Agility was a common theme that rang throughout the 2022 MenuDirections conference, held this week on the University of Notre Dame campus. Several foodservice operators who presented at the event, put on by FSD and its parent company Winsight Media, underscored the importance of remaining flexible and ready for change.
Here’s some of what they shared.
Flexibility at the fore.
We live in a VUCA world, said Leisa Bryant, executive director of food and nutrition services at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, citing an acronym that stands for volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. Many employees are already tired when they come into work, and the hours they spend on the job might be a safe haven from what they’re contending with outside of it. Developing more emotional intelligence, communicating with compassion and staying flexible are musts for modern leaders, she said, noting that “you have to find that sweet spot.”
Leaning on tech.
“Remaining nimble is our main priority,” said Sandra Garcia, director of retail dining at the University of Notre Dame. Leveraging tech has been the best way to manage ebbs and flows in sales volumes, she said, and her team is constantly re-evaluating staffing needs to provide the best possible service. COVID expanded the team’s partnership with Grubhub, and they are in the process of bringing delivery robots to campus next semester.
Tracking expectations.
Pre-pandemic, diners were looking for “the destination,” Bryant said, but now, it’s all about convenience and grab and go. Almost one-third of the staff on MD Anderson’s campus are working fully remote, while the rest are a combination of on-premise and hybrid workers, Bryant said, noting that “we have to serve them all.” To address consumers’ shifting preferences, her team has been considering different grab-and-go layouts, order and delivery models, and food lockers.
Listening to guests.
Higher ed sits in the seat between idealism and realism, said Cheryl Bauer, director of supply chain and sustainability at Notre Dame, and it’s up to the school to take students’ idealistic views and help make them reality. The dining team aims to partner with students to help them create the world they want to see, she said. Listening to students led them to find a system that recycles food waste and also increase the percentage of vegan and vegetarian offerings on Notre Dame’s menus from 25% to 32%.