Digital menu boards will change restaurant industry

by Scott Sharon — CEO, START

To begin I would like to state I am not stupid enough to believe the development of digital menu boards or digital signs are nearly as important as the…

The battle between breakfast and snack: Part 1

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

The yearly Trend Award ceremony was only a few weeks away, and while the nominations had been announced, the winners were not yet finalized. The categories…

Menu Labeling Tips: Part 2

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

As the country begins to see calories on menus, I have some awesome ideas and tips to make your food and menu items a bit better in the numbers department.

Are you serving flexitarians?

by Melissa Abbott — Director, Culinary Insights, The Hartman Group, Inc

After a decade of intense meat worship, chefs are procuring, preparing and serving vegetables with the same love and attention they previously reserved for…

Self-assessment questionnaires are huge – here’s how to get started

by Brad Cyprus — Chief of Security and Compliance, Vendor Safe Technologies

In 2004, when PCI (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) first came out, there was almost no guidance available. Jump ahead to today, and you can find…

Who does it hurt really?

At a big box home center this week my wife and I picked out base cabinets for our laundry room. We needed two, but there was only one in a box on the large…

When is a brand good enough?

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

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…

Is it "what" or "who" you hire?

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

One of the most critical —and sometimes frustrating — challenges managers face today is staffing. In the restaurant industry, being fully staffed with…

Menu-labeling tips for adults, kiddos

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

The time is rapidly approaching when you will need to clearly disclose the calorie counts for every standardized item on your menus. You might not run the risk…

Wall Street Investors Demand ROI - Return on Innovation

by Darrel Suderman — President, Food Technical Consulting

Return on Innovation (ROI), and not Return on Investment is the new demand (and expectation) of Wall Street Investors.

Are digital menu boards really that complicated?

by Scott Sharon — CEO, START

We all know there's a lot of differences between digital menu boards and traditional menu boards. They are new and there's a lot to learn, but are they really…

Our greater food culture

by Melissa Abbott — Director, Culinary Insights, The Hartman Group, Inc

In the spirit of celebrating contemporary food culture, this subway-style map (below, or click here for a larger view) is intended to serve as a snapshot of…

5 common mistakes made with safes

We work hard in the restaurant business to provide our customers the food they desire. With efficient operations, we have enough inventory to convert raw…

A Big Apple surprise – restaurateur shows concern for food allergies

by Paul Mcginnis — Vice President, Marketing, Ecolab Food Safety Specialties

I jumped out of the cab and just stood there taking it all in – the smell of roasted peanuts, the constant honking of taxis and the bright lights of hundreds…

Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes -- old technology in new packaging

by Darrel Suderman — President, Food Technical Consulting

What makes Duncan Hines' new Amazing Glazes so "amazing?" Does it represent new technology? Or do the glazes represent a new application of an old technology?

Gluten free done right

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Jeff Drake, President of GoRoma, a fast-casual Italian restaurant with six locations in the Chicago area, is glad he decided to feature gluten-free menu…

America's Next Great Fall Guy

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

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…

Leverage social media outlets for your new hires

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

How did most of your applicants find you? Did they use a job board or did they walk in and ask one of your team members for an application? More and more…

Don't try this at home

by Janet Eden-Harris — CMO & SVP Strategy, Market Force

Last week I had the pleasure of hosting Jerry Calabrese for a Fast Casual webinar. For those that missed it, Jerry recently retired from McDonald’s where he…

Turning the mundane into the memorable

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

Most consumers treat themselves to dining occasions across the entire spectrum of restaurant segments. Within everyone's lives, there are occasions that are…