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| On the Front Burner |  |
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- Restaurants spend strongly on ads in Q2
Restaurant chains advertising spending remained strong in the second quarter, even as growth of overall U.S. ad expenditures slowed to 0.9%, according to Kantar Media. Wendy's dual-campaign strategy and Burger King's spots around its summer menu led much of the increase. BurgerBusiness.com
(9/10)      
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 | GHIRARDELLI® — Premium Mochas, Frappes and Hot Chocolate. A full line of specialty coffee products designed to grow your business. Our barista experts can help you craft recipes, promotions and increase sales. Learn more at www.ghirardelli.com/foodservice. |
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| Restaurant News | |
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- Hooters hopes for a happy medium
Hooters aims to make enough changes to the menu and decor to attract more women customers and keep them from exercising the veto vote, but it won't change the signature skimpy costumers its servers wear, says CEO Terry Marks. The chain has seen sales decline during the years since the recession, and reported a 3.4% drop in revenue last year. The Charlotte Observer (N.C.)/Bloomberg
(9/11)
- Site drives rise in restaurant-related petitions
Petition site Change.org is home to a large number of petitions pushing restaurant chains to change practices ranging from the use of plastic foam cups at Jamba Juice and Dunkin' Donuts to adding veggie burgers to the menu at In-N-Out. Some prove more effective than others, and chains seem to respond most immediately to queries from already-loyal customers. The Huffington Post
(9/11)
- Starbucks gets fresh with Pandora ad campaign
Starbucks is running mobile ads on Pandora's iPhone application to build buzz for its new Refreshers product line. The visually appealing ads do a good job of luring in potential consumers and informing them about the new drink, says Marci Troutman, CEO of Siteminis. Mobile Marketer
(9/11)
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 | Layer on the flavor with Ricotta from Sorrento.®
Subtle, savory Ricotta is the essence of all things Italian. That's why chefs choose the truly Italian Sorrento® brand. Its rich and creamy texture is steeped in the old world tradition. So you achieve consistent results in your signature entrées,desserts and more. For distinctive recipes, click here. |
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Does your restaurant have a loyalty program?
 | Yes, we use punch cards or some other non-digital method. |
| Yes, we use swipe cards. |
| No. |
- Finnish pop-down eatery redefines "underground"
Award-winning Finnish chef Timo Linnamaki has created a 64-seat temporary eatery 260 feet below ground in a limestone mine 40 miles west of Helsinki, serving $160 four-course meals in a spot he says makes him feel close to the earth. "It's great working down here because you are totally cut off from the world, so nothing distracts from the cooking." The Seattle Times/The Associated Press
(9/10)
- Honest Tea co-founder: Calories should be focus in N.Y.
Barry Nalebuff, co-founder of Honest Tea and professor of economics and strategy at Yale School of Management, said Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to ban the sale of large drinks in New York City is using "the wrong metric." He said, "We should look at the total calories in the bottle, not the number of fluid ounces." Bloomberg
(9/10)
- Quickservice chains boost use of loyalty programs
Quickservice chains including Starbucks, Dunkin' Brands, McDonald's, Panera Bread and Tasti D-Lite are getting increasingly sophisticated with their use of loyalty programs. As they move from paper punch cards to digital and mobile systems, many of them are finding ways to gather customer-specific data that allows them to better tailor the offer to the individual. QSRWeb.com
(9/10)
- Better burger chains spike the shakes
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and other higher-end hamburger chains aim to use their bars to bring in business from quickservice chains that don't serve alcohol. The latest trend -- spiked shakes such as the rum- and vodka-infused versions at Bobby's Burger Palace and Red Robin's new Samuel Adams Octoberfest milkshake. Reuters
(9/10)
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From the SmartBrief Library: "The Tasti D-Lite Way"
How did the dessert chain with a cult-like following become a market leader in social media as well? SmartBrief is pleased to share an excerpt from "The Tasti D-Lite Way: Social Media Marketing Lessons for Building Loyalty and a Brand Customers Crave." The book explores how the company -- ranked as one of Mashable's Top 40 Brands on Twitter -- leveraged blogs, Twitter and an innovative rewards system to not only grow customer affinity but revenue, too. In return for updating your SmartBrief subscriber profile, we will send you an excerpt from the book, absolutely free.
 | Everybody should do at least two things each day that he hates to do, just for practice."
--William James,
American psychologist and philosopher
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Recent Restaurant SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, September 10, 2012
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- Thursday, September 06, 2012
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- Tuesday, September 04, 2012
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September is National Food Safety Month, and this year has everyone from presidential candidates to the National Restaurant Association chiming in on the best way to protect consumers from food-borne illnesses. A study last year found consumers would pay about $1 more annually to cut their chances of getting sick from a bad burger by 10%. 
