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Restaurant Rewind

`Those who don’t know their history are destined to relive it', to riff on the words of a famed philosopher. For anyone in the restaurant business, that oft-quoted saying may be more of a heartening promise than a dire admonition. The industry’s past is packed with tales of scoundrels and heroes, big thinkers and pinheads, colossal successes and dismal failures, breakthrough moves and self-inflicted destruction. Few soap operas pack as much color and drama. Yet those yellowed snapshots provide insights relevant to the challenges of today. Join Peter Romeo, a 41-year veteran of the business with a penchant for restaurant history, as he explores those pivotal moments from the past. 

Operations

Why the automat has inspired so many modern copycats

 By Restaurant Business Staff on Oct. 25, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: The lemon meringue pie helped, but it really was an early flash of price-cutting technology.

Operations

What Starbucks has tried and scrapped over the years

 By Restaurant Business Staff on Oct. 18, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: The coffee giant has explored a wide array of secondary businesses, only to refocus on its core operation.

Operations

Deciding how much of a price hike customers will tolerate is nothing new

By Restaurant Business Staff on Oct. 11, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: Determining when patrons will balk at an increase is older than forks. Here are some of those past telling instances.

Leadership

How company planes have brought down restaurant CEOs

By Restaurant Business Staff on Oct. 04, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: Allegations of personal use have grounded more than a few high flyers.

Marketing

Here's how Woolworth's—yes, Woolworth's—democratized dining out

By Restaurant Business Staff on Sep. 27, 2022

The dining counters of the budget-priced retailer were a stage for history and the introduction of dining out for many.

Marketing

How a pop star's lid drove Arby's awareness sky high

By Restaurant Business Staff on Sep. 20, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: Hardee's well-timed tweet last week echoes two of the restaurant industry's greatest marketing moments.

Food

Before there was a Mexican restaurant boom, there was Chi-Chi's

By Restaurant Business Staff on Sep. 13, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: Here's the little-remembered saga of the casual-dining pioneer that gave us fried ice cream.

Marketing

What a Communist will do for money

By Restaurant Business Staff on Sep. 06, 2022

How Pizza Hut landed an unlikely pitchman, the late Mikhail Gorbachev.

Leadership

Remembering 'the Jackie Robinson of restaurants'

By Restaurant Business Staff on Aug. 31, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: Ernie Royal was a quiet pioneer in changing racial attitudes. Here's why he should never be forgotten.

Marketing

Why restaurant mascots have been benched this ad season

By Restaurant Business Staff on Aug. 23, 2022

Restaurant Rewind: The onetime marketing superstars have lost the spotlight to food, guests and less-controversial employees. The spokesfigures' past may explain why.

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