National Restaurant Association Recognizes King Eider's Pub and Restaurant for Commitment to Community Service

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association will today recognize King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant as one of this year’s Restaurant Neighbor Award winners during a gala dinner at its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. The award celebrates outstanding service efforts that restaurateurs perform in their respective communities.

King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant was recognized as the Small-Size Business Category winner for helping to provide heat to families that cannot afford the high cost of fuel.

“We are proud to present the Restaurant Neighbor Award to some of the most inspiring examples of community service in our industry,” said Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association President and CEO. “We are committed to positively enhancing the quality of life for all we serve, and philanthropic activities are an important part of this mission. The remarkable efforts of King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant shows that restaurants often inspire communities to band together to help their neighbors in need.”

In 2005, King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant owner Todd Maurer and two business associates created the Community Energy Fund of Lincoln County, to help pay the energy costs for residents in need of financial assistance. To launch the organization, King Eider’s along with other local restaurants founded “Dine in Damariscotta,” a group that offers a share of its proceeds to the fund.

The Community Energy Fund of Lincoln County, which also provides gas cards to citizens who are in need of transportation, has enlisted the entire community to get involved and help, including a local fuel provider, accountants, lawyers and printers. Viewing themselves as a vital link to the community, the staff of King Eider’s often gets involved by donating their time and money to the fundraising events. To date, the Community Energy Fund has raised nearly $400,000 and has kept about 1,200 families warm.

The National Restaurant Association will present King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant with the award, along with a $5,000 charitable contribution, at a gala dinner during its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. American Express is the founding partner of the Restaurant Neighbor Award. It was developed in 1999 in an effort to raise awareness of the industry’s contributions to local communities throughout the country and to inspire more owners and operators to get involved and contribute to their respective communities.

“American Express is proud to partner with the National Restaurant Association to honor the contributions restaurateurs across the country make to their communities,” said Curtis L. Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, Restaurant, Lodging & Insurance Industries, American Express. “Through charitable gifts of food, time, and resources, restaurants have a tangible and lasting impact on their communities; we hope these actions inspire others to do the same.”

In addition to King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant, the National Restaurant Association recognized three others with the 2012 Restaurant Neighbor Award. They are: ARAMARK in Philadelphia, in the large-size business category, and Taste Buds Management in New Orleans, in the mid-size business category. Tammy and Noel Cunningham, owners of Denver’s Strings Restaurant, are this year’s Cornerstone Humanitarians.

For more information on the Restaurant Neighbor Award program, as well as the national winners and finalists, visit the National Restaurant Association’s website, www.restaurant.org/awards.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

New Orleans-based culinary development team receives prestigious Restaurant Neighbor Award for disaster relief

National Restaurant Association Recognizes Taste Buds Management for Commitment to Community Service

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association will today recognize Taste Buds Management as one of this year’s Restaurant Neighbor Award winners during a gala dinner at its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. The award celebrates outstanding service efforts that restaurateurs perform in their respective communities.

Taste Buds Management, in New Orleans, La., was recognized as the Mid-Size Business Category winner for delivering supplies and serving hot meals to victims whenever or wherever disaster strikes. The company, formed by chefs Greg Reggio, Hans Limburgh and Gary Darling, provides multi-faceted consulting services to full-service, mid-scale and multi-unit fast food restaurants, hotels and food manufacturers.

“We are proud to present the Restaurant Neighbor Award to some of the most inspiring examples of community service in our industry,” said Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association President and CEO. “We are committed to positively enhancing the quality of life for all we serve, and philanthropic activities are an important part of this mission. The tremendous efforts of Taste Buds Management have provided much needed relief to communities impacted by devastating disasters last year, underscoring that restaurants are often on the front lines in emergency response.”

Reggio, Limburgh and Darling, who also co-own a group of restaurants, decided to launch the nonprofit Three Chefs One Mission after back-to-back tornadoes hit Tuscaloosa, Ala. and Joplin, Mo. in April 2011. Remembering the generosity New Orleans received after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the restaurateurs wanted to respond in kind.

In its infancy, the organization planned a trifecta of fundraising events, including Tuscaloosa Tornado Relief, Liuzza Palooza and Jumping for Joplin. Appealing to the citizens of New Orleans, Three Chefs One Mission was able to deliver food and supplies, such as clothes, tools and toys. The three men share a twenty-year track record of supporting their community through various causes, including raising $130,000 for a fellow restaurateur who was seriously injured in an automobile accident.

The National Restaurant Association will present Taste Buds Management with the award, along with a $5,000 charitable contribution, at a gala dinner during its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. American Express is the founding partner of the Restaurant Neighbor Award. It was developed in 1999 in an effort to raise awareness of the industry’s contributions to local communities throughout the country and to inspire more owners and operators to get involved and contribute to their respective communities.

“American Express is proud to partner with the National Restaurant Association to honor the contributions restaurateurs across the country make to their communities,” said Curtis L. Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, Restaurant, Lodging & Insurance Industries, American Express. “Through charitable gifts of food, time, and resources, restaurants have a tangible and lasting impact on their communities; we hope these actions inspire others to do the same.”

In addition to Taste Buds Management, the National Restaurant Association recognized three others with the 2012 Restaurant Neighbor Award. They are: ARAMARK in Philadelphia, in the large-size business category, and King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant in Damariscotta, Maine, in the small business category. Tammy and Noel Cunningham, owners of Denver’s Strings Restaurant, are this year’s Cornerstone Humanitarians.

For more information on the Restaurant Neighbor Award program, as well as the national winners and finalists, visit the National Restaurant Association’s website, www.restaurant.org/awards.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Philadelphia-based professional services company receives prestigious Restaurant Neighbor Award for charitable efforts benefiting community centers across the United States and abroad

National Restaurant Association Recognizes ARAMARK for Commitment to Community Service

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association will today recognize ARAMARK as one of this year’s Restaurant Neighbor Award winners during a gala dinner at its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. The award celebrates outstanding service efforts that restaurateurs perform in their respective communities.

ARAMARK was recognized as the Large Business Category winner for its global philanthropic and volunteer program ARAMARK Building Community that helps families in underserved neighborhoods across the United States and beyond by providing funds, volunteers, programs and professional services to strengthen community centers.

“We are proud to present the Restaurant Neighbor Award to some of the most inspiring examples of community service in our industry,” said Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association President and CEO. “We are committed to positively enhancing the quality of life for all we serve, and philanthropic activities are an important part of this mission. ARAMARK’s dedicated efforts in improving community centers across the nation have helped better the lives of countless families and the neighborhoods in which they live and work.”

“This recognition is a huge honor for our company and our 250,000 employees,” said Joseph Neubauer, ARAMARK Chairman and CEO. “ARAMARK Building Community exemplifies our passion for service, and for helping others to realize their potential. The unique talent and skills of the hospitality industry, and our collective commitment to service is creating positive and lasting impact in communities in the US and around the world.”

Since its launch in 2008, ARAMARK Building Community has contributed more than $7 million through grants, in-kind support and more than 15,000 employees volunteering their time. By joining forces with community centers on the national and local level, ARAMARK has helped to connect people to jobs, educate families about healthier lifestyles, upgrade facilities, and provide access to basic social services.

Viewing their work as an extension of their company’s culture, ARAMARK has hosted more than 60 large-scale volunteer days and hundreds of educational programs and events, which bring the skills of ARAMARK volunteers to enhance community centers. To date, the organization has helped more than fifty communities through local non profit partnerships in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, impacting more than 3 million individuals and families. For more information visit ARAMARK Building Community on Facebook.

The National Restaurant Association will present ARAMARK with the award, along with a charitable contribution to ARAMARK national partner United Neighborhood Centers of America, at a gala dinner during its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. American Express is the founding partner of the Restaurant Neighbor Award. It was developed in 1999 in an effort to raise awareness of the industry’s contributions to local communities throughout the country and to inspire more owners and operators to get involved and contribute to their respective communities.

“American Express is proud to partner with the National Restaurant Association to honor the contributions restaurateurs across the country make to their communities,” said Curtis L. Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, Restaurant, Lodging & Insurance Industries, American Express. “Through charitable gifts of food, time, and resources, restaurants have a tangible and lasting impact on their communities; we hope these actions inspire others to do the same.”

In addition to ARAMARK, the National Restaurant Association recognized three others with the 2012 Restaurant Neighbor Award. They are: Taste Buds Management in New Orleans, in the mid-size business category, and King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant in Damariscotta, Maine, in the small business category. Tammy and Noel Cunningham, owners of Denver’s Strings Restaurant, are this year’s Cornerstone Humanitarians.

For more information on the Restaurant Neighbor Award program, as well as the national winners and finalists, visit the National Restaurant Association’s website, www.restaurant.org/awards.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Restaurant companies and operators from Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Maine, and Colorado receive prestigious award for excellence in community service

National Restaurant Association Presents 2012 Restaurant Neighbor Award

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association will today recognize this year’s Restaurant Neighbor Award winners during a gala dinner at its 2012 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C. The award celebrates outstanding charitable service efforts restaurateurs perform in their communities.

This year’s winners are: ARAMARK, headquartered in Philadelphia, in the large business category; Taste Buds Management in New Orleans, in the mid-size business category, and King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant in Damariscotta, Maine, in the small business category. Tammy and Noel Cunningham, owners of Denver’s Strings Restaurant, are this year’s Cornerstone Humanitarians.

“The recipients of this year’s Restaurant Neighbor Award embody our mission to enhance the quality of life for all we serve,” said Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association President and CEO. “We are proud to recognize the incredible efforts of this year’s winners, whose generosity and commitment to bettering their communities has touched the lives of countless individuals. Their stories exemplify the restaurant industry’s dedication to community service.”

Each recipient receives a $5,000 contribution to their charitable initiatives. American Express is the founding partner of the Restaurant Neighbor Award.

The 2012 Restaurant Neighbor Award winners are:

Large business – ARAMARK, Philadelphia, Penn.: As a professional services company with 250,000 employees, the company takes pride in its signature philanthropic and volunteer program, ARAMARK Building Community. Launched in 2008, the program helps families in underserved communities across the United States and beyond by providing funds, volunteers, programs and professional services to strengthen community centers. To date, ARAMARK has contributed more than $7 million through grants, product donations and 15,000 employees volunteering their time to help the community. For more information like ARAMARK Building Community on Facebook. Read more.

Mid-size business – Taste Buds Management, New Orleans, La.: After back-to-back tornadoes hit Alabama and Missouri in 2011, New Orleans-based chefs Greg Reggio, Hans Limburgh and Gary Darling launched Three Chefs One Mission. Remembering the help they received after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, these restaurateurs wanted to respond in kind. The goal of the nonprofit is to serve hot meals to victims whenever or wherever disaster strikes. The three restaurateurs share a 20 year track record of supporting their community through myriad causes. Read more.

Small business – King Eider’s Pub and Restaurant, Damariscotta, Maine: When Todd Maurer heard that some of his neighbors might go without heat because of the high cost of oil, he and two business associates formed the Community Energy Fund. Launched in 2005, Maurer enlisted the help of the entire community, including joining forces with other local restaurants to form “Dine in Damariscotta,” which offers a share of its proceeds to the fund. The organization, which also provides gas cards to citizens, has raised nearly $400,000 to date and has kept 1,200 families warm. Read more.

Cornerstone Humanitarian – Noel and Tammy Cunningham, Strings Restaurant, Denver, Colo.: In 2003, Noel and Tammy Cunningham created the Cunningham Foundation to help the impoverished people of Ethiopia. The couple has always put a high value on giving back, both globally and locally, including their invaluable role in getting hunger relief nonprofit Share our Strength’s Taste of the Nation off the ground. By encouraging young people to raise awareness and money for those who are less fortunate, the Cunningham Foundation hopes to enlist tomorrow’s philanthropists today. To date, they have raised $750,000 for impoverished Ethiopians. Read more.

The National Restaurant Association and American Express developed the Restaurant Neighbor Award program in 1999 in an effort to raise awareness of the industry’s contributions to local communities throughout the country, and to inspire more owners and operators to get involved within their respective neighborhoods. Participating state restaurant associations select local winners and then nominate them to compete for the national award.

“American Express is proud to partner with the National Restaurant Association to honor the contributions restaurateurs across the country make to their communities,” said Curtis L. Wilson, Vice President and General Manager, Restaurant, Lodging & Insurance Industries, American Express. “Through charitable gifts of food, time, and resources, restaurants have a tangible and lasting impact on their communities; we hope these actions inspire others to do the same.”

For more information on the Restaurant Neighbor Award program, as well as the national winners and finalists, visit the National Restaurant Association’s website.

View the social media version of this news release, including downloadable photos and video.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH, provides presentations at National Press Foundation’s forum on obesity and MDPA’s childhood obesity conference to outline restaurant industry’s initiatives in addressing national health issue

Healthy Dining CEO Shares Insights with Journalists, Health Advocates on Restaurant Industry's Efforts to Help Reverse Obesity Epidemic

San Diego, CA  (RestaurantNews.com)  Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH, Healthy Dining’s Founder and CEO, recently joined other industry executives and health professionals in panel discussions on the national health threat of obesity at two conferences – the Marketing Disease Prevention and Awareness’s (MDPA) “Communicating Childhood Obesity Prevention” conference and the National Press Foundation’s “Obesity Issues 2012” program.

As a leading authority on health and nutrition, Jones-Mueller shared her insights at both conferences on the proactive efforts of the restaurant industry and how Healthy Dining, together with its restaurant partners and in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association, are working diligently to contribute to enhancing the overall health and well-being of Americans. Five years ago, Healthy Dining launched its premier restaurant search engine, HealthyDiningFinder.com, through partial funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program.  The recently redesigned website offers a one-stop resource to find dietitian-approved Healthy Dining menu choices from participating restaurants nationwide – spanning fast food to fine dining.

“We are seeing a growing number of restaurants rise to the challenge and create more menu items with health and taste in mind, with an emphasis on lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and unsaturated fats,” said Jones-Mueller. “In the last five years, the number of restaurants offering Healthy Dining-approved choices has quadrupled, to more than 350 companies, and the number of qualifying menu choices has increased by 1000%. That is a big leap forward for public health.”

Jones-Mueller added that the Kids LiveWell Program, developed by the National Restaurant Association in collaboration with Healthy Dining’s team of registered dietitians, has more than 80 brands that have signed up for the program. “Last summer, we launched the Kids LiveWell program with 19 restaurant companies. Since then, new restaurants are joining almost every week. It is exciting to see restaurants so enthusiastic about pleasing their young guests with healthful fare, and more importantly, showing their commitment to children’s health and well-being.”

The two-day MDPA national conference, held in Silver Spring, MD, brought together government, public health, and academic organizations with private industry and healthcare providers to discuss their respective roles fighting childhood obesity. Jones-Mueller participated in a panel discussion on “How the Food and Beverage Industries Are Helping to Fight Childhood Obesity.”  The National Press Foundation (NPF) program panel, entitled “Reversing the Obesity Epidemic:  Role of Business & Industry,” was part of a four-day fellowship for journalists from across the country, called “Obesity Issues 2012,” presented by the NPF and the University of Colorado’s Center for Health and Wellness.  This program was held at the Center’s new innovative, state-of-the art research, education and patient care facility on the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus.

Healthy Dining has been actively working on a number of groundbreaking initiatives with strategic partners across the country to contribute to enhancing health and reversing the obesity epidemic, including:

• A first-of-its-kind, statewide health initiative with the State of Mississippi and the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association (MHRA) called Eat Healthy Mississippi.  The CDC’s obesity data trends show that Mississippi has the highest rate of obesity in the nation with 34% of its population classified as obese in 2010. The program is designed to reverse those statistics and to bring together local growers and restaurants, so that chefs can incorporate locally-grown produce and fruits into healthier recipes at restaurants throughout Mississippi. Participating restaurants of the Eat Healthy Mississippi program will be featured on HealthyDiningFinder.com.

• In March, Healthy Dining launched a groundbreaking “Healthy Dining School Wellness Rewards Program.” This program, in its pilot phase, aims to raise money, through Healthy Dining’s restaurant partners, to help schools fund much-needed playground and PE equipment, garden programs, nutrition education and other wellness initiatives. Healthy Dining was awarded funding for the pilot through the CDC’s SBIR Program.

Since its inception, HealthyDiningFinder.com also has launched several other tools and resources, including:  a “Sodium Savvy” platform; a Nutrition News & Insights Resource for Operators newsletter; and a mobile site and iPhone app.  Additionally, Healthy Dining has received six research project awards through the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  Prior to HealthyDiningFinder.com, Healthy Dining was the established leader in restaurant nutrition, publishing 19 editions of restaurant guidebooks for the Southern California area.

For more information regarding Healthy Dining, visit HealthyDiningFinder.com.

About Healthy Dining:

Since 1990, Healthy Dining’s culinary nutrition experts have been guiding and inspiring chefs and restaurateurs to create and serve a selection of Healthy Dining menu options. A leader in restaurant nutrition, the company works with hundreds of restaurants and has analyzed thousands of menu items for nutrient content. In collaboration with the National Restaurant Association, Healthy Dining leads the largest-ever restaurant industry nutrition initiative. Through HealthyDiningFinder.com, the only resource of its kind, Americans can find dietitian-approved, Healthy Dining menu options and view corresponding nutrient information (calories, fat, etc.) for restaurants that span fast food to fine dining, coast to coast. The site is promoted to the growing segment of health- and weight-conscious consumers through employers, health organizations, health insurance companies, weight control programs, fitness centers, the media, and much more. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided partial funding for the development of the initiative.

Contact:
Katharine Kim
Katharine@HealthyDiningFinder.com
619-453-0547 / 858-541-2049

RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to market their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.  For more information, please visit http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/.

Winners to be revealed during NRA Show 2012’s inaugural “Destination: Celebration” event

National Restaurant Association Announces Operator Innovations Awards Finalists

Chicago, IL  (RestaurantNews.com)  An independent panel of judges has selected the finalists for the National Restaurant Association’s inaugural Operator Innovations Awards. Three finalists in each of five categories – Sustainability, Technology, Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, and Menu Development– will be brought to Chicago for the Association’s 2012 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show this May. The winners in each category, plus an Innovator of the Year selected from all finalists, will be announced live during Destination: Celebration on Saturday, May 5.

“The Operator Innovations Awards is designed to celebrate and encourage continued advancement in the restaurant industry, while shining a spotlight on industry-leading innovators who inspire other restaurant operators to new heights,” said Jack Crawford, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2012 and President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC. “This first year’s operator finalists are driving innovation and excellence in execution, fueling customer satisfaction and profitability.”

The 2012 Operator Innovations Awards finalists are:

Sustainability

Evelyn Hill, Inc. (Liberty Island) – Five million visitors and close to zero waste. While serving five million visitors to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, its operator, Evelyn Hill, Inc., has applied continuous innovations since 2000 that reduce waste and conserve water and energy. 94% of waste is now recycled or composted, and their new 7,000square foot pavilion is LEED Platinum certified.

Starbucks Coffee – Create end-markets for selected foodservice packaging. Starbucks is using its scale and brand presence to drive wholesale industry changes that benefit all restaurant and retail operators. Recycling of single-serve coated cups was extremely limited until Starbucks engaged all components of the value chain to begin making recycling practical and profitable. The company’s goal is that all of its cups, and all of the foodservice industry’s polycoated paper cups, will be recyclable by 2015.

Uncommon Ground – Organic rooftop farming in an urban setting. Uncommon Ground installed the country’s first certified organic rooftop farm at its Edgewater location in 2008 and is preparing to add a second to the Wrigleyville location, where a sidewalk farm is already growing. Both four-star certified green restaurants offer urban agriculture internships focused on farming, beekeeping and sustainable food systems.

Technology

HMS Host (Airport Terminals) – Meal delivery at the departure gate. Travelers at airport terminals can now order and pay for meals from select locations using airport restaurateur HMSHost’s free mobile app, B4 YOU BOARD. Meals—everything from appetizers to entrees—are delivered directly to passengers within 20 minutes of departure. B4 YOU Board is currently available in the following airports: JFK,O’Hare, Minneapolis/St.Paul, and expanding soon to Sacramento, Phoenix and Los Angeles..

SMART Restaurant Group (Which Wich) – On-demand, real-time training. To address training/operational needs determined through guest surveys, SMART Restaurant Group has created an integrated technology solution featuring training videos that can be accessed thru QR codes at appropriate workstations for employees and managers in their Which Wich locations. Smart phones are used to connect through the QR codes and offer 30-60 second “refresher” videos to improve performance.

Stacked Restaurants, LLC (California Casual) – Facilitating “build-your-own” ordering. Stacked Restaurants is a new, full-service concept which utilizes an iPad-based ordering system, enabling guests to control when they order and when they pay, and to customize their meal in a comfortable, uninhibited way. Guests can choose from hundreds of ingredients in customizing their burgers, pizzas, salads and mac ‘n’ cheese, as they place and pay for orders via tabletop iPads.

Food Safety

Colorado Springs School District 11 – Comprehensive management of food ingredients including allergens. This public-school system adapted and implemented the “Allerschool” system, designed to identify individual food ingredients, including all types of allergens in school menu items. This system reduces the likelihood of allergen exposure by minimizing manual ingredient checking, and it increases student safety and ingredient transparency among parents, administrators, students and the kitchen staff.

Sodexo North America – Food safety system that meets strict ISO standards. Sodexo is dedicated to ensuring safe, high quality products and services for all the people they serve. This onsite management firm achieved an industry milestone by obtaining ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management System certification for its operations in the US and Canada. This ISO standard requires proof of an organizations ability to plan, implement, operate, maintain and update a food safety management system aimed at providing food that is safe for the consumer.

Waffle House – A public-private partnership to secure foodservice safety post-disasters.This restaurant chain, in partnership with state health departments, developed a comprehensive business continuity plan featuring tight food safety protocols to ensure speedy and safe reopening after natural disasters. In addition, Waffle House works closely with FEMA and state emergency management agencies as an active Private Sector Partner when responding to natural disasters.

Health and Nutrition

Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services – Making healthier eating cool on campus. “Balance U” is Chartwells’ nationwide program developed to educate and encourage students to eat healthier. Not only does Balance U include made without gluten recipes, menus and labeling, but the program also includes a strong education component for students and employees alike, featuring nutritional labeling information, events and classes, and more.

Sodexo School Services (Did You Know Café) – Cafeteria-as-classroom encourages healthier eating. Targeting the finicky tween demographic, Sodexo transforms dining areas into extensions of the classroom to educate students on healthier eating with the goal of instilling lifelong healthy eating habits.

UCSF Medical Center – Clear and comprehensive communication around healthy options. This academic medical center takes an integrated approach to incorporating nutrition information, education and marketing in its restaurant settings. UCSF offers complete nutrition info in multiple ways including on digital menu boards and the customer’s receipt.

Menu Development

Sodexo School Services (Future Chefs) – Culinary competition engages students across the country. The annual Future Chefs National Competition challenges students to create and prepare healthy recipes in local competitions. 12 recipes per year are chosen to be featured on school lunch menus around the country, and this “For Kids, By Kids” approach has proven to be a great way to increase participation and get kids to try new things.

The Cheesecake Factory, Inc. – Stylized Small-Plates Menu. One of the early innovators in the space of smaller portions, Cheesecake Factory took the creative lead to develop a whole new array of stylized culinary creations that counter balanced the large portions for which it is well known. Premium plates are available in a range of prices and featured distinctly in menus.

UNC Healthcare (Chapel Hill) – Restaurant- Retail Foods Delivered to Patients. UNC Healthcare’s unique approach to foodservice is centered around 13 self branded dining concepts “restaurants” modeled after popular commercial restaurants. Each day, UNC’s 800 patients can order from a 20 page menu with greater than 80 entrée selections and have the restaurant choices delivered to their room. Patients experience greater variety at a lower labor cost than that of traditional hospital food service.

Held at Chicago’s Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace in Millennium Park, Destination: Celebration is this year’s must-attend NRA Show after-party. In addition to celebrities and industry thought leaders, guests will be treated to music by accomplished solo artist Kenny Loggins. Destination: Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 5, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online for $125 each, or packs of ten tickets for $1,000. Space is limited, and tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

The judges’ panel for the Operator Innovations Awards represents the major segments of the foodservice industry. All nominations are reviewed by the panel of industry leaders consisting of Patricia Bando (Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Services, Boston College), Scott Barton(President, Fine Dining Division, Lettuce Entertain You), Jeff Broadhurst (President & CEO, Eat’n Park Hospitality Group), Marc Buehler (President, O’Charleys), Jean-Marie Clement (Director, Global Food & Beverage Line of Business, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide), Douglas Davis (Director, Global Food Safety, Marriott International), Chris Demery (Vice President, Applications, OSI Restaurant Partners, LLC), James Houser (Vice President of Administration, Delaware North), John Metz, Jr. (Executive Chef, President and Co-Founder, Sterling Hospitality),Christopher Pappas (CEO, Pappas Restaurants, Inc.), C.W. Craig Reed (Director of Food & Beverage, Broadmoor Hotel), and Ron Serluco (Senior Vice President of Operators, Guckenheimer).

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals. NRA Show 2012 will be held at its new dates May 5-8, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event attracts 58,000-plus attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100-plus countries, and showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues and other growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the Show website at www.restaurant.org/show, and find the NRA Show on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, YouTube and its widely read blog Floored!

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to market their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.  For more information, please visit http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/.

New training materials created by the industry, for the industry; ServSafe.com website redesigned for smarter navigation

National Restaurant Association Launches New ServSafe 6th Edition Food Safety Program

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association is rolling out the next generation of its ServSafe Food Safety manager program this month to meet the evolving needs of the restaurant and foodservice industry. Available now, the new ServSafe Manager Book, 6th Edition (formerly ServSafe Essentials) training materials include optimized, recalibrated and focused content created by the industry, for the industry. In addition, the ServSafe.com website has been redesigned to ease navigation by multiple audiences and reflect the improvements in the 6th Edition.

“Food safety best practices are ever-evolving, and as the restaurant and foodservice industry’s leading provider of food safety training and certification, we are evolving with them,” said Paul Hineman, executive director of National Restaurant Association Solutions. “This new and improved version of our ServSafe program is – as it always has been – the result of industry collaboration to enhance usability, information flow, and knowledge retention. Restaurant managers training with ServSafe will have a whole new learning experience that translates into everyday food safety practices in any foodservice operation.”

The new ServSafe 6th Edition contains the latest FDA Food Code updates and is based on a new job task analysis developed exclusively by restaurant operators across segments, academic bodies and regulatory experts for real-life situations. The new edition focuses more intently on the preventative measures to keep food safe, leading to stronger food safety practices and a better trained workforce.

The industry leader for nearly 40 years, ServSafe continues to evolve with innovative changes that make food safety easier to learn and retain. Because the ServSafe program is developed by the National Restaurant Association, proceeds go back into the industry to help improve the foodservice industry through research and education.

“ServSafe really is unlike any other food safety training program in the market today because of its source. As the industry’s leading business association, the National Restaurant Association is invested in programs and events that help the restaurant industry succeed, as opposed to benefitting shareholders or private investors,” Hineman said.

The ServSafe Manager Book in Spanish and the ServSafe Manager Online Course will be available in June. In addition, the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification Exam is being updated to reflect the new ServSafe JTA as well as the 2011 Supplement to the 2009 FDA Food Code this month.

The ServSafe program is certified through the American National Standards Institute-Conference for Food Protection (ANSI-CFP), the leading certifier of food safety training.

Certified ServSafe Instructors may access several free tools and resources available on the Instructor Tools page on the new ServSafe.com website for seamless transition to the new training materials.

ServSafe 6th Edition will also be showcased at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (May 5-8 at Chicago’s McCormick Place) in the Association’s booth #6600, as well as the ServSafe booth #6867.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

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RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to market their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.  For more information, please visit http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/.

Restaurants Add 560,000 Jobs in Past Two Years, According to New National Restaurant Association Analysis

Washington  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association reports that restaurants have added more than 560,000 jobs since the beginning of the employment recovery, with more than 200,000 of those positions created in the last six months. As the nation’s second-largest private sector employer with a workforce of nearly 13 million – almost 10 percent of the U.S. workforce – the restaurant industry continues to be one of the strongest job creators in the nation and a pillar of the overall economy.

“The restaurant industry strongly contributes to the health of our nation’s economy by driving job growth across industry segments, and providing rewarding career and employment opportunities for millions,” said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Whether in the kitchen or the corporate office, restaurants offer a variety of career paths, including one toward the American Dream of entrepreneurship and owning your own business.”

Restaurants added more than 100,000 jobs in two consecutive quarters for the first time on record, according to National Restaurant Association analysis of preliminary figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Eating and drinking places – the primary component of the restaurant industry, which accounts for roughly three-fourths of the total restaurant and foodservice workforce – added 103,100 jobs in the first quarter of 2012, which followed a gain of 101,400 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Since the employment recovery began in March 2010, eating and drinking places have added 562,600 jobs, with current industry staffing levels standing more than 180,000 jobs above the pre-recession peak.

As a result of the steady gains, restaurant job growth easily outpaced the overall economy in recent months.  In the 12 months ending March 2012, eating and drinking place employment jumped 3.2 percent, more than double the 1.5 percent increase in total U.S. employment during the same period. In addition, 2012 marks the 13^th consecutive year in which restaurant employment growth has outpaced overall employment growth in the United States.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s latest monthly Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, job growth in the restaurant industry will likely continue in the months ahead.  Twenty-four percent of restaurant operators plan to increase staffing levels in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), while just seven percent said they expect to reduce staffing levels in six months.  The remaining 69 percent of restaurant operators expect their staffing levels to remain about the same.

The National Restaurant Association projects that the industry will add 1.4 million positions in the next decade, reaching 14.3 million. The fastest growing positions include supervisors and food-and-beverage-serving workers.

“Restaurants are the cornerstone of career and entrepreneurship opportunities,” Sweeney said. “Our industry prides itself on providing these opportunities to individuals of all backgrounds, plus ample opportunity for career advancement. Many of today’s industry leaders were yesterday’s hourly employees getting the first taste of their career on the front lines of food preparation and service.”

Eight in 10 restaurant owners got their first industry job at entry-level, and more than nine out of 10 managers started as hourly employees. One-half of American adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point in their lives, and one out of three got their first job experience in a restaurant.

The restaurant industry in 2012 is expected to post sales reaching $632 billion in nearly one million restaurant and foodservice locations. The majority of restaurants are small businesses, with 93 percent having fewer than 50 employees. The restaurant workforce skews younger, with 16- to 24-year olds holding nearly 4 in 10 foodservice positions, and more than half of restaurant workers being under the age of 30.

Eating and drinking places (restaurants and bars) are the primary component of the restaurant and foodservice industry, which the National Restaurant Association defines as that which encompasses all meals and snacks prepared away from home.

To help develop high quality employees that will be the industry leaders of tomorrow, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s ProStart program supports more than 90,000 high school students across the nation through culinary and restaurant management education. Over the past 15 years, NRAEF has granted more than $14 million in scholarships to students and educators, giving them a jumpstart on successful careers.

The National Restaurant Association’s “America Works Here” campaign illustrates the story of America’s restaurants through chapters highlighting the career and entrepreneurship opportunities the industry offers, as well as the industry’s professionalism and educational opportunities, and the positive impact restaurants make in local communities through philanthropic activities.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to market their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.  For more information, please visit http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/.

Hundreds of Restaurateurs from Across Nation Will Gather in Washington for National Restaurant Association's 2012 Public Affairs Conference, April 17-18

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  More than 500 restaurateurs from across the country will convene in Washington April 17-18 for the National Restaurant Association’s 26th annual Public Affairs Conference, which will feature House Speaker John Boehner, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Congressmen Cedric Richmond and Bobby Schilling, and political journalist Ron Brownstein. The conference agenda also includes the Gala Restaurant Industry Awards Program honoring the winners of the 2012 Faces of Diversity and Restaurant Neighbor awards.

This year’s conference theme, “America Works Here,” is part of the National Restaurant Association’s ongoing campaign that helps illustrate the industry’s story as a leading job creator to opinion leaders. America’s restaurant industry is the nation’s second-largest private-sector employer, providing nearly 13 million jobs, or one in 10 workers. During Capitol Hill meetings, conference attendees will provide Congressional members and staff with a better understanding of the integral role the restaurant industry plays in our nation’s economy, and advocate for pro-growth policies and legislation.

The conference will take place at the Renaissance Washington Downtown Hotel, 999 9th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, April 17
6:00-9:00 p.m. Gala Restaurant Industry Awards Program
Winners of the 2012 Restaurant Neighbor and Faces of Diversity awards will be honored. Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.) will pay tribute to the winners, while National Journal editorial director and Pulitzer Prize finalist Ron Brownstein, one of America’s top political journalists, will deliver his perspective on this year’s election-year landscape during the program.

Wednesday, April 18
8:00-9:30 a.m. Legislative Landscape Breakfast Program
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-Ill.)
Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio)

Reporters who would like to attend the conference should register by contacting Katie Laning Niebaum, kniebaum@restaurant.org, or (202) 973-3967.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

RestaurantNews.com

RestaurantNews.com has been providing the latest online restaurant news for over twelve years.  RestaurantNews.com offers press release services and exposure for restaurant owners and operators looking to market their restaurants.  For diners, RestaurantNews.com offers current and upcoming restaurant deals, specials and promotions.  For more information, please visit http://www.restaurantnews.com/press-release/.

Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the ninth consecutive month; Operators expect sales and staffing levels to rise in the coming months

Restaurant Industry Outlook Improves as Restaurant Performance Index Stood Above 100 for 4th Consecutive Month

Washington  (RestaurantNews.com)  Bolstered by positive same-store sales and traffic results and an optimistic outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) remained above 100 for the fourth consecutive month in February.  The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.9 in February, up 0.6 percent from January’s level of 101.3.  In addition, the RPI stood solidly above the 100 threshold in February, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Buoyed by continued gains in national employment and an extra day in February as a result of Leap Year, a solid majority of restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales and traffic results,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association.  “In addition, restaurant operators are bullish about sales growth in the months ahead, while their outlook for the economy remains cautiously optimistic.”

“Perhaps the most positive indicator is the optimistic outlook for staffing levels in the months ahead,” Riehle added.  “Only seven percent of restaurant operators expect to reduce staffing levels in the next six months, the lowest level in nearly eight years.”

The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100.  Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators.

The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 101.9 in February – up 1.3 percent from January’s level of 100.6.  In addition, the Current Situation Index stood above 100 for the fourth consecutive month, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators.

Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the ninth consecutive month in February, bolstered by an extra day in February as a result of Leap Year.  Sixty-three percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between February 2011 and February 2012, up from 56 percent who reported a sales gain in January.  In comparison, just 18 percent of operators reported lower same-store sales in February, down from 26 percent who reported similarly in January.

Restaurant operators also reported solid customer traffic results in February.  Fifty-five percent of restaurant operators reported higher customer traffic levels between February 2011 and February 2012, while just 19 percent reported a traffic decline.  In January, 46 percent of operators reported higher customer traffic, while 30 percent reported a traffic decline.

Along with steadily positive sales and traffic results, restaurant operators reported an uptick in capital spending activity.  Forty-seven percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, up from 42 percent who reported similarly last month.

The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 102.0 in February – essentially unchanged from January’s level of 102.1.  February marked the sixth consecutive month that the Expectations Index stood above 100, which represents an optimistic outlook among restaurant operators for business conditions in the months ahead.

For the third consecutive month, a majority of restaurant operators expect their sales to be higher in the coming months.  Fifty-three percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), matching the proportion who reported similarly last month.  In comparison, only nine percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, up slightly from seven percent who reported similarly last month.

Restaurant operators are also generally optimistic about the direction of the overall economy.  Thirty-five percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, down slightly from 37 percent last month.  In comparison, 14 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, up slightly from 11 percent who reported similarly last month.

For the fifth consecutive month, restaurant operators reported higher expectations for staffing levels in the months ahead.  Twenty-four percent of restaurant operators plan to increase staffing levels in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), while just seven percent said they expect to reduce staffing levels in six months.

Along with a positive outlook for sales and staffing levels, restaurant operators also continue to plan for capital spending in the months ahead.  Forty-nine percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, essentially unchanged from the proportion reporting similarly last month.

The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures. The full report and a video summary are available online.

The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper (www.restaurant.org/trendmapper), the Association’s subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Celebrity Chefs to Perform Live on World Culinary Showcase Stage at NRA Show 2012

Chicago, IL  (RestaurantNews.com)  An exciting slate of top culinary masters and celebrity chefs will heat things up live on stage in the World Culinary Showcase, one of the most anticipated and talked about features of the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. Whether you’re a foodie fanatic or simply take delight in watching passionate pros practice their craft, the World Culinary Showcase is the place to be to find fun, flavorful and cost-effective menu inspiration. NRA Show 2012 will be held at its new dates May 5-8 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

“Our show-stopping roster of chefs will introduce attendees to unique taste and flavor experiences, preparation and plating techniques, and jaw-dropping creativity that’s sure to alter one’s view on the restaurant industry,” said Jack Crawford, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2012 and President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC. “So plan to get to the World Culinary Showcase early, grab a front-row seat, and get ready to hang on.”

Participating celebrity chefs in the World Culinary Showcase will include:

Rick Bayless – Winner of Top Chef Masters, multiple James Beard Foundation awards, chef/ owner of Chicago-based Frontera and Topolobampo restaurants, and author of countless cookbook classics.

Stephanie Izard – Winner of Top Chef, named one of Food & Wine magazine’s 2011 Best New Chefs chef/owner of Girl & the Goat, a 2011 James Beard “Best New Restaurant” nominee, 2012 James Beard “Best Chef: Great Lakes Region,” author of Girl in the Kitchen.

David Burke – Meilleurs Ouvriers de France winner, chef/owner of seven restaurants throughout the country, including New York City’s David Burke Townhouse and David Burke Kitchen, Top Chef Masters competitor, inventor of the cheesecake lollipop, cookbook author.

Spike Mendelsohn – Two-time Top Chef contestant, chef/ owner of Good Stuff Eatery and We, The Pizza in Washington, D.C., contender on this season’s The Next Iron Chef.

Fabio Viviani – Two-time Top Chef contestant, chef/ owner of Café Firenze and Osteria Firenze in Southern California, author of Cafe Firenze Cookbook and Did I Really Make Breakfast.

Richard Blais – Winner of Top Chef: All-Stars, chef/owner of Southern-based Flip burger boutique, HD-1 and The Spence.

Maneet Chauhan – Executive chef at Indian-Latin fusion restaurant Vermilion (Chicago, Manhattan), Iron Chef challenger and Chopped judge, repeat representative at James Beard House’s annual awards dinner, active supporter of culinary academies and charities such as March of Dimes, Share Our Strength, Apna Ghar, Make a Wish Foundation and more.

Homaro Cantu – Chef and owner of Moto Restaurant and iNG Restaurant. Cantu opened iNG in 2011 and has created the world’s only restaurant offering flavor-changing experiences. iNG has already been the subject of more than 200 articles, including a recent spot on ABC World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer where she described the flavor changing experience as “something that will change the world of gastronomy forever.”

Ben Roche – Pastry Chef of Moto and consults on the dessert menu at iNG, which offers the world’s only sugar-free flavor-changing desserts. Chef Roche is the co-host along with Cantu on the television show Future Food, which airs on Discovery Network’s Planet Green.

Chris Jones – Director of Culinary Innovation for Moto and iNG Restaurants. Jones was also a contestant on Top Chef: Texas, where he dazzled judges with a flavor-changing dish inspired from some of his menu creations at iNG.

Richard Farina – Chef de Cuisine at Moto Restaurant and recent contestant on Top Chef: Texas. News of Farina’s work from Moto has reached hundreds of news outlets and he was recently named one to Zagat’s list of top young chefs, “30 Under 30.”

Todd English – Chef and restaurateur with more than 20 restaurants spanning the country, including Olives (Boston, New York, Las Vegas), four-time James Beard Award winner and inductee into James Beard Foundation’s “Who’s Who in Food and Beverage in America,” critically acclaimed author of the recent title, Cooking In Everyday English, The ABCs of Great Flavor at Home.

Many of the celebrities from World Culinary Showcase will also be signing books after their demonstrations at scheduled times in the Celebrity Book Signings area, including Bayless, Izard, Burke, Mendelsohn, Viviani, Blais and English. For a full schedule of the World Culinary Showcase and Celebrity Book Signings, visit www.restaurant.org/show.

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals. NRA Show 2012 will be held at its new dates May 5-8, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event attracts 58,000-plus attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100-plus countries, and showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues and other growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the Show website at www.restaurant.org/show, and find the NRA Show on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, YouTube and its widely read blog Floored!

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

National Restaurant Association Honored for Kids LiveWell Campaign

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association has earned the 2012 ASAE Gold Circle Award for its media relations campaign launching the groundbreaking Kids LiveWell program. The first-of-its-kind voluntary industry initiative provides parents with a growing selection of healthful children’s menu choices when dining out, with a focus on increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy, and limiting unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium.

“The National Restaurant Association created Kids LiveWell to help restaurants highlight their healthful children’s meal choices and tell the industry’s positive story of creating innovative solutions to provide ‘better-for-you’ menu options,” said Sue Hensley, senior vice president of public affairs communications for the Association. “Restaurant companies from across the industry have been excited to join the program, and the positive feedback from consumers has reinforced the demand for such an initiative.”

The National Restaurant Association launched Kids LiveWell in July 2011 with 19 restaurant brands. The initial rollout at the National Press Club included an interactive tasting event with chefs from the inaugural brand leaders providing samples of their new kids’ menu items to children and parents in attendance, as well as satellite and radio media tours featuring Association President and CEO Dawn Sweeney and Director of Nutrition and Healthy Living Joy Dubost, Ph.D., R.D.

The Kids LiveWell launch generated tens of millions of media impressions across traditional and social media for the program and the National Restaurant Association.

“Fueled by this impressive start just eight months ago, the program has grown to more than 70 brands representing more than 22,000 locations nationwide,” Hensley added.

Kids LiveWell was developed by the National Restaurant Association in collaboration with Healthy Dining, a group of registered dietitians who have worked closely with the restaurant industry for two decades. To join the program, restaurants agree to offer and promote a selection of items that meet strict nutrition criteria based on leading health organizations’ scientific recommendations, including the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines. Healthy Dining’s team of registered dietitians works with restaurants to identify and validate menu choices that meet Kids LiveWell criteria.

Parents can find Kids LiveWell menu items at HealthyDiningFinder.com and while on-the-go at m.healthydiningfinder.com.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

Award highlights restaurant’s outstanding responsible beverage alcohol service program

National Restaurant Association Congratulates Levy Restaurants on Receiving VIBE Vista Operator Award

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association today congratulated Levy Restaurants on receiving the VIBE Vista Operator Award for excellence in responsible alcohol service training. Levy received the award at the VIBE (Very Important Beverage Executives) 2012 conference in Las Vegas last week. The award is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Alcohol® program.

Chicago-based Levy Restaurants is recognized as one of America’s fastest growing and most critically acclaimed restaurant companies, and is the leader in premium sports and entertainment dining. The company’s diverse portfolio includes award-winning restaurants such as James Beard Award-winning Spiaggia in Chicago, Fulton’s Crab House, Portobello and Wolfgang Puck Grand Café at Walt Disney World Resort, renowned sports and entertainment venues like Churchill Downs in Louisville, STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, and American Airlines Arena in Miami, and events including the Super Bowl, World Series, U. S. Open, Kentucky Derby, NHL and NBA All-Star Games and the GRAMMY® Awards.

Levy created the “Family Serving Family Responsibly!” program and partnered with the National Restaurant Association to develop comprehensive ServSafe Alcohol training solutions, including an “Alcohol Safety Coordinator” in each location, in-house trainers, and an internal website custom-made to Levy’s unique needs. The program includes annual training of all team members, plus additional reinforcement training of front-of-house staff.

Levy Restaurant has been using a customized version of ServSafe Alcohol for the past several years.

The VIBE Vista Operator Award winners are selected by a panel of beverage professionals, including the VIBE Advisory Council members. The award for responsible beverage alcohol service highlights customized server training programs that emphasize ongoing reinforcement of training and a culture of responsible alcohol sales.

ServSafe Alcohol offers training solutions to restaurant employees in responsible alcohol service. The training program teaches employees about their personal responsibility, and how to recognize signs of intoxication in guests and manage service accordingly.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

National Restaurant Association Joins Suit against Federal Reserve for Failure to Follow Congressional Intent on Swipe Fee Reform

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association has joined a lawsuit challenging the Federal Reserve’s final rule on debit card swipe fees, arguing that the Fed did not follow Congressional intent to issue regulations that would ensure debit card swipe fees for merchants are “reasonable and proportional” to the cost of processing debit-card transactions. The suit is intended to lower the rates by improving the Fed’s rule – not by stopping its implementation.

As a result of the Federal Reserve’s favorable ruling to the big banks and card companies, Visa and MasterCard announced they would raise swipe fees to the Fed’s cap on small-ticket transactions ($15 or less). This move hurts small businesses with heavy small-ticket volume, such as the nation’s quick service restaurants.

“While the Federal Reserve’s rule significantly brought down debit swipe fees for many merchants, some small businesses will pay higher fees on smaller ticket transactions – evidence that the Fed provided card networks like Visa and MasterCard too much latitude to increase rates well above a reasonable and proportional level,” said Scott DeFife, Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “Allowing higher fees on small-ticket bills was not the intent of Congress, and the Federal Reserve must reconcile this failure to comply with the law as intended.”

After years of complaints from the National Restaurant Association and other merchant groups about uncontrollable and rising interchange fees for their members, Congress passed reforms under what is known as the Durbin Amendment to give the Federal Reserve the power to regulate interchange fees for debit cards.

The Durbin Amendment was included in the Dodd-Frank financial services reform bill Congress passed in 2010. Named for its top champion in Congress, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the amendment charged the Federal Reserve with ensuring that debit-card fees are “reasonable and proportional” to the cost of processing transactions.

In June 2011, the Federal Reserve announced its final rule to cap swipe fees that merchants pay for debit-card transactions at 21 cents per transaction – less than the average 44 cents that merchants previously paid, but a significant increase over the 12-cent swipe-fee cap that the Federal Reserve first proposed in December 2010.

The lawsuit against the Fed also argues that the final rule fails to promote the price competition among card networks that would help reduce network fees. The law intended to establish a competitive market dynamic between networks, such as Visa and MasterCard, to keep costs down. However, under the Fed’s final rule, there will be no competition on signature debit routing and very limited, if any, competition on PIN transactions.

The National Restaurant Association joins the Food Marketing Institute, the National Association of Convenience Stores, the National Retail Federation, Boscov’s Department Store and Miller Oil Company as plaintiffs in the suit.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

National Restaurant Association Statement on RESTORE Act Passage

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association today commended the United States Senate for its bipartisan support of the RESTORE Act, which would direct fines paid by BP for tourism promotion and economic improvements around the Gulf of Mexico.

“These funds are critical to the long-term health of Gulf Coast communities and businesses looking to fully regain their footing following the BP oil spill,” said Scott DeFife, Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “Restaurateurs depend on travelers, with some segments of the industry attributing as much as 40 percent of annual sales to visitors. This is especially true of restaurants along the Gulf Coast. On behalf of our Gulf Coast area members and state partners, we thank the Senate for its support and urge the House of Representatives to follow suit.”

The RESTORE Act directs 80 percent of any fines and penalties paid by BP to the federal government for the 2010 oil spill go back into the region for environmental and economic improvements. Without Congressional action, the funds would go directly into the federal treasury.

The legislation passed the Senate today by a vote of 76-22. Chief sponsors were Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.).

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

National Restaurant Association Promotes "What's on My Plate?" Day

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association is teaming up with USDA to promote “What’s on My Plate?” Day, March 8, 2012, designed to heighten public awareness of the importance of choosing foods for a healthy meal. The National Restaurant Association is a national strategic partner with USDA on spreading the word about MyPlate, the new-generation food icon designed to prompt consumers to build healthy plates at meal times.

“The National Restaurant Association is proud to promote the MyPlate message and highlight the restaurant industry’s ongoing contributions to ensuring a healthier America,” said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “With our Kids LiveWell program of healthful children’s menu items, the National Restaurant Association is a natural MyPlate partner.”

As a national strategic partner on MyPlate communications, the National Restaurant Association works with USDA to promote the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans with easy-to-understand, action-oriented messages. As part of “What’s on My Plate?” Day, the Association is calling on its social media followers to share their own tips using the hashtag #MyPlateYourPlate.

The National Restaurant Association is a MyPlate partner based on the Association’s “Kids LiveWell” initiative. The first-of-its-kind voluntary program focuses on increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy, and limiting unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium.

Follow the latest “Kids LiveWell” news on Twitter – @Kids LiveWell – and on Facebook – facebook.com/kidslivewell.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

National Restaurant Association Announces 2012 Food and Beverage Product Innovations Awards

Chicago, IL  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association today announced the recipients of the 2012 Food and Beverage Product Innovations Awards, which this year recognizes consumable products that deliver significant restaurant operator benefits ranging from new flavor concepts to better-for-you nutritional profiles and operator flexibility. The awardees have been selected by an independent panel of experts who represent a broad variety of both commercial and non-commercial segments.

Award recipients will be showcased in the exclusive Food and Beverage Products Innovations Gallery on the exhibit floor at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, set for its new dates May 5-8 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

“Our esteemed panel of judges selected groundbreaking food and beverage products that customers will soon be buzzing about,” said Jack Crawford Convention Chair for NRA Show 2012 and President and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative, LLC. “These customer-centric standouts will give NRA Show attendees plenty to think about and act on while they tour this year’s exhibit floor. As the largest restaurant and hospitality trade show in the United States, the NRA Show is the only place where foodservice professionals can find all the memory-making foods and beverages, trends and insights they need to stay on top.”

The 2012 Food and Beverage Product Innovations Award recipients are:

Cavendish Farms – Tempura Battered Extreme Beans
Cavendish Farms® has taken long Kentucky Flat beans pickled in a blend of spices and added their signature crispy tempura coating. It’s a spicy tasty snack that offers superb plate appeal and excitement to any menu.

ConAgra Foodservice – Angela Mia NSA Crushed Tomatoes
This is the only no-salt-added crushed tomato product on the market today—it delivers fresh tomato flavor (100% California), aroma and color with only 14% of the sodium in traditional crushed tomatoes.

ConAgra Foodservice – The Max Fit for Kids Plus MaxSnax BBQ Chicken
These mini handheld triangles of 51% whole-grain quesadilla dough are loaded with chunks of white-meat chicken, a blend of cheeses and a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce and it meets new National School Lunch standards.

Cook Natural Products- Mara’s Pasta
The only 100% whole wheat pasta made from Maragrain™. Grown by U.S. family farmers and designed to please the palate of the most finicky child. Each two-ounce serving contains seven grams of dietary fiber and eight grams of protein.

Copa di Vino – Copa di Vino Wine (Copa!)
First wine by the glass bottled directly into a recyclable plastic cup that allows an operator to conveniently serve wine anywhere without the need to uncork and pour—reduces costs and waste.

HJ Heinz Company – 3-in-1 Soup, Sauce or Dip
This is a unique frozen product that allows an operator to create three menu items by simply changing the preparation. Reconstitute with water for a soup, milk for a sauce or sour cream for a dip.

HMC Farms – Grape Escape
Fresh de-stemmed grapes washed and ready to eat. Packed in single serve two-ounce or three-ounce bags. Grape Escape meets the challenge of profitably serving healthy fresh fruit snacks year round. No preservatives or additives and an 18-day shelf life.

HomeFree LLC – Gluten Free Vanilla Mini Cookies
These cookies are a good source of whole grains (9 g), certified organic (70%), heart healthy, Kosher pareve, vegan and Non-GMO Project Verified. They are free of the top eight allergens and certified gluten-free.

Jennie – O Turkey Store – Precooked Turkey Burger
Developed specifically for K-12 foodservice, this product gives students an amazing burger experience with all the nutritional benefits of turkey. Most importantly, for kids and schools alike, it delivers on taste,texture, appearance and product performance.

KRAFT YES Pack
YES Pack—which stands for yield, ease, sustainability—is Kraft Foods’ new revolutionary package that helps operators manage costs and optimize back-of-house efficiencies. The innovative design of YES Pack allows for 99% dressing yield, precision pouring and reduced solid waste.

Mighty Leaf Tea – Mfusions
Mfusions is a creative selection of fresh tea, fruit and herb-based drinks, packaged to go. The customer interactively activates the drink by conveniently releasing agave-sweetened herbal/fruit blend into tea within a self-contained cup, offering a portable and dazzling beverage experience.

STOUFFER’S® Parmesan Risotto
Supremely versatile, ready to heat and serve as-is or to customize with your signature additions. Authentic 100% Arborio rice, rich Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, onions, garlic, and touches of extra virgin olive oil, chicken broth, cream and butter.

Oregon Seafoods – Chef’s Brand Pacific Caught Wild Albacore
First U.S. producer of once-cooked albacore tuna in a pouch from U.S.-caught, sustainable fish with a significantly improved nutritional profile and better quality versus canned tuna. No fillers, no preservatives, no BPA and a better carbon footprint.

SASASWEETS – SasaPops brand artisan frozen pops
SasaPops Fruit Bars are pure—only fruit, water and organic sugar. SasaPops Dessert Bars are the first pops with dessert inclusions, such as cake chunks in decadent real cream bases. Also available in a MiniPops size perfect for children.

Simpli – Simpli OatShakes
This is the only solely oat-based product that is dairy-free and also all natural, 100% vegan, soy-free, and non-GMO. Most importantly, it tastes great.

Snyder’s Lance – Lance 51% Whole Grain Saltines
The first saltine made with 51% whole grain that meets K-12 school lunch requirements.

Unilever Food Solutions- Lipton Zero Calorie Fresh Brewed Sweet Tea
An innovative range of zero-calorie fresh-brewed sweet teas that deliver refreshment and convenience along with single-step, consistent brewing for operators at savings versus sugar sweetening—available in three on-trend flavors.

White Toque – Vegetable Glacis
All-natural vegetable concentrates for enhancing soups, sauces, dressings and dips. The first frozen line available in the US in a convenient squeeze bottle with flavors including Red Beet, Onion, Carrot, Red Pepper, Yellow Pepper and Tomato Confit.

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest single gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals. NRA Show 2012 will be held at its new dates May 5-8, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The event attracts 58,000+ attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and showcases the latest products, services, innovative ideas, up-to-the-minute information about trends and issues and other growth opportunities than any other industry event. For more information, visit the Show Web site atwww.restaurant.org/show, and find us on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, YouTube and our widely read blog Floored!

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Partnership Will Include National Study on Restaurant and Consumer Attitudes, Development of Best Practices for National Restaurant Association Members

National Restaurant Association and LivingSocial Partner to Research Restaurant Marketing Best Practices

Washington, DC  (Restaurant News)  The National Restaurant Association and LivingSocial today announced a new partnership through which both organizations will work to educate and inform restaurant operators on all available marketing channels to build restaurant brand awareness and increase sales. The partnership’s focus will be on a major research project to study restaurant marketing efforts and consumer attitudes.

“We’re excited to be working with LivingSocial to better understand how restaurant operators can market themselves locally and nationwide,” said James Balda, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the National Restaurant Association. “Restaurant industry sales are expected to reach $632 billion in 2012, underscoring the industry’s importance as a driver of national economic recovery and solid employment growth. To continue to grow sales and create jobs, restaurant operators must closely follow consumer trends and leverage that knowledge to meet guest expectations.”

As part of the research effort, LivingSocial has provided an unrestricted grant for the National Restaurant Association to conduct a study examining the effectiveness of a wide array of marketing channels for the restaurant industry. Insights gained from the survey will be used to create resources National Restaurant Association members can leverage when selecting the best marketing approach to help strengthen their business.

“Restaurants make up a large portion of LivingSocial’s merchant base and our mission is to help them attract and retain valuable new customers,” said Mandy Cole, Senior Vice President of Sales at LivingSocial. “We couldn’t be happier to work with the National Restaurant Association, and we look forward to applying the information shared through this relationship to better serve our merchants.”

The restaurant and foodservice industry not only feeds Americans, but the nation’s economy. It is the nation’s second largest private sector employer, providing jobs to more than 12.9 million people in 970,000 locations across the United States. However, despite positive signs of economic recovery, restaurateurs still cite “building and maintaining sales volume” as one of their top challenges this year, according to the National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast.

Results of the joint research on restaurant marketing will be released at the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago, Ill. (held at its new dates May 5-8).

LivingSocial helps people around the world find, share and enjoy great local deals and new experiences. We’ll help you get more out of your city. Through its daily deal e-mails and alerts, LivingSocial introduces members to handpicked local businesses, products or services each day at significant savings. With a range of products for different interests, like Families and Adventures, LivingSocial helps delight members with the perfect deal for them. Other services include LivingSocial Escapes, which features easy “vacations in a box” to leading destinations, and LivingSocial Instant, which helps members discover real-time discounts at nearby restaurants, stores and businesses. LivingSocial works with each merchant partner to create customized marketing solutions that attract and retain loyal, long-term customers. Based in Washington, D.C., LivingSocial now has more than 46 million members in 25 countries.

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the eighth consecutive month; Operators are optimistic about sales growth and the economy in the months ahead

Restaurant Industry Outlook Remains Positive Despite Slight Dip in Restaurant Performance Index

Washington, DC  (Restaurant News)  The outlook for the restaurant industry is positive for the coming months, as the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) remained well above 100 in January. The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.3 in January, down from December’s strong level of 102.2. Despite the decline, January represented the third consecutive month that the RPI stood above 100, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Although the Restaurant Performance Index dipped somewhat from December’s nearly six-year high, it remained solidly in positive territory,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the Association. “Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the eighth consecutive month, and a majority of them expect business to continue to improve in the months ahead.”

Watch a video of Riehle providing commentary on the January RPI, key economic indicators, and gas prices.

The Restaurant Performance Index is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, while index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators.

The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 100.6 in January – down 1.5 percent from December’s seven-year high of 102.1. Despite the drop, the Current Situation Index stood above 100 for the third consecutive month, which signifies expansion in the current situation indicators.

Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the eighth consecutive month in January. Fifty-six percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between January 2011 and January 2012, while only 26 percent reported a same-store sales decline. This was somewhat softer than December’s strong results, when 69 percent of operators reported a sales gain and 18 percent reported lower sales.

Restaurant operators also reported positive customer traffic results in January. Forty-six percent of restaurant operators reported higher customer traffic levels between January 2011 and January 2012, while 30 percent reported a traffic decline. In December, 57 percent of operators reported higher customer traffic, while just 23 percent reported a traffic decline.

Along with softer sales and traffic levels, restaurant operators reported somewhat lower capital spending levels. Forty-two percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, the lowest level in 10 months.

The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators’ six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 102.1 in January – essentially unchanged from December’s level of 102.3. In addition, January marked the fifth consecutive month that the Expectations Index stood above 100, which represents an optimistic outlook among restaurant operators for business conditions in the months ahead.

For the second consecutive month, a majority of restaurant operators expect their sales to be higher in the coming months. Fifty-three percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared to the same period in the previous year), up slightly from 51 percent who reported similarly last month. In comparison, only seven percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, matching the proportion who reported similarly last month.

Restaurant operators also remain generally optimistic about the direction of the overall economy. Thirty-seven percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, down slightly from 39 percent last month. In comparison, only 11 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, matching the proportion who reported similarly last month.

Along with a positive outlook for sales and the economy, restaurant operators also continue to plan for capital spending in the months ahead. Fifty percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, the second consecutive month with at least half of operators planning to make capital investments.

The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures. The full report and a video summary are available online.

The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper (www.restaurant.org/trendmapper), the Association’s subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.

National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index
Values Greater than 100 = Expansion; Values Less than 100 = Contraction

Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 970,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We operate the industry’s largest trade show (NRA Show May 5-8, 2012, in Chicago); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF’s ProStart, including the National ProStart Invitational April 27-29, 2012, in Baltimore, Md.); as well as the Kids LiveWell program promoting healthful kids’ menu options. For more information, visit www.restaurant.org and find us on Twitter @WeRRestaurants, Facebook and YouTube.

Contact
Annika Stensson
(202) 973-3677

National Restaurant Association, NRAEF Elect New Officers, Members to Board of Directors and Trustees

Washington, DC  (RestaurantNews.com)  The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) have elected new officers to their Board of Directors and Board of Trustees. The officers took office on January 1, 2012, and led their first board meeting late last month in Phoenix, Ariz.

“We are excited to continue to advance our strategic plan for both the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF under Roz’s and Xavier’s leadership,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and NRAEF. “The collective experience of all our officers will help grow membership, educate future industry leaders, and strengthen the restaurant and foodservice industry as a whole.”

The National Restaurant Association’s 2012 officers are:

Chair: Rosalyn “Roz” Mallet is president and CEO of PhaseNext Hospitality — a franchise operating company focused on quick casual brands in non-traditional venues. Mallet is a seasoned leader with extensive and diverse experience in enterprise strategy, turnarounds, transition planning, systems implementation, human capital development and franchise operations. She has a comprehensive background in several restaurant segments, including casual dining (Applebee’s and TGI Friday’s), quick casual (la Madeleine Bistro/Café) and quick service (Caribou). She is also a member of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Board of Trustees.

Vice Chair: Phil Hickey currently serves as chairman of the board of O’Charley’s, Inc., a multi-concept public restaurant company based in Nashville, Tenn. Phil previously served as chairman of the board/chief executive officer of RARE Hospitality International, Inc., an Atlanta-based restaurant company whose concepts included LongHorn Steakhouse and the award-winning Capital Grille, acquired by Darden Restaurants, Inc., in 2007. As a veteran of more than 35 years in the industry, Phil Hickey has also been a single restaurant owner-operator and co-founded a restaurant company and taken it public.

Treasurer: Marshall L. “Ken” Conrad is chairman of Libby Hill Seafood Restaurants, a nine-location company based in Greensboro, N.C. His parents began the company in 1953 with a single restaurant. Conrad began as a cook in one of his parents’ restaurants and became company president in 1983. A former chairman of the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, Conrad served on its board for more than 20 years. He has been a member of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors since 2004.

The NRAEF’s 2012 officers are:

Chair: Xavier Teixido is president of Harry’s Hospitality Group in Wilmington, Del. A seasoned operator and owner, Teixido is experienced in leading both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house operations. Teixido has served as the Chairman of the National Restaurant Association (2002-2003) and is former president of the Delaware Restaurant Association. In 1999, he was named the Delaware Restaurateur of the Year and was recipient of Delaware’s first Cornerstone Award in 2003. Teixido also serves at the pleasure of the Governor of Delaware on the state’s Tourism Advisory Board, and is a member of the University of Delaware HRIM Advisory Board.

Vice chair: Denise Marie Fugo, FMP, is chairman & CEO of Sammy’s in Cleveland, Ohio, specializing in banquet, concession and restaurant management for cultural, academic and corporate venues throughout northeast Ohio. Under her leadership, Sammy’s has received the prestigious Distinguished Restaurants of North America Award and the Wine Spectator’s Award for Excellence. Most recently, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation named her to its distinguished College of Diplomats in 2010. Fugo is a Past Chairman of the Board of the National Restaurant Association.

Treasurer: Michael Gibbons is president and CEO of Mainstreet Ventures Inc. in Ann Arbor, Mich. Since 1981, Mainstreet Ventures has set the standard for fine dining in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Florida and most recently Maryland. The company’s portfolio includes Real Seafood Company, Gratzi, Blue Pointe Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar, Palio Ristorante, La Dolce Vita, Tidewater Grill, Ciao, The Chop House, Zia’s Italian, Carson’s American Bistro and its latest concept, EO Burgers. Gibbons was 2009-21010 chairman of the National Restaurant Association and is a former president of the Michigan Restaurant Association.

In addition, both organizations have added new members to their respective boards.

The newly elected directors to the National Restaurant Association’s board are: