Chain Leader back issues from May 2007:
All in a day's work: Rock Bottom Restaurants founder Frank Day tries to balance succession planning with staying involved.(cover society)
May 01, 2007; ... Chain Leader featured Rock Bottom Restaurants founder and Chairman Frank Day on the cover in January 2000. At the time, he was CEO of the newly private company of 67 restaurants, trying to slow growth to build margins. Today, Day works on policy and strategy rather than operations for the ...
Cure and prevention: the Virginia Tech tragedy illustrates our industry's support and service.(restaurants)(Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)(Editorial)
May 01, 2007; ... I think it's human nature. Whenever a tragedy occurs, we tend to ask ourselves how we can help and speculate how it could have been prevented, though not always in that order. In the case of incidents such as the one last month at Virginia Tech, where student Cho Seung Hui killed 32 people ...
Crunching the numbers.(on the money)(McDonald's Franchisee Survey)(Brief article)
May 01, 2007 ... Franchisees ... what bunch of complainers! At least that's how McDonald's owner-operators come in Buckingham Research's recent "McDonald's Franchisee Survey," published April 11. You might wonder why they're unhappy given that McDonald's has posted 48 consecutive months of ...
Keep it simple.(on the money)
May 01, 2007 ... According to John Hamburger, publisher of Restaurant Finance Monitor, the restaurant business is teeming with numbers types who are imposing complicated leverage metrics on an otherwise straightforward business. Hamburger lambasted the financial engineers in the March 16 issue ...
Down to earth: Evos' healthful fare and environmentally friendly values promise to be sustainable.(upstarts)
May 01, 2007; ... Burgers, french fries and shakes take a guilt-free turn at fast-casual Evos. Yet the Tampa, Fla.-based company contends Evos is more than just a healthful alternative to QSR fare--its good-for-you menu is a natural extension of its commitment to serving all-natural and organic food in ...
Recommended reading: a library for executives of small but growing chains.(how to grow to 100 units)(Bibliography)
May 01, 2007 ... A reader asked for recommendations for books that would help him grow his brand into a national player. Chain Leader solicited ideas from industry leaders and found some gems in other places as well. Stephen M. LaMastra, president and chief operating officer, Raving Brands, ...
Fresh attitude: saladworks unveils a new diva-style personality to help sell its premium, customized salads.(marketing)
May 01, 2007; ... It was a tough year for those who make their living off of produce. Last September and October, more than 200 people in the United States were infected with E. coli, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak was traced to spinach from 10 different states. ...
Front and center: Salsarita's Fresh Cantina puts the kitchen, and most cooking, in full view of guests.(back of the house)(Restaurant review)
May 01, 2007; ... On a busy day, Salsarita's Fresh Cantina serves about 650 entrees, ranging from burritos to pizza. Even though 80 percent of the menu is prepared from scratch, the 68 restaurants have no "real" kitchen to speak of--just a 500-square-foot prep kitchen. The menu is prepared in full view of ...
Care package: great places to work use innovative methods to show good old-fashioned values.(editorial)
May 01, 2007; ... This is the fourth time that Chain Leader and People Report have joined forces to present this special Best Places To Work supplement. Each year, People Report founder and CEO Joni Doolin and her growing team of analysts comb the results of their Survey of Unit Level Employment Practices ...
Competitive advantage: companies that define their employee brands will win and keep the best workers.(thought leader)
May 01, 2007; ... This is the fourth time Chain Leader and People Report have collaborated on identifying the Best Places to Work. In this one-on-one, People Report founder and CEO Joni Thomas Doolin shares insights on the state--and the future--of the industry's human capital. Has the workplace ...
Friend of a friend: O'Charley's depends on referrals from employees to help fill its hourly and management positions.(recruiting)
May 01, 2007; ... As a new restaurant coordinator, Scott Francis travels about 47 weeks out of the year to open restaurants for O'Charley's. "It's definitely not for everyone," he says. "But I absolutely love it." It's the job Francis has wanted ever since he started at O'Charley's four years ...
Constant learning: Legal Sea Foods sharpens its hospitality skills with ongoing training for hourly employees.(training)
May 01, 2007; ... Rich Villanueva is a fast-talker, though his rapid delivery is more evangelical preacher than used-car salesman. His mission this year at Legal Sea Foods is to hire servers capable of forming a relationship with customers--and to continue to sharpen their skills via ongoing training. ...
Pick me up: manager training and retention has helped lift hourly retention, too.(retention)(People Report survey, Pick Up Stix Inc.)
May 01, 2007; ... Pick Up Stix President and COO Ray Blanchette does not have the reaction one would expect when discussing an accolade such as his company being named one of the best places to work in the industry. The company had hourly turnover of 100 percent, an impressive 32 points below the ...
Measuring up: Mazzio's Italian Eatery keeps top-performing managers around by offering bonuses tied to unit performance.(compensation)
May 01, 2007; ... Managers at Mazzio's Italian Eatery don't have to rely on their annual 4 percent to 6 percent cost-of-living raise to boost their salaries every year. The Tulsa, Okla.-based fast-casual company gives all salaried managers the opportunity to earn bonuses that far exceed the traditional ...
Clearing the sandwich board: Zach Calkins' game strategy removes slow sellers from the menu and adds bold flavors to Quiznos' sandwiches and salads.(toque of the town)(Recipe)
May 01, 2007; ... Greg Brenneman's primary objective since joining Denver-based Quiznos as CEO and president in January has been to increase franchise owner profitability. No small task. Increasing profitability means finding ways to improve efficiency, reduce waste and lower cost while building traffic and ...
Calm, cool and collected: Pizza Antica's ongoing wine training allows its young servers to sell wine with confidence.(liquid measure)
May 01, 2007; ... Cozying up at a table at the Mill Valley, Calif., Pizza Antica, a couple wonders which wine pairs best with the grilled radicchio, goat cheese, pancetta and pesto pizza. Their 19-year-old server Michelle Leo easily directs them to the Joseph Grosch Cabinet Reisling, 2005, a wine she says ...
Home-style hero: Steven Davis boosts momentum at Bob Evans by modernizing the brand.(Cover story)
May 01, 2007; ... Bob Evans Farms Chairman and CEO Steven A. Davis has an easy laugh. He chuckles when a visitor speculates that the nonstandard light fixtures in the company's Florida restaurants may better illuminate menus for senior citizens. "If I had heard that as an answer, I might have ...
Hello Columbus: known as a headquarters city for chains, Ohio's capital city is developing a distinct culinary presence.(road trip)(Cameron Mitchell Restaurants)(Restaurant review)
May 01, 2007; ... Columbus Ohio, is home to Ohio State 7 and its fabled Buckeyes. It's also headquarters for more than its fair share of chains: Wendy's, Bob Evans, White Castle, Max Erma's, Steak Escape, Damon's, Donatos Pizza, Bravo Cucina Italia and its sister concept, Brio Tuscan Grill. ...
Au bon voyage: picking the right franchise partner may help ensure Au Bon Pain safe travels as it expands to Japan.(world partners)
May 01, 2007; ... It is easy to see why Warren Wadud's peers thought his business plan was a little ill conceived. After all, it hinged on the success of an American concept with a French name entering a Japanese market already saturated with bakery cafes. But Wadud, owner of En Group International LLC, a ...
Rescue mission: it's a grind's Marty Cox and Louise Montgomery provide a sanctuary for unwanted dogs.(off the clock)
May 01, 2007; ... Marty Cox and Louise Montgomery share a passion for more than just great coffee. The founders of Long Beach, Calif.-based It's A Grind Coffee House are dedicated to rescuing dogs and finding them homes. The husband-and-wife team regularly fosters dogs and devotes their time and resources ...