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Reality Check

Peter Romeo

The blog from award-winning journalist, RB Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo. Peter taps into his decades of experience covering the restaurant business at a variety of publications to discuss any number of issues related to the operations and general direction of restaurants.

Operations

Monkey banishment at Carrabba’s tops recent restaurant nightmares

By Peter Romeo on Sep. 05, 2018

Here’s why it was a bad month for tree swingers, politically aware operators and places with gas problems.

Operations

Did IHOP's publicity stunt hurt Applebee's?

 By Peter Romeo on Aug. 17, 2018

This week's head-spinning restaurant moments included a suggestion in court that the "b" in IHOb stood for "bad news for Applebee's." That's just one of the long-shot gambles that came to light as oddsmakers considered the likelihood of restaurants charging into sports betting and who'll win the chain vs. independent bout.

Financing

Don’t know RCI Hospitality Holdings? Maybe you should

By Peter Romeo on Aug. 13, 2018

RCI is building an empire of gentlemen’s clubs and breastaurants. And the strategy is paying off.

Marketing

Is it time to sunset promotional days?

By Peter Romeo on Aug. 10, 2018

Operators’ reliance on gimmicky promos might not bring the long-term traffic gains they hope for.

Operations

This week’s 5 head-spinning restaurant moments: Quiet progress

By Peter Romeo on Aug. 03, 2018

Starbucks has vowed to cut unit-level administrative tasks in half, while Del Frisco’s is reducing its dependence on beef. And those aren’t the only ways restaurant operators are subtly improving their lot.

Operations

This week’s 5 head-spinning restaurant moments: 1 more inch

By Peter Romeo on Jul. 27, 2018

A cattle rustling by one of Chick-fil-A's competitors was just one instance of operators pushing the traditional boundaries of the restaurant business this week.

Leadership

They said what?: When restaurant execs go rogue

By Peter Romeo on Jul. 20, 2018

John Schnatter is the latest in a long string of restaurant founders and executives to say something their brands deeply regretted. Here’s a look at some of the better-known instances from the past.

Leadership

Who would Restaurant Business draft as restaurant all-stars

By Peter Romeo and Sara Rush Wirth on Jul. 17, 2018

Trout? Harper? Judge? Step aside, MLB. Here are the real standouts to watch this summer, as determined by some critical fans.

Operations

This week’s 4 head-spinning moments: Progress?

By Peter Romeo on Jul. 13, 2018

Some of the sweeping changes affecting restaurants brought smaller but noteworthy quick alterations in recent days. Here's a chance to catch up on Chick-fil-A's new venture, what's happening in delivery, and an important new twist on straw bans.

Operations

Grasping at straws

By Peter Romeo on Jul. 03, 2018

The industry’s breakup with plastic straws has happened at a breathtaking pace.

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