A recent study by a restaurant consulting and analyst firm says barbell menus will attract lower and middle income consumers. Barbell menus are typically priced and tiered to offer value and affordability targeted to those with less disposable incomes. In a domestic society where eating out is a significant part of our culture, restaurants have…
With the New Year almost upon us, here is a good synopsis of the Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO), courtesy of the restaurant industry analysis department at Golden Gate Restaurant Association, if you operate a business in San Francisco. Several provisions have been updated in the new ordinance and take effect on January 1, 2012.…
The latest news from the California Restaurant Association (CRA) from this foodservice expert is about the priority to get your workers up to speed and trained on the new food handling certification card required by law that started in July 2011. According to CRA, health inspectors in several counties are starting to visit restaurant establishments…
Food trends are ever changing, like music and top ten hits, as many a restaurant management consultant knows. Still, some of these new dining fads may start a new chain concept or just reinforce old menu standbys. Here’s a look at a one new and one not-so-new food idea that are making the headlines at…
There is an interesting article from a restaurant advisor perspective on the CNBC guest blog on the perception of U.S. restaurant brands in China and the consumers in that country. If you are planning on expanding operations to China or focusing on those immigrants coming here, a few important issues brought up in that blog…
The marketing aspect of your restaurant business plan is the often the most critical and hardest area to get right. However, night clubs are a good parallel to restaurants in that being “hot” is what makes or breaks and separates the next venue from the rest of the competition. On that note, this is a…
According to the latest news we follow in our restaurant management consultant group, landlords and investors can take solace in San Francisco retail and restaurant space. One can only wonder if the national recession and down economy has by passed this city if you frequent the many restaurants, bars and hotels who are booming with…
One area from a restaurant operations expert perspective that is increasingly getting more scrutiny is the use of Wi-Fi by customers in a food and beverage establishment, especially in coffee shops. At issue is how long customers can tie up seats and tables without paying for anything more than a cup of coffee for an…
Owners, operators, managers and their restaurant bar consultant should take note of the new food handling law in California which goes into effect July 1, 2011. There are different issues to consider including its impact on food safety. Here are excerpts from the California Restaurant Association (CRA) and ServSafe® about the law and its requirements:…
A recent study says this food safety consultant reported that 1 in 13children suffer from some type of food allergy. Most common are nuts and milk. As for adults in general – nuts, shellfish and products including gluten rank high on the list. It is no longer a myth that certain foods cause allergies. Just…