Hugh Robert is a journalist and writer for MassLive.com, specializing in local food and restaurant news in Western Massachusetts. With a focus on the culinary scene, Hugh covers topics such as restaurant trends, holiday flavors, and the impact of events and holidays on the local restaurant industry.
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Springfield, United States (Local)
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Hugh Robert's coverage primarily focuses on the local restaurant industry in Western Massachusetts, with a particular emphasis on seasonal trends and entertainment. To effectively reach out to Hugh, consider providing insights into upcoming holiday dining experiences or emerging seasonal flavors that are relevant to restaurants in Western Mass.
Given his focus on predicting future trends and challenges within the restaurant industry, pitches could include data-driven projections for 2024 restaurant trends or potential solutions to address specific challenges faced by local establishments. Offering unique angles related to "eatertainment" experiences or how restaurants can navigate dry spells during events like "Dry January" may also capture his attention.
When reaching out to Hugh, it would be beneficial to highlight any local connections and perspectives as well as data-backed insights into consumer behaviors related to dining preferences in Western Massachusetts.
This information evolves through artificial intelligence and human feedback. Improve this profile .
These days, lobster is seemingly everywhere and available in many chains like Friendly's and 99 Restaurants.
By: Hugh Robert
Fast forward to 2024 and it's clear that these engineered meat replacements have yet to live up to the hype that surrounded their introduction. Plant-based items have quietly been dropped from some menus (remember the McPlant burger?) and have been relegated to niche status on others. At the same time major plant-based meat producers are struggling with declining sales numbers.
The services are also aggressively promoting themselves to restaurant brands that had remained holdouts, such as Domino's, which recently began testing the use of third-party delivery.
| The days grow shorter, there's a chill in the air, and leaves swirl underfoot - all reminders that it's Oktoberfest time.
By: Hugh Robert
Some of us are old enough to remember when Halloween was primarily an occasion for kids.
| On November's ballot, voters will find Question 5, Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers , a measure placed before the public by our state's initiative petition process.
By: Hugh Robert
While reports as of Monday confirmed that the beef patties were not in fact contaminated (and the Quarter Pounder has returned to menus), it raises questions about food preparation and safety.
By: Hugh Robert
Since most of their restaurants are franchisee-operated, major quick-service chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, or Chick-fil-A don’t mandate a Veterans Day program.
The restaurant industry itself is currently facing economic challenges in the form of higher costs and flat customer counts.
By: Hugh Robert
High operating costs and weak demand predictably impact restaurant employment and profitability. The restaurant industry in Massachusetts has yet to return to 2020 employment levels, and more than a third of full-service operators report that their restaurant has not been profitable in 2024.
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