Patricia Cobe

Senior Editor

Articles by
Patricia Cobe

Page 133

The GMO effect

According to a recent survey by research company The NPD Group, over half of consumers are concerned about GMOs, but when asked to define them, many are unclear.

New rules in the waiting game, but don’t discard all the old ones

A restaurant’s no-reservations policy can turn the most amiable hostess into a tyrant and the most laid-back guest into a monster—fueled by hunger and impatience. What's to blame?

McDonald’s has gotten a bad rap lately for a number of missteps. But the burger giant upgraded its coffee program a few years ago.

By reformatting the dish—and using ground meat instead of sliced leg—Millman now is able to offer lamb for $15 instead of $35, appealing to younger diners.

Pizza Hut only now is getting in the gluten-free game, besting its rivals by launching completely gluten-free pizza this January, crust and toppings included.

Napkins, cups and utensils are line iteems on the P&L, and when control is put into guests’ hands, losses escalate.

The new beach-theme design sports a brighter color scheme inside and out. Seating options also have changed.

Since it launched three months ago, “afternoon service” has been packed, Chef-owner Michael Schwartz says. “It’s changed the whole dynamic of the restaurant.”

In the past couple of weeks, the James Beard Foundation, OpenTable, Food & Wine magazine and Elite Traveler magazine all released best-chef or best-restaurant picks—some chosen by the dining public, others by the professional community. Here are five trends that stand out.

While salads remain the go-to healthy choice in restaurants—76 percent of consumers order salads with some frequency, according to Chicago researcher Technomic—49 percent of patrons would like more varied options.

Chicken accounted for more than 18 percent of the sandwiches sold at Subway’s 29,900 North American units in 2014.

Chef and nutritionist Kendra Peterson started playing with the blondie recipe, blending more healthful whole-wheat pastry flour with organic all-purpose flour and adding quinoa flakes.

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