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This article focuses on the trend of food service operators and retailers in the U.S. forming partnerships to create new food-service concepts. Restaurateurs with vision find opportunities within businesses with similar customer bases. Retailers as diverse as bookstores and automobile dealerships discover that devoting space to cafes makes partners as well as sales. With a portfolio of stylish operations such as Tribeca Grill and Montrachet in New York City and Rubicon in San Francisco, California, Myriad Restaurant Group hardly had plans on opening in a health club. But in 2000 it signed a deal to create Pulse, a restaurant/bar concept at Sports Club/LA in New York City. The operation serves an Asian- and Caribbean-inspired menu attuned to the location, says executive chef Jake Klein. In 2003, Larry Forgione closed his An American Place restaurant in New York City; but he could not resist when an opportunity for a revival came from clothing retailer Lord & Taylor. Together they established An American Place on Lord & Taylor's store in New York City. Food is an amenity and social catalyst for customers at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based retailer that provides full-service restaurant and bar service in its locations. Director of cafe operations Roger Ranalli says customers en route to the movies often stop by for dinner. Menu specials come from cookbooks. INSETS: Direct Deposit;Family Ties.

This article describes approaches made by U.S. restaurant operators to increase wine revenues. Mermaid Inn co-owner Jimmy Bradley sells bottles of wine for $15 above wholesale cost. Promoting half bottles of wine is an idea that works for Lark Creek Restaurant Group. In designing dining rooms for Zola, Star Restaurant Group LLC director of operations Ralph Rosenberg applied ideas based from what marketers know about impulse shopping. Show the bottles, he said. At Zola, that led to creation of a wine island in each dining room, with wines and glasses displayed on a chest of drawers in the aisle. Harry Caray's Restaurant holds a week-long wine festival, while Classics Restaurant holds six to eight annual wine dinners. INSETS: Return Engagements;Training Table;$36.95;Global on a Budget

Focuses on the Earl of Sandwich cafe restaurant at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Location of the cafe restaurant; Menus scope of Earl of Sandwich; Comparison of sales between Earl of Sandwich and Cafe Too, its former operation; Advantage of the cafe restaurant over its rivals in the area. INSET: Earl of Sandwich.

Offers ideas on targeting the teenager market for restaurant companies in the U.S. Challenges posed by the diversity of the teen market; Key to restaurant companies planning to tap teen spending; Annual expenditures of teens; Importance of the Internet for forging relationships with the teenage customers; Strategy for building brand loyalty among teenage customers.

Addresses the mutual advantages of the partnership between self-operated noncommercials and commercial restaurant brands in the U.S. Benefits of properly-handled noncommercial market to commercial brands; Contractors which sought partnerships with national restaurant brands and self-operated campuses; Outcome of the decision of Orion Food Systems to franchise its Mean Gene's Burgers quick-service concept. INSET: Shrewd Shopping.

Provides information on top independent restaurant businesses in the U.S. Tavern in the Green in New York City; Gibsons Bar Steakhouse in Illinois; The Yard House in Long Beach, California.

Presents information on the winners of Restaurants and Institutions' 2003 Choice in Chains survey in the U.S. In-N-Out Burger; Papa Murphy pizza house; The Cheesecake Factory.

Reports on the expansion of the foodservice business in the U.S. as of January 2003. Opening of the MacKenzie River Pizza Co. restaurant; Information on Davio's catering and special-events business; Menus offered by Muskie Mart.

Presents information on the problems faced by the foodservice industry in the U.S. as of January 2003. Productivity standards set by Benihana; Cost cutting measures implemented by Briazz; Keys to success in the industry; Possible decline in partnerships between hospitals and restaurants. INSET: What to Watch.

Details the efforts of restaurant operators to alleviate the training challenges posed by the illiteracy problem in the U.S. Prevalence of the problem; Recruitment strategy adopted by Casa Olé restaurants; Stages of the training process of California Pizza Kitchen.

Deals with the growing issue over portion sizes of food in the U.S. restaurant industry. Lawsuit risk facing restaurants over the issue; Comments from Steven C. Anderson, president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association; Steps taken by restaurants to minimize personal responsibility on the prevalence of obesity; Options of customers at Ponderosa Steakhouse on portion sizes. INSET: Who Says 'When'?.

Features the operations of several chain restaurants in the U.S. Information the Mazzio's management benefits package; Initiatives implemented to meet food-safety guidelines; Instabilities in food prices for 2001.

Features several U.S. restaurants offering shellfish delicacies. Offerings at Chart House restaurants in Chicago, Illinois; Information on how Flying Fish Tavern created a lobster promotion; Details on the Tsunami restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee.

Discusses the role of table settings combined with d é cor in defining a food service concept. Development of tabletop styles in restaurants; Description of table aesthetics at DB Bistro Moderne in New York City; Selection of the appropriate napkins for the barbecue concept at Wingnuts restaurant in Costa Mesa, California.

Provides information on the menu and the style of operation of several restaurants in the U.S. Panera Bread in St. Louis, Missouri; Windows Restaurant in Los Angeles, California; Pigalle in New York City; Tru in Chicago, Illinois. INSET: Who's Snacking.

Addresses rude behavior in restaurants. View of etiquette authority Charlotte Ford on courtesy and good manners; Visual cues on how people should behave in a given restaurant; Actions taken by the management of Mod restaurant in Chicago, Illinois during a customer complaint.

Presents information on the top 100 independent restaurants in the U.S. for 2002. Challenges faced by independent restaurants in 2001; Effect of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City on the independent restaurant industry; Decline in the wine industry sales in 2001. INSET: About the Top 100.

Discusses the challenges encountered by operators in managing their restaurants. Aim of opening The Patina Group LLC restaurant in Los Angeles, California; Prices of foods at Zucca Ristorante in Los Angeles; Details on the Alma de Cuba restaurant.

Discusses the benefits of braising secondary cuts of meat in several restaurants. Approach to lamb shank at a Moroccan restaurant Aziza in San Rafael, California; Description of a lamb shoulder recipe at The Peerless Restaurant in Ashland, Oregon; Cost reduction efforts of the company Amerada Hess in Houston, Texas. INSET: Lesser is More.

Features several independent and regional chain restaurants that have locations in airports in the United States. Garduno's of Mexico Restaurant & Cantina in the Albuquerque Sunport, New Mexico; Sam Snead's Tavern at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida; Figs Restaurant at New York's LaGuardia Airport; Acme Oyster House in the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

Describes several menu designs from various restaurants in the United States. Basis of the menu design for Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. in Marina del Rey, California; Design for Wingstop restaurant in Dallas, Texas; Comparison of the dining style between the Patio and the Restaurant on the Park food outlets at the Art Institute of Chicago. INSET: How Designers Do It.

Looks at the strategies of various restaurants in the United States on changing menus. Factors influencing menu changes at Luna Park in San Francisco, California; Process involved on changing menus at the Panera Bread Company; Guidelines used by Irvine, California-based Koo Koo Roo for menu changes.

Discusses the importance of employee training and how it is being offered by several independent restaurants in the United States. Taste of Texas Restaurant owned by Nina Hendee; Joe's Stone Crab in Miami, Florida; Harry Caray's Restaurant in Chicago, Illinois; Fulton's Crab House in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Looks at the business operation of the Trotter's To Go retail store in Chicago, Illinois under the management of restaurateur Charlie Trotter. Information on the establishment of the facility; Interior design of the store; Managerial employees hired; Types of foods showcased in the store.

Reports on the prepared-food packaging which is used in quick-service takeout, in-house institutional meals or leftovers from fine-dining establishments. Use of custom-designed shopping bag with logo and handles at the Rotisserie for Beef & Bird in West Houston, Texas; Consideration of convenience in the food service industry; Packaging perceptions.

Questions whether restaurants should be held accountable for patrons' eating habits. Frequency with which Americans eat meals cooked outside the home; Remarks from some nutritionists and dieticians; Diet-related menu claims in restaurants.

Deals with technological innovations made by independent restaurants in the United States. Technological innovations at Tavern on the Green restaurant in New York City, New York; Benefit of technology to profits of restaurants; Web sites and Internet technology in restaurants.

Features news and information on food service and restaurants. Survey of customer satisfaction on fast food restaurants; Inspection of restaurants in Toronto, Ontario; Appointment of Todd English as consulting executive chef of Long John Silver's restaurant.

Offers suggestions for addressing the concerns and complaints of employees in restaurants in the United States. Job satisfaction of restaurant employees; Disputes between employees; Ways for managers to handle employee complaints; Capability of employees to be effective problem solvers in the restaurant setting; Importance of employee-customer relations.

Presents information on the restaurant winners in the 2000 Choice in Chains consumer survey of the `Restaurants and Institutions' periodical. Romano's Macaroni Grill of Dallas, Texas; In-N-Out Burger of Irving, California; Chick-fil-A of Atlanta, Georgia; Outback Steakhouse of Tampa Bay, Florida; Red Lobster of Orlando, Florida.

Deals with the popularity of vegetable salads due to the ethnic influences of chefs in techniques and dining styles. Examples of United States restaurants that offer salads; Information on several kinds of salads; Various comments from restaurateurs about salads.

Focuses on seafood cookery which influenced chefs' creativity, skills and interest. Fish preparation at the Five Lakes Grill restaurant in Milford, Michigan; Scarlet snapper sold at Mark's American Cuisine in Houston, Texas. INSET: Catch of the Day.

Describes culinary internship programs of various restaurants in the United States. Napa Valley Grill in Yountville, California; Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme, Michigan; Tavern on the Green in New York City, New York; Description of a good internship.

Focuses on the growing market for home meal replacement in the United States. Strategies employed by restaurants in offering takeout meal services; Comments from restaurateurs; Concept introduced by Florida-based Darden Restaurants.

Discusses information on marketing gourmet food. Details on marketing a line of retail products under the Restaurant LuLu label in San Francisco, California. Ways for garnering reputation and mass production; Information on retail branding; Success of Mexican cuisine in Chicago, Illinois.

Presents `Restaurants and Institutions' 1999 Top 100 independent restaurants in the United States. Characteristics shared by restaurants in the list; Razor-sharp systems and fresh seafood at competitive prices of Bob Chinn's Crab House; Dining in an underwater fantasy world offered at Farallon; Harry Caray's no-nonsense menu; Different tack to preserve menu traditions and chef's creativity.

Focuses on the vision and plans of several corporate owners in the United States. How Jim McKinney started his own restaurant business and established the Club Grotto; How Richard Satnick started his own Laughing Planet Cafe in Bloomington, Indiana; How Ken Frank started managing the La Toque restaurant in West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.

Focuses on the fresh bread industry in the United States. Information on the breads produced at La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, California ; Presentation style in Evvia, a restaurant in Palo Alto, California; Recipe for Cranberry Scones. INSET: White Goods.

Offers information on the way in which the top 400 restaurant operators in the United States go about hiring their work force. Need for companies to be more creative in how to improve employee expertise; Information on programs offered by McDonald's Corporation; Details on the restaurants.

Reports on the service provided at country clubs in the United States. Information on several clubs; Indication that service at the clubs is on par with top restaurants; Initiation fees of some clubs; Comments from David Oliver, manager of The Lodge at Pebble Beach, California.

Presents information on the beverage aspects of a restaurant's menu. Efforts of foodservice directors to increase beverage profits; Comments from Michael Holmes, bar manager at the Bristol Bar 7 Grill in Leawood, Kansas; Benefits of being flexible with pricing; How waters, juices and sodas can add to the profit of a restaurant; Importance of keeping servers and bartenders happy. INSETS: Markup mystique;Bar detail;Liquid assets.

Presents information on the top 100 independent restaurants in the United States, which were recognised by the Restaurants and Institutions magazine in 1998. Rating of Tavern of the Green, New York City; Listing of the 100 restaurants; Background information on the restaurants listed. INSETS: R&I's top 100;About the 1988 R&I top 100.

Looks at the impact of the millennium on restaurants and institutions. Celebration of millennium by restaurant owner Michael McCarty in a year in advance of January 31, 1999; Comments from McCarty; Indepth look at the foodservice industry. INSET: Chefs' roles..

Gives information pertaining to in-house restaurant security. Comments from Gary Sander, manager at the Metro Wine Bar and Bistro in Oklahoma City; What percentage of restaurants fail due to employee theft; Annual losses for the restaurant industry; Reference to the National Restaurant Association. INSET: Steal traps..

Suggests that restaurateurs are using the private room hook to serve individuals who want the intimacy home dining atmosphere. Benefits of private dining; Details on the popularity of private rooms; Names of some restaurants which offer private rooms; Comment from Joe Baum, creator of the Rainbow Room and Windows on the World in New York.

Focuses on public relations and the restaurant industry in the United States. Different methods that can be used to promote a restaurant; Various reasons why public relations firms are hired by restauranteurs; Why Detroit-based chef-restaurateur Jimmy Schmidt hired a public relations firm.

This article focuses on the issue of balancing healthful menu items with those that sell well and support a restaurant's core brand in the U.S. as of March 2005. In a diet-obsessed culture, food service must do more than merely feed guests. Now operators have to balance the healthful options consumers supposedly want with foods they will keep coming back for. Nearly half of commercial-segment operators polled for R&I's 2004 Obesity in America study say they had instituted changes in response to the obesity debate, including 20% who said they had added health-oriented items to their menus. Menu categories ripe for innovation and development include side dishes, desserts and breads. Restaurants should offer more variety in vegetables and salads, more fruits in desserts and more whole grains in the breadbasket. he quick-service segment continues to build healthful options into menus. Christine Braun, director of the Center for Consumer Research at the University of California at Davis, commends the industry for increasing healthful options, but adds that "there's more to do Dublin, Ohio-based Wendy's last month completed the rollout of fresh-fruit bowls paired with low-fat yogurt for dipping. Not every chain wants to monitor customer calorie, fat or carbohydrates intake. Atlanta-based Huddle House says it does not provide nutrition data in its 390 units.

The article describes the unit prototypes of chain restaurants in the U.S. New unit prototypes display stronger identities, bold designs and living-room comforts. Designers are introducing prototypes that soothe with comfortable seating as well as music and lighting that is programmed to time of day and traffic flow. But mostly, they work to make sure the look speaks to restaurant patrons. The future of Cosí is on display in Avon, Connecticut where in March 2004, the New York City-based chain opened the first of what it calls the next generation of Cosí restaurants. On entering, diners are greeted by a wall of menus and a view of bakers working the hearth oven. By the time customers arrive at the order counter, smells, sights and food images already are shaping the Cosí experience. Food ordered at the counter is delivered to tables by staff. The experience is enhanced by programmed music (from classical to soft rock), choices of table heights, and padded chairs and divans. In September 2003, Big Boy Restaurants introduced a prototype for a location in Hesperia, California that is a mix of old and new. The unit seats 150 in a variety of configurations, including tables, booths and counter stools. A lighter color scheme is a far cry from the reds and blacks of original units although the smiling Big Boy character remains as a symbol of fun and nostalgia. Huddle House introduced warmth through lighter colors, patterned flooring and hanging ivy baskets. New units have more windows and a redesigned lighting system. INSET: The Eyes of Beholders.

This article describes the strategies of several restaurants in the U.S. on serving dessert wines. Dessert wines are more readily associated with tuxedos and white tablecloths than they are with bistros. But offering a port with cheese or bittersweet chocolate cake in a casual venue can elevate the dessert and the experience to something special. Dessert wines often are overlooked by both operators and guests, more out of tradition than prejudice. Americans are conditioned to order wine with entrées and coffee with dessert. Creating an appropriate list of dessert wines requires a realistic look at menu, concept and customers. Dessert wines do not work in every venue. Sometimes, an ice cream drink is more fun and appropriate than an aged port. You have to understand the concept and customer. In creating the list of eight dessert wines for 60-seat Green Zebra in Chicago, Illinois co-owner Sue Kim-Drohomyrecky considered the vegetable-centric menu of Chef-co-owner Shawn McClain, the offbeat tastes of customers and what is offered by small producers. Her selections come from California, Italy, Austria, Australia, Canada, and France. Truluck's Restaurant Group in Austin, Texas, promotes its wines through special vintner dinners and ongoing tastings at four Truluck's Seafood, Steak & Crab House units in Texas and one in Florida. The concept offers bottles, flights and 100 wines by the glass. But even in wine-centered restaurants, dessert wines account for only 5 percent of overall wine sales for the group. The list has 15 choices, mainly ports and sherries. INSETS: Last Course;Wine Check.

Highlights the role of catering in helping restaurants add up revenue. Increase in demand for casual gatherings in the U.S.; Projected food and beverage sales by social caterers in 2004; Benefits of possessing computer skills for catering businesses. INSETS: Crystal Balls;Room for Growth.