NATIONAL HARBOR MD. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
ELLEN KOTEFF, NRN: Talk a little bit about how you are as consumers in other restaurants. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
FEDELE BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: I don’t like to sit in and have dinner for two [for] three hours anymore like we used to at white-tablecloth restaurants and so forth. I really like the whole idea of small plates and tastings, particularly in these wine bars and small-plate kinds of restaurants that are very casual, not pretentious, not sophisticated. I think if you look at the trends today, really good restaurateurs are not necessarily building those big boxes anymore. They’re doing other things that are much more fun and casual, in my opinion, and it’s still great-quality food. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
DENNIS TASE, GALARDI GROUP: I find that is true with my group of friends, too. In Southern California, we have plenty of fine-dining restaurants and large restaurants. But we seem to seek out the neighborhood restaurants that serve good, quality food with reasonable portions, where you can sit for an hour or two and enjoy the conversation and the food along with the drink. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
ROGER BERKOWITZ, LEGAL SEA FOODS: I think what I find appealing is the neighborhood feel, that comfort feel that we’re all seeking these days. When you go in [and get] recognition, whether it’s your favorite table or favorite server, favorite host staff, and perhaps your beverage of choice is anticipated, it’s a seamless kind of experience that makes you feel good, as opposed to maybe the higher-end kind of dining where the folks do too much. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
JOHN METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: We live close to New York City. I love to go to a new restaurant as a learning experience. It’s kind of semi-work and semi-having fun, mostly having fun, but you come back with a lot of great ideas. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
KOTEFF, NRN: Talk about a mistake you made in your career that really taught you something. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
JOE TORTORICE, JASON’S DELI: I’ve tried a smaller Jason’s Deli in a small, small market—25,000 people. I could never show a profit in 10 years. So sometimes we get to thinking so highly of our concept that we think it will go anywhere, but it won’t go anywhere. It has certain places it will go, and that’s it. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
MODERATOR: ELLEN KOTEFF, editor, Nation’s Restaurant NewsPARTICIPANTS: FEDELE BAUCCIO, chief executive, Bon Appetit Management Co.ROGER BERKOWITZ president and chief executive, Legal Sea FoodsHANS LINDH vice president, restaurant industry, American ExpressJOHN METZ chairman and chief executive, Metz & Associates Ltd.DENNIS TASE president and chief operating officer, Galardi Group Inc.JOE TORTORICE president, Jason’s DeliNICK VOJNOVIC president, Beef ‘O’ Brady’sCURTIS WILSON vice president and general manager, restaurant industry, American Express —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
NICK VOJNOVIC, BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S: As you grow your executive team, one of my biggest mistakes was we didn’t clearly define the values of our company. I was hiring talented executives coming on board that didn’t fit in with the rest. I realized it was my mistake. We brought the wrong people in who didn’t really mesh with who we were, what type of organization we were. It’s an important lesson I’ve learned the hard way. It’s traumatic for everybody when you bring in the wrong folks. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TORTORICE, JASON’S DELI: Along those same lines, when you’re in franchising, it’s a little more difficult because you end up marrying the franchisee before you really get to know them. So sometimes you can get upside-down in the deal. You can end up with somebody in your system that really doesn’t fit. So it’s really critical to try to figure this out before you sign a contract with them. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
KOTEFF, NRN: You’ve all achieved a great deal of success in the industry. Do you feel that the restaurant industry is getting the respect it deserves in communities? How do you think that’s going? And what do you think some of the remedies could be to improve that? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TORTORICE, JASON’S DELI: We closed a store in Dallas because we thought we cannibalized ourselves too much. We had been there for 15 years. And it was a good business decision, but it was a very poor community decision. All of your concepts, when they become a part of those communities, you have an obligation to those communities. Communities really appreciate you, and so it’s almost a responsibility of ours to make sure that we make good decisions when we go in and try not to leave. So I get wonderful vibes from the communities we’re in, [regarding] us and what we’re doing for them. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
VOJNOVIC, BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S: Community involvement is a crucial part of our selection process. We have over 60,000 little leaguers, teams we sponsor. Our stores are constantly doing different fundraisers. We’re always out in the community trying to get feedback. People really do appreciate it. I think the industry has the respect. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: I expect our managers to become members in communities that we’re in. That’s what I tell them when we put them in the position. I don’t think you can [have] too much local impact on where you do business. I think it’s important. I want our managers outside the four walls. They’ve got to go out and find out what’s going on in the communities because it’s extremely important. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: In QSR I think the operators misunderstand what local-store marketing is. Their idea of local-store marketing is, “Bring me a kit, and I can lay that kit on the table and it’s going to go out and do something on its own.” I like to tell operators—and I think it’s the same way with anybody’s restaurant—that national advertising is great, but if you take the circumference of your store within a mile, that’s where your customers are. That’s where you’re building your base. So business really starts right there at that store. Community involvement is extremely important. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
HANS LINDH, AMERICAN EXPRESS: In many cases at least, the majority of customers are local or they are referrals from locals. Either way, the community involvement is always the restaurant industry’s loyalty program in a roundabout way. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
CURTIS WILSON, AMERICAN EXPRESS: You talk about [how] good community means good business. Part of it is done individually by owner-operators. Part of it’s done by the larger chains. What is your expectation of the National Restaurant Association to promote the feel-good mentality about dining? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: I have been a member of the NRA Board for a long time. I think you’re going to see in our next five-year plan it’s going to be really driven toward that process, and I think they can’t do it enough for us. I think the membership is growing. We’re getting a lot of independents that we didn’t have before. We’ve gotten big chains, but we need more of the independent people that are afraid. They just don’t think that if they’re paying their dues they’re going to get that much back for it. There’s a big return on the investment. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: I think the side benefit, too, when we’re talking about having more communication to the public about the things we do, the side benefit of that is the people we begin to draw into our industry that become the leaders in our industry. The leadership [at the NRA] has been tremendous to move us in the right direction. We are a major, major business in this country, and I’m seeing the respect build and build and build for our industry. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: I think one of the issues that I’d like to see them focused on in the next few months … is this whole issue of public health and safety, the safety of food. I think there’s a huge mistrust out there in terms of consumer confidence, where the food is coming from. I think the whole system of our food is dysfunctional and disjointed in terms of how we grow agriculture today. If you just pick up the paper, every time you turn around you’ve got issues with tainted spinach and tomatoes and peppers, and that is not good for our industry. I think that the industry or the restaurant association could be able to communicate the fact that we are really working to figure out a way to deal with these issues. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: If you go back to the very first question about when we all go out to restaurants, what do we like, we talked about the smaller portions, not wanting to spend three hours dining. But if I reflect back on that question now, my biggest concern sometimes is the safety of that food. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: Our chefs go out in the field to make sure they’re buying lettuce not next to the intensive feeding operations. There are so many issues with how we source and buy our food. We have no idea where it’s coming from. The restaurant industry needs to step up the message, the right message not only to the operators but also to the consumers because consumers are changing now. This whole local-food movement is huge. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
WILSON, AMERICAN EXPRESS: Fedele is talking about a whole different generation how people view dining out, what that food does not only to themselves as individuals but also to the collective. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: This whole issue of local food that’s safe, this whole issue of factory farming is a huge, huge issue that you need to understand where the customer is going, or we’re not going to be in business in the long run later on. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BERKOWITZ, LEGAL SEA FOODS: This is such a huge issue. I read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Mike Pollan. The message hit me over the head. As a society and economy, we keep pushing for better food cheaper, faster. All of a sudden cattle that used to take three years to reach maturity before slaughter can happen in 12 months. What are the repercussions? The repercussion is we can get it on the menu with cheaper prices. Look around: Because of the antibiotics, because of the hormones now, how many people that we face have these allergies and immune systems that are shot? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: If you think of those ramifications our industry is going to change because our consumers are changing. What we’re serving today is not what they want for tomorrow. Things are changing, and it isn’t a matter of just trying to come up with new gimmicks and new tricks. They’re more concerned about what I put in my body: “Is it healthy; is it good for me?” —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: People ask me how I feel about the menu labeling on our restaurants, and I think they expect me to say I absolutely hate it. But I know my product, and I welcome that because I agree with you, there’s a much better-educated customer out there today, and why do I want to hide it. It is what it is. You can make your decision. Some [menu items] have more calories; some have more fat. I think that California has done a good job of passing the laws. But I think it needs to be on a national basis. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: The biggest thing I think people react to is the government forcing you to do it. That’s the negativity of the whole thing. There are good restaurant chains, and there are good companies that can do that now and make everything available, whatever you want. We just don’t want to be forced into doing something. It shouldn’t be legislated by the government. That’s not going to solve anything. It’s just going to cost everybody a lot more money to be able to do that. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: Would you rather have local governments making the decisions? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: I think you’ve got a responsibility as an owner and an operator of business to make available what you feel that your customers need to see. If you’re smart enough—and good companies do that. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
KOTEFF, NRN: When you think about being a successful restaurant operator, which you all are, can you think of any characteristics that are must-haves? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
VOJNOVIC, BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S: You have to be hospitable. You have to enjoy working with people. We all worked our way up through the ranks and had to deal with thousands of employees and customers. I think it may be obvious, but you have enjoy working with people and serving people. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BERKOWITZ, LEGAL SEA FOODS: Great operators always put their guests first. If that’s driving the business, it’s driving it in the right direction. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: People will tell you too in this industry you have to be very tenacious. Think about how many times you have been pushed back on and you’re close to failure. If you weren’t tenacious at that time, you may not be in business today. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
VOJNOVIC, BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S: That’s one of our core values that I think relates is passion. This is not a nine to five, Monday to Friday, 50-hour, 40-hour workweek deal. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
KOTEFF, NRN: So where do all of you gentlemen turn to for advice when you need it? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: The only advice that I really listen to is my customer. I spend a great deal of time with our customers trying to understand what they’re thinking, why they frequent us, why they don’t. One of the problems I see with mistakes people make in this industry is they don’t listen enough to the customers and they don’t ask enough questions to the noncustomers of why they don’t frequent them. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: I couldn’t agree more. I’m constantly in our kitchens, and I’m constantly in our dining room doing table visits. When I’m walking up to a restaurant and I see people coming out of one of our restaurants, I always ask them how their experience was. I never walk by or drive by one of our operations without stopping in and saying hi to see what’s going on. You’ve got to listen. Sometimes you don’t always get the answers you really want to hear, but they’re the answers you need to hear so you can do a better job of what you’re supposed to do. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: I have actually two areas I think I turn to, and the first one is I do turn to the consumer. Several years ago I did what was called a bus tour where we put 20 fast-food consumers on a bus. They just know that they’re on the bus not for any particular brand, that there’s a new brand coming in town, and we want to take them to all our competitors as well as our restaurants and we get their feedback. It is absolutely amazing what you can learn from those bus tours. They’re the young people, the people that are really spending the money, and they’re saying, “Go to Chipotle and for nine dollars I get a great meal.” I’m thinking, nine dollars? Gosh, you could come to my place for six. They’re looking at it: “For nine bucks I get a lot of food.” Again, what I learned from that was it wasn’t the price. It was, “What am getting?” —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
KOTEFF, NRN: Let me ask you about your bus tours. You take them and they eat everywhere? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: Yes. We give them the money and they do the purchase process all on their own. They get back on the bus. We have a moderator that says, “OK, so what did you experience in this restaurant?” —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BERKOWITZ, LEGAL SEA FOODS: I get my advice two different ways. One, I try to seek out some older, seasoned execs from different businesses. The other thing I found to be extraordinarily helpful actually came as a result of some frustration. The executive team had decided something, and all of a sudden we put it forth in the units and it wasn’t happening the way we thought it was going to happen. So I realized there must have been filtering going on in the organization. I got two associates [from every unit], could have been a bartender, a server, somebody from the back of the house, and I sat them down in a room without any management, just someone there taking notes. I started asking them questions. I was getting information back that I never had a prayer of getting before. They had no problem sharing information about why stuff wasn’t working. I have been doing this now for nine years, and I probably get back more information that drives the company strategy from those meetings versus anything else. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TORTORICE, JASON’S DELI: My best source of information is my store managers and the employees. Just to carry it one step further, nothing motivates an employee more than saying something that becomes a policy companywide. So it’s a win-win. The company learns valuable information and you motivate your team as well. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
KOTEFF, NRN: What has been the single most important takeaway from this economic downturn? —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TORTORICE, JASON’S DELI: It’s frugality. Organizations over a prolonged period of growth tend to add a little extra. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s just enough that we need to probably pare it off and keep it off. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: If I think about the biggest mistakes that restaurant operators make during these kinds of times, it’s to raise prices too much, not create value for customers and start to think about how they can be all things to all people instead of focusing on what they do well and execute that and stay with their brand. You really need to stay true to your brand. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: I challenge our people. One of the things I try to do in our organizations is try to create that entrepreneurial spirit within that corporate structure and give the manager some flexibility to be able to be innovative in their own way, not breaking out of the mold too far, keeping certain values and so forth you have in place but still give them the entrepreneurial spirit. You’ve got to sometimes reduce prices to be able to get people in and really create value, providing the best food that you can possibly put on that table and not cut quality. That’s the other thing people are doing: They’re taking shortcuts that are going to hurt them in the long run that you can’t afford to do if you’re going to be successful. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
TASE, GALARDI GROUP: But being in the franchise business, and I have 300 or more franchisees, it’s a constant battle with them that they read too much, and they want to raise their prices. They want instead of two ounces of chili to put an ounce and a half or instead of two ounces of cheese, an ounce and a half. It’s a constant battle. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BAUCCIO, BON APPETIT: So you need to try to work through a model for them and try to explain that the whole model, the whole business, the whole industry is revenue-driven. It isn’t how much we take off the food cost. Maybe the food cost should be up, and we drive more frequency and we drive revenues because you’re going to staff that restaurant whether one customer comes in or 10 come in. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
VOJNOVIC, BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S: We’re taking kind of a different approach. We’ve had a two-prong approach how we’re approaching this downturn. The first thing our CEO says [is] that Darwin said, “It’s not the strongest or the swiftest that survive,” it’s [actually], “The most adaptable change.” You have to adapt, but you can’t lose your core. The other side we’re doing is not really messing with the pricing. We’re focusing on operations. People are not arguing about an extra dime or 20 cents on an item if they have great service. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
METZ, METZ & ASSOCIATES: I’m [looking at] the things that are not going to affect the guest, how many times they pick up for the garbage in the back, or how can we cut cost in electricity, how can we cut things that are not touching that guest. In fact, you’ve got to do more for the guest now than you’ve ever had to because you’ve got a lot more competition out there. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
BERKOWITZ, LEGAL SEA FOODS: These are interesting opportunities to pick up market share. A lot of the competition out there is going to be cutting back: cutting the labor, cutting the food cost. They’re going to shortchange the guest coming in. If those of us out there stay true to our brand and we say let’s leverage it, let’s try to put more value on that plate, that is your opportunity. —Past and present Golden Chain honorees gathered here recently for a meeting of the minds to discuss the secrets of their success and current issues affecting the restaurant industry. The six award-winning executives boast experience in all segments of the industry, from quick service and on-site to casual dining and upscale operations. The inaugural roundtable discussion, which was sponsored by American Express, took place during the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference this fall.
