Featured Blog Posts – December 2010 Archive (22)

We thought it appropriate to take a close look at the 2010 chain restaurant same store sales year over year gains. This year on Seeking Alpha, we published about restaurant same store sales “pops”, that magical moment where the sales trend materially moved. In our opinion, a 1000 basis points improvement from trend is a real indicator…

The New York State Department of Labor has issued new wage regulations applicable to employees in the restaurant and hotel industry. The new Hospitality Wage Order, effective January 1, 2011, brings significant changes that both employers and employees in the restaurant industry should be aware of.

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I was reading through some of my news-y blogs today and came across a post from The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan titled "Awful Restaurant Web Sites". He referenced a post by a Julian Sanchez, a D.C.-based writer that covers the interesection of privacy, technology, and politics.

His entire article is centered around the question:…

I’ve often described working in a restaurant as Improv Theatre. Every shift presents unique circumstances and challenges, and even the most experienced professionals can be taken aback by the audacity of the human condition.

A seasoned general manager of a popular Boston restaurant sent me a text last week requesting to meet. Based on his extensive hospitality industry experience, I knew his story would not be an every-day tale of woe. When we met for breakfast the next day, he did…

While most restaurant owners know and agree that offering full nutritional information as a part of their menu is a good thing, many are quick to point…

Photos: Cinnamon rolls (Ann Sather's), Red curry (Thai Linda Cafe), Veggie dog (Portillo's), Caprese salad (Fox & Obel), Curry chicken pizza (Ian's Pizza)

All of these are restaurants in Chicago, IL.…

Tim and Nina Zagat, co-founders of Zagat Survey, in their December 13 letter to the New York Times titled “Adding Fairness to the Tip” raise important issues as to why New York City restaurants are being sued by their workers and what the future holds for the industry.  The Zagats rhetorically ask what is behind the onslaught…

Differentiation is the answer to the common business strategy question - How can we as a company, stand out in a crowded marketplace? There is a classic list that companies draw from – bigger, better, faster, decor’, innovation, location, value, etc. Interestingly enough, this question can also be applied to individuals, not just businesses. Heading into a New Year always offers an opportunity for pause and reflection. Perhaps, the following will…

2010 was a very interesting year for restaurants and restaurant social media. That means it was a pretty amazing year for us here at FohBoh. Why? Because it’s just starting to gel and we can see investment starting to take place. As a start-up, it’s always a good thing to be ahead of the curve. Be the “first mover”, as they say, but not too far ahead. There are also many advantages to being “second mover”. I’ve written about this before citing Google, Oracle,…

I read a blog the other day where the author was complaining about an over-zealous waiter. He was trying to conduct business over lunch and this waiter kept interrupting the conversation. As I read this account it sent a wake-up call to an idea about service that went to sleep years ago somewhere in the catacombs of my mind.

Why wouldn’t we just ask our customers what type of service they desire instead of guessing? One might say that this waiter…

It can be easy to succumb to the temptation to dive into something that you hear being praised every day for its benefits. All you hear about is Facebook this and…

I spoke this week with a Bar owner who mentioned that his Facebook Page for his bar had been shut down by Facebook without warning and as a result, he had lost all his bar’s friends and their contact details. In essence, he had lost a targeted effective marketing channel overnight. I discuss the reason for this in the video below together with recommendations on how you can avoid this happening to your Facebook presence too.

Can’t see this…

According to Donna Goodison in the 12/8/10 Boston Herald, Kevin Fitzgerald, the owner of Jacob Wirth, a Boston restaurant institution, posted a memo to his servers that included the following comment and ultimatum:



“You are the LOSERS!!!” … “Change or be changed. Please, don’t force your termination for the holidays.”



The Herald piece goes on to say; The memo, posted Saturday in a private work area, included eight pages of mostly negative customer comments about Jacob…

This week, Wednesday December 8th, marks the 30th anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon. Hard to believe it has been that long since we all gathered around our radios and TV’s trying to take in the news that one of the last great pacifists was murdered. Just like Robert Kennedy. Just like Martin Luther King. And just like Gandhi.



There is a lot that can be said about Lennon. We’ve heard all the good, the bad and…

It was a warm March afternoon, and I was late for a test in my senior year of college. Luckily, the class was a journalism class. My professor understood that I'd just launched my career.

And, it all started with a simple letter to a producer at a big Hollywood studio.

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Me"Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"?

It's a…