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Peter Romeo

Editor at Large

Articles by
Peter Romeo

Page 376

Casual ‘Davids’ dominate in word of mouse

Need proof that dominance in social media isn’t (yet) a function of size? Look no further than Restaurant Business’ ranking of casual chains by success in that realm.

Twitter (and Facebook’s) tops in toques

Our ranking of restaurant chefs by social media success immediately brings to mind two questions: Who is DenverChefDude, and how does he have anytime left to cook?

Cinnabon giveaway targets nurses

Cinnabon, a bakery chain with a number of non-traditional locations, will offer nurses a free cinnamon roll during National Nurses Week, May 6-12.

Marketing

The Top 10 independent users of social media

You’d think that celebrity chefs would make their restaurants the stars of social media. But in our rankings of independent restaurants, the most avid users are hardly household names. Big name chefs, it seems, prefer to tweet and post under their own names, not their restaurants’ or company’s.

Financing

Your franchisees need a loan? Give their bank an earful

Restaurant franchisees wouldn’t have to scrounge for capital if their franchisors provided lenders with info about the brand’s performance, plans and work-out scenarios, concluded a high-level powwow on the credit crunch.

Meal-plan co. moves into fast food

A company that ships meals in bulk to customers’ homes is giving a quick-service restaurant format a try. The Fresh Diet has opened what it describes as a grab-and-go pilot facility in North Miami that features single-portion selections like sandwiches, wraps, salads, cheesecake and snacks.

Leadership

Q&A with Nando’s Robbie Brozin

MonkeyDish grabbed Robbie Brozin after his keynote presentation at the Restaurant Leadership Conference to learn more about the transformation of Nando’s Peri Peri, a grilled chicken concept, into one of the world’s largest fast-casual chains. Here’s what the South African had to say about the brand he founded and now serves as CEO.

Food

Food trucks roll into RLC

Food trucks fill the streets and parking lots of New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin and Portland, Ore. Los Angeles alone counts 9,000 food trucks and carts, including branded vehicles from California Pizza Kitchen and Carl’s Jr. Yet when Ray Villaman, moderator of a trucks panel at the Restaurant Leadership Conference, asked who in the audience has or plans to launch a food truck, only a few hands were raised.

Marketing

The Social Media 50

In research conducted from late January to mid-February, our staff monitored the two leading social-media channels for restaurants right now, Twitter and Facebook, counting followers and fans, how often consumers discussed the brand and the efforts of operators to foster that give-and-take.

How to build a do-it-yourself resource for franchisees

Restaurant franchisors know the internet can be an effective local-store marketing tool. But how do they extend the capabilities to franchisees without surrendering a dangerous degree of control?

A global brand talks about growing the right way

How do you build a global restaurant chain? Robbie Brozin, the founder of $1-billion-a-year Nando’s Chicken, ended the educational component of the Restaurant Leadership Conference with some specific tips for attendees.

Marketing

Some dos and don’ts of social media

A restaurateur-turned-media-consultant advised Restaurant Leadership Conference attendees to avoid some of the common pratfalls of mobile and social media.

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