The move by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to impose limitations on the size of sugar –based beverages permitted for sale in New York City (a 16-ounce limit) is outrageous. It is an intrusion …

I have been absent from these pages for much too long. The good news is that it is the result of a lot of business travel and very robust sales throughout the Firehouse Subs system. I have just …

The art of story telling should be considered as a fundamental part or your formula for ensuring key lessons are retained within the culture of your business.

Each and every day, your restaurant team serves scores of customers. Your desire is to have every guest experience the very best of your brand, from the time they spot your sign from the street until …

Put a bunch of fast casual restaurateurs in a room together and before long it is likely that a discussion will break out on what sets us apart from our fast food competitors. Such conversations are …

Conventional wisdom (or at least the wisdom of the National Bureau of Economic Research) says that the Great Recession began in December of 2007 and ended in June of 2009. It was the longest lasting …

Over the course of my 37-year-career in the restaurant industry, I have had the privilege of serving in leadership positions at all organizational levels, from restaurant assistant manager to CEO …

Superior training is something that is critical to every successful team, whether on the battlefield, the football field, or the kitchen of your restaurant.

Great leaders help their followers understand that there is a greater good to pursue.

Over the course of my 37 year career in the restaurant industry, I have had the privilege of serving in leadership positions at all organizational levels, from restaurant assistant manager to Chief …

Over the course of my 37-year career in the restaurant industry, I have had the privilege of serving in leadership positions at all organizational levels from restaurant assistant manager to CEO …

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 …

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 …

As every operator knows, the restaurant business is a penny business. We work on relatively thin margins and don't have the luxury of harboring a casual attitude when it comes to controlling costs …

By now, most people in the industry have probably digested the results of Consumer Reports magazine's rating of 53 "fast-food chains." I was extremely proud of the results for Firehouse Subs, given …

After just a single month of operation, "America's Next Great Restaurant" winner Jamawn Woods shuttered two of the three "Soul Daddy" locations that debuted the day after his victory was proclaimed …

Most consumers treat themselves to dining occasions across the entire spectrum of restaurant segments. Within everyone's lives, there are occasions that are best suited for a fast drive-thru …

Do you like to sit behind a one way mirror and listen to your customers talk passionately about the food that they eat and the brands that they favor...or despise? Count me in! It's better than a …

The latter part of May is always a busy time of year on my calendar. During the waning days of spring, there is a convergence of our Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation charity tennis tournament …

The call to "give back to the community" may seem like a tired cliche. But finding ways to deepen the emotional and tangible connection between your business and the community it serves has never …