There is no debate that social media and digital technologies have altered U.S. consumers' shopping behaviors and purchase decisions for foods and beverages. In today's social digital environment it …

Seasonal hiring strategy in three easy steps Any day now, that shopping mall food court will be transformed into a Styrofoam North Pole paradise. Red and green decorations will dot your dining rooms …

What if I told you there was a secret HR weapon that could increase your overall efficiency, satisfaction and profit…and it wouldn't cost you any arms, legs or first-borns? You'd stop reading …

I recently attended the inaugural Foodservice Social Media Universe conference in San Francisco. In light of the fact that I am used to seeing social media content at virtually every restaurant …

I was listening to an episode of This American Life on NPR when a particular segment struck me. The segment featured conversations between a writer and her homeless friend and begins with them …

There is a growing trend in the retail industry for some merchants and technology providers to hope that someday the PCI standard will give guidance that says, "If you implement this new silver …

Last week, I had the pleasure of being the main speaker and coordinator of two and a half hours of topics around a number of the current Healthy Trends facing our industry at the Florida Restaurant …

Rank and file company employees of a food company may say "We're not Apple Computer!" We can't generate the innovative ideas that Apple does!" We are doomed to the status quo!" "How can an ordinary …

The cultural appetite for all things local continues unabated. Of interest, the ability to source local products from highly fragmented producers dotting the American countryside is increasingly …

Mobile technologies have made HR and operations tools more accessible than ever. At the intersection of smart phone proliferation – now topping 1 billion worldwide – and the demand for …

I remember when I was studying for my master's degree in marketing one of the professors told me something I will never forget. He said you have to always know exactly what you are providing your …

As my thumbs typed this urgent text message into my smartphone (PLS CK ASAP) to our creative department, I reveled in the moment as I realized that I was hip with the cool Millennial lingo. Seth …

In Panama City, Fla., a man called a local restaurant and threatened "to drive my truck through the building and kill everyone," following a domestic dispute with his wife who was employed there. He …

On occasion, I enjoy listening to the words of philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates or theologians such as Wesley or Spurgeon. But, hands down, the deep thoughts I enjoy the most are from a …

At Hartman Group, we've always taken a conservative, "wait and see" approach to technology, innovation and change. Cool gadgets, shopping technology and e-readers are all fine and well, but the …

This morning as I was catching up on some of my favorite food blogs I found myself sucked in by a banner ad at the top of the page. The ad, from General Mills was touting a new program in effect with …

Back in June, I wrote about the power of a last impression, and how a customer's most recent experience can undermine years of positive impressions about a brand. My blog for September was going to …

Visa has shaken many U.S. businesses with its latest announcement declaring that it's moving to EMV chip-based technology, which will replace the magnetic strips used on most U.S. cards. The company …

Steve Jobs understood product innovation After Steve Jobs resigned as CEO of Apple this week, the Wall Street Journal reflected on his contribution to new product innovation. Here's my take. Steve …

Technology has transformed the process of qualifying employees for tax credits and collecting Uncle Sam's incentives. What was a manual, red tape-ridden process ripe with high potential for errors …