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prices

Ideal menu prices & how to raise them

New data pegs what restaurants ideally should charge, by daypart and market segment, to attract patrons in today’s economy.

The week’s 5 head-spinning moments

Fast casual’s latest theft, quality really is king, servers learn to love tech, fuggedabout New York’s new political slap and a growth demon picks up the pace.

The Polar Vortex Survival Diet

By Patricia Cobe on Jan. 21, 2014

How and where do people eat when the mercury plummets to negative numbers and the snow continues to fall? See how restaurants and delivery services fared in The Polar Vortex Survival Diet.

Financing

Restaurants’ sales to rise 3.6 percent in 2014, NRA forecasts

By Peter Romeo on Jan. 16, 2014

Restaurants will vie this year for a 3.6 percent increase in total industry sales, which should hit an all-time high of $683.4 billion, according to the just-released business forecast of the NRA.

Restaurants’ new legal obligations

By Peter Romeo on Jan. 03, 2014

Here’s a sampling of the restaurant-relevant laws and regulations that went into effect with the New Year.

Financing

Saving money on social media services

By Amanda Kooser on Jan. 02, 2014

How outsourcing tweets and posts stacks up against doing it yourself.

7 ripples to consider surfing in 2014

By Peter Romeo on Dec. 30, 2013

For the strongest inkling of what will unfold for restaurants in 2014, consider some of the sleeper trends of late 2013.

The Sysco-U.S.F. deal: What’s it mean for restaurants?

By Peter Romeo on Dec. 11, 2013

The announcement of the pending $8.2B merger of Sysco and U.S. Foodservice has restaurateurs wondering what’s in store for them. Here are some things they should keep in mind.

Food

The impact of rising commodity prices on franchise restaurants

By Kimberly Savilonis on Dec. 09, 2013

A major topic of conversation in the restaurant industry over the past 18 months has been the continued rise in commodity prices, especially for proteins. In 2012, beef prices rose 9.9 percent and chicken prices had a double-digit increase. These trends have continued in 2013, with the beef price pressure continuing a trend that started in 2010.

Beverage

Higher-priced options driving adult beverage sales, study finds

By Peter Romeo on Dec. 02, 2013

As the volume trend softens, consumers spark increased competition among premium beer, wine and spirits for drink orders in restaurants and bars.