We’ve all had one of those managers who’s just a little bit more hardcore than everybody else. Usually they’re pretty harmless, if not a little annoying. You just have to roll your eyes and get through the extra training seminar they scheduled. A St. Joseph, Missouri Sonic manager probably takes …
Read More »11 Hot Restaurant Trends
Keeping up with the latest and hottest trends in food service could be a full time job in itself. Luckily for you, The Back Burner is here to keep track and distill things down into manageable chunks. This is a quick rundown of the trends we’ve been tracking over the …
Read More »Food Service Industry Groups Voice Their Opposition To The House’s Health Care Reform Bill
House Bill 3962 passed the U.S. House of Representatives last Saturday, and with the vote, which was a close one, the first steps have been taken towards comprehensive health care reform in America. The primary provisions of the bill include: Roughly 96% of Americans would be covered Businesses with less …
Read More »Campus Dining Trends: Going Trayless
One of the big things in campus cafeterias over the last couple years has been trayless dining. Several hundred college food service operations removed trays from their dining facilities, and left the students to eat what they could carry. The initial programs were a huge success, and continue to be …
Read More »Obstacles to Nutrition Labeling for Restaurants
Since 1993, the FDA has required manufacturers to print nutrition labels on food packages. As Americans become increasingly obese, health-consciousness has powered the trend toward full nutrition disclosure in restaurants as well. The theory is that if we see the caloric impact of foods, we will make healthier choices and …
Read More »Louisiana Restaurant Association Fighting Back Against New FDA Regulations
The Food & Drug Administration announced in October that it would place a ban on untreated oysters coming from the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana is the primary harvester and exporter of Gulf oysters, and the industry accounts for $318 million dollars each year. Gulf oysters have been deemed a food …
Read More »New York City Health Department Finds Menu Labeling Affects Consumer Behavior
Nutrition information on menus is a trend in food service that doesn’t seem to be going away. Legislation is still working its way through Congress that would require menu labeling. In the meantime, New York City has had its own menu labeling law for fast food chains in place for …
Read More »Standardized Coding for Restaurant Products. It’s about time!
Maybe you missed the announcement by the National Restaurant Association, GS1 US and the IFDA concerning the new initiative for standardized labeling of restaurant industry products, or maybe you saw it and overlooked the potential impact it could have on your restaurant. The rest of the planet already has retail …
Read More »Christmas Ain’t What It Used To Be – But Learn How Your Restaurant Can Make More Than It Should
Without a doubt, company Christmas parties aren’t what they used to be. The days of opulent parties stacked one after the other are clearly behind us. On the other hand, there’s definitely some opportunity for restaurateurs looking for a little extra Christmas income. That’s because companies want to show some …
Read More »Are You Ready For Flu Season?
Personally, if I never hear another story about H1N1 (swine) flu again, I’ll die a happy man. Unfortunately, the grim reality is everyone is going to have to take steps to combat the spread of flu this winter, and restaurants are no exception. Organizations like the National Restaurant Association are …
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