Food fight: Combat rising costs with smarter hourly hiring

by Amanda Richardson — Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing, Snagajob

The restaurant industry is expected to grow this year, but realizing big profits will be a tall order in the face of rising food and labor costs.

Make the final word your best

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

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…

The Apps of Foodservice

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

Now is the time for restaurants to take control of their mobile presence -- develop apps, mobilize websites, give flexibility to online menus, add special…

I could not have said it better myself

by Don Fox — CEO, Firehouse of America

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…

What else can I get you?

by Betsy Craig — pres, menutrinfo.com

Listen to your customers before -- and after -- tweaking your menu options, and teach your staff how to sell something new.

A lesson in loyalty

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

Recession or not, the restaurant industry is here and growing. Consumers spend a huge percentage of their food budgets on eating out at restaurants, and…

Revitalize ‘good service’: A foodservice must

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

Loyal customers make approximately 70 percent of all purchases, so increasing loyalty by a mere five percentage points can increase profits by more than 6…

3 trends hitting foodservice

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

The next big thing to hit foodservice is gamification, especially in marketing.

Adaptation – 3 Categories Evolve

by Suzy Badaracco — President, Culinary Tides Inc

Be mindful of where categories were during the Recession and do not stray too far from the familiar.

First impressions still count for new customers

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

Food is still the biggest driver of a customer's first impression.

Tableside POS is a game changer

by Nate DaPore — President and CEO, PeopleMatter

Higher sales, fewer servers, faster table turns, and happier, more loyal customers – Tableside Point-of-Sale offers all this and more. I foresee that it is…

Mobile website or app: Which is better for your business?

by Nash Sherchan — VP Marketing, iMediAd Hospitality

The one thing I always get asked about going mobile is whether a restaurant should build a mobile site or mobile app.

You can’t get mustard only here

Always make sure you're in the right place.

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.

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…

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…

When Experience Really Matters

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

Who has seen the latest reports on the fastest growing restaurant chains in North America? I was struck when I read the following article summarizing the…

Starbucks and Gabrielle Giffords

by Valerie Killifer — Editor, FastCasual.com

Restaurant operators talk a lot about the value of creating a memorable experience for their guests, but nothing has struck me more about the guest experience…

Innovation in the name of charity

by Darrel Suderman — President, Food Technical Consulting

What do the Love Kitchen, Panera Bread, and Cafe 180 all have in common? They provide affordable food to those who can’t regularly pay full price for a meal.