The Daily Valet. - 2/22/23, Wednesday
✔️ Pay-Per-Chew?
Wednesday, February 22nd Edition
By Cory Ohlendorf, Valet. Editor
Are you drinking coffee while reading this? What if I squirted olive oil into it?
Today’s Big Story
Pay-Per-Chew
More restaurants try subscription programs to keep eaters coming back
Let me just put this out there. If there was a Panda Express+, a monthly subscription where my go-to order magically appeared on my desk, just in time for lunch, I'd be the first to smash that “subscribe” button. After all, we live in a subscription-based world these days.Consumers are willing to pay monthly subscription fees for everything from streaming services, pet food, snack boxes and even toilet paper. The average American juggled 6.7 subscriptions in 2022, up from 4.2 in 2019, according to Rocket Money, the personal finance app. Now, some restaurants are betting they'll do the same for their favorite meals.Chains like Panera and P.F. Chang's as well as neighborhood hangouts are increasingly experimenting with the subscription model as a way to ensure steady revenue and customer visits, reports NPR. Some offer unlimited drinks or free delivery for a monthly fee; others will bring out your favorite appetizer each time you visit.Other eateries are experimenting with memberships, which let diners pre-pay toward their visits. After Subway launched its Footlong Pass subscription in August, all 10,000 passes sold out in just a few hours. But not all subscription programs have had such easy success. Or some were maybe too successful.On the Border Mexican Grill introduced a Queso Club, which offered free cheese dip for a year for $1. The program stopped taking new subscribers because members actually visited seven times more often than the average guest. Turns out, the chain wasn't making enough to cover the cost of the dip. Meanwhile, Taco Bell is also tinkering with its $10 Taco Lover's Pass, which lets you get a taco every day for a month. The pass was introduced in January 2022 and reintroduced this fall, before being paused again.
FYI:
Panera says that subscribers to their Unlimited Sip Club now make up 25% of the chain's transactions.
Putin Raises Tension on Ukraine
And his Move on Nuclear Treaty May Signal End to Formal Arms Control
Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended Moscow's participation in the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States, announcing the move Tuesday in a bitter speech in which he made clear he would not change his strategy in the war in Ukraine.The New START treaty, which entered into force in 2011 and had been extended through February 2026, seeks to limit the long-range nuclear weapons programs of the U.S. and Russia. America actually accused Russia of violating the terms last month by refusing to allow on-site inspections. Putin emphasized, however, that Russia isn't withdrawing from the pact yet, and hours after his address the Foreign Ministry said Moscow would respect the treaty's caps—which keeps both sides to 1,550 nuclear weapons.According to the New York Times, it's all happening at a critical moment. China has made clear it is determined to build an arsenal the size of Washington and Moscow's. And inspectors have recently discovered new evidence that Iran is making progress in creating near-bomb-grade nuclear fuel. And North Korea spent the weekend testing its own intercontinental ballistic missiles. Every sign indicates that the world may be on the verge of a new era of nuclear breakout.
Turning the Tide
Tidal power project hits major output milestone
Harnessing the powerful tides flowing around the world's shorelines has the potential to contribute significantly to the renewable energy sector. And this week, the emerging technology took another step forward—an Edinburgh company said its MeyGen tidal stream array project had achieved a world first by producing 50 gigawatt hours of electricity.CEO Graham Reid described the news as a “significant milestone in delivering tidal stream power at scale,” adding “total global generation from all other tidal devices and sites is less than 50% of that amount.”As you likely have put together, tidal power uses the rise and fall of the tides to generate clean energy. The MeyGen array features four 1.5-megawatt turbines—three of which are currently operational. Of course, the sector is in its infancy compared to solar and wind power, but developers are hopeful that tidal generation technology could have huge growth potential in the near future.
FYI:
By way of comparison, the 50 gigawatt-hours that MeyGen generated is equal to the average annual electricity consumption of 4,700 U.S. households.
Starbucks Bets on Olive Oil Coffee
new drinks have a spoonful of olive oil in every cup
Starbucks wants you to give olive oil coffee a shot. Really. The coffee behemoth is rolling out a new line of beverages made with extra virgin olive oil. They're set to debut in Italy this week and the U.S. in the spring—and the company is betting that they'll be as successful as their signature Frappuccino.To be clear, the drinks are not simply flavored with olive oil, nor do they have just a hint of it. Each one is truly made with a spoonful of oil. With some drinks, you can see a slippery sheen of oil in the cup, and you don't even have to squint. The Oleato beverages will include an oat-milk latte imbued with extra-virgin olive oil, and a cold brew drink topped with “golden foam” infused with the oil.Howard Schultz, Starbucks's longtime leader, is overseeing the project and told the Wall Street Journal that “this will be the most significant, transformative thing we've done in decades.” He also said he is prepared to counter any skepticism. “There will be haters, there will be cynics. We’re ready for them.”
Meanwhile:
Business Insider reports that, in an effort to streamline custom drink orders, Starbucks is headed to the patent office.
In Other News
When asked if the list could include Trump, the forewoman said: “Potentially. It might.”
Have you heard about ...
The Long Read
jeremy Strong on his infamous acting method
His portrayal of Kendall Roy has made him a major sensation—and infamous for his extreme approach to the craft of acting. Here, on the verge of what may be the end of the show and the character that made his career, Jeremy Strong responds to his critics and contemplates life after Succession.”
- By Gabriella Paiella
Read It:
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Shopping
What We’re Buying
A Shaving Set
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Get It:
Colonel concierge clean shaving set,$90 / $54 by Petite Plume
Morning Motto
Don’t force it.
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