November 2009 Blog Posts (129)

Non-Operator I Thought Restaurant Chains Understood Cost Control

Burger King franchisees, who are suing their franchisor over a $1 double cheeseburger promotion, say they are losing 10 cents or more per sandwich and are challenging the parent company’s ability to set prices.

The chain’s National Franchisee Association in Atlanta, Ga., which represents about 80 percent, or 5,200 locations, of Burger King’s U.S. franchise base, filed a suit this week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 17, 2009 at 11:11pm — 1 Comment

Non-Operator Give Before You Try To Get

You know that feeling of excitement you get when you walk into an ice cream shop and see the range of colors and flavors available? It’s almost too much to handle. You could never possibly make a decision. And then, just as you feel like you might crumble under the pressure and run out of the shop screaming for help, the helpful server asks you the question that changes everything: “Would you like to sample some of the flavors?”

Well, it’s… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 17, 2009 at 11:05pm — No Comments

Re-engaging Old Customers

Four hundred and twenty-eight. That’s how many pages of members FohBoh has as of today. Every once in a while I float though the older pages checking in on some of those early adopters that found FohBoh when we had 10 blogs, 3 photos, a video and 5 discussions, and not much else. I poke them, say hi and encourage them to wonder back once in a while to take a look, meet new members and join the conversation, again. It’s good to do that. Poke people who were once a regular, now not so… Continue

Added by Michael L. Atkinson on November 17, 2009 at 6:08pm — 2 Comments

Non-Operator Attracting New Guests...One of Those "Gotta Do's"

The necessity of attracting new guests into a restaurant is usually one of those things taken as a given...you just gotta do it.

That's true...you gotta do it...but sometimes it's worth thinking about both the upside and the downside of new guest attraction.

Here's the upside: Each new guest that happens to walk into your location has a real "future potential" dollar value. If you can convince them to come back multiple times into the future, then the "future potential"… Continue

Added by Rod Brant on November 17, 2009 at 1:26pm — 7 Comments

Finding A Job: Advice From a 7-Year Old with First Hand Experience.

In the past year, Conner, age 7, has found both of his parents laid off and looking for jobs. In this video, he lays down some advice of his own for job seekers. While there are a lot of so-called "Career Experts" on the market, I bet none of them are offering this simple perspective from an optimistic kid whose personal UCL and passion are hanging out with his puppy Samson...

Have you been laid off and had to talk to your kids about it?

What did you… Continue

Added by Amanda Hite on November 17, 2009 at 6:54am — No Comments

14 holiday catering tips from the experts

From providing sandwich trays for office lunch meetings to serving steak and lobster for a party of 1000, catering is one of the fastest growing segments of the foodservice industry.

According to a study conducted by the consulting firm Technomic, the restaurant industry has a $33.3 billion opportunity to grow consumer catering sales.

Although the recession has taken a toll on catering to business customers for corporate… Continue

Added by Dani on November 17, 2009 at 6:19am — No Comments

Non-Operator How Easy Do You Make It For Customers To Pay?

Isn’t it funny? You’ve gone to all that work to attract customers, spent significant sums of money on advertising, staff and food and beverage ingredients, you’ve provided great service, but on the last hurdle, the last impression, the final test, you make it difficult for your customers to pay.

How often have you been out for a meal, in a rush to leave and because the server has removed the last plates, has ignored your desperate attempts… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 16, 2009 at 11:03pm — No Comments

The profit and loss (P&L) of a restaurant

Your profit and loss document summarize income, sales and inventory giving you an overview of the progress you are making, where your money is going and whether you are making any profit.

You must have in place a system to ensure your P&L is being produced on time and is accurate. You should aim to produce your P&L monthly, for your review and possibly your team’s information.

It is best for you to divide your P&L divide into two sections:

1. Source… Continue

Added by Massimo Montone on November 16, 2009 at 1:29pm — No Comments

Not Another "Reality of Reality Chef TV" Blog

Since starting this blog, I have developed a new appreciation for Chef Reality TV. I originally began this blog with the statement that “I am not a big fan of most reality Chef TV Shows” I was actually embarrassed by the performances and images portrayed by some contestants. The biggest culprit, as most of you probably might have guessed, was “Hell's Kitchen”, a show where mostly novice cooks and a few chefs can't execute a simple bistro style menu. This season has somewhat of a better… Continue

Added by Chef Len Elias CEC on November 16, 2009 at 7:00am — 6 Comments

Non-Operator Old Man Sues Bar After Tripping Over Dog & Losing Sex Drive

Just when you thought the worst insurance claims you would have to deal with were customers slipping on a wet floor or contracting food poisoning,… Continue

Added by Barry Chandler on November 15, 2009 at 10:07pm — No Comments

Non-Operator Advertise Where Your Customers Are Looking

Sometimes a little creative thinking about where your place your messages or advertisements might yield some great results. Even the men’s restrooms can be an unlikely billboard! Have a look at where Spagio Wine Cellars, in Grandview, Ohio chose to advertise some seasonal promotions:

Isn't it up to us how 2010 turns out?

The other day in the course of an interview, a successful restaurateur asked me what I thought would happen in 2010 in terms of the economic climate.

I was, of course, deeply flattered as I am by no means an expert on the economy. In fact, I don't see myself as an expert, period! I am first and foremost, a journalist, who tells people's stories, reports news, and now and then, attempts to analyze trends.

My response was that I was hoping to see improvement by mid-year in… Continue

Added by susan holaday on November 15, 2009 at 7:59am — 3 Comments

Complaints | How to gain repeat guests

A complaint is an opportunity to shine and build a lifelong guest, so turn the negative into a positive. In fact, if you go to a restaurant and everything goes well, nothing interesting has happened and you are most likely to judge the restaurant as being just good.

If, however, there is a complaint and you handle it well, the story changes. What matters is how to handle a complaint. There are six steps in handling a complaint

• Listen.

• Emphasize.

•… Continue

Added by Massimo Montone on November 13, 2009 at 1:28pm — 1 Comment

Hoodia Gordonii, delivery reinvented

Contrary to many make-believe advertisements and story boards there are no magic products to make you loose weight overnight but there are products which will assist in achieving magic results through regular and moderate use in combination with a healthy diet and exercise program. Rapid weight loss is not only dangerous to body functions but is, as most dieters know, most certainly doomed to rebound.

Rooibos and Hoodia Gordonii are indigenous to South Africa where they are grown,… Continue

Added by Express Barista on November 13, 2009 at 11:38am — No Comments

Bestseller Novel, HBO Series & Rooibos

In the New York Times Bestseller >>The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Precious Ramotswe, the main character of this exciting novel and HBO hit series, frequently entertains visitors with a cup of hot African Red Bush Tea, bringing Rooibos once again to the forefront of the Western World and causing demand for Rooibos to spike.

Rooibos is not only healthy to consume orally but has also been known for centuries as a powerful ingredient for skincare. A truly versatile… Continue

Added by Express Barista on November 13, 2009 at 11:37am — No Comments

ExpressBarista™, a solution to less waste

Being the second most consumed beverage in the world, tea comes with a ticket of a whopping 5 trillion 148 billion pounds being consumed and discarded annually.

In addition, it generates more than 2 million pounds of indirectly associated waste when using tea bags. In the USA alone, Americans consume about 200 million pounds tea annually.

Picture just the amount of paper and synthetic waste material dumped directly associated with wrapping tea. It’s a lot of trash isn’t… Continue

Added by Express Barista on November 13, 2009 at 11:36am — No Comments

Western Cape Rooibos Plantation

South Africa is the only producer of Rooibos tea in the world. It requires specific climatic conditions, can only been grown at certain altitude and in deep sandy soils. It only needs little rain, a combination of factors that apparently only prevails in this part of the world.

Rooibos is a shrub that grows up to 5 feet high with fine, needle-like leaves. The Rooibos roots reach very deep down to the groundwater and can also absorb humidity through a complex root system just under… Continue

Added by Express Barista on November 13, 2009 at 11:34am — No Comments

Mid-Atlantic Pork competition winner shares his recipes

Baltimore’s Chef Jerry Edwards of Chef’s Expressions Catering was the winner at the National Pork Council’s Taste of Elegance competition this past week. Edwards was the runaway winner with four awards including two for Wine and Food Pairings, the People’s Choice, and the most coveted first prize - the Judge’s Choice which qualifies Jerry to compete for the National Title in May 2010.

Read the full story and get the award winning recipes at the… Continue

Added by Dara Bunjon on November 13, 2009 at 4:12am — No Comments

Food Network's Chopped outreaching to Baltimore chefs

In the past couple of weeks I heard from two different Baltimore chefs that the Food Network’s cooking competition show, Chopped, hosted by Ted Allen has approached them to come to New York for an interview. Being food nosy, maybe I should say food curious, I gave the Chopped staff a call.

Read the full inteview and see how you can get on Chopped at… Continue

Added by Dara Bunjon on November 13, 2009 at 4:09am — No Comments

Non-Operator The RFD Conference -- Some Incomplete Observations

As I mentioned in a prior column, I just spoke at the Restaurant Finance and Development Conference, an annual event put forth by the Restaurant Finance Monitor and Franchise Times. As always, it was a quality event; John Hamburger and Mary Jo Larson have done a terrific job of making this a valuable information forum for operators, investors, and lenders, as well as an opportunity for many of us to gather with current, past, and prospective clients and renew a few… Continue

Added by Rod Guinn on November 13, 2009 at 3:00am — 7 Comments