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Independent Restaurants

Stealable idea: Getting consumer feedback

 By Sara Rush Wirth on Jan. 16, 2015

It’s important to understand what consumers think of your operation, but getting in-the-moment feedback isn’t always an easy task. That's why Los Angeles-based Umami Burger from restaurateur Adam Fleischman rolled out its "Umamify the Guest" program.

Q&A: The legal considerations of no-tipping policies

 By Sara Rush Wirth on Feb. 11, 2015

Switching to a service charge or server wages isn’t as simple as just discontinuing tips. Here are some of the factors a lawyer says an operator needs to consider first.

…But bad weather didn’t freeze the industry’s Feb. sales

Mar. 09, 2015

Snowstorms and frigid temperatures in many areas of the country didn’t prevent the nation’s restaurants from enjoying an uptick in business during February, according to economic indicators released separately last week.

Technology

Keeping tech touch points clean

By Sara Rush Wirth on Apr. 06, 2015

With the growth of tabletop tablets, pagers, self-ordering kiosks and even the stylus tethered to payment machines, there are a slew of new hotspots operators need to remember in their cleaning routines, says ServSafe Product Manager David Crownover.

Is it ethical to air the staff’s salaries?

By Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D. on Apr. 29, 2015

A new business theory called open-book management advises doing exactly that. Advice Guy takes a look at the pros and cons. 

Emerging Brands

Chicago Concepts to Scout: Where to go to steal ideas

By Patricia Cobe and Sara Rush Wirth on May 15, 2015

This special iteration of Concepts to Scout—our second annual roundup—singles out the destinations restaurateurs visiting Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show in May should scope out.

NRA sues to stop salt labeling

By Peter Romeo on Dec. 03, 2015

The suit challenges the rule-setting ability of New York City’s Board of Health, the source of several restaurant mandates that later spread throughout the nation.

Consumer Trends

4 restaurant ideas we stumbled upon

By Peter Romeo on Feb. 08, 2016

Here are some notions we bring to your attention for, um, inspiration.

Marketing

3 ideas we stumbled upon on a road trip to Austin

By Alaina Lancaster on Jun. 30, 2016

Here’s what we discovered averaging four meals a day on a 19-hour journey to Austin, Texas.

How many commissaries does a small chain need?

By Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D. on Sep. 22, 2016

Commissary kitchens are a useful tool for operators, especially for those with multiple concepts. Advice Guy explains why using a central commissary rather than opening several is beneficial for many operators.

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