marketing

On the spot

By Bill Main on Sep. 17, 2003

The reports are in and (Gasp!) food and beverage costs are up again. By your calculations they should be around 34%, but this week you've hit 39%. Last week 32%, and the week before 37%. There's obviously something wrong here.

Marketing

Get to Know: Allison Hills

By Kelly Killian on Oct. 16, 2014

On the day it unveiled its new tuition-reimbursement plan for employees, Starbucks was met with a crush of interest from the media and corporate America pushing to know more about CEO Howard Schultz’s latest HR ploy.

Flash point

By Restaurant Business Staff on Jun. 17, 2004

According to a Cornell Hotel & Restaurant Administration Quarterly study, every single day the average restaurateur has fifty-eight unscheduled, informal meetings. These are in addition to two or three daily formally scheduled meetings.

Steal This Idea: Lessons from a failed fast-casual expansion

By Sara Rush Wirth on Apr. 14, 2015

Boloco’s Washington flop is attributed to three factors: low brand awareness, operational issues and competition.

Consumer insights: Kid stuff

By Restaurant Business Staff on Jun. 15, 2005

Premium-laden kids' meals is a billion-dollar business. But what do the parents think?

This week’s 5 head-spinning moments: Stunners, good and not so much

By Peter Romeo on Aug. 12, 2016

Chiropractors should be exchanging high-fives after reaping a business windfall this week from head-snapping developments in the restaurant business. Here’s a review of the standout neck strainers.

DIY consumer research

By Restaurant Business Staff on Jun. 10, 2006

Getting a bead on your customer base is no small task. Neighborhoods gentrify. Dining tastes evolve. Lifestyles can move the pendulum-like whims of diners from a hamburger and fries to a pineapple chicken pizza in a blurry moment. How's a restaurateur to cope?

Food

A peek inside Taco Bell's ideation process

By Patricia Cobe on Apr. 13, 2017

A text from outside the R&D department was the seed for Taco Bell’s latest mashup—the Naked Chicken Chalupa.

Creative menu writing

By Restaurant Business Staff on Nov. 11, 2006

Consultant Gregg Rapp, a menu engineer based in Palm Springs, California, critiques some variations on the traditional menu nomenclature.

Operations

This week’s 6 head-spinning moments: Fashion benders

By Peter Romeo on Sep. 15, 2017

Restaurants influenced more than food trends this week. Just ask those waifs in outlandish outfits who strutted the runways this week in New York City.

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