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- Omaha eateries see sales rise despite new tax
A hotly contested 2.5% restaurant sales tax that was expected to raise $15 million annually for Omaha's coffers actually brought in more than $23 million in the first year. While a few remnants of opposition remain, the city's eateries say business is up and the tax is more than offsetting shortfalls from other revenue sources. Omaha World-Herald (Neb.)
(9/6)      
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- Outback parent maps aggressive growth plan
Bloomin' Brands has ambitious plans to increase sales a month after going public, including an expansion of its Carrabba's Italian Grill and Bonefish Grill chains, said CEO Liz Smith. The parent of Outback Steakhouse will also encourage more of its brands to boost same-store sales by adding lunch and weekend brunch service. Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
(9/5)
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Does your restaurant have a TV in the dining area?
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No, we do not have any TVs |
31.31%
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No, but we have a TV in the bar area |
29.80%
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Yes, we have more than one TV in the dining area |
25.76%
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Yes, we have one TV in the dining area |
13.13%
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- How Krispy Kreme has thrived without altering its core offering
Krispy Kreme has achieved success throughout its history by relying on the appeal of a simple product: the doughnut. The brand experienced trouble after rapid expansion in the 2000s, but the company has gotten back on track. It already has more than 450 stores in foreign countries, and CEO Jim Morgan has announced plans to expand that footprint. QSR Magazine
(9/2012)
- How restaurants track patrons' preferences
Restaurants including New York City's RedFarm create files even for first-time visitors in an effort to track everything from food allergies to a preference for crushed ice instead of cubed. “The ability to know and read your customer is critical for staying on top, particularly at the power restaurants,” said restaurant consultant Clark Wolf. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(9/4)
- Does that new menu item make sense?
Quickservice chains have a host of reasons for adding new, seemingly unrelated items to the menu, from keeping up with the competition to pushing to appeal to a new demographic, but such decisions take careful consideration up front, writes Roy Bergold. "If your menuboard needs two walls, it’s too big." QSR Magazine
(9/2012)
- Restaurants right-size portions to feed changing appetites
Restaurant chains have taken heat for cutting portion sizes as recently as 2004, but high-profile anti-obesity campaigns, menu labeling laws and consumers' increasing focus on both physical and financial well-being have spurred growing demand for menus that offer the option of smaller portions. Chains from T.G.I. Friday's to California Pizza Kitchen to Ruth's Chris Steak House have added smaller, less pricey meals to the menu this year. Restaurant Management magazine
(9/2012)
 | One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done."
--Marie Curie,
Polish-French physicist and chemist
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