Americas
Visitors liken vegan event to Fyre Festival
Visitors to Vegandale Festival in Queens were left frustrated after the event struggled with ticketing and resource shortages. Held at Citi Field, the popular vegan food and music festival faced backlash from attendees, many of whom paid up to $90 for VIP access. Long lines, a lack of crowd control and inadequate facilities led some to compare it to the infamous Fyre Festival. Complaints included shortages of drinking water, shade, and bathroom supplies. Vegandale acknowledged the logistical issues, with a spokesperson admitting that it was their first time at the venue and promising that improvements would be made.
Chipotle Mexican grill trials avocado-processing robots
Chipotle Mexican Grill is testing robots to help prep avocados and assemble burrito bowls at two California locations, the company has announced. Feedback from employees and customers will determine whether the technology will expand to other restaurants. The first robot, named ‘Autocado,’ cuts, cores, and peels avocados in just 26 seconds, cutting guacamole prep time in half. The second, a collaborative robot, or ‘cobot’ called the Augmented Makeline, is designed to automate the assembly of bowls and salads, which accounts for 65% of Chipotle’s digital orders, according to the company.
Asia Pacific
McDonald’s Japan lifts hair color ban to attract workers
McDonald’s Japan business lifted its hair color restrictions for employees in an attempt to attract more workers, improve the working environment, and address labor shortages, on a trial basis at its outlet in Osaka, according to local news reports. The chain previously had rules that required employees’ hair color to look ‘natural’, but since implementing the new policy, McDonald’s said that the store had a three-fold increase in fresh recruits in April compared to last year.
KFC India launches sign language training for employees
Fast-food chain KFC India has introduced a sign language training programme for its entire workforce in the country, The Economic Times has reported. The initiative aims to promote inclusivity and better serve customers with speech and hearing impairments, and is compulsory for all employees, including those in corporate offices. In a statement, KFC said: “The training is part of KFC India’s Kshamata programme, which is aimed at feeding people’s potential, and bridging the gender and ability gap.”
EMEA
Flight diverted after passenger discovers live mouse in in-flight meal
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) reported that one of its flights had to make an unscheduled landing after a mouse unexpectedly emerged from a passenger’s in-flight meal last week. The flight, which was en route from Oslo, Norway, to Malaga, Spain, was diverted to Copenhagen, Denmark. According to SAS spokesperson Oystein Schmidt, the decision followed standard company protocols, as the presence of the tiny intruder posed a safety risk. Airlines generally enforce strict measures regarding rodents onboard to prevent potential damage to electrical wiring. Passengers were later flown to Malaga on a different aircraft.
New Welsh tax laws are a blueprint to fixing business rates, according to UKHospitality
Changes to Welsh tax law that came into force last week have introduced measures to easily reform business rates, and industry body UKHospitality is urging the Welsh Government to use these new powers to immediately introduce a lower, permanent and universal multiplier for Welsh businesses. The new laws also provide a framework of how the UK Government in Westminster can implement similar measures. Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “With a looming business rates cliff edge in April, where venues face their bills quadrupling, there needs to be urgent action at the Budget and a lower, permanent and universal multiplier for hospitality must be a central part of that.”
Elly Earls
