Monday, February 27, 2017
Today's Specials:
TECH: Thinking of Changing Your Restaurant POS?
The big-brand restaurant chains have IT directors, restaurant technology specialists, and others who can investigate restaurant POS (point-of-sale) options. But not the smaller chains or independents.
HACK: Drum Up Excitement with Restaurant Appetizer Giveaways [Restaurant Hacks]
Looking to boost some excitement around your bar or restaurant? Try doing some regular appetizer giveaways and get those hungry stomachs in the door!
DID YOU KNOWs…
In-N-Out Get’s Rocked
Where do you go when you’re hungry for a late night drive through if you are a huge movie star show latest film has been nominated for an Academy Award? Well, In-N-Out Burger, of course. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made his first trip to the cult favorite burger joint and gushed on and on about it via Instagram. He even vowed to return there if Moana wins and Academy Award. We’re rooting for yours, Dwayne!
Beer Retains Its Crown
If you were wondering, what the most popular alcoholic beverage with US consumers is, we have your answer in this infographic from Statista. Beer stands atop a varied list of concoctions, but who are the runner-ups? Check out the chart to see the rest.
Fast Food Funnies
With a mix of urban locations, late night hours and affordable food, it’s no wonder that fast food joints are home to some great stories of silliness. We give you this Thrillist post that outlines some whoppers. Our favorite was the Magic Wrappers at McDonald's. Read them all and reply to this email with our own to top them.
SCHEDULE-SLATION
Why it matters to you: There is a trend of municipalities and states legislating schedule rules specifically for restaurants.
We’ve all been there! A shortage of labor and staff that is willing to help, which inevitably leads to a close-open or other demanding (bordering on abusive) scheduling outcomes. It turns out Oregon has been there too and has decided enough is enough. Proposed changes include banning “clopenings” and schedules would be required to be posted two full weeks in advance. Similar legislation has already been passed in San Francisco, and Seattle and New York City is exploring it as well.
Is this just another overreach by liberal minded politicians or are they attempting to protect our staff from incompetent schedule creation? Schedule writing is an art that too few operators value or develop. With the tools available to operators there is no reason to write a lousy schedule anymore or inspire a bored city official from making your schedule their newest cause.
HOW GIN ALMOST KILLED LONDON
Why it matters to you: This story is an allegory of how trade policy and impact social outcomes
The mid-18th century was a hard time to be poor in London. The city was dirty, job prospects low and hope a difficult thing to find. It’s no wonder that the introduction of cheap gin turned an already bleak existence deadly in many cases. In many cases, gin was cheaper than any other beverage and available form an estimated 7000 legal sellers. Before the introduction of gin (originally a Dutch beverage called jenever) whiskey and brandy were the most popular spirits in London.
A combination of anti-French sentiment and a desire to derive tax revenue caused the influx of bad gin to makes its way through London. The results were nothing less than disastrous. This wasn’t the gentle spirit of James Bond, no it was described as, “a throat-searing, eye-reddening, vomit-churning hell broth.” Eventually, the damage was so great that the government had to add controls to protect the “inferior people,” a term used to describe the urban poor at the time. While we shouldn’t expect any of President Trump’s policies to cause a resurgence of lousy gin, there will be consequences to trade protectionism and other reduced regulation. The questions is what will be the outcome? Hopefully, we’ll do better than London in the 1700’s.
