An approach to bringing a newness model to market for fast-casual and quick-serve restaurants would be to follow a seasonal model. A hybrid that might follow natural seasons but could also be based on campus seasons or even sports seasonality. This model could also realize a bit of practicality and sustainability by reuse of seasonal, visual assets. Similar to a reoccurring stage theater production or department store visual inventory, as a season ends, it is replaced with last year’s package.

It is strange to see Danny Meyer, well-known New York City restaurateur and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, appear in an article about the federal minimum wage and workers in restaurants he likely never sets foot in, and yet there he is. This is because Danny Meyer, the man behind Union Square Café, Shake Shack and Gramercy Tavern, among others, has set out to eliminate tipping at all of his restaurants, beginning with The Modern and followed by the remaining 12, by the end of 2016.