03 Feb 2022
People are really sensitive to change, especially when it comes to price. According to Doug Roth, a restaurant consultant in Chicago, the more affordable a restaurant is, the more attuned to pricing customers are.
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Feb 3, 2022 | Articles, In The News, Interviews
Doug Roth chimes in on National Public Radio on current food prices. If you’ve been noticing prices going up at the grocery store, you can imagine the price of food is going up for restaurant owners, too… “I would say casual, lower end, you have to be very...
21 Oct 2021
Chicago based consultant, Doug Roth, founder of Playground Hospitality, discusses restaurant supply shortages and how it's changing business - on WBBM Newsradio.
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Oct 21, 2021 | Articles, In The News, Interviews
WBBM speaks with Doug Roth about the shortages in restaurant supplies. A shortage of line cooks and equipment in the restaurant industry…. “They have to get, at this point, what they are able to serve….” ~ Doug Roth, founder and owner of...
06 Oct 2021
Many restaurants have been doing much better in recent months, thanks to summer customers, but there's worry the fall and winter could derail their comeback. Doug Roth, the founder of Playground Hospitality in Chicago, joins the Noon Business Hour to discuss.
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Oct 6, 2021 | Articles, In The News, Interviews
Doug Roth joins WBBM to talk about restaurants coming back during the coming colder weather. How will the restaurant atmosphere be affected by the colder climate in this latest era? “The supply chain at this point is creating some havoc…increase in menu...
21 Jul 2021
Doug Roth, of Playground Hospitality, talks about the possibility of a vaccine mandate for diners on WBBM's Noon Business Hour.
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Jul 21, 2021 | Articles, In The News, Interviews
Doug Roth speaks to WBBM regarding possible vaccine mandate for restaurant goers. Latest on America’s second quarter economic output, proof of vaccination could be required with your next restaurant reservation. “I think it’s easier to talk about...
28 Dec 2020
Doug Roth, of Playground Hospitality, shares his optimism for a resurgence in restaurant patronage with the Chicago Tribune.
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20 Nov 2020
The chain must figure out its competitive advantage—a soul search it failed at during its last revamp—and translate that to the online ordering world.
"You put your brand in the bag," says Doug Roth, founder and president of Chicago-based restaurant consultancy Playground Hospitality. "You need to be able to figure out how to do that."
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Nov 20, 2020 | Articles, In The News
Online orders have surged during the pandemic. If Potbelly can rope in customers via takeout and learn how to use data it gathers, experts say the turnaround has a shot. The chain must figure out its competitive advantage—a soul search it failed at during its last...
30 Sep 2020
1 in 6 have already closed and we are looking at another 40% that will close in the next few months if there's not government intervention. You have to be able to create a menu at this point that can be appealing to pick-up and delivery customers. Comfort food has become very popular.
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24 Sep 2020
Some restaurants are forgoing the headache of air quality investments and tent cities altogether and plan to ride out winter by focusing on carryout and delivery, said Doug Roth, president of restaurant consultancy Playground Hospitality.
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Sep 24, 2020 | In The News
Nearly 60% feel uneasy eating inside, so restaurants try sterilizing UV wands, tabletop air purifiers as winter looms. Some restaurants are forgoing the headache of air quality investments and tent cities altogether and plan to ride out winter by focusing on carryout...
05 Sep 2020
A survey commissioned by the guest experience platform Seven Rooms identifies what restaurant patrons are looking for as they dine out during the pandemic. Doug Roth of Playground Hospitality in Chicago joins the Noon Business Hour.
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04 Sep 2020
The Illinois Restaurant Association has been lobbying the city of Chicago to raise indoor dining capacity from 25% to 50%, but that may not be enough to help some owners.
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Sep 4, 2020 | In The News
“I don’t see in my lifetime, any period of time, that could be considered more challenging than right now,” said Doug Roth, a restaurant consultant at Playground Hospitality. Roth said research shows more than 70% of diners have concerns about eating...