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- San Francisco cracks down on Healthy SF collections
San Francisco's city attorney is investigating at least 50 restaurants that charge guests a fee for city-mandated employee health care but haven't spent the funds for their intended purpose. Under Healthy San Francisco, city businesses with 20 or more workers must set aside funds to pay for health care; many restaurant owners say they're complying with the law, despite some confusion, and some say the unused cash is in an account set up to pay for future health care expenses. The Huffington Post
(1/28), San Francisco Chronicle
(1/27)      
- Bruegger's parent to pay $50 million for Mimi's Cafe
Bob Evans will sell its struggling 145-unit Mimi's Cafe chain to LeDuff America, in a $50 million deal expected to close within 45 days, the company said Monday. Dallas-based LeDuff America, the U.S. division of France's Groupe Le Duff, owns chains including Bruegger's Bagels and La Madeleine Country French Cafe. The Columbus Dispatch (Ohio)
(1/29)
- Friendly's takes concept back to its roots
Friendly's has renovated 10 of its restaurants, creating a new look, feel and menu inspired by the chain's heyday, when shakes were made with hard ice cream and sipped to the sounds of big band music. The chain, which closed 100 locations after its 2011 bankruptcy filing, now operates 114 corporate units and 247 franchises, and plans to renovate 30 more this year. The Republican (Springfield, Mass.)
(1/28)
- Smashburger gets a makeover with 200th unit
The opening of Smashburger's 200th store in its hometown of Denver was also the debut of the chain's third new look since it launched five years ago. Softer lighting, high-tech menu boards and graphics and art designed to tell local stories are among the key elements in the new design, which was created to appeal to both young couples and families, said founder Tom Ryan. FastCasual.com
(1/28)
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What is your restaurant's main strategy for avoiding menu price increases despite rising commodity costs?
 | Changing suppliers |
| Renegotiating contracts |
| Promoting lower-priced items |
| Reducing portion sizes and/or removing high-cost menu items |
| Mitigating and preventing losses |
| Other |
- Panera Cares cafes reap more than money
Panera's pay-what-you-can Panera Cares concept has expanded to five locations with the opening last week of a Boston location. Customers who can't pay the full price often leave other signs of appreciation, including flowers, drawings and poems from a Chicago veteran who left his work to pay for his food, said manager Jimmy Hoppers. Bloomberg Businessweek
(1/28)
- Does loss prevention play a role in menu pricing?
Restaurants are investigating many tactics to keep from raising menu prices as food costs rise, but many don't consider the role of loss prevention strategies, writes D.B. "Libby" Libhart. Educating workers on food costs and the importance of proper portions, and following through with security measures and rewards for employees who meet their goals can go a long way toward shoring up the bottom line without raising prices, he writes. PizzaMarketplace.com
(1/24)
- How can quickservice menus cater to Latino guests?
Hispanic consumers make up 17% of traffic and account for 18% of sales at U.S. quickservice restaurants, and their importance to the industry continues to grow, according to NPD Group. Restaurants can boost their appeal to the group by catering to a craving for authenticity and tweaking the food and beverage menus to incorporate more Latin flavors, writes consultant Marc Halperin. QSR Magazine
(1/2013)
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Up-to-the-minute social coverage of Sirha 2013
SmartBrief is assembling the best social media content from Sirha 2013, the World Hospitality & Food Service Event in Lyon, France, which runs through Wednesday. Check out the Storify live feed for the most important social content about the event.
 | We have more ability than willpower, and it is often an excuse to ourselves that we imagine that things are impossible."
--François de la Rochefoucauld,
French writer
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