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Biography

Peter Romeo

Editor at Large

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Peter Romeo is director of digital content of the foodservice group of Winsight Media, with responsibility for the content of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director magazines, RestaurantBusinessOnline.com, and the Restaurant Leadership Conference. The multi-media job caps a 34-year career as a business journalist, including 28 years as a chain-restaurant specialist for such information channels as Nation’s Restaurant News, QSR magazine, and the website of the National Restaurant Association. Romeo’s columns during an earlier stint at Restaurant Business earned him two Jesse H. Neal Awards, business publishing’s equivalent of the Pulitzers. He graduated from New York University in 1979 with honors in history and journalism, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He resides in the New York City suburb of Port Washington with his wife, Holly Klokis; four rescued greyhounds; and four ne’er-do-well, slightly nervous cats.

Articles by
Peter Romeo

Page 1
Operations

N.J. becomes 2nd state to ban cashless restaurants

Starting immediately, restaurants there will be required to accept cash if that’s what consumers choose to tender.

Marketing

All restaurants win during March Madness, new research shows

New research shows that a considerable positive impact is felt by restaurants across the board, not just big marketers or operations with a hometown team in the hunt.

Financing

The Palm’s parent files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

The filing is the latest development in a dispute between the company’s majority and minority shareholders over royalty payments for the last 40 years.

Financing

Chuy’s travels its own path on labor, development

The 100-unit casual chain is also looking to bolster sales and profits by charging more fully into catering.

Operations

Philadelphia outlaws cashless restaurants

Starting July 1, all businesses must accept bills and coins if that’s how the customer chooses to pay.

Leadership

Bloomin’ Brands’ Liz Smith to surrender CEO job

She’ll be succeeded in April by finance chief Dave Deno.

Workforce

DOL proposes a new overtime-pay exemption trigger of $35,308

Salaried restaurant employees earning less than that amount would be entitled to time-and-a-half pay for hours exceeding 40 per week.

Workforce

Industry pushes back as Congress eyes a $15 minimum wage

Restaurant advocates are arguing that more than doubling the lowest pay rate would backfire into a loss of jobs.

Workforce

NYC’s paid-vacation proposal stirs controversy

The call for two weeks of paid time off for virtually all hourly restaurant employees is drawing a spotlight.

Workforce

What have wage hikes cost restaurants? For most, a 3% to 9% jump in labor expenses

One in six have seen their personnel costs spike by as much as 12%, according to new research.

Operations

Los Angeles bans self-service plastic straw dispensers

The new legislation also extends the "don’t ask, don’t get" requirement of state law to quick-service places, and puts restrictions on the inclusion of straws in off-premise orders.

Operations

Dickey’s tries a bar add-on

The 78-year-old concept’s first store has been retrofitted with a bar bearing its own identity and hours.