Special reports and in-depth features examining trends in all segments of the food service industry, both commercial and non-commercial, for professionals who specify and purchase food service equipment and supplies.
Five on Five By Amelia Levin, Sr. Associate Editor, 7/1/2008
Ask any designer about the top “trends” in foodservice design and the words “sustainability” and “green” almost always come up today. For the purpose of this feature article we asked a group of industry designers to go beyond the standard green rhetoric when discussing emerging design trends and received some refreshingly new ideas taking shape in the last year. More
Consumers Preparing to Alter Dining Patterns By FES Staff - 07/01/2008
Price increases have become standard operating procedure in most any industry these days as businesses, including restaurants, continue to come to terms with the higher cost of doing business. While consumers may understand an operator’s need to raise prices, they continue to evaluate their options, including meals prepared and consumed in the home, according to research released by Chicago-based Technomic.
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Fast-Casual Chains Continue to Outperform Others, Survey Says By FES Staff - 06/25/2008
The Top 100 fast-casual chains continued to be the growth vehicle for the limited-service restaurant industry in 2007, and outperformed the restaurant industry as a whole, according to a study released by Chicago-based Technomic. The study showed that fast-casual chains posted sales growth of 13.3 percent, compared to just 5.3 percent for the overall limited-service segment and 5 percent for the restaurant industry.
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Study Reveals Age Differences in Diner Attitudes By FES Staff - 06/11/2008
Age-based distinctions among consumers’ use of restaurants run deeper than originally expected, according to a study conducted by Chicago-based research firm Technomic.
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Dining Out Declines By FES Staff - 06/03/2008
More than half (54 percent) of people who dine out regularly are cutting back on restaurant spending because of the economy, according to a recent report published by Mintel, a Chicago-based research firm. Rising gas and food costs, home foreclosures, and a fear of recession have caused many Americans to curb out-to-eat spending, the report said.
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Reporter's Notebook: Local Heroes Among NOLA Restaurants By Amelia Levin, Sr. Associate Editor - 06/01/2008
Visit the French Quarter or downtown New Orleans, and you'd never know a massive hurricane swept through the area nearly three years prior. The streets are crowded with passers-by, some half-naked and rowdy, some not. Hungry folks can be seen munching on oyster po' boys in some storefronts or on sugar-covered beignets at Café Du Monde.
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News You Can Use By FES Staff - 05/29/2008
NRA, GRA Launch Green Educational Initiatives and More
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RPI Drops in March By Toby Weber, Contributing Editor - 05/07/2008
The National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index fell by 0.9 points in March to 97.9. The decline marks the fifth consecutive month the RPI registered a level of less than 100. A reading of less than 100 signals overall contraction in the eight industry indicators measured by the index.
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E&S Segment Spotlight: Pizza E&S As more consumers are strapped for cash, they’re turning to pizza as an economical option for dining out, and at the same time, operators are going back to pizza’s roots, serving authentic-style, Italian pies.
Facility Design Project of the Month Dos Caminos, Las Vegas This glitzy version of the NYC restaurant, Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino with over-the-top design and a menu of upscale Mexican cuisine thanks to an efficient, new kitchen.
FOH photos, B.R. Guest Bar & kitchen photos, JEM Consulting Group; Tim McDonald
Chain Profile: Which Wich Superior Sandwiches Founder and CEO Jeffrey Sinelli “chooses the superior vibe” as part of his mission for the five-year-old, upscale quick-service chain.
Photos courtesy of Which Wich Superior Sandwiches
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