Restaurants
Diners' sticker shock pushes chain restaurants into reworking recipes to cut back on fat, calories, carbohydrates
By Sharon Bernstein
Los Angeles Times 2011-06-22
Richest 10 percent of American Express cardholders increased spending on fast food by 4 percent, credit card company says; spending on casual dining decreased by 4 percent
By Jessica Dickler
CNN 2011-02-28
As subsidies rise for alternative fuels, fry-oil scavengers resort to frequent dining, cash payment, good tips at restaurants to ensure steady supply of free biodiesel for vehicle fillups
By Jeffrey Ball
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2011-02-15
As chefs take to streets in bustaurants, those who manufacture catering trucks are rushing to accommodate special requests, which have pulled industry out of recession
By Todd Lappin
The New York Times 2011-01-14
New Jersey's restaurant association is against proposed changes to 1947 BYO/liquor license law that limits licenses to one per 3,000 residents - except for grandfathered eateries
By Lisa Fleisher
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2011-01-05
Slew of young chefs takes modern Southern cooking to new place, forming movement in the crucible of high ideals, virtuoso technique, hard-core attitude
By Josh Ozersky
Time magazine 2010-10-27
Cook County Jail garden grows produce for Charlie Trotter's, The Publican restaurants, helps inmates find peace, patience, cuts recidivism from 50 percent to 13.8 percent since 2008
By Kevin Pang
Chicago Tribune 2010-09-09
Despite legal, ethical, safety questions, foraged food finds favor with California chefs and their customers, who begin to see plants around them in a new light
By Janny Hu
San Francisco Chronicle 2010-07-15
Opinion: Zagat's ratings for fast food, chain eateries created by those who reported making about 11 visits a month; Wendy's, Panera, In-N-Out, Starbucks take top marks
By Greg Pollowitz
National Review Online 2010-08-17
As former customers pack PB&J, number of restaurants operating nationwide dropped this year for first time in more than a decade; almost all that closed were independently owned
By Sharon Bernstein
Los Angeles Times 2010-08-21
Recession-weary fast-food outlets see beef prices rise earlier than anticipated; cheese, wheat stay low
By Paul Ziobro
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2010-04-14
New health law requires chain eateries to post nutrition information on menus, drive-through signs, vending-machine fare
By Stephanie Rosenbloom
The New York Times 2010-03-24
San Francisco offers restaurants savings on sewer bill in exchange for installing machines that divert food for composting, grease for biofuel
By Rachel Gordon
San Francisco Chronicle 2010-03-18
Santa Monica sushi restaurant, facing federal charges for serving endangered whale meat, closes for good as part of apology
By Tony Barboza
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-20
After advocates switch from animal welfare to invasive species argument, California decides to ban importing of non-native turtles, frogs for food
By Carla Hall
Los Angeles Times 2010-03-04
Reported calorie count of foods, especially side dishes, often less than that of researchers' analysis
Science Daily 2010-01-09
Restaurateurs embrace menu psychology to coax diners into spending more
By Sarah Kershaw
The New York Times 2009-12-22
To triumph over recession, Panera focused on 90 percent of society still employed
By Sean Gregory
Time magazine 2009-12-23
Green cuisine ideas can get lost at high-volume restaurants
With business models built on sustainable food, hype can get ahead of execution. Even when intentions are good, is it possible for a high-volume restaurant to practice everything it preaches - and turn a profit and serve customers what they want? Small family farms don't have quantity or consistency of huge national suppliers, usually can't compete on price, even at height of growing season. Though diners say they want to 'eat green,' many want tomatoes on burgers in December.
By Jane Black
The Washington Post 2009-12-07
The first 100 rules of a waiter's how-to guide
Though there are far more than 100 things restaurant staffers never should do, here's the second half of the starter list, including No. 57 - Do not make people beg for a condiment; No. 64 - Specials, spoken and printed, should always have prices; and No. 78 - Do not ask, 'Are you still working on that?' And: The first half of the list from a budding restaurant entrepreneur (click 'See also').
By Bruce Buschel
The New York Times 2009-11-05
A waiter's how-to guide from a budding restaurateur's perspective
Restaurant entrepreneur and author compiles 'modest' list of dos and don'ts for servers at seafood restaurant he's building and starting. Among them: Never serve anything that looks creepy or runny or wrong; tables should be level without anyone asking; never say 'I don't know' to any question without following with, 'I'll find out;' never refuse to substitute one vegetable for another.
By Bruce Buschel
The New York Times 2009-10-29
Burger chain's spoon fragment reaches man's lung
WECT/TV
For two years, North Carolina man suffered from coughing, vomiting, pain. Using camera-equipped endoscope, physician saw problem: Fragment of plastic spoon bearing logo of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. When his relatives learned the news via telephone, they were eating food from that fast-food chain.
CNN 2009-09-18
Some fish saved from brink; others may face extinction
With good management, many fish populations can recover from brink, new study shows. But there are more collapsed fish populations than ever known; many individual species - cod, for example - threatened; two-thirds of all stocks need to be rebuilt, half of those still overfished. And: Compass Group, world's largest contract caterer, bans 69 species of fish from menus at thousands of restaurants across UK, Ireland in a move hailed by campaigners fighting to protect threatened stocks (click 'See also').
By Brandon Keim
Wired 2009-07-30
Tracking food-borne illnesses leads CDC to virus, chicken, poor sanitation
Leading cause of food-borne illnesses is a virus, mostly from restaurant workers who fail to wash hands, CDC finds. Salmonella bacteria was second. Among 17 individual food types, poultry was most common source of illness. Dairy products accounted for 3 percent of outbreaks, most from unpasteurized milk. And: In 2008, chicken sales increased 6.7 percent - three times overall growth rate for retail, food service meat (click 'See also').
By Gardiner Harris
The New York Times 2009-06-11
Casual sit-down restaurants in survival mode
Recession, proliferation pushes casual sit-down restaurants into survival mode - renegotiating loans, cutting staff, offering bargain items, closing poor performers. So far, many companies closing are small, with one to three sites, but thousands more closures expected, says analyst. Parent group of Olive Garden, Red Lobster, announce better-than-expected outlook; fast-food outlets thrive by offering full meals for less than $5.
By Andrew Martin
The New York Times 2009-04-04
Essay: Choking incident shows need for staff safety training
alexholden.com
Portion of life-saving poster by Alex Holden, a Brooklyn artist.
Learning Heimlich maneuver should be mandatory for restaurant staff, writes famed cookbook author who was saved at her own party from choking on Persian shish kebab with pomegranate sauce. The knight? Tom Colicchio, who owns Craft restaurants and is judge on TV show 'Top Chef.' And: Brooklyn artist transforms eyesore of life-saving poster into aesthetic statement (click 'See also').
By Joan Nathan
The New York Times 2009-02-04
Upscale restaurants offer bargains; sales at McDonald's rise
As penny-pinching diners trade down on dinner, sales at McDonald's go up, worldwide (click 'See also'), some fine-dining spots close and others offer dramatic discounts - consider Philadelphia's London Grill special of lobster or beef filet, salad and dessert, for $19.
By Katy McLaughlin
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2009-01-23
Malicious software captured data on diners' credit, debit cards
Breach at one of the nation's largest payment processing companies - whose restaurant customers make up about 40 percent of its monthly transactions - may have exposed data from tens of millions of credit, debit card transactions. Investigators found software that was recording names, card numbers, expiration dates as it was being sent to Heartland Payment Systems. Probe began after fraudulent activity reports were received in October.
By Brian Krebs
The Washington Post 2009-01-21
For restaurant chains, oatmeal is hot
Old-fashioned oatmeal gets makeover as Starbucks, Jamba Juice add high-profit item to menus. Chains aim for upscale breakfast offerings of steel-cut oats with fresh fruit. Breakfast foods are bright spot for restaurant industry, though hot cereal sales at supermarkets have been flat. Recipe: Baked oatmeal, Wisconsin-style (click 'See also').
By Janet Adamy
The Wall Street Journal. (may require subscription) 2008-12-18
Nutrition counts for Philly restaurants in 2010
Philadelphia mayor signs strong menu labeling law that requires most chain restaurants to display calorie, fat, other nutrition information starting in 2010. Most of city's cheesesteak joints are stand-alone shops or small chains and won't be subject to law.
By Maryclaire Dale
The Associated Press; International Herald Tribune 2008-12-18
Tipping point at New York restaurants
Restaurant staffers in New York, in lawsuits filed over last three years, accuse dozens of restaurants of stealing tips, cheating them out of wages. Jean-Georges Vongerichten agrees to pay $1.75 million to waiters who filed suit for all staff at Jean Georges and four of his other dining spots; Daniel Boulud settled with immigrant workers at Daniel.
By Christine Kearney
Reuters 2008-09-18
Chains' calories, fat grams often undercounted
Many health-conscious foods at Chili's, Taco Bell, Applebee's and other chains contained as much as twice the calories and eight times the fat claimed on published data, investigation shows. Macaroni Grill's 'Pollo Margo Skinny Chicken,' was advertised at 500 calories with 6 grams of fat but had 1,022 calories and 49 grams of fat.
By Isaac Wolf
Scripps Howard News Service 2008-05-21
Rice prices hit Chinese restaurants
Chinese restaurants hit hard by skyrocketing rice prices that followed price hikes in cooking oil, meat and seafood; prices on menus are beginning to edge up. Price of rice has risen by as much as 70 percent during the past year, with increases accelerating in recent weeks as China, India ban exports.
By Claire Shoesmith
Crain's Manchester Business 2008-04-21
Opinion/Blog: Dirt on diacetyl
Chefs' group calls for change in FDA safety advisory on diacetyl, an artificial butter flavoring implicated in lung problems of workers in flavoring and popcorn factories. CDC is examining hazard in three New York institutional restaurants; Washington State officials are examining at least two sites in Seattle. Artificial diacetyl is routinely added to pure unsalted butter.
By Andrew Schneider
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA) 2008-03-20
A new food model
Stephanie Gross/The Washington Post
Joel Salatin, left, of Polyface Farms, and Phil Petrilli, of Chipotle.
Driven by concerns for food safety and fuel costs, as well as consumer demand for fresh, local food, Chipotle, other chains and food service providers launch buy-local experiments.The programs spur overhaul of operations and philosophy and foster new partnerships and cost-sharing with farmers.
By Jane Black
The Washington Post 2008-03-25
The restaurant squeeze
With wholesale price of eggs up 229 percent over the last year and wholesale chicken up 189 percent, restaurateurs find suppliers unwilling to set prices ahead, and fewer diners, spending less and tipping less when they do come. So they scrimp on lemon and provide cream for coffee when asked - and turn off the grills when they're not in use.
By Laura Youngs
The Business Journal (NC) 2008-03-14
High wheat prices for breakfast?
At a Washington, D.C., bakery that supplies Open City cafe, flour is white gold, considering the skyrocketing price of wheat, and other prices are up as well. Both spots are reluctant to pass along full price hikes. With bad economy jitters, customers sometimes just want to escape into a slice of brioche French toast, with syrup and powdered sugar on top.
By Jacki Lyden
National Public Radio 2008-03-09
Just the facts
New online health inspection reports for restaurants, delis and convenience stores prove a runaway Internet sensation in Rhode Island, at one point registering 224 hits a minute shortly after launch. The next plan, Dine Safer Award, raises the bar even higher.
By Mark Arsenault
The Providence-Journal (RI) 2007-11-12
Dear menu
London's toney restaurants, including River Cafe, Tom Aikens', Maze, Chez Bruce, move into $200 per couple range for a meal, bringing heaping helping of criticism for catering to the expense-account crowd.
By David Langton
The Times (UK) 2007-11-11
Hot subject
Eye-burning, acrid smoke sends Londoners running for cover, suspecting a terrorist attack, but firefighters in special gear find only a vat of dry-frying chili peppers for a Thai restaurant's nam prik pao, a charred chili dip.
By Steve Bird
The London Times 2007-10-03
Generational playdate
Entrepreneur, seeing inspiration in her native England, re-creates in her Wisconsin town a combination of indoor children's playground and coffee house/sandwich shop featuring wireless internet access.
By Randy Hanson
Hudson Star-Observer (WI) 2007-09-28
Local, extreme:
For chefs with the ripe stuff, now's the season for them to luxuriate in too many juicy tomatoes, fresh herbs, zesty peppers and tender zucchini, and then serve up food that's as local as the the farmers' market.
By Beth D'Addono
Philadelphia Daily News 2007-08-23
Sweet treats:
From humble to fancy, cupcakes, those little indulgences that don't require sharing but seem like a personal celebration are earning their own shops, and the lines of customers that go along with them.
By Gail Pennington
St. Louis Post-Dispatch 0000-00-00
Biodegradable future:
Entrepreneurs find booming business in selling biodegradable and compostable cups, bowls and flatware made of sugar cane and corn plastic to local restaurants, but find they must educate restaurateurs on plastics problems first.
By Joanna Hartman
Sierra Sun; Nevada Appeal
Picking Popeye's
Mushy sides aside, fried chicken from Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits is some of the best soul food in Boston - but does it matter that this tender, juicy, extra crunchy bird with a cayenne kick is from a chain, if it's a cool chain?
By Devra First
Boston Globe
OPINION
Diet rich in high-fat, low-nutrient junk food and meals made outside the home, plus parents' extra hours of work are combining to shorten and widen our children in comparison to others in developed countries around the world, study suggests.
By Paul Krugman
The New York Times (may require subscription)
Restaurateur fined:
'Positive' and 'selfless' Sioux Falls restaurateur avoids jail sentence after judge determines he was helping illegal immigrants, not exploiting them, by hiring them to work in his Iowa restaurant, Inca Mexican.
By Josh Verges
Argus Leader (IA)
Idea infringement?
Citing intellectual property, New York restaurateur and chef of Pearl Oyster Bar sues former employee for remarkable similarities in look and feel of a new place, Ed's Lobster Bar.
By Pete Wells
The New York Times (may require subscription)