More and more restaurants are exploring ways to make their operations “sustainable.”  Yes, it’s a buzzword, and yes, it’s a trend most commonly associated with San Francisco restaurants and other yuppie hideouts.  That doesn’t mean most of the restaurants out there can’t utilize sustainability in their operations. Trends show that …

Feel like you need to get caught up on what’s been going on in the food service industry?  Here’s some hot industry trends that will help you get up to speed: 1.  A National Tax On Soft Drinks?  The advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest is promoting …

What if you were told about a restaurant that had no fixed location or menu and kept this information a secret until just a few hours before you leave for dinner?  The Dissident Chef of San Francisco does just this to his patrons on a regular basis.  They purchase tickets …

Keeping your commercial kitchen humming along is not always an easy proposition.  You use this equipment every day, and sooner or later something is going to give out on you.  If the next step you’re used to taking is picking up the phone to call your service tech, these Back …

If you’re in the market for new restaurant equipment, you know that you’re about to spend a good chunk of change.  You also know the choices you make are ones you’ll have to live with for years to come.  That’s why it’s vital to make an informed decision that’s the …

In a recent study by Technomic, 36% of consumers said they are doing their socializing at home more often than a year ago.  In addition, 40% said they’d like to entertain at home more often in the next year. For a restaurant owner, those are some sobering numbers.  The corresponding …

Credit cards have become the currency of choice in restaurants everywhere.  Many restaurateurs report 80% – 85% of their customers pull out plastic when it’s time to pay the bill.  For a long time now the conventional wisdom in food service goes like this: any way the customer wants to …

The Inamo restaurant in London’s Soho district has taken high-tech ordering to a whole new level.  Gone are the days when picking up a phone at your table was the techiest gig in town.  Sure, some restaurants call themselves high-tech because their servers have wireless pads for taking orders.  Inamo …

One of the most important responsibilities of any restaurateur is the proper implementation of a food safety program.  A lapse in food safety can spell the doom of your restaurant, and if you’re just opening a new restaurant, it can mean a delayed opening night. Good food safety isn’t something you achieve once …

A website called Fancy Fast Food has taken all the mass produced food that makes Americans fat, but that we love to eat, and turned it into top quality fine cuisine, complete with garnish.  The results are actually very stunning, even after viewing the before picture.  Some examples include: Nathan’s …

As Congress grapples with the costs of tackling health care reform, a couple ideas have floated to the surface to help fund the effort.  As I mentioned recently, a national tax on soft drinks was the subject of a national feasibility study and it was determined that such a tax …

The co-owner of a chain of Asian restaurants in the Seattle area was recently indicted on immigration fraud charges.  Varee Bradford apparently paid employees of the Thai Ginger restaurants she owns with her husband to marry her relatives so they could immigrate from Thailand. Bradford has been charged with arranging …

Back in 2006, despite objections from industry groups like the National Restaurant Association (NRA), New York City banned the use of trans fats in all foods served in the city’s restaurants.  At the time, the NRA said that municipal government had no place regulating restaurants, and the ban would put …

In the marketing industry, email remains one of the most popular and most effective ways to reach customers.  In the restaurant industry, email marketing can be a great way to build customer loyalty and brand recognition.  It’s cheap, it’s easy, and it’s proven to bring customers in the door.  So …

We’ve been hearing more and more about the local sourcing of ingredients in the food service industry.  By far the most common form local sourcing takes is a small independent restaurant working out a deal for locally grown vegetables and herbs, or maybe even some locally raised meat. Of course, …