STAFF: Is Culinary School Valuable?
As culinary school becomes more popular among aspiring chefs, we wanted to know how valuable restaurant operators and managers found a culinary education to be when hiring and managing their back of house staff.
DID YOU KNOWS…
KFC: Escape the Internet for $10K
KFC likes their quirky publicity stunts. Their latest one was letting guests escape the Internet on Cyber Monday for $10,000. Sure, you could just not plug-in your router and turn off your cellphone… or you could go in KFC’s “Internet Escape Pod” which blocks wireless signals. And who doesn’t love blowing their hard earned cash on that, amiright?
The Top Countries for Michelin 3-Star Restaurants
The Michelin Guide has been awarding stars to select restaurants for excellence since 1926 and today, they still serve as a major benchmark for exceptional quality. But which country has the most 3-star Michelin restaurants?
Is ‘Pongles’ Trolling Trump?
A new potato-chip product known as “Prongles” has been piquing the interest of Target shoppers for the past few weeks. The obvious Pringles knock-off was eventually claimed by Cards Against Humanity founders, telling Fox News that the mascot was inspired by the president.
SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? [Song]
Why it matters to you: Is your company ripe for acquisition?
Have you ever heard of a blank check company? These are publicly traded companies that raise money with the intention of acquiring other companies. Legacy Acquisition Company announced it has raised some $300 million and is actively shopping for companies in the retail sector. One of its principals is a restaurant industry veteran, Steven Davis. He was formerly the CEO of Bob Evans and has held various positions in YUM! Brands Inc. This coupled with a lot of merger and acquisitions news sure makes it feel like now might be time to sell.
If you have a small to medium sized chain system of 20 -100 locations, you are a perfect match for this type of investment. Principals can cash out their initial investment while simultaneously setting their system up for future growth. As with any business transaction, you need to identify your goals and then act to achieve them. Those that want to lead their organizations to success without the additional pressure from a corporate overlord should pass on this recent volatility in the market and stay your current course. However, if you are ready to walk into the sunset, now might just be the perfect time to say au revoir.
HOW ABOUT A CUPPA?
Why it matters to you: Coffee shop trends can inform how we serve java in full-service.
If you haven’t noticed people drink a lot of coffee these days (587 million cups/day as measured by the National Coffee Association). In fact, so much that you can no longer ignore it as a beverage category.
The full-service restaurant industry has always been a bit hit or miss on our coffee execution. For example, most outlets don’t serve any specialty coffees (cappuccino or lattes for example) and many of you don’t really put much energy into your coffee systems. While this is due, in large part, to our volume being tilted toward evenings when less coffee is concerned, you may be missing some great opportunities to sell profitable coffee beverages that don’t cause too many operational issues.
The best example currently is the cold-brew movement that is sweeping the country. Unlike drip brewed coffee, this product comes in a keg, is simple to serve, and even easier to control. Cold brew coffee is set to double in volume consumed over the next few years. Another trend that is also impacting coffee culture is dairy alternatives, like soy and almond milk. Both products have solid shelf lives and can allow you to respond to the needs of your guests who want to avoid regular dairy. With just these two tidbits, we can improve our beverage sales and convince folks who might have avoided coffee to indulge while visiting your restaurant.
