G’morning and G’day. Let’s carpe this diem, shall we? 

With wildfire season in full burn, fire safety is top of mind. And so are the operators with winning strategies for protecting profits in any economy. 

This edition’s all about proactive peace of mind. ☮️ 

What’s on tap in this issue:

• Wildfire smoke ain’t no joke
• Cracker Barrel’s strategic sidestep moves
• How to keep the pollen sneezefest out of your restaurant

Industry news

What’s cookin’ in the industry? 

Smoke. Strategy. Survival. Wildfire season is ablaze (unfortunately), and so are rising costs. Proactive operators are the ones who will come out on top. ⭐

Fire Safety: Use smoky signals to make safer choices

Recently, operators in cities like Toronto and Chicago opened their restaurant doors, expecting to spot the usual morning hustle. Instead, they were greeted with a thick, orangey haze that makes dawn and dusk indistinguishable. 

• 💨 Smoke knows no borders. In early June, smoke from over 200 Canadian wildfires drifted into the U.S., blanketing the Midwest in haze and triggering air quality alerts across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. For U.S. restaurants, this could mean fewer patrons on the patio, increased strain on HVAC systems, and concerns about indoor air filtration.
  
  
• ❌ Alberta air quality hits high-risk levels. Wildfires near the Alberta–B.C. border pushed smoke into the greater Edmonton area, prompting air quality warnings and the activation of the city’s extreme weather response. Public facilities are operating as clean-air shelters, and residents have been urged to limit outdoor activities due to health risks and reduced visibility.

Whether it's smoky skies or back-of-house fire risks, restaurant safety hinges on preparation. And that’s what one Nashville restaurant focused on before opening its doors…

🧯 Ophelia’s overhauled a historic space with a modern kitchen hood, new grease traps, UL-300 fire suppression, and updated HVAC. The upgrades weren’t as glamorous as the stained-glass light fixtures or carefully curated art, but they were safety essentials.

Cracker Barrel pivots: a masterclass in strategic thinking

We’re all sick of the rising costs threatening to eat into already paper-thin margins. 

However, Cracker Barrel is using that kind of pressure as fuel for innovation.

With a projected $5 million tariff hit looming, Cracker Barrel could’ve panicked. Instead, they zeroed in on strategy, ramping up a $700 million transformation plan that’s helping them absorb pricing shocks and stay on track for stronger profits. Check out their high-value moves ⬇️  

• 💪 Smoother systems, stronger teams. Hourly staff turnover dropped 14%, and employee sentiment scores rose 2.3%. How? They rolled out a kitchen optimization plan system-wide, changing how food is prepped (from batch cooking to made-to-order). The result was fresher food and a lighter workload for kitchen staff each shift.
  
  
• 🤓 Smarter sourcing + retail pivots. About 1/3 of Cracker Barrel’s retail products come from China or vendors using Chinese materials. Rather than panic, they’re negotiating with suppliers and diversifying sourcing.
  
  
• 💰 Premium pricing + personalized loyalty = revenue boost. Menu mix was up 1.7% thanks to new, higher-priced items like shrimp and pot roast. Meanwhile, the chain’s 8 million-member loyalty program is now driving personalized offers through AI, resulting in a revenue lift per member.

Timely tips 

Imagine a guest walking through your door, taking one breath, and immediately starting to sneeze…Probably not the vibe you’re going for.

This year's pollen explosion isn't just making your customers miserable. It's filtering into your space, clogging your systems, and turning your restaurant into an allergy nightmare. Here's how to keep the yellow dust where it belongs: outside.

✔️ Add entryway air curtains or mats to keep allergens at the door. Air curtains or high-quality entrance mats can reduce the amount of pollen tracked or blown indoors, protecting both your airflow and your guests’ sinuses.

📅 Schedule regular HVAC filter swaps because high pollen = fast clogging. Dirty filters don’t just tank your air quality, they force your HVAC system to work harder (and less efficiently). Automate your HVAC maintenance schedule to keep airflow clean and consistent.

VP of FacilityMate Dale Moore shared these before-and-afters of an HVAC system gunked up with pollen. Wow.

🚪 Seal the leaks by checking windows, entryways, and vents for gaps where pollen can sneak in. A quick fix with weather stripping or sealing foam keeps the sneezing source outside where it belongs.

From the community

Brewing up success: How Black Rifle Coffee Company energized growth by mastering maintenance

Craig Chambers joined Black Rifle Coffee Company as Retail Facilities Manager in 2021, with just 3 corporate-owned stores. At that point, Craig was juggling repair requests through Slack, email, and phone calls — while frantically Googling locksmiths and HVAC techs, hoping someone could show up fast (usually at those steep "emergency job" rates).

And their existing software system just added another channel to the chaos. 

As BRCC grew from 3 to 10 stores, that seat-of-the-pants approach wasn’t cutting it. With ambitious plans to scale to 150–250 stores nationwide, Craig knew he had to kill the chaos.

That’s when they partnered with ResQ.

Vendor response times went from 48 hours to same-day service, critical for high-volume drive-thru locations where equipment downtime can cost $6K to $7K a day in lost sales. With ResQ's curated vendor network and centralized communication, Craig ditched the phone tag and emergency service price tags.

Now, BRCC runs a lean facilities operation without sacrificing visibility or control. In place of a massive team, Craig uses ResQ to track spending, manage work orders, and stay on top of maintenance across every location. ResQ lets the team assign tasks based on access and role, so even when GMs aren't onsite, every store stays accountable to company standards.

He's also gained real-time insight into seemingly small but spendy details, like whether stores are properly cleaning their $40,000 espresso machines. A simple task that prevents costly breakdowns.

"ResQ allows me to take a step back from the minute data and the fine-tuning of things," Craig says. 

With the day-to-day operations running smoothly, he can focus on what matters: effectively scaling BRCC with smooth operations and a consistent experience for every Java-loving customer.

Break time

Some see this room as half full, others see it as half empty…

Same goes for 2025, right? It’s June ~ some see it as “we’ve got half a year left ☺️!” Others see it as “we’re only halfway through 😱?” 

Either way, you’ve got about 190 days to go.

- Kareem at ResQ 

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Shameless plug

What does ResQ do?

ResQ is the most trades-friendly facilities management platform that streamlines restaurant R&M operations, while providing value to the trades industry.

Operators can efficiently track assets, create work orders quickly, and choose from a network of quality vendors to work with.

Love free samples? Same here. Schedule a FREE demo to learn more about ResQ.