Seth Gardenswartz's Blog (6)

Maggiano's customers are using Facebook, Twitter and other online mediums every day to keep up, reach out, and make plans with friends. Maggiano's wants to be a part of that conversation. Social media is not the next big thing; Social media is widely used by almost every demographic, and the big boys are rapidly usingFacebook,…

Groupon and the other deal sites had a great 2011.

The total “deal” volume grew a whopping 140%! So that should mean a big lift for restaurants, especially independent restaurants, that sell a majority of daily deals, right?

Unfortunately, the data reveals that visits actually fell while money was siphoned out of the restaurant industry. …

If your restaurant takes reservations you must have at least considered online booking. The pitch is enticing; free-up the staff, dump that 19^th Century paper and pencil and use the application to reach savvy professionals who prefer booking their restaurant reservations online. So, what's the catch?

For starters, online booking…

On Sunday, August 22^nd, the new federal gift card law (often referred to as the "CARD Act")went into effect. If you know about this at all, you are in the minority. A simple web search will turn up short outlines for how the law affects consumers or holders of gift cards, but almost nothing to help independent restaurants without their own general counsel,…