Chain Leader back issues from May 2008:
Paying through the pain: some consumers find it hard to spend their money, but you can make it easier on them.(CONSUMER PULSE)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sure tightwads spend less money. The question is why, and what to do with that knowledge. A recent academic article examines how the pain of paying drives them to spend conservatively, even more than they would ideally like to. Published in the ...
On the web.
May 01, 2008 ... WEB EXCLUSIVES * uWink's interactive technology platform drives the entire operation * George Katakalidis launches Daphne's Greek Cafe's franchising program * Ivette Diaz talks about her role as Burger King's director of corporate social responsibility ...
Gaining perspective.(Editorial)
May 01, 2008; ... Industry veteran and Brinker alum Lane Cardwell, who maintains a blog on chainleader.com, wrote recently about his "fork fetish." When he visits a new restaurant, he hefts the fork, checking the weight and how it feels in his hand. A good fork, he suggests, is a sign that the restaurant ...
Big ideas.(Editorial)
May 01, 2008 ... "Winners have the ability to step back from the canvas of their lives like an artist gaining perspective. They make their lives a work of art, an individual masterpiece." --Denis Waitley, motivational speaker "If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ...
Foreign policy: trimming costs at Church's Chicken depends on workers halfway around the world.(ON THE MONEY)(Interview)
May 01, 2008; ... Outsourcing payroll, tax compliance, sales taxes, property taxes, utility payments, long-distance phone-line management and waste collection would suffice for most restaurant companies. But not for Atlanta-based Church's Chicken. CFO Dusty Profumo is also handing all financial and ...
Survival kit: operators share advice and experience for small chains on taking on the sluggish economy head-on.(HOW TO GROW 100 UNITS)(Interview)
May 01, 2008; ... Whether you call it a recession or merely an economic slowdown, the operating environment has taken its toll on restaurant chains. Soaring energy costs, increasing commodity prices and tighter credit markets are eating into sales and margins. Chain Leader spoke to some operators about ...
Roll model: O'Charley's builds its latest branding campaign around its signature rolls.(STORYBOARD)(Company overview)
May 01, 2008; ... When concepts decide to make the switch from limited-time offers to all-encompassing branding initiatives, the scope of their coverage typically gets wider, not narrower. But when Nashville, Tenn.-based O'Charley's started evaluating what made it stand out from the better-known ...
Seasons eatings: limited-time offers celebrate the seasons and show off Houlihan's epicurean side.(NEW PRODUCT PIPELINE)
May 01, 2008; ... Seasons come and seasons go. And with them, a fresh slate of Chef's Specials appetizers, entrees, desserts and wines are featured at Houlihan's 30 company-owned stores. The seasonal limited-time offers take an upscale approach that has boosted the casual-dining chain's food and wine sales ...
Getting oriented: P.F. Chang's updates its beverage program with user-friendly wine menus and classic cocktails with an Asian spin.(LIQUID MEASURE)(Company overview)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You can get a classic Tom Collins at any quality bar. But for a Plum Collins--plum vodka, plum wine and fresh lemon juice, with a splash of cranberry juice and soda--you'll have to find the nearest P.F. Chang's China Bistro. Same goes for the Yuzu Old ...
Eyes on the pies: Pitfire Pizza's design draws attention to its wood-burning oven--and the pizzas that bake in it.(RESTAURATOUR)(Company overview)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Pitfire Pizza on Westwood Boulevard in Los Angeles has more than a touch of California cool. Sunshine streams through the windows that cover two entire wails. The surfaces--a Carrara-marble bar top, poured-concrete floor, French ash-laminate ...
Ahead of the curve: innovating is the key to success; the trick is staying unique in a me-too market.
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Curbside pickup. Online ordering. Cellphone coupons. Interactive Web sites. All these have been successful innovations at chain restaurants--and you can tell even without looking at the sales figures behind them. How? The copycat factor. All ...
Credit limits: franchise development agreements are coming under pressure from tougher lending terms.(FRANCHISE MANAGEMENT)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Are you wondering whether the downturn in the economy and tightening credit standards will hamper franchise development in the months ahead? Some industry experts, including franchisees and franchisors, fret that scenario is a keen possibility if not an ...
Showing off: employees demonstrate their food-safety training every day in front of an audience at Fresh City.(FOOD SAFETY)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] At Fresh City, food preparation is on full display. Workers at the 23-unit, Needham, Mass.-based chain prepare sandwiches, salads and stir-fry dishes while customers move along the production line. Customers can also create their own meal at an extensive ...
A new direction: Pomodoro holds off on expansion to refresh its concept.(VIP Radio)(Interview)
May 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since Pasta Pomodoro opened in 1994 in San Francisco, the Italian casual-dining chain has grown steadily to 43 restaurants throughout California and Arizona mainly through cash flow and capital from investors including Wendy's, which owns a 30 percent ...