Featured Blog Posts – January 2011 Archive (16)

At Aroma Thyme we have done extensive research on vegetable cooking oils. Our goal is to provide the best health without compromising taste & overall quality.



Marcus Guiliano, Chef and Owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro located in Ellenville, NY in the scenic Hudson Valley. Aroma Thyme is know for their "stealth health"(Zagat). The Bistro has an award-winning wine list from Wine Spectator Magazine and over 200 beers. Aroma Thyme is certified green by The Green…

Who shuts down their business for 2 ½ days and invites all of their employees (all 140 of them) to attend a summit where everyone gets to have a voice in shaping the company’s vision? 

The Great Lakes Brewing Company, that’s who… If you live in Cleveland or the surrounding area you are…

I predict that the restaurant industry will have an incredible year in 2011. Even with commodity prices moving up a bit, more competition from grocery stores and “designer” C-stores and those pesky systemic issues that never seem to go away like  - unionization, minimum wage, healthcare, menu labeling, immigration, employee turnover and a scarcity of growth capital. This is baggage and just part of the deal. What I see has changed is attitude and a…

I've had the privilege to work with bars to help manage and improve their social media efforts. There's no question Facebook and Twitter are both incredibly powerful because of their reach and ability to engage and get valuable feedback from customers. However, we also need to keep an eye out for technology that can improve the experience when visiting your establishment. 

TabbedOut is an app that allows customers to…

the more they stay the same! It's a new year and yet some of the most basic and important points about the guest experience still seem to have escaped some restaurant employees in places  we've loved and cared about. That's not to say, however, that there aren't plenty of operators who not only 'get it' but have managed to impart a real desire to serve the guest to each and every member of their team.

Yes, as operators tell us all the time, labor is this industry's continuing problem,…

Joe Sorge, the driving force behind AJ Bombers Restaurant & Bar in Milwaukee has had amazing success with Foursquare, the location based app for smart…

Settingthe Record Straight:  What’s going on with the National Menu Labeling Law?

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Find out about Google's new local advertising program, Google Tags, how and why Google Places has changed their algorithm and how to optimize your local presence (regardless of your niche) in less than 10 minutes.

Please make sure that you select the "720p" option at the bottom right-hand corner (upon hitting the play button) and allow a few moments for the video to load. You can watch this video in full screen…

Whether you realize it or not, your customers and potential customers are being influenced about their choice of dining/drinking location by factors that you may not be in control of.



2010 brought social networks like Twitter &…

(reposted from hospitalityenhanced.blogspot.com)

This is reprinted from my monthly newsletter for my insider's club:

Restaurant Owners New Years Resolution #1 - Set Aside One Day Per Week Solely For Marketing Activities.  This one resolution alone will improve your business immensely.  You know marketing is paramount or you wouldn’t be reading this newsletter (and I also just told you so).

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Every so often, I listen to the podcasts produced by NPR’s Planet Money team, focusing on economic and financial topics in the US and around the world.  On their podcast #225, dated 11/2/2010, their guest was Mark Zandi, Chief Economist of Moody’s Analytics and a frequent TV and radio commentator on things economic.…

The trust and loyalty of a user to a hotel or restaurant brand is fleeting and can be erased in one visit when marketing builds guest expectations that cannot be delivered. A celebration becomes the saga of Room #1021.…

According to Wikipedia, entrepreneur is a term applied to a person who is willing to launch a new venture or enterprise and accept full responsibility for the outcome. It seems to me, if anyone is going to be successful in the 21st century business world it’s foundational to develop the skills of an entrepreneur.

We have the wonderful opportunity to be in the middle of one of the most exciting times in history. At last…

Yeah I was the 5th Beatle until they got tired of me screaming…

The New Year is upon us. It’s a clean slate; a time to refocus on the important things that came to light through our year-end reflection.



In a couple of months, when the crowds disappear from the gym, and you’ve likely rationalized the failure of several resolutions, what will you be…