the percolator machine which changed the way coffee was typically prepared. Since then, there have been many developments and innovations to…
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13 September
Food safety management systems: much more than a tick in the box for your food hygiene rating
What came first on the road to the five star Food Hygiene Rating? The adherence to food safety and hygiene procedures, pest control and the general cleanliness of the premises and equipment? Or the implementation of a detailed and well-understood food safety management system? There’s a common misconception that an…
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6 September
How the catering industry can reduce costs by being more sustainable
As a thriving industry with revenues of £1.4bn, the UK catering industry is no stranger to ambition. Traditionally, labour management, inventory and ambience were top priorities for the industry due to the importance of preserving product quality and customer loyalty. However, times are changing and sustainability is now joining those…
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2 September
The importance of adopting a CSR strategy for businesses
What is CSR? Typically, when people think of CSR, they often think of and associate the concept with charity. However, it is so much more than that; there are several factors that fall under the umbrella of CSR and can include: human rights, management policies, health and safety, environmental policies,…
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Aug- 2019 -30 August
Making the most of your venue
Opening a food outlet, regardless of whether it’s a fine dining restaurant or a sandwich bar brings with it a whole host of considerations. It’s not that long ago when, once you’d secured your premises, decorated it, sorted the kitchen and decided on the menu you were pretty much good…
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29 August
Whistleblowing on Food Crime
Since 2013, the horsemeat scandal has been the most high profile food fraud issue to date and as a result of the mistrust against the industry by consumers, the Elliot Review recommended that all food businesses take a zero-tolerance approach to food crime and support the incorporation of whistleblowing procedures.…
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21 August
Five ways restaurateurs can use digital marketing to survive the high street turbulence
Looking at the high street restaurant scene at the moment, it is easy to feel pessimistic. Jamie’s Italian became the latest popular British restaurant chain forced to shut its doors for good when it announced the closure of 23 of its 25 restaurants. Since 2018, Carluccio’s has closed nearly a…
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20 August
The importance of being more sustainable in the catering industry
Sustainability is one of the most important issues currently causing great concern for our planet, and with an increasing number of consumers demanding that businesses take action, more companies are being mindful of the impact they have on the environment. From the much-publicised move against plastic straws to the introduction…
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