Foodservice Perspectives
Opinion pieces on the foodservice equipment and supplies industry from leaders and laymen from all aspects of the business, including dealers, distributors, design consultants and multi-unit operators.
This Week In Foodservice: Harris Poll Finds Consumers Dine Out — A Lot
- Published on Tuesday, April 09, 2013
The vast majority of Americans dine out regularly — that's what Harris Interactive found in a recent study. Jerry Stiegler reviews those findings as well as many other economic indicators affecting the foodservice business in This Week In Foodservice.
NRA's February Restaurant Performance Index Fell in February but Operators Still Optimistic
- Published on Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Jerry Stiegler covers the Restaurant Performance Index as well as a host of other economic indicators to provide a snapshot of the economic outlook for foodservice operators.
Trade Secrets for Free
- Published on Monday, April 01, 2013
I was re-reading several past Parting Shot articles written by a variety of industry insiders, including dealers, manufacturers, operators, service agents and consultants. Not surprisingly, this feature consistently ranks among our most widely read sections of the magazine. The wisdom and passion that your peers express on the last page of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies often contains the most thought-provoking ideas that we print each month.
Success Never Rests
- Published on Monday, April 01, 2013
Success is something we all chase. Outside of Monty Brewester, Richard Pryor's character in the hit movie Brewster's Millions, who had to prove he could squander $30 million in a short period of time so he could inherit $300 million, nobody sets out to waste resources. So why are some organizations more successful than others?
Taking a Closer Look at Service
- Published on Monday, April 01, 2013
As we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both the Commercial Food Equipment Service Association (CFESA) and Duffy's Equipment Service it struck me just how much the role of the service agent has changed over the past 50 years.
Open Kitchens? You Must Be Crazy!
- Published on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
One can say that open kitchens are a trend, thanks in part, to the concept of transparency that fast-casual chains continue to incorporate into their designs. There is not much that you cannot see in a Five Guys or a Chipotle restaurant while ordering or standing in the dining room. Although such casual dining chains as Macaroni Grill and Carrabba's have had open kitchens since their inceptions, I have noticed a larger number of casual dining concepts making their back of the house visible to patrons in the front of the house by showing a lot more of the trials and tribulations of the kitchen operation.
This Week In Foodservice: Mega Distributor Sysco is on the Prowl for Acquisitions
- Published on Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Mergers and acquisitions activities start to show signs of life for suppliers and chains alike as the economy slowly and steadily heads in the right direction.
This Week in Foodservice: Consumers Keep Spending and Restaurants Keep Chugging Along
- Published on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Retail sales in February increased 1.3 percent over January's levels, according to the advance estimate from the U.S. Economic Census. Gasoline sales, up 5 percent, represents the major cause of the increase. Without gasoline, retail sales were up 0.6 percent and without gasoline and autos, retail sales were up 0.4 percent. Compared to February 2012, retail sales were up 4.7 percent.
Having the Courage to Lead in Today's Foodservice Industry
- Published on Monday, March 18, 2013
There's an old cliché that goes "the more things change the more they stay the same." Seems to me that notion really applies to today's foodservice industry.
This Week In Foodservice: Merrill Lynch Reports On Which Restaurant Chains Are Bulls or Bears
- Published on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Wall Street analysts offer their take on which publicly traded restaurant chains have the brightest outlook in the coming months.
This Week In Foodservice: NRA's Restaurant Performance Index Got a Big Boost from Operators' View of the Future
- Published on Tuesday, March 05, 2013
Foodservice operators' brightened their outlook and U.S. manufacturers got a boost by companies replenishing their inventories. Despite this good news, the U.S. jobs situation remains muddled. Take it all and mix it together and you have This Week in Foodservice.
