Celebrating Excellence in the Hospitality Industry
2020 Best Practices Awards Finalists: Recognizing Elite Restaurant Brands
Finalists for the 2020 Best Practices Awards honoring best-in-class performance in the hospitality industry have been announced. These awards recognize extraordinary workplaces and workforce operations. Winners will be honored on January 30th, 2020 at the annual Global Best Practices Conference hosted by Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K) in Dallas, Texas.
The 2020 finalists are: BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Boddie-Noell Enterprises, Doherty Enterprises, Eat n’ Park Restaurants, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, El Pollo Loco, First Watch, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Jason’s Deli, LongHorn Steakhouse, Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub, NORMS Restaurants, Olive Garden, Panda Express, Panera Bread, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Portillo’s, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Seasons 52, Silver Diner, The Capital Grille, The Cheesecake Factory Inc., Wendy’s and Whataburger.
“Delivering the best steak house experience requires a special kind of person,” said David Hyatt, chief people officer of Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Inc. “Our people are the heart and soul of Ruth’s Chris brand and we are delighted to be a finalist for the Best Practice award.”
“Our managers set an example of servant leadership, autonomy, and accountability that builds a team full of brand ambassadors in every First Watch, and we’re proud to support their personal and professional growth,” said Laura Sorensen, chief people officer for First Watch. “Our employee-first culture is our differentiator, and we are honored to be a finalist for a recognition that reflects that.”
There will be six winners chosen, one from each segment of quick service, fast casual, family dining, casual dining, upscale casual, and fine dining.
The finalists for these coveted awards are evaluated on their retention of general managers and hourly employees, workforce diversity, and compensation practices. In addition, their initiatives and efforts in community involvement, corporate responsibility, employee foundations, and sustainable business practices are considered.
The 2020 Workplace Legacy Award will also be celebrated at the annual conference. The Workplace Legacy Award recognizes leaders in the restaurant industry who have demonstrated success in balancing superior people practices and best-in-class operational results. In addition, their employees, organizations, and communities have benefited from their leadership. In 2020, Black Box Intelligence (formerly TDn2K) will present the Workplace Legacy Award to David Gordon, president, and Dina Barmasse, SVP of human resources from The Cheesecake Factory Inc.
The final honors to be awarded are the Heart of the Workplace Award and the Diamond Catalyst Award. The Heart of the Workplace Award is presented to the company or person that demonstrates a significant commitment to and investment in their employees and communities.
The Diamond Catalyst Award honors a member of Workforce Intelligence (formerly People Report) and Financial Intelligence (formerly Black Box Intelligence) that recognizes superior workforce practices such as hiring, retention, and compensation that enable the winner to achieve top-quartile performance in sales and traffic.
All award finalists and winners will be honored at the Global Best Practices Conference hosted on January 28 – 30th, 2020 in Dallas, Texas.
