Reality Check

Peter Romeo

The blog from award-winning journalist, RB Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo. Peter taps into his decades of experience covering the restaurant business at a variety of publications to discuss any number of issues related to the operations and general direction of restaurants.

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Workforce

What the unionization of Starbucks could mean for customers

By Peter Romeo on Jun. 14, 2022

Reality Check: Management is worried the focus on employees will temper the importance of patrons. It may not be giving the workers enough credit.

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Leadership

6 innovations that trace back to Howard Johnson's

By Peter Romeo on Jun. 06, 2022

Reality Check: If you think the now-defunct brand did little more than popularize fried clams, read on.

Operations

4 big questions raised by the National Restaurant Association Show

By Peter Romeo on May 23, 2022

Reality Check: The industry's largest gathering provided nearly everything an operator could want, but it posed some tough questions as well.

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Financing

Restaurants need one voice in a post-RRF world

By Peter Romeo on May 17, 2022

Reality Check: The Independent Restaurant Coalition needs to become part of the National Restaurant Association.

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Operations

What US Foods' big changes could mean for customers

By Peter Romeo on May 10, 2022

A disgruntled investor forced out the CEO and claimed several board seats. It's vowed to improve customer service.

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Leadership

Howard Schultz signals changes in Starbucks' union response

By Peter Romeo on Apr. 04, 2022

Meanwhile, Starbucks Workers United continues to win converts, with at least 10 stores unionized and nearly another 200 asking for a vote.

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Workforce

What's Starbucks' next union move?

By Peter Romeo on Mar. 16, 2022

Reality Check: Returning CEO Howard Schultz has prided himself on being a champion of working people. Will that make make him more open to collaborating with Starbucks Workers United?

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Leadership

The slam that stoked David Brandon's fire at Domino's

By Peter Romeo on Mar. 02, 2022

Reality Check: The public had issues with the pizza. But the withering criticism was aimed at an incoming exec who's now been named executive chairman.

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Financing