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Generation Y, individuals between the ages of 9 and 19, have distinct attitudes and interests. Restaurants will need to offer individual options to these consumers, such as Burger King's slogan, 'have it your way'. This generation is not concerned with the cost of the item but with the total cash spent. New products will also be important to provide on a regular basis., It's a savvy, lively generation--but selling to them is a challenge only a few are ready to face. THEY'RE URBAN: 'I love finding odd places to hang in nooks and [...]

Restaurants that serve soul food may have strong growth prospects. The advantages of the cuisine include relatively low price points, an intersting cultural background, and much room for new types of presentations. Soul food is especially resonate with African Americans, and some concepts are targeting the African American middle class., Can a downhome cuisine go mainstream? Soul food concepts are working to move from side show to center stage. Outside, it's a raw and blustery November day, and nobody's lingering [...]

African Americans are 12% of the US population but only own 4% of the restaurants in the country. There is a dearth of African Americans in fine dining establishments. Historically, there are few owners, managers or chefs due to racism, the lack of access to capital and the lack of knowledge about the fine dining business. Many African-American youth are avoiding the hospitality industry because of the perception that it requires servitude., Jashley Smith says he's gotten used to seeing surprise--even discomfort--on the faces of customers. In his days at Harry's Restaurant and Bar--an upmarket St. Louis hot spot--the 6-ft.-2-in., shaved-headed African-American [...]

The restaurant industry has a number of concerns, and their effect on the industry will be mixed in 1998. Some of these worries include competition, legislation, pricing, costs that keep increasing and liability. Other concerns include labor shortages, food safety and the threat of ever increasing casinos, which siphon business away from local restaurants., Waiting for news on your biggest concerns? Read on for the good, the bad, and the ugly. According to the American Sleep Disorders Association, 60 million Americans suffer from some [...]

Detroit's urban-decline image is changing due to an improved economy, business investments, and a rise in downtown attractions such as upscale casual dining. Since 1993, Detroit has seen $5.8 billion in economic growth and an influx of young people drawn to activities a metropolitan area provides. The city, however, must still address problems such as racial tensions, job applicant work skills and complicated bureaucratic processes., Local restaurateurs are betting that a new generation of suburbanites will save a badly neglected Detroit. SEVEN YEARS AGO Matthew Prentice made local headlines by verbally blasting a reporter who [...]

The gray and gritty corner where Gratiot Avenue crosses over Interstate-94 on Detroit's east side is a dismal stretch of urban decay. Boarded and burned-out buildings dot the landscape, signs [...]

Restaurateurs have mixed opinions on the subject of romantic relationships between employees. Many on-the-job romances have led to marriage and others have led to problems. Owners and managers caution that the threat of sexual harassment suits is a very good reason to discourage romantic relationships, especially between management and staff. Other problems include potential for favoritism and marital complications. The positive aspects include a good atmosphere and a morale builder for employees., Josiah Citrin was only a few weeks into his new job in the kitchen at Patina -- Joachim Splichal's upscale L.A. powerhouse -- when he realized a pastry chef was [...]

The 30th edition of Restaurant Business' annual Restaurant Growth Index (RGI) reveals that the most rapid restaurant industry growth has moved away from older metropolises to smaller communities. Santa Fe, NM, and Saginaw, MI, for example, were not listed in the original RGI but ranked in the top 10 in the 1997 RGI. Some big cities, such as New York and Dallas, retain high rankings, however., Think back 30 years ago. Johnson was president. 'Bonanza' was a top-rated TV show. 'Up, Up and Away' by the 5th Dimension was blaring from transistor radios, and the median [...]

In Washington, DC, a hip young professional crowd are perched on sofas nibbling on tiny plates piled high with examples of 'modern Andean' cuisine. In San Francisco, a concept featuring [...]

Women have faced challenges making it to the top in the restaurant industry, despite the growing number of females in this business. Some observers cite traditional biases as the reason, while others believe that personal reasons prevent most women from achieving. Others believe that women just do not promote themselves enough. Different top female achievers are profiled and their feelings about being a women in the industry are covered., According to Frankie Whitman, this year's James Beard Foundation awards offered a perfect snapshot of women in the foodservice industry. On the plus side: The inclusion of more women than [...]

A follow-up study of 20 customer service departments reveals which companies focus on customer service and those which do not. Jack in the Box which was given an A+ marks in 1996 and 1997 because its customer service department responded so well to the made-up complaints posed by a survey conductor pretending to be a customer. The four companies with the lowest marks in 1996, IHOP, Hamburger Hamlet, Subway, and Au Bon Pain, failed to raise their scores in 1997. The only company to show a significant improvement was Blimpie's which credits training for teaching successful customer service., I'm really busy right now,' IHOP's customer-service rep sighs. 'Could you call back in half an hour? Come again? Did we mention we were a customer? With a complaint -- [...]

Restaurant industry employees and managers are decreasing their work loads and enjoying it. For some restaurants there is a labor shortage so that a restaurant cannot stay open for longer hours. For others, both employees and managers are discovering that there is more to life than work. As both spouses work, there is more of a demand on the family., BILL GRACE SAYS THERE ARE TIMES when he longer knows where to draw the line. Last New Year's Eve a key employee failed to show up for work at Galvin's, [...]

What could be an easier bet than fast-food pasta? Americans love the stuff. It's a low-cost commodity, it takes only moments to prepare, and it's one of the rare foods [...]

Restaurants, hotels and other food service outlets must employ exterminators to control such pests as rodents, roaches, flies and ants. A night's work for a typical pest control engineer is described. Most of the operations must be carried out at night, since customers might not return if they found the premises contaminated by vermin., As an exterminator, Mauro has a tough job that requires a special person - someone who's independent enough to be his own boss, willing to work by himself, used to [...]

Catering to the next generation of senior restaurant customers will require a keen understanding of graying baby boomers' lifestyles and preferences. Restaurant analysts describe senior customers as restless, skeptical, active, quality-conscious and media-savvy. Marketing experts charge restaurant chains with failing to understand their customer's needs., The Orrs are just the kind of customers a restaurateur loves. In their 70s, they live comfortably in suburban New Jersey, and eat out regularly, often with family and friends. [...]

Television markets as vehicles for restaurant advertising are a strong determinant of consumers' dining habits. A cross-sectional study of television advertising markets or Designated Market Areas (DMAs) and restaurant markets shows that the East North Central region has the strongest DMA presence per restaurants in the market. The weakest DMA showing per restaurants was found in three New England TV markets., LINDA BOHAKER iS a busy young professional in her thirties. She's single, makes a good living, and eats most of her meals away from home. In other words, she's a [...]

Restaurants have the greatest prospects for expansion in the Great Lakes region. A comprehensive indicator called the Restaurant Growth Index rates Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin collectively as the area with the best combination of spending power and undersupply of restaurants. The US overall appears 'saturated' with eating places, many operators say. Total restaurant sales rose to $229.8 million in 1995, a 5.6% increase from 1994, while fast food sales fell to $94 million, a 1% decline, during the same time period., IT'S A CROWDED arena out there--and getting more so all the time. 'Saturated' is the word most restaurateurs use to describe their marketplaces--including those operating in what had once been [...]

Chain restaurants are competing in overseas markets that would not be in the same league domestically. Even small chains, such as Subway, compete with giants such as McDonald's Corp in relatively undeveloped markets. Nevertheless, McDonald's remains the leader in international sales, generating $14 billion in 1995 out of a system total of almost $30 billion, or 46.8% of the international segment. The figures represent a 26.8% increase over 1994 figures., On the home front, Subway slugs it out with the likes of Blimpie, Schlotzsky's, and the other sandwich chains. But overseas, the Connecticut-based franchiser is vying for sites at a [...]

Restaurant and food service CEO salaries failed to keep pace with the cost of living in 1995, according to an annual survey conducted by Restaurant Business magazine. Salaries for top CEOs increased by an average 10.4% in 1995 compared to a 14% increase in average corporate profits during the same time period. Performance-linked compensation is a growing trend in the restaurant and food service industries., Se. 'Sandy' Beall's parents must be proud. By the standards of most wage-earners, their son had an excellent year in 1995. Beall-CEO of Morrison last year before the company split [...]

An informal test of customer service representatives at fast food chains revealed a very uneven standard of dealing with dissatisfied customers. Many chains need to dramatically improve their customer service departments, or do a better job training their representatives and informing others about their role. Jack in the Box had the best service, which was courteous and followed-up immediately with coupons, while others, including Blimpies and Au Bon Pain, failed to respond satisfactorily., Everyone talks about pleasing guests, so we decided to put their sincerity to a test. Here's what happened when RB challenged the customer-service departments of 20 chains. SHE WAS AU [...]

Restaurant operators are looking for ways to capitalize on the popularity of premium cigars to bring in high-paying customers. Cigars are taking on the connotation of youth and success and can be combined well with vintage wines, microbrewed beers, and specialty coffees. Some restaurateurs are holding cigar dinners, while others are creating separate cigar rooms or bars that will not offend non-smoking guests., THERE'S AN OLD STORY ABOUT THE OWNER OF A CHICAGO steakhouse who was asked how he handled complaints from non-smoking diners about guests at the next table smoking cigars. 'I [...]

Restaurants run by a married couple can often fail if the couple decides to divorce. In many cases, the split is not amicable, and financial problems result in the failure of the operation. Lawyers suggest a contract which specifies what will occur in the event of a partner's death, or in the event of divorce or separation. Keeping the business separate from the emotional impact of the relationship is also essential for the continued health of the business., It all started out so nicely. They were young and in love and full of plans for the restaurant they'd launched together. He--the more extroverted of the two--worked the front [...]

A survey of executive compensation for the top 100 CEOs in the restaurant industry for 1994 shows a marked decline in overall earnings levels. Overall compensation for these CEOs reached $61.1 million, which is just over 50% of what the Top 10 received in 1993. The discrepancy in these figures stems from a sharp decline in the value of corresponding stocks making the executives' stock options less appealing for cashing out. The top earner in 1994 was Taco Cabana's Richard Cervera with $4.3 million, versus 1993's top earner, Brinker's Ron McDougall with $20.7 million., FOR SOME OF THE INDUSTRY'S BEST-PAID CEOs, LAST YEAR BROUGHT A RETURN TO earth. The $20-million-range compensation packages of 1993 were nowhere to be seen in 1994, deflated by a [...]

This should prove to be a turnaround year for the industrial gas business, particularly in North America. Increasing tightness in the merchant market, driven by the economic recovery, has tightened [...]

At almost every level of operation in the chemical process industries one is likely to hear about 'programitis,' a state of being snowed under by myriad management programs and being [...]

The industrial gas industry is in the midst of a lull, but investment should accelerate by 1994, contingent on economic recovery and Europe. Two developments that will fuel this acceleration are noncryogenic production and membrane technology, which are reducing the cost of gas. Another is the growing market for environmentally friendly oxygen and hydrogen. Recent developments in North and South America, Europe and the Pacific Rim are summarized.

When the petrochemical industry suffers, the petrochemical trading industry suffers, and the current downturn has been no exception. Traders' volumes and margins shrank dramatically during the past two years. At [...]

When you find yourself within glancing distance of Sonsie -- at the far western stretch of Boston's trendy Newbury Street -- there's really no need to bother consulting your watch. [...]

Chef Anne Rosenzweig's latest restaurant project, The Lobster Club, has gotten off to a good start, despite its unconventional strategy. The restaurant, located in Manhattan's Upper East Side, is positioned as a casual, neighborhood establishment specializing in comfort food. New York Times critic Ruth Reichl praised Rosenzweig's ability to offer very interesting fare at reasonable prices, but some diners believe that The Lobster Club is expensive., Anne Rosenzweig has always been a risk taker. As a female chef rising to prominence in the early '80s, she was a pioneer in a field long dominated by men. [...]

Boston, MA-based Pizzeria Regina opened its doors in 1926 and has started expanding in 1975. Annual sales were $1.4 million for the pizzeria with the signature thin-crust pizza. It will begin opening units in other states in 1997. Shopping malls in Providence, RI; Paramus, NJ and Richmond, VA, will open a unit. Florida will be the next new market for Pizzeria Regina., IT's lunchtime in Boston's North End and the brick oven in Pizzeria Regina is red hot--much as it's been nearly every day since the pizzeria first opened its doors in [...]

Maguy Le Coze has furthered the tradition of New York's Le Bernardin restaurant by changing the very successful and influential establishment that her late brother, Gilbert, had created. Maguy decided, for example, not to rely on the menu items that Gilbert was known for. The restaurant now features one of Gilbert's dishes each day. The rest of the menu is created by chef Eric Ripert., Three years ago, when restaurateur Gilbert Le Coze died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of 48, the news was a stunning blow to the New York dining [...]

The Elephant Walk has two units in Boston, MA, and plans to expand throughout the US. It is an upscale Cambodian/French restaurant that features average meal costs of $25 per person. The restaurant is operated by a Cambodian couple, their daughter and their son-in-law. It was voted one of the Best New Restaurants of 1992., It should have been an absolutely certain recipe for disaster: Put an upscale Cambodian-and-french restaurant in a basement location in the blue-collar Boston suburb of Somerville. Then charge an average [...]

P.F. Chang's China Bistro is a unique blend of a Chinese restaurant and a French bistro. The idea was created by owners Paul Fleming and Philipp Chiang. The one restaurant has led to others, located in Las Vegas, NV, Irvine, CA, and Houston, TX. The flagship store is located in Scottsdale, AZ. The menu is decidedly Chinese, but the ambiance is American., Any preconceptions about the patrons of an ethnic restaurant are unsettled the minute a visitor steps into P. F. Chang's China Bistro. During a recent noontime visit to the chain's [...]

New York restaurateur Howard Levine has increased his popularity in the food service sector by introducing innovative restaurant concepts. Levine and his business partners opened Docks, Carmine's, E.J. Luncheonette and Angelo and Maxie's restaurants in the New York area. These restaurants are offering a wide variety of gourmet specialties and are enjoying an increasing popularity in the New York area. Levine also plans to open classic concept restaurants in other major cities in the US., This much-imitated restaurateur may be the last person who can explain the popularity of his diverse Manhattan concepts. The way new york restaurateur Howard Levine tells it, every restaurant he's [...]

Papa John's was founded in 1986 and has 1,000 units in 1997 and hopes to expand to 2,000 units by 2000. Pizza chain founder and CEO John Schnatter chose quality as its niche and will continue this focus no matter how large the chain becomes. Papa John's has a limited menu, a proprietary garlic sauce and little or no seating in the outlet., Will bigger be better as this simple-concept pizza chain starts to expand? It's touch to argue with Papa John's about quality. That's a lesson Domino's learned the hard way. Last [...]

Some restaurant owners with Democratic Party affiliations perceive the National Restaurant Assn as sympathetic with the Republican Party, in spite of the organization's claims of non-partisanship. Business orientation need not mean opposition to the interests of employees. The goals of the Democrats seem more people-oriented, according to several restaurateurs., Wanda Fitzpatrick has learned that sometimes the only way to keep the peace is to keep quiet. Fitzpatrick, a committed Democrat, owns the Scarecrow Country Inn, a 150-seat white-tablecloth restaurant [...]

Del Taco Inc. plans to grow its operations by expanding into Mexican fast food markets already opened up by Taco Bell. Del Taco, which numbers 285 units and recorded $240 mil in 1995 sales, is solidly entrenched as the second biggest Mexican fast food operator behind Taco Bell. Rather than compete directly with the fast food giant, Del Taco believes that it can profit from the excess demand for Mexican fast-food that Taco Bell has helped generate through its massive advertising campaigns and universal market presence., UNTIL YOU REACH the ending, the Del Taco story sounds a bit like a Rocky movie: A middle-aged fast-food concept finds itself losing ground. The chain hasn't kept up with [...]

Southwestern taco chain La Salsa, founded in 1979 by Howdy Silvano Kabrins, is trying to expand beyond its 'authentic' beginnings. To move out of California, Nevada and Arizona, the chain has signed a co-branding agreement with Daka International's Fuddruckers gourmet burger concept which involves Daka buying a 15% equity stake for $5 million. La Salsa currently has 71 units, including 33 franchises, 32 company-run stores and six units co-branded with Daka., Authenticity was fine for a small taqueria. But as a chain with national aspirations, La Salsa is changing its tack. LA SALSA WAS BORN OF A LOVE AFFAIR. It was [...]

Koo Koo Roo restaurant Chmn and CEO Ken Berg is redesigning his company's 19 operations. These 19 restaurants will feature strong visual details, broad menus and quick customer service. The restaurant, which lost $1.9 million in 1991, offers foods such as flame-broiled chicken, turkey and salads. All foods are freshly made. Berg also plans on opening 30 additional units by the end of 1996., IT WAS THE NIGHT OF THE ACADEMY AWARDS in 1990 and most of L.A. was focused on the evening's ceremonies and who would win an Oscar. But Ken Berg was [...]

Attitudes regarding the employment of senior citizens vary from one business to another. Many restaurant owners feel seniors offer an excellent work ethic and attract customers, while others feel seniors do not work well with young people and cannot keep pace in the restaurant business. Age discrimination continues to be a major stumbling block for senior citizens. Training classes teach unemployed people over 55 the skills necessary for work in the fast-food industry., HELEN GREENWALD IS EVERYTHING A RESTAURANT MANAGER COULD dream of when hiring: She's intelligent, energetic, totally devoted to her job and has a sparkling charm that would melt a glacier. [...]

Eskimo Joe's owner Stan Clark is amazed at his success in the restaurant business. Clark and a friend bought the beer bar in 1975 for $10,000. The Stillwater, OK, business has prospered at selling name-brand merchandise, which accounts for about 70% of the firm's business. T-shirts, socks and golf balls are marketed through catalogs and shopping center stores. The bar evolved into a restaurant when the drinking age was raised to 21., STAN CLARK HAS A WAY OF SHRUGGING HIS shoulders and shaking his head in amazement when he talks about the remarkable success of Eskimo Joe's, the business he's built on [...]

Many restaurateurs are searching for the next concept that will be a big hit with consumers. Most are decidedly new and unusual, but may well succeed. Among them is Greg Kovach's Mashed Potato Club in Chicago, IL, where 100 varieties of mashed potatoes are featured on the menu. Hulk Hogan's Pastamania is a fast-food Italian eatery in the Mall of America that serves up six varieties of pasta, of which the most popular is one shaped like the wrestler. Charles Shamoon hopes that his Hello, I'm Gelatin eatery in Augusta, GA, will catch on, and Nick Barnes is very happy with the response to his @ Cafe 'cybercafe,' where terminals are available for clients to link up with the Internet., YEARS AGO, PEOPLE MIGHT have scoffed at a concept serving only coffee. But where they saw folly, Starbucks founder Howard Schultz saw a sure-fire hit. Who knows what the next [...]

Expansion-minded restaurants should consider the South, particularly southeast and south-central states for their activities. The 28th Annual Restaurant Growth Index (RGI) gives metro areas in the South average RGI figures of over 100, indicating that they have expansion potential. An RGI of under 100 shows that an area probably has reached saturation point. Looking at the Restaurant Activity Index, which measures the propensity populations have for dining out, southeast and south-central areas have 7 of the top 20 places., HORACE GREELEY'S ADVICE TO the would-be entrepreneur of his generation would have to be modified for today's aspiring restaurateur. Instead of, 'Go west, young man,' the restaurant operator of 1995 [...]

Ethylene and propylene Short-term ethylene and propylene supplies look likely to continue extremely tight into early next year. While a repeat of the spot shortages encountered this year are not [...]

The cosmetics business has a rosier glow than it did a year ago, but the nearly $20 billion U.S. industry is not without its blemishes. Sales this year are up [...]

Last year was a difficult one for water treatment companies. Despite growth opportunities provided by new environmental legislation for municipalities and the Midwest floods, the industrial segment was down, with [...]

For those who thought 1993 would bring genuine recovery to plastics markets, the year has been a disappointment. Despite improvement in some areas, overall margins are poor, and increased volume [...]

If chemical companies generally feel that gaining the trust and respect they wish for from the public is an uphill battle, they should consider the task facing Waste Technologies Industries [...]

During the past five years, chemical industry customers say they have been showered with a new kind of attention. Instead of just making sales calls, chemical suppliers show up onsite [...]

Reducing the use of volatile organic compounds is 'the number one goal for the paint industry,' says Ed Bourguignon, manager/market research at Glidden (Cleveland). As a result, the search for [...]