labor

Distributors Can Help Operators Control Costs

"Distributors are knowledgeable consultants, capable of offering cost-cutting suggestions in many areas," says David Ingersoll, the director of sales...

The profitable buffet

The appeal of the buffet is pretty obvious. They provide guests an opportunity to sample new and innovative items and to choose those which tempt their palate; most guests enjoy the adventure of discovering new delicacies without having to pay for a whole portion.

Putting a termination notice in writing goes hand in hand with documenting problems with an employee along the way. Here’s a boilerplate notice.

According to a release issued by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Murphy specifically names No. 2 distributor U.S. Foodservice (USF) as an example...

The dessert menu has typically been a surefire way to boost the check by hitting customers at their vulnerable sweet spots. But for many restaurant patrons,...

Dairy prices seem to be going up faster than cream rises to the top of a vat of milk. While relative bargains were available when cheese prices crashed in January 2009, there's been a surge upward since then. To ease the pain, some operators can cut down on the number of cheesy appetizers and entrees they serve, but concepts that focus on pizza, cheeseburgers, enchiladas and quesadillas simply can't do without it.

It’s not quite an avalanche, but iPad point of sale software is unfurling out into the marketplace at a heightened pace. Touting wireless connectivity, anywhere, anytime access and quick response to menu and room changes, the field is crowded with options, as newcomers to the market, like Lavu and Breadcrumb, join more established POS vendors like Micros, Revel Systems and Aloha.

We sent mystery shoppers into more than a dozen chains for a look at the operations through the customers’ eyes. Which chain topped our secret diners’ lists? The answer may surprise you.

Cracker Barrel plans a fast-casual entry, chains stress there’s actual cooking in their kitchens, fast-food breads rise into more exotic territory, employers detail their pay ladders and Chipotle reveals its throughput and why franchising is unfair to talent.

Given all the fanfare surrounding the mixology movement, cocktail lists are garnering as much attention as food menus, making the bartender as important a hire as the chef.

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