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Sunday, July 31, 2016
The Yarra Indian Restaurant, South Yarra - Indian takeaway restaurant
Fernando Gonzalez – Best Tennis Points in High Definition
Love this guy, amazing player, where has he gone? Fernando Gonzalez – Best Points in High Definition syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
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Fernando Gonzalez – Best Tennis Points in High Definition syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
San Antonio boxer fights to a draw on Showtime’s ‘ShoBox’
San Antonio boxer fights to a draw on Showtime’s ‘ShoBox’ syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
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San Antonio boxer fights to a draw on Showtime’s ‘ShoBox’ syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
Looking for Branding Ideas for our Restaurant/Bar
I am looking for something to put our restaurant logo on for purposes of branding. Not sure if I want to giveaway anything or just have them in the restaurant and bar area. Any ideas?
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Watch: The Food Surgeon Whips Up a Seattle-Style Hot Dog
Cream cheese, caramelized onions, sriracha, and a scalpel
President Obama Signs Controversial Bill Requiring GMO Labels
Critics say the bill is too lax
President Barack Obama has signed a controversial bill into law requiring the labeling of genetically modified ingredients, The Associated Press reports. The legislation requires that companies include labels on packaging for food containing GMO ingredients and preempts laws in states like Vermont with individual requirements.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will have two years to develop the rules. Under the new law, companies will be required to disclose genetically modified ingredients through text labels, symbols, or scannable QR codes. The new labeling standard is unprecedented in the United States where food companies and the agriculture industry have long fought to prevent labels that they argue mislead consumers with bad science. Proponents of the bill say that the federal law will help streamline regulations and avoid a complex web of individual state regulations.
The new federal labeling law will supercede strict GMO regulations that recently went into effect in Vermont. Critics of the national law — including Senator Bernie Sanders — say the standards don’t go far enough. Not all consumers, they argue, have access to QR code-reading technology. The law has also been accused of lacking teeth, with few or no penalties for companies that violate the labeling standards.
The F.D.A. has also spoken out against the law, arguing that the definition of "bioengineering" in the bill is too narrow and would not apply to many foods that come from genetically engineered sources. Gene-edited foods, for example, do not fall into the category of "GMO" based on the language in the law. The food and agriculture industries reluctantly threw support behind the federal law.
While GMOs remain a controversial, there’s a general consensus within the scientific community that genetically modified foods are safe to eat. Numerous studies have shown no adverse health effects associated with the consumption of GM crops. Still, some critics of GMOs argue that the crops encourage greater use of herbicides and cause damage to the environment. Roughly 70 percent of genetically modified foods sold in the U.S. contain some GMO ingredients.
• Obama Signs Bill Requiring Labeling of GMO Foods [AP via WaPo]
• Every Question You Have About GMOs, Answered [E]
• New Bill Would Require National GMO Labeling — Sort of [E]
• Tracking GMO Politics and Policy [E]
Can You Make a Living As a Farmer’s Market Vendor?
AB InBev Ups Post-Brexit Offer to Acquire Beer Giant SABMiller
Plus, China gives the green light on the world’s largest beer merger
The road to the world’s largest beer merger just jumped two crucial hurdles. In an announcement this week, AB InBev offered a larger sum per share to SABMiller investors as part of its deal to acquire the rival brewing giant. According to USA Today, the increase from approximately $58 per share to $60 per share came after investors raised concerns that the post-Brexit pound was falling in value and impacting the agreed price. SABMiller’s board says it will recommend that its shareholders accept AB InBev’s improved offer.
Meanwhile, the merger is racking up approvals from international regulators. The New York Times reports that Chinese regulators gave AB InBev their blessing to join forces with SABMiller. The approval came after AB InBev agreed to sell off SABMiller’s 49 percent stake in Snow, the world’s number-one selling beer by volume, to China’s government-run brewer, China Resources Beer Holdings Co. The stake was sold for a whopping $1.6 billion, but was still less than expected suggesting the company is willing to push through its $105 billion mega-merger by any means necessary. China Resources Beer Holdings Co. is now the sole owner of Snow.
China is the latest country to approve the marriage of the world’s two biggest beer producers. More than 21 jurisdictions around the world have given it the thumbs up. The United States Justice Department approved the merger on July 20, contingent upon AB InBev’s agreement to sell off SABMiller’s stake in MillerCoors to Molsen Coors Brewing Co.
Once the merger is finalized, the two companies will together control 30 percent of the world beer market. The deal will give AB InBev a leg up in Latin America and Africa, where SABMiller holds a major market share.
• Anheuser-Busch InBev Merger With SABMiller Advances [NYT]
• SABMiller Board Likes AB InBev's Sweetened Offer [USA Today]
Saturday, July 30, 2016
25 New Restaurant Openings to Try In Austin
West 6th rooftop bar, downtown cafe, Teen Mom’s frozen yogurt spot, and many more certified open 1. East Side — Kitty Cohen’s exudes a retro, easy vibe (flamingo wallpaper, grand piano, shallow outdoor pool where swimsuits are encouraged) and drinks to match, including punches. It will host pop-up events and dinners with rotating chefs. 2. […]
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25 New Restaurant Openings to Try In Austin syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
Happy 39th birthday, Manu Ginobili, now the oldest San Antonio Spur
Thirty nine years ago to the date, a baby boy was born in Bahía Blanca Argentina to Jorge and Raquel Ginobili, unbeknownst to them, he would grow up to become a basketball star not only in his own country —but also 5,000 miles away in San Antonio. Happy 39th birthday, Manu Ginobili, now the oldest […]
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Happy 39th birthday, Manu Ginobili, now the oldest San Antonio Spur syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
The comeback king in Tennis: Roger Federer still has the capacity to surprise
Roger Federer – Exceptional Comeback Point [HD] syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
The comeback king in Tennis: Roger Federer still has the capacity to surprise was first seen on Greg Miksell LLC
The comeback king in Tennis: Roger Federer still has the capacity to surprise syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
Texas-born app finds big investor support Austin
Key Travel Concierge Inc., a provider of on-demand personal assistants for travelers, raised $3.7 million of a planned $4.7 million series A round of funding. The Austin startup plans to use the capital for product development and continued market expansion. It received the capital from 19 investors, according to a Tuesday filing with the U.S. […]
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Texas-born app finds big investor support Austin syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
The Top 17 Business Startups to Launch So Far in 2016
Great businesses can be launched any time, even when there’s a downturn in funding. While the start of 2016 might have spelled trouble for some well-established startups, it also saw the birth of companies tackling things like a cure for cancer, superfast internet, and competition for Uber. Business Insider spoke to founders and venture capitalists […]
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The Top 17 Business Startups to Launch So Far in 2016 syndicated from http://www.gregmikesell.com
Pulp Coffee – San Antonio
James Mireles has owned the Ristretto Group, a private label coffee company. Over decades, he has become an expert on coffee – roasting and brewing. He has imported beans and sold them with private labels to restaurants and coffee houses, as well as other retailers. The company was based in California. James wanted to bring […]
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Shrikhand, Convention Food, and More Long Reads
Worthy weekend reading material
Is less really more or is it the opposite? In this week’s food-inspired long reads we find authors defending both arguments. In her Eat column for The New York Times, writer Tejal Rao argues that to get a truly transcendent dessert yogurt experience something must be sacrificed, be it time or excess whey protein. Elsewhere, a Canadian offers an outsider’s look at the over-the-top GOP convention through its food and the people that consume it. Two Eater editors on opposite sides of the country also take opposing views on the Smorgasburg phenomenon. Read, evaluate, and pick your side.
Bread and Circuses in Believeland
Roads and Kingdoms
The arena in which the convention was held was a constant roil of bodies and sounds, with journalists lining up to interview the brighter, flashier delegates as they queued to eat at either the "GOP Bistro" or the "Republican Roadhouse." Seriously. The food on offer is standard American fare (burgers, hot dogs, pizza, fries) for delegates dressed mainly in the traditional garb of Republicans. Most of the men were in blue blazers and creased trousers, their hair high and tight. The women sported well-tailored, modest dresses, and prim pearl necklaces.
Lucky Peach
Just like the architecture, the food of Macau seamlessly combines a variety of unexpected influences. The Portuguese sailors who first settled in the region had a hard time re-creating dishes from home. It was nearly impossible to find Portuguese ingredients in the early sixteenth century. But these sailors weren’t actually doing the cooking. Their wives (typically from other parts of the Portuguese empire like Goa, Malacca, or Japan) were tasked with re-creating familiar dishes using local foodstuffs. Chinese lap cheong sausage replaced chorizo; coconut milk stood in for dairy.
When It’s Too Hot for Cooking, Try Yogurt for Dessert
The New York Times
So much home cooking turns a little into a lot, stretching bread or bones, using every last bit to serve more food, to more people. Not shrikhand. This is celebration food, and to make it is to indulge in some wastefulness, to end up with less than you started with, to choose pleasure over practicality.
Op-Ed: Smorgasburg Embodies Everything That’s Wrong With NYC Dining Right Now
Eater New York
Look around the sun-baked tarmac and you will see mostly people in their early 20s clad in sporty attire, roaming around in packs, chuckling, flirting, Instagramming, and scanning the scene for the next thing that might catch their fancy. They share the space with vendors peddling their wares in spartan conditions — no sinks, no A.C., no walk-ins. Surely, these upstart chefs and restaurateurs are doing some fun and/or interesting things with food. But their work is upstaged by the raucous crowds, punishing conditions, and overall chaotic vibe of the fairgrounds.
Why Smorgasburg Delivers On Its Big, Beautiful Promise
Eater LA
If you haven't been to Smorgasburg in Downtown's Industrial District, in the American Apparel complex (now dubbed ROW DTLA) on the corner of 7th and Alameda, you're possibly missing out on the best single-day collection of food in Los Angeles. The concept, brought over from Brooklyn's weekly event, took over the wholesale produce district in mid-June, and the results in the first month have in my experience been pretty great.
• All Long Reads Coverage [E]
Blue Bell Fined $850K Over Deadly Listeria Outbreak
The company may only pay a fraction of the penalty
Texas-based ice cream company Blue Bell Creamery has reached an agreement with the state health department for penalties related to last year’s listeria outbreak that sickened 10 people and was tied to three deaths. Under the agreement health officials have fined Blue Bell $850,000, though the company may only be required to pay a fraction of that amount according to The Dallas Morning News.
Blue Bell is committed to paying $175,000 within the next 30 days and can avoid doling out the additional $675,000 if the company continues to to test and monitor for listeria at its production facility. The ice cream maker must report positive tests for the bacteria found in any finished product, ingredient, or surface within 24 hours of testing for at least 18 months.
Former Blue Bell employees alleged that the massive outbreak was preventable, claiming the Texas ice cream plant was cutting corners on sanitation in order to keep up with high demand for its products. Last year, following the recall a Houston-area customer filed a lawsuit against the company saying he "damn near died" from a listeria infection he contracted in 2013 after consuming Blue Bell products. The U.S. Justice Department, which has vowed to crack down on companies responsible for foodborne illness outbreaks, opened up an investigation into Blue Bell in December to determine whether company officials were aware of the dangers at the plants.
Blue Bell’s flagship facility in Brenham, Texas, wasn’t the only location to test positive for listeria. According to a report issued to the Food & Drug Administration, the company believes the hazardous strain of bacteria spread to equipment at its plant in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, through a floor drain in a storage room. Following the recall, Blue Bell laid off 1,450 workers — nearly half its force — to save money. Production resumed last July.
• State Health Department Fines Blue Bell $850,000 Following Listeria Outbreak [Dallas Morning News]
• Blue Bell Creameries Recalls All of Its Products Over Listeria Fears [E]
• The U.S. Justice Department Is Investigating Blue Bell's Listeria Outbreak [E]
• All Blue Bell Coverage [E]
Friday, July 29, 2016
What is your favorite POS and why?
Researching pos for my brother-in-law's potential new restaurant
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LeBron James’s Pizza Order Is More Outrageous Than His Basketball Game
How many toppings is too many?
After leading the Cavaliers to the NBA title and giving Cleveland its first major sports championship since 1964, LeBron James is eating whatever the hell he wants. Apparently, what he wanted recently was a pizza with an outrageous 16 toppings from California-based chain Blaze Pizza.
Yes, LeBron likes his pizza with shredded mozzarella, parmesan, grilled chicken, turkey meatballs, banana peppers, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, green bell peppers, Kalamata olives, red onions, spinach, sea salt, oregano, arugula, and olive oil drizzle, all on top of "high-rise dough" and spicy red sauce. It appears the hoopster took advantage of Blaze's build-your-own deal and paid only $9.95, including the $2 upcharge for the special crust, for the pie. Though, he did add a side salad and s'more pie for dessert.
It might seem a bit uncouth to take advantage of a menu loophole and get all those toppings for free. But considering he has an endorsement deal with the chain, it's best to let that slide.
• LeBron James Ordered a Pizza With 16 Different Toppings [Ball Don't Lie]
• LeBron James Ditches McDonald's for a Fast-Casual Pizzeria [E]
'Chopped' Judge Alex Guarnaschelli Dives Into Standup Comedy
Guarnaschelli is the latest culinary star to go live
Already with a restaurant, cookbook, and plenty of television appearances under her belt, Alex Guarnaschelli is taking the next logical step for the modern celebrity chef: She's heading to the stage. Guarnaschelli will appear live at Guild Hall in East Hampton, N.Y., on August 5, reports Hamptons Magazine. She'll be joined by comedians Judy Gold, Karen Bergreen, and Yamaneika Saunders, and she plans to deliver a standup routine of her own.
"I realized in the past couple of years that the kitchen on any given evening during dinner service is really the same as an improv comedy show," the Chopped judge and Iron Chef told Hamptons. Firing dishes to order, entertaining guests, and accepting almost instant feedback are all things restaurant staff deal with daily, so she has a point. She'll reportedly deliver a set called "Busting My Chops," with material heavily based on her culinary background.
Guarnaschelli's foray into the world of paid live appearances follows an increasingly popular trend for kitchen professionals who have become household names. After years of success on TV, Anthony Bourdain has become a mainstay on the road. His first live tour, dubbed "Close to the Bone," was a hit in the summer of 2015 and covered 10 cities. Bourdain is following that up with "The Hunger" tour, which will make stops in 15 cities this fall. Alton Brown is another famous food person who has made the jump from the small screen to the stage. The former Good Eats host has a few tours to his name now, most recently "Eat Your Science," which covered a whopping 40 cities.
It isn't enough for the food-obsessed to simply dine at their favorite chefs' restaurants, read their cookbooks, and watch their television shows. Now, witnessing them in the flesh is a fan's desire. It's a strange development for the profession, and cements these chefs' celebrity status.
"Chefs are thought of as these unusual, kind of alien creatures — and we are — but the truth of the matter is there's a universal funny in feeling like you're not completely prepared for dinner service," Guarnaschelli told Hamptons," or that you may have a great dinner service but your love life is in a complete shambles because you spent the last 10 days fileting fish and not socializing."
• Chef Alex Guarnaschelli on Making Moves into Comedy [HM]
• Anthony Bourdain's Next Live Tour to Hit 15 Cities This Fall [E]
• Alton Brown Announces New Live Tour: 'Eat Your Science' [E]
Like Many People, Gwyneth Paltrow Does Not Wish to Be Linked to Goop
The actress wants to consciously uncouple from her lifestyle brand
Goop, arguably the most irritating of all the wealthy white woman lifestyle brands, has become synonymous with its founder Gwyneth Paltrow, and vice versa. But now, the Guardian reports, the actress says she wants to step back from Goop.
"In order to build the brand I want to build, its scalability is limited if I connect to it," Paltrow reportedly said at a conference in Chicago. "My dream is that one day no one will remember that I had anything to do with it."
Paltrow — who once told Conan O'Brien she'd "rather die than let [her] kid eat Cup-A-Soup" — launched Goop as a weekly email newsletter in 2008, and it has since evolved into a full-on #brand replete with pop-up shops and an e-commerce site hawking $458 porcelain bowls and its own line of skincare products.
So why the need for such a "conscious uncoupling"? After all, supreme lifestyle queen and Paltrow nemesis Martha Stewart has achieved astronomic success with her own namesake brand. Perhaps it's because Paltrow, who once suggested that parents with "regular" jobs maybe have it easier than Hollywood elite, realizes people find her incredibly pretentious and she wants to set Goop free from these constraints.
But whether or not her name is on the masthead, Paltrow's preciously crunchy bourgeoisie influence is palpable throughout the Goop brand, from its recipes for buckwheat-stuffed peppers with tahini dressing to articles like "Our Favorite Yoga Teacher in Brooklyn" and "A Psychologist Astrologer on Using Your Sun Sign to Navigate Conflict."
• Gwyneth Paltrow Plans Separation From Goop [The Guardian]
• What Critics Are Saying About Gwyneth Paltrow's New Cookbook [E]
How to increase lunch business?
I run a pizza place close to a local high school, with lower prices than much of our competition. But other than a few orders from local offices at lunch, our midday business has been at a lull for the past year. Any tips or ideas for increasing lunch volume?
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The Country’s Most Popular Roadside Chains
Some might surprise you
Road trips can be a great time to try local or destination restaurants — the kind that offer cheap, filling meals that don’t detract too much from time spent on the road. But as it turns out, the most popular road trip dining destination is one of the country’s most popular destinations, period: Starbucks.
According to data collected within the past year by Foursquare and Swarm (Foursquare’s check-in app), Starbucks tops the list of most popular stops during a road trip. Most of the others on the list are pretty unsurprising, with a couple of exceptions. Tim Horton’s, for instance, took third place — interesting, considering it’s a Canadian chain (though it does have more than 1,000 U.S. locations).
From France's Michelin Guide to America's AAA magazines, automobile and affiliated industries have made a business out of encouraging drivers to stop at places considered "worth a detour" or "worth a special journey." These are often unique, worthwhile, and otherwise out-of-the-way eats that have a sense of place and are overseen by skilled chefs. But the average American diner and driver's tastes has never matched Michelin's.
The original restaurant, which historian Rebecca L. Spang traces back to 18th century France, was a roadside stop serving restorative broths. Fast forward to 1950s America: Around the same time President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, Howard Johnson's seized the niche of the rest stop diner. Ever since roadside chain restaurants have dotted freeways across the country.
Foursquare's data, provided exclusively to Eater, proves that by and large, Americans favor chain restaurant destinations while road-tripping East to West and North to South. Starbucks and McDonald's are at the top while Burger King, Popeyes, and Dairy Queen are moderately popular. At the end of the list find pretzel pusher Auntie Anne’s and Cinnabon, two chains better known for their locations inside shopping malls.
Below, the full list of most popular roadside chains in the U.S., according to Foursquare:
- Starbucks
- McDonald's
- Tim Hortons
- Dunkin' Donuts
- Burger King
- Popeyes
- Dairy Queen
- Auntie Anne's
- Cinnabon
- Subway
The list aligns fairly closely with QSR Magazine’s Top 10 most popular fast-food restaurants, in terms of overall sales. McDonald’s is the highest-grossing, with some $35 million in annual sales in 2014. Interestingly, though, some of the most profitable chains — Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, don’t make the roadside list.
Though a Foursquare rep says the company can’t share the exact number of check-ins each chain saw, they noted that "Tim Hortons, Dunkin Donuts, and Burger King see about the same number of check-ins and visits." McDonald's averages about twice that amount, while Starbucks visits are more than twice those of McDonald’s. Maybe it's not so surprising that Starbucks is at the top. After all, caffeine is a key ingredient on long, meandering drives through the countryside.
• All Chain Coverage [E]
Is Katy Perry the Next Paula Deen?; Andy Warhol's Cookbook
Six things to know today
Happy Friday. Last night Hillary Clinton became the first woman to accept a major party's nomination for President, so take the weekend to let that sink in. Meanwhile, what would a State dinner look like under a Trump White House? A lavish black-tie affair complete with a string orchestra, caviar, and (well-done) steak, probably. Or maybe just McDonald's hamburgers served on fancy china.
In more food news today: the next Paula Deen is maybe not who you'd expect; a look inside Andy Warhol's vintage cookbook; and the highly bureaucratic process of redesigning nutrition labels.
— Pop star Katy Perry says in 30 years, she'll look just like Paula Deen. It's not quite clear how either party feels about this.
— Shake Shack's opening day in Seoul drew a crowd of over 1,000 fans.
— Italian megamarket Eataly is preparing to open its newest location in downtown Manhattan, and this one's got something the others don't: bread from all over the world. Starting this fall, it will host bakeries from across the globe — think Japan, Brazil, and Turkey — for month-long residencies.
— Peek inside Andy Warhol's charming and hilarious cookbook, published with socialite Suzie Frankfurt in 1959. Called Wild Raspberries, the book pokes fun at the snotty, serious French cookery that dominated the era's fine dining.
— The FDA recently unveiled new nutrition labels (thanks in no small part to the efforts of one Michelle Obama). Calories will be printed in a significantly larger font and added sugar content will be disclosed for the first time ever, but overall the labels aren't that different from the current ones. Nonetheless, the label redesign took three years; Fast Company examines why.
— Finally, a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony:
The Price of Coffee Is Going Up
Are pricier lattes in your future?
Brace for more doomsday food news: Coffee is getting more expensive as supply fails to keep up with demand. According to Reuters, the global coffee market is currently witnessing its "first supply deficit in six years," with prices expected to rise as much as 30 percent over last year by the end of 2016.
Extra-dry weather has led to shrinking output in a number of coffee-growing countries, and meanwhile, the global demand for coffee is greater than ever: Traditionally tea-drinking nations such as the UK and China have witnessed a steady increase in the demand for coffee in recent years, with Starbucks expecting China to eventually be its biggest market.
So does this mean your Starbucks lattes are about to get even pricier? Not really: The coffee giant's price hikes don't necessarily reflect what's happening in the global coffee market. In mid-2015, for instance, Starbucks raised its prices just as the cost of coffee beans were falling. Despite being the linchpin of its business, coffee actually only accounts for less than 10 percent of Starbucks' costs; other expenses, such as employee wages, carry considerably more weight.
But with some warning that a serious global coffee shortage is imminent thanks to global warming, maybe learning to love green tea or mate isn't such a bad idea. After all, you'll need to stock your doomsday shelter with something caffeinated just in case a certain Cheetos-hued politician takes power.
• Why Your Morning Coffee Is About to Become Even More Expensive [Reuters via Fortune]
• Coffee Market Braces for Global Warming's Effects [E]
• Starbucks Is Raising Prices by as Much as 30 Cents on Certain Drinks [E]
Rihanna Is the Queen of Taking Wine Glasses to Go
She must have quite the collection at home
Beyoncé may be the queen of pop, but Rihanna is without a doubt the reigning princess. She now equals Madonna in chart-topping songs, her line of shoes for Puma is constantly sold out, she pairs Princess Diana t-shirts with Manolos, and then there's her enviable relationship with the internet's boyfriend Drake. Regardless of how you may feel about her music, RiRi has an undeniably appealing IDGAF sensibility.
MTV's social media coordinator Josh Edwards took to Twitter earlier this week with the latest evidence of this: Rihanna has a well-documented habit of leaving restaurants and nightclubs clutching wine glasses. While regular folk would be admonished for attempting to leave such establishments with booze still in hand, celebrities — particularly ones of RiRi's stature — are free to do as they please.
Who else among us could strut down the sidewalk clad in silky pajamas and sipping pinot noir?
Do you think she even asks permission? pic.twitter.com/nFf6VfvDWA
— josh edwards (@joshuedwrds) July 27, 2016
Matching your merlot to your lipstick is a particularly boss way to avoid that pesky red wine-stained mouth.
This is a look! And the glass is the accessory (notice it matches her dress) pic.twitter.com/cJplI5z0on
— josh edwards (@joshuedwrds) July 27, 2016
A more casual ensemble calls for Chardonnay.
What does she do with the glass when she's done? pic.twitter.com/OcutMwPmyD
— josh edwards (@joshuedwrds) July 27, 2016
When you can't decide between going out or staying in, do both by wearing a blanket and sipping wine like nobody's watching.
I need to start a thread of photos of Rihanna leaving restaurants with the wine glass pic.twitter.com/ZPSQKrOof1
— josh edwards (@joshuedwrds) July 27, 2016
Just how many cabinets full of pilfered wine glasses does Rihanna have at home?
Purse, phone & wine pic.twitter.com/GSHFPTh9VH
— josh edwards (@joshuedwrds) July 27, 2016
• Rihanna Pairs Well With Wine Glasses [Twitter]
Tip Pool: How to tackle The Beast?
When we first opened, the serving staff agreed upon a simple tip pool. All card tips shared, divided by hours worked. Sales were consistent all day, so it averaged out well.
We have developed into a much heavier night venue, and shifts don't rotate much. Some of the new staff want to keep the tip pool, but have it split hourly. We still use paper timesheets (I know, I know...). So, does anyone have a creative solution on how we can go about this in an automated manner? I've seen some"free" time card aps, but I'm hesitant to switch something so important without knowing the product I'm getting. Plus, I need to find a way to integrate it with our current POS.
You all know how sticky this situation could get. Any thoughts on how to address this in a fair yet simple manner?
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Thursday, July 28, 2016
What are your thoughts on taking reservations vrs. first come first serve. Pro's and Con's.
Currently running a restaurant that doesn't take reservations and it works perfectly for us, though we're quite casual and do a lot of take away. Thinking about opening up a new place, still casual but will likely have more alcohol sales and less take away, trying to decide if we should take reservations or not. Thoughts?
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José Andrés's Beefsteak Expands Again, Adds Mobile Ordering
Andrés wants to make eating your veggies even easier
Beefsteak, the fast-casual, veggie-centric chain from celebrated chef José Andrés, is expanding again. Parent company ThinkFoodGroup has opened two more Beefsteak restaurants in Washington, D.C., and the chain has stretched beyond the D.C. market for the first time with a location on the University of Pennsylvania's campus in Philadelphia. But, simply growing the roster of fast-casual establishments isn't the only thing Andrés has in store for the brand; he's picking up on another modern trend too.
Following in the footsteps of quick-service giants such as Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, and Chick-fil-A, Beefsteak is introducing mobile ordering through a smartphone app. The app is currently available in Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store, and a rewards program is set up to offer customers credits. Soon, a "dedicated online ordering platform" for Beefsteak's D.C.-area restaurants will be integrated, according to a Thursday announcement.
The app will allow customers to place takeout orders up to 24 hours in advance, or for immediate consumption. Beefsteak says orders will be ready within 20 minutes during "peak times" — though the company doesn't offer a strict definition of when that might be — and 10 minutes during slower periods. As with other mobile-ordering apps that have popped up recently, customers will be able to save preferred locations, credit card information, and previous orders.
Andrés opened the first Beefsteak on George Washington University's campus in March 2015, aiming to give diners "vegetables, unleashed" (plant-based bowls, salads, sandwiches, etc.). The concept has been a hit, and it's quickly expanded with four more locations. In January, actor/lifestyle guru/healthy cookbook author Gwyneth Paltrow showed her love of the brand by investing at least $100,000.
• José Andrés's Beefsteak Explodes Onto the Fast-Casual Scene [E]
• Gwyneth Paltrow Invests in José Andrés's Fast-Casual Restaurant Concept, Beefsteak [E]
• All Beefsteak Coverage [E]
• All Expansions [E]
Watch: The $700 Machine Trying to Disrupt Cold-Pressed Juice
All you need is a wifi connection and a $7 pouch
Ask a Somm: Does Wine Belong in the Refrigerator?
Welcome to Ask a Somm, a column in which experts from across the country answer questions about wine.
At newbie Pleasantry in Cincinnati, Ohio, owner and sommelier Daniel Souder sources natural, less manipulated wines to serve at his seasonal, rustic American eatery. Below Souder dives into wine and temperature, offering advice on when to chill that bottle.
Q: Should I refrigerate my wine after I’ve opened it?
This question yields a two part question: Was the wine refrigerated before you opened it? Do you want the wine to be chilled when you next drink it? If the answer to either is yes, then go for the refrigerator! And this takes me to, I think, a more important question: What wines should be refrigerated (chilled) for drinking? White, rosé, and sparkling always get the cool treatment, but many red and orange wines should be getting their chill on prior to serving, as well. We’ll get to this in a bit.
Dropping the temperature of a wine elevates its flavor nuances.
Why do we chill a wine? Dropping the temperature of a wine elevates its flavor nuances. Acidity becomes laser-like. Fruit is brighter. Tannins become more palatable. The wine becomes a better companion to food. But be careful: chill wine too much (below 48 degrees), and all those nuances become dulled! Too often people drink white wine too cold or red wine too warm.
Back to the wines that should be chilled, but usually are not. At Pleasantry, we pour all natural and minimal-intervention wines. They are fresh and ready for consumption now. Many of the reds are lighter in style, more food-friendly with little to no oak treatment and lower alcohol. These wines are begging to be chilled. Many California producers are making wine in this more approachable and subtle manner, wines that I love. One such example is the 2015 Amplify Carignane ($23). Made by a husband and wife team, this wine sings with a chill. The wine is a nearly transparent red, and tastes of fresh currant juice. Adding that extra layer of a slight chill makes this wine crushable, the definition of what the French deem glou glou. Take it to a late summer BBQ; your friends will praise you.
Too often people drink white wine too cold or red wine too warm.
From the Old World, gamay from France's Beaujolais region and ploussard and trousseau from the Jura are grapes that also love a chill. The 2014 Overnoy-Crinquand Arbois-Pupillin Ploussard ($29) is one of these I’ve been crushing on this summer. A definite OG team in the wine game, these families have been doing it the right way for years. So much tart cranberry juice, with just a hint of tannic backbone, you will be in your happy place when you inevitably finish this bottle in one sitting.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t include orange wines here. White wines that see extended time on their skins are an eye-opening experience: a pale orange color with all the bright fruit and acidity of a white, plus the texture and mouthfeel of a red. These wines are the definition of food-friendly. Having the first orange wine section on a list in our region, I am jazzed to see people coming in specifically for these wines. The 2014 Donkey & Goat Skin Ferment Roussanne ($32) is my favorite on our current list. This wine is made from roussane grapes that spent 12 days on their skins during fermentation; I could drink this with any dish on our menu. Our chef kills it with hyper-seasonal produce and subtle nuances, and this wine is on point with anything from the radish tartine to the red drum and coulotte steak. Expect this wine to bring bitter orange and bright acidity, plus slightly oxidative notes and modest tannins. This wine served just under cellar temp (we keep it steady at 58 degrees, then I tell guests to let the bottle sit on the table and it will be just perfect) is my go-to for opening a guest’s eyes when they want to experience what we’re all about!
So do yourself a favor and try something new: throw some chill on a red, drink an orange, and stop taking that white wine below 48 degrees!
Alton Brown Is Going on Tour with His New Book 'EveryDayCook'
He'll hit 24 cities along the way
Quirky, science-loving Food Network star Alton Brown will set off around the country on a book tour this fall to herald his recent latest release, Alton Brown: EveryDayCook. He'll be carrying with him the tagline, "this time, it’s personal."
Brown shared the news of the tour in a video on his Facebook page, in which he packed his suitcase full of post-its, pens, hand sanitizer, bourbon, and (can’t forget this one) his new cookbook. The personal element of the book involves the 101 recipes inside, which Brown loves to cook for himself at home, including playful items like "EnchiLasagna," garam masalmon steaks, and "Smoky the Meat Loaf," which Brown undoubtedly named himself.
Brown's book and tour feels somewhat similar to Anthony Bourdain's new book, Appetites, which also shares recipes from the sometime cook, sometime culinary tourist's personal archive. Bourdain is also going on tour this fall.
EveryDayCook also breaks the mold of traditional staged food photography and exclusively features photos the chef took with his iPhone. The cookbook hits shelves on September 27 and is currently available for pre-order.
Brown’s book tour will begin in New York City on September 26 before snaking across the country and ending in Atlanta, GA on October 18.
Here is a look at the full schedule:
Monday, September 26 | Random House Big Ideas Night, New York City
Tuesday, September 27 | Book Revue, Huntington, NY
Wednesday, September 28 | Barnes & Noble, New York City, NY
Thursday, September 29 | Williams-Sonoma, King of Prussia, PA
Thursday, September 29 | Philadelphia Free Library, Philadelphia, PA
Friday, September 30 | Sur La Table, Arlington, VA
Friday, September 30 | Politics & Prose, Washington, DC
Saturday, October 1 | Malaprop's Bookstore, Asheville, NC
Sunday, October 2 | Barnes & Noble - The Villages, The Villages, FL
Sunday, October 2 | Barnes & Noble - Orlando, Orlando, FL
Monday, October 3 | Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX
Tuesday, October 4 | BookPeople, Austin, TX
Wednesday, October 5 | Barnes & Noble, Frisco, TX
Thursday, October 6 | Watermark Books, Wichita
Friday, October 7 | Rainy Day Books, Kansas City, MO
Saturday, October 8 | Left Bank Books, St. Louis, MO
Monday, October 10 | Issaquah, WA Costco COMING SOON
Monday, October 10 | University Bookstore, Seattle, WA
Tuesday, October 11 | Powell's Books at Cedar Hills Crossing, Portland, OR
Wednesday, October 12 | Sur La Table, San Jose, CA
Wednesday, October 12 | Kepler's Books, Redwood City, CA
Friday, October 14 | Williams-Sonoma , Calabasas, CA
Friday, October 14 | Vroman's, Pasadena, CA
Saturday, October 15 | Sur La Table, Carlsbad, CA
Tuesday, October 18 | Williams-Sonoma, Atlanta, GA
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Glaze Mistaken for Meth in Florida
This takes the phrase “sugar high” to a whole new level
Doughnuts can do no wrong — or can they? A Florida man was arrested in Orlando this week for methamphetamine possession after police pulled him over to find several tiny flakes on his car’s floorboard. The only problem? The man isn’t addicted to anything other than fresh-from-the-fryer, glazed, Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that cops were convinced the flakes were crystal methamphetamine: “The officers did two roadside drug tests and both came back positive for the illegal substance, according to his arrest report.”
After failing to come to a full stop while leaving a 7-Eleven, 64-year-old Daniel Rushing was pulled over. That’s when the cops spotted the glittery sparkle of addiction — but not the sort of addiction they assumed. "I kept telling them, 'That's … glaze from a doughnut,’” Rushing told the Sentinel. “They tried to say it was crack cocaine at first, then they said, 'No, it's meth, crystal meth.'"
After being “handcuffed, arrested, taken to the county jail and strip searched,” a state crime lab eventually cleared him of any drug use several weeks later, when additional tests indicated that the flakes were actually pieces of glaze from a Krispy Kreme donut.
As any Seinfeld fan can attest, one’s love for sweet, sweet, baked goods can be easily mistaken for something more sinister.
• Cops Mistook Krispy Kreme Doughnut Glaze for Meth, Orlando Man Says [Orlando Sentinel]
• More Crime Coverage [E]
What Yelp Searches Reveal About the Cravings of Democrats and Republicans
What did convention-goers search for in Cleveland and Philadelphia?
News from the Democratic and Republican National Conventions have dominated headlines in recent weeks, as hordes of attendees descended upon Philadelphia and Cleveland. Hosting a political convention always provides a significant boost for local economies, with tens of thousands of party loyalists (as well as media and protesters) coming to town. But during the conventions' off-hours, what are all these partisans doing?
Yelp data obtained by the Washington Post reveals what convention-goers in both cities searched for the most, and while some of it is exactly what you'd expect, there are definitely some surprises. To collect this data, "Yelp looked at the relative increase in number of searches for each business category in Cleveland during the RNC and in Philadelphia during the DNC as compared with searches in each city from a week prior."
During the RNC, searches for gay bars shot up by 45 percent compared to the previous week, which is pretty hilarious for a party whose platform supports gay conversion therapy. RNC attendees in Cleveland also looked to sate cravings for hot dogs, Greek food, burgers, ice cream, and, somewhat oddly, Hawaiian food.
So far during the DNC, it seems convention-goers are looking for booze, with searches for distilleries surging by 74 percent. Also: vegan food (a 33 percent increase), Mongolian barbecue, kosher food, and bagels, plus "adult entertainment" and karaoke.
Yelp's data doesn't say anything about searches for Philadelphia cheesesteaks, but it's safe to say DNC attendees are consuming plenty of those: Senator Elizabeth Warren was spotted chowing down at the legendary Pat's Steaks earlier this week. Philly's iconic sandwiches are a surprisingly partisan issue: Pat's has temporarily renamed its cheesesteaks after Bernie (with onions) and Hillary (without onions), with its owner telling Philadelphia magazine that Republicans go across the street to rival sandwich shop Geno's — which has a strict "English only" ordering policy.
• The Strange and Wonderful Things People Searched for During the Republican and Democratic Conventions [Washington Post]
• For Restaurants, Political Conventions Bring Obstacles and Opportunity [E]
Watch: President Obama Breaks His Legendary Silence on Almonds
POTUS clarifies his late-night snacking habits
When In Rio: Where to Eat Well and Watch the Olympic Games
From sweet TV set-ups to special menus, here's where to catch an event and a meal
Between basketball games and swimming competitions, Olympic viewers need to eat, right? But if you don't want to miss any move in a match, we created a guide for the best places to eat and drink while watching the games. These are the places around town getting into the Olympic spirit by offering great television set-ups, games-specific deals, or even a front-row seat to some actual events, happening live before diners' eyes. Go ahead, pull up a chair:
Read More: Rio 2016: Eater's Guide to Eating and Drinking at the Olympics [E]
Whole Foods Teases Rewards Program, Meal Kits
Plus, 365 stores are a hit with consumers
Whole Foods sold $3.7 billion worth of groceries in the last fiscal quarter, according to a report the organic grocery chain released yesterday. In a conference call with investors, co-CEO Walter Robb called the sales “a record,” marked in part by the launch of the chain’s new, lower-priced 365 stores.
Below, three things we learned from the company’s third quarter earnings call.
1. People are buying so much at 365 stores the chain had to re-design its registers
Noting that customers have accepted the stores as a “new brand,” Whole Foods executives said both 365 stores — one is in California, another is in Oregon— have been successful, but in a different way than they initially thought.
Robb said the company is conducting “several experiments” in both stores, but that it was too early to share data on what they’ve found. He did, however, say that the stores seem to be “creating a new customer” — in other words, it’s not just Whole Foods customers who are shopping at 365. “We’re reaching customers that we historically have not reached,” he said.
In fact, both stores have been so popular that the chain has already run into issues regarding their design. Apparently customers are buying more than executives thought they would. Meat and seafood sales, for instance, mirror those at the traditional Whole Foods store — which is surprising, considering the meat and seafood counters at 365 are self-serve.
“[The 365 stores] require lower capital and operating costs than our full-line stores,” said Robb. “But we’re seeing a larger basket size [at 365] versus our metro store averages. That’s led us to a re-design of the front-end of stores already.”
The “basket size” — industry parlance for amount of groceries purchased on one trip — has been so large that the “smaller, teller-size registers” the 365 stores were using proved to be ineffective, said David Lannon, executive vice president of operations. The company is now “adjusting” the cash registers at both its open stores and redesigning the ones that will be featured in stores in the future.
The company is also testing what it called “engaging technology” at the 365 stores (executives specifically cited a partnership with Sage, a nutritional transparency app). If those digital initiatives prove successful, they could eventually make their way to full-line Whole Foods stores.
The third 365 store is slated to open in Seattle in September. Twenty 365 stores are now in development.
2. Look for a national rewards program to roll out next year
As expected, the organic grocery chain is testing a new rewards program (it launched in Dallas on Wednesday). That launch will serve as a test for a larger national program which, according to Robb, will be rolled out nationally “sometime next year.”
According to Robb, the program will allow customers to register and save on certain products. Additionally, they will earn rewards over time and receive “surprises” occasionally. “With each scan,” said Robb, “customers can increase their savings and earn rewards.”
The company also launched digital coupons recently, which have already become the most-used feature within the Whole Foods app. The chain will soon reach a million digital coupon redemptions.
3. There might be a Whole Foods-branded meal kit in the works
The company has a “huge interest” in getting into the meal kit space. Robb said Whole Foods was in the process of developing something (which sounds an awful lot like a meal kit) as part of the company’s “meal solutions spectrum.”
“We’re not going to announce anything today, but we will say we are committed to this category,” he said. “We’ve been testing a lot of food and there are a lot of people in the ‘Willy Wonka lab.’ It’ll be revealed. We’re going to have a lot to say about this soon.”
• All Whole Foods Coverage [Eater]
Season Three of 'Chef's Table' Hits Netflix September 2
Featuring Alain Passard, Michel Troisgros, and more French chefs
Critically acclaimed and visually stunning Netflix series Chef's Table returns for a third season come September 2, the streaming service announced today.
While the first two seasons took filmmaker David Gelb (Jiro Dreams of Sushi) and his crew jet-setting across the globe to follow chefs like San Francisco's Dominique Crenn, Gaggan Anand of Thailand, and Brazil's Alex Atala, season three will have a more singular focus: French chefs.
Per a press release, Chef's Table: France "will showcase the crème de la crème of French chefs; talking about what inspires them and how it translates into their individual styles." Its four episodes will follow two big names many viewers will be familiar with — Alain Passard and Michel Troisgros — as well as two other chefs that aren't quite as well known outside of France: Adeline Grattard of Paris's French-Asian fusion hot spot Yam’Tcha, and Alexandre Couillon of the two Michelin-starred La Marine in Normandy.
Get ready to binge watch starting at 12:01 a.m. on September 2 (conveniently, that's Labor Day weekend). A fourth season is also coming in 2017, featuring chefs such as ramen master Ivan Orkin and LA's Nancy Silverton.
• Netflix Announces Premiere Dates for 9 Series, Including Chef's Table: France [Netflix]
• Netflix's 'Chef's Table' Returns for Second, Third, and Fourth Seasons [E]
• TV Review: How ‘Chef’s Table’ Exposes the Gap Between Intent and Reality [E]
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Watch: 18th Century 'Journey Cakes' Are Perfect for an Old-School Road Trip
A favorite of travelers in the 1700s
London's Naked Pop-Up Restaurant Is Moving to Paris
The pop-up's popularity continues to skyrocket
The London pop-up restaurant that allows dinner dates to share their meals in the buff is heading to the most romantic city in the world. Founder Seb Lyall will close The Bunyadi, as it's called, at the end of service on July 31, reports Country & Town House. Lyall plans to reopen in Paris this fall.
"I was told that since the recession there are some empty spaces in Paris, and we'd love to go over there to open," Lyall told Country & Town House. "People came over from Paris, people in the industry, and said, 'We'd love you to open over here. Here are some options.'"
Lyall reportedly hopes to open his Parisian eatery in September or October, and he's planning to change up the food and beverage menus. But, the most important aspect of the concept will remain: Anyone is welcome to chow down stark naked, should they so choose.
The Bunyadi first opened in London in May. It's received positive reviews from not-so-modest diners, and the waiting list quickly ballooned to nearly 50,000. Though, as one might imagine, the food coming out of the kitchen may seem like an afterthought to diners who are more interested in what they're eating than what they're seeing.
• Exclusive: London's Naked Restaurant Is Closing, Opening in Paris [CTH]
• A Nudist Pop-Up Restaurant Is Coming to London [E]
• The Fascinating (and Infuriating) Experience of Dining in the Nude [E]
Watch and Listen: Mango-Tilapia Ceviche Sounds as Good as It Looks
So good, words aren't needed to describe it
According to This Shirt Donald Trump's Face Looks Like Raw Chicken
It's uncanny
Days after the Republican National Convention culminated in the formal nomination of Donald J. Trump for president, we discover a potential new twist to the Trump image. The divisive candidate known for his orange-tinged tan, small hands, and unique hair style is, from afar, indistinguishable from close-up images of raw chicken.
Which is more appealing, raw chicken or Donald Trump's face?
This isn't the first time someone has contrasted Trump's image with a less appealing, (usually) inanimate object. His hair alone is subject to an endless stream of comparisons, including everything from "an unruly shrub" to "a mutant squirrel." But now that his likeness has been put up next to raw meat for comparison, we are presented with the question: Which is more appealing, raw chicken or Donald Trump's face?
Tiled photos of Donald Trump and raw chicken breasts and thighs have been printed onto sweatshirts — currently priced at $65 — for anyone who wants to wrap themselves in a patchwork of questionable pink and orange hues. Think of it as a conversation piece, in which every look begs the question, "Is that Donald Trump on my arm, or just a filet of raw chicken breast?" It’s a decidedly less pleasant game than spotting the similarities between chihuahuas and blueberry muffins.
On the other hand, a size extra-yuuuge may come in handy when hiding from presidential campaign news in the next few months.
Watch: Three Generations of Barbecue Tradition at Skylight Inn
A "capital" of whole hog cooking in Ayden, North Carolina
Scientists Figure Out How to Turn Pee Into Beer
Disgusting or a miracle of modern science?
Beer snobs like to refer to mass-market lagers such as Bud Light and Coors as piss beer, but they may have to find a new derogatory nickname soon — because actual piss beer has arrived.
A team of Belgian scientists have devised a way of turning pee into beer, Reuters reports. Researchers at the University of Ghent successfully transformed urine into water and fertilizer using solar power; the resulting water can then be used to make Belgium's favorite beverage, beer.
As Reuters explains, "The urine is collected in a big tank, heated in a solar-powered boiler before passing through the membrane where the water is recovered and nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus are separated." The process has already been utilized at a recent music festival to turn thousands of attendees' pee into 1,000 liters of water destined to become beer.
According to the research team, "The aim is to install larger versions of the machine in sports venues or airports," and they also hope to utilize it in developing nations where safe drinking water can be hard to come by.
• Belgian Scientists Make Novel Water-From-Urine Machine [Reuters]
• Who Makes the Best Dive Bar Beers? [E]
• More Beer Coverage [E]
Ashtrays From NYC's Legendary Four Seasons Restaurant Fetch $10K at Auction
Bidders clamored for a piece of restaurant history yesterday
It's the end of an era for a legendary New York dining institution: The Four Seasons, the site of countless power lunches and high-dollar business dinners, is moving to a new space on Park Avenue after six decades in business.
The New York Times called the Four Seasons "probably the most important New York restaurant of the 20th century," declaring that it "Americanized fine dining and set in motion many of the trends that still dominate restaurant culture in the United States." Relive the restaurants entire 57 year history here, on Eater NY.
The iconic restaurant's last day of slinging martinis and $56 crab cakes to a well-heeled Midtown crowd was July 16, and yesterday it auctioned off furnishings, fixtures, and dishware in preparation for its impending move.
As Eater sister site Curbed reports, competition to snag a piece of New York restaurant history was fierce: Banquettes fetched as much as $50,000, an ottoman brought in $18,000, and a bronze sign bearing the restaurant's name went for $96,000.
Perhaps most amazingly, a set of ashtrays — originally estimated to bring $500 to $700 — went for a staggering $10,000.
WOW. The last set of 4 ashtrays is going for $10k. The previous two sets went for $5500 and $6000, respectively. pic.twitter.com/8lTjCjaMPk
— Curbed (@Curbed) July 26, 2016
This tweet pretty much sums it up:
The auction of the Four Seasons restaurant contents show you:
— Rex Kramer® (@RexDangerSeeker) July 26, 2016
1. How beloved the institution was
2. How much disposable income is out there
A brand new iteration of the Four Seasons will open sometime next year just a few blocks away at 280 Park Avenue.
• The Four Seasons Restaurant's Interiors Are Being Auctioned Off Right Now [Curbed]
• Legendary Power Restaurant The Four Seasons Takes its Final Bow in the Seagram Building [Eater NY]
Are Dwindling Restaurant Sales Sign of a Recession?
Americans are dining out less for a number of reasons
Analysts are warning the U.S. restaurant industry is headed for dark days — and worse, its troubles could be indicative of bigger economic problems.
Restaurant traffic is down and sales are flat, with a number of big chains reporting slowing sales that are falling short of estimates. While McDonald's reported a slight increase in same-store sales yesterday on its quarterly earnings call (thanks to all-day breakfast), it was significantly less than projected; last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that visits to fast-casual restaurants had declined for the first time since 2004.
Now, as MarketWatch writes, finance experts have turned "decidedly bearish" on restaurants: Stifel Nicolaus analyst Paul Westra downgraded a number of restaurant stocks including Panera, Cheesecake Factory, and Red Lobster parent company Darden to "sell" ratings yesterday, telling clients the firm believes "a recent Stifel survey showing restaurant-industry sales decelerating 'simultaneously' across all categories is a harbinger to a U.S. recession in 2017."
And there's plenty of historical evidence to support that: Westra noted that "restaurants have historically led the market lower during the three to six-month periods prior to the start of the prior three U.S. recessions," calling slowing restaurant industry sales the "canary that lays the recessionary egg."
He attributes the slowdown to a number of factors including "U.S. politics, terrorism, social unrest, global geopolitics, [and] economic uncertainty," and says the industry could be facing a gloomy two years.
But the news isn't bad for all restaurants: Sales at pizza chain Papa John's are up, Quartz pointed out earlier this week, as anxieties over political tensions and the presidential election are apparently encouraging people to stay home and order in. Thank goodness for the never-ending procession of new food delivery options.
• Recession Coming, and It Could Be 'Worst Ever' for Restaurant Stocks [MarketWatch]
• Analyst Warns of a Restaurant Downturn and Sees Harbinger of U.S. Recession[Bloomberg]
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