Restaurant Sales Forecasting: Methods & Formulas

Restaurant manager speaking to service staff during a pre-shift meeting in a dining room

Restaurant operators make dozens of decisions every day based on one big question: How busy are we going to be? The answer affects nearly everything. How many employees should be scheduled? How much product should be ordered? How much prep needs to happen before the doors open? What should the restaurant expect to spend, and […]

Dining Alliance Announces Partnership with Buyers Edge Platform’s GPO

Buyers Edge Platform

Dining Alliance Announces Partnership with Buyers Edge Platform GPO Waltham, MA – 8/29/18 Dining Alliance, the nation’s largest group purchasing organization for local restaurants announced today that as of October 1, it will be partnering with the newly-formed Buyers Edge Platform Source GPO to process all of its rebates and deviated (discounted) pricing.  Dining Alliance […]

Three Simple Ways to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls

Slips trips and falls

Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Kitchen Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common workplace accidents in restaurant and food service operations. In fact, the National Safety Council estimates that over 25,000 slip and fall accidents occur at restaurants across the United States. For restaurants, these kinds of accidents are not only […]

Four classes of food recalls

Recall Image

Food safety is on the mind of most operators, the FDA recalled more than 8,000 food products in 2014 alone.  And this year in 2018, food recalls have become an issue for popular chains like Chipotle, Panera, and more. While not all recalls were serious health risks, it’s best to understand what each recall class […]

How to Be a Better Chef: Essential Skills to Master

Two chefs cooking together at a commercial stove in a professional restaurant kitchen.

Whether you’re just starting your journey to becoming a chef or a well-seasoned master, it’s never too late to find ways to better yourself. Head chefs are often the leaders in their kitchen and in their back of house and are expected to execute a flawlessly running kitchen as well as a trend-setting menu. So […]

5 Ways Technology Can Help You Survive Minimum Wage Hikes

Restaurant Food Menu

Minimum Wage hikes According to money.cnn.com by July 2021 fast food workers in New York City will have a minimum wage or living wage increases up to $15/hour. This increase in minimum wage is making waves across the country–most recently, Massachusetts also agreed to lift their minimum wage to $11.75 with rates expected to increase […]

What Is a Scratch Kitchen? Benefits, Costs & Labor-Saving Tips

Chef seasoning food at the stove in a commercial kitchen

A scratch kitchen sounds pretty straightforward: food made in-house using fresh or basic ingredients rather than relying entirely on ready-made products. But for restaurant operators, deciding how much of the menu to make from scratch is rarely that simple. Scratch cooking can give restaurants more control over flavor, quality, ingredients, and menu differentiation. It can […]

Fresh vs. Frozen Steak: Does Freezing Impact Quality?

Comparison of a frosted frozen steak and a fresh raw ribeye steak

A steak special sounds simple until you’re deciding how much to order. Buy too much fresh steak, and you’re racing the clock to sell it. Keep frozen portions on hand, and you have more flexibility, but will they deliver the same quality once they hit the grill? It’s a fair question for independent restaurants, where […]

Foodservice Rebates: How They Work and How to Read Your Rebate Check

Customer pays a restaurant server with a card terminal at the counter.

Running an independent restaurant means watching every dollar, but some of the products you already purchase may be able to put money back into your business. Foodservice rebate programs help operators earn CashBack on eligible food, beverage, supplies, and other everyday purchases without relying on temporary discounts or completely changing how they order. The real […]

3 Reasons to Replace Your Cash Register for a POS System

GPOs

POS stands for Point of Sale. These computerized systems are the lifeblood of many restaurants and exist to make life easier for both staff and business owners. They can be programed to track inventory, customer orders, reservations, dining room layouts, employee hours, and payments. Plus, many of these machines are customizable, meaning that you’d be […]