Revinate Launches Comprehensive Social Media Solution for Restaurants

San Francisco, CA  (RestaurantNews.com)  Revinate, the next generation of guest satisfaction, today announced the availability of its much anticipated restaurant solution. This innovative new solution for restaurants leverages Revinate’s experience as the leading social media solution for thousands of hotels worldwide.  Now, restaurant brands, management companies, owners and operators can benefit from the powerful online reputation platform that global hotel companies such as Hyatt Hotels, Sofitel and Kempinski rely on daily to engage guests and manage guest satisfaction.

Revinate’s restaurant solution provides a single dashboard to manage all online reviews, mobile check-ins and social media mentions, and includes sophisticated trending and sentiment analysis. With Revinate, restaurateurs can now monitor feedback for their restaurants across millions of sites in real time, and then easily engage with customers on top review sites and social networks – the locations where most diners now select restaurants and make reservations. This new service, available for an affordable monthly fee, is designed to be easy enough for any employee to use, regardless of technical ability.

“I can’t think of any software service that is more valuable for an individual restaurant or chain today. I spent 20+ plus years in the restaurant industry in operational roles and I only wish this software was available for me when I was struggling to figure out where our restaurants were strong and where we needed to invest resources. With Revinate, you can easily pinpoint operational problems and fix them before they become serious and costly issues,” says Clark S. Kincaid, Ph.D, Associate Professor at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.

Orient-Express’s Jeff Webster, Public Relations and Digital Media Manager, North America, says, “Online review sites and social media are critically important to our business, which makes sense given the passion people have towards food and the research consumers do to discover new restaurants. Revinate saves us an incredible amount of time, aggregating all reviews and review scores into a single location so we can quickly assess guest satisfaction and understand how we’re measuring up against our competitors. We can then focus more energy on building brand visibility, engaging with customers and driving new business.”

A long-time hotel client, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has also been using Revinate’s restaurant solution to manage their restaurants’ online reputation. Jeff Brown, Area Director of Restaurant Operations, says, “Revinate has become a critical tool for us to monitor and track our online reviews. Restaurants are incredibly susceptible to a loss in revenue as a result of bad online reviews so it’s incredibly important to know what people are saying in real time. Revinate allows us to stay in-tune to what people are saying, and allows us to easily act, for example, by publicly responding to reviews or opening tickets to assign responsibility should issues arise that can be remedied.”

“Our restaurant solution was designed in close collaboration with restaurant managers from hospitality companies who have long trusted Revinate,” says Jay Ashton, co-founder and CEO of Revinate. “With thousands of hotels relying on Revinate every day, it’s a natural progression for us to also help restaurants use public reviews and social media to grow their businesses, and we’re thrilled to be launching our innovative restaurant solution today.”

Restaurants interested in learning more can visit http://www.revinate.com/for-restaurants or email info@revinate.com.

About Revinate:

With online guest-generated travel reviews increasing in both number and importance, hotel and restaurant owners and operators have a simple choice: either ignore the cacophony of social media and hope for the best or proactively track and manage what is being said online in a way that deepens customer relationships, strengthens brands and boosts revenue. Revinate’s powerful technology monitors all of the important social media venues – including Twitter, Facebook and TripAdvisor – and provides instant alerts whenever your property or brand is mentioned. Based in San Francisco, Revinate counts the world’s leading hospitality brands as clients. To learn more, please visit www.revinate.com.

Contact:

Michelle Wohl
Vice President of Marketing
@revinate
http://blog.revinate.com
415.290.3707

Want to know a restaurant’s dinner specials or what the chef ate for breakfast? Just ask—but make it 140 characters or less.

Diners are getting access to the chaos of a busy restaurant kitchen before, during and after their meal thanks to Twitter’s real-time text and photo messages. Chefs are becoming as adept at tweeting as they are at chopping—and changing the way restaurants talk to their customers. Many chefs tweet before dinnertime about what they are planning to cook that night, in some cases with photos, letting fans make informed decisions about where to eat.

Foodies, meanwhile, are also avid Twitter users, snapping pictures with their smartphones and tweeting real-time reviews in between bites. For some diners, Twitter is a megaphone for complaining and sharing negative dining experiences.

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When Dean Slover and his business partners were preparing to open RnR Restaurant and Bar, they debated over whether to hire someone to manage the business’ social-media aspect.

Nearly 14 months after the doors opened last March, the continued buzz and steady stream of patrons let Slover know the investment is paying off for his Scottsdale restaurant.

RnR has more than 600 Twitter followers and more than 3,700 fans on its Facebook page. Slover uses the page to post passwords that inform followers of specials, which has helped increase the restaurant’s visibility as customers share these deals with friends.

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You’re an expert chef with a beautiful restaurant, friendly staff and great food. In the past, you’ve successfully managed your customer flow through traditional advertising in local newspapers and you sponsor the local little league. Business is great, but a similar restaurant just opened up a few blocks away, and it’s generating lots of buzz. The restaurant is using social media to its advantage, growing its customer base at an accelerated pace, and you’re starting to lose market share. What’s going on?

The Internet is the great equalizer, giving unlimited ad space and airtime to businesses no matter how big or small. Today, 70 percent of local businesses are marketing through Facebook — more than anywhere else on the Internet.

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As bagel-lovers throughout the world celebrate National Bagel Day today, February 9, Dunkin’ Donuts is marking the 15th anniversary of the introduction of freshly-baked bagels at Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants throughout the country. To help celebrate this national food holiday and the company’s place as the #1 retailer of bagels in the United States*, Dunkin’ Donuts is offering brand followers of @DunkinDonuts on Twitter the chance to win a $100 Dunkin’ Donuts Card by guessing how many poppy seeds cover a typical Dunkin’ Donuts Poppy Seed Bagel, using hashtag #BagelDDay.**

From round to twisted to bite-sized, Dunkin’ Donuts continues to lead the country’s bagel innovation. Dunkin’ Donuts first launched freshly-baked bagels in 1996, with national advertising pairing the iconic “Fred the Baker” with a former New York City mayor. At the time, Dunkin’ Donuts offered 12 varieties of bagels, with prices ranging from 55 to 60 cents. The company has since replaced the Egg and Pumpernickel varieties with a Sour Cream and Onion and a Multigrain Bagel, an excellent source of fiber, with eight grams of total fat per serving.

In April 2010, Dunkin’ Donuts’ culinary team, led by three-time James Beard Award nominee Executive Chef Stan Frankenthaler, unveiled the Bagel Twist, an innovative new “twist” on the traditional bagel that makes it easier than ever to enjoy a bagel, any time of the day whether you’re on-the-go at work or play. Bagel Twists feature Dunkin’ Donuts’ famous bagels, twisted into a more portable, easy-to-eat shape, perfect for people seeking a delicious snack to keep them running throughout their day. Bagel Twists are available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants in a variety of flavors including Cheddar Cheese, Cinnamon Raisin, Sour Cream and Onion, Pretzel Salt, Blueberry and French Toast. Earlier this month, Dunkin’ Donuts expanded the Bagel Twist line with the introduction of the new Chocolate Chip Bagel Twist, which is drizzled with chocolate and filled with chocolate chips, for a suggested retail price of $1.39.

In South Korea, one of Dunkin’ Donuts’ top-selling international bagel markets, the company has showcased its commitment to bagel innovation with the recent introduction of easy to eat, bite-sized, pop-able bagel snacks. They are currently being sold exclusively at Dunkin’ Donuts locations in South Korea in both plain and raisin varieties.  

“National Bagel Day is a great opportunity to recognize Dunkin’ Donuts’ place in bagel history, as the number one retailer of bagels in the United States,” said Dunkin’ Brands Executive Chef Stan Frankenthaler.  ”From our classic varieties to our unique seasonal varieties, Dunkin’ Donuts’ freshly-baked bagels are a morning ritual for many of our guests. Bagels are an important part of the Dunkin’ Donuts menu, and yet another example of our 60-year baking history and commitment to offer delicious snacks to keep people running throughout the day.”

According to Maria Balinska, author of “The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread,” the boiled then baked bread is a classic rags to riches immigrant’s tale. “Bagels came to America as a snack almost exclusively enjoyed by the Jewish community, but by the 1970s ‘the roll with the hole’ was on its way to becoming an all-American favorite. Millions of bagels are consumed every day across the United States and sales are estimated to be worth over $900 million annually. Now, the bagel is available and popular in such unlikely places as Korea, Japan and Argentina.”

To learn more about Dunkin’ Donuts, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinDonuts) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/DunkinDonuts).

*According to The NPD Group/CREST®, Dunkin’ Donuts was the number one server of bagels at Quick Service Restaurants in Year Ending November 2010.

** Visit http://www.dunkindonuts.com/content/dunkindonuts/en/promotions/socialrules.html for Terms of Use

NEW YORK, NY  (RestaurantNews.com)  Social networking sites and smartphone apps are changing the ways consumers interact with restaurants and with their fellow restaurant goers, creating exciting opportunities for foodservice operators and marketers, according to “Social Media and Technology in the U.S. Foodservice Industry: Trends and Opportunities for an Emerging Market” by Packaged Facts. Restaurants that create a presence on social media can generate brand awareness, promote upcoming events and limited time offers, engage with the customer base, recruit employees, and build brand-loyalty.

“We believe the restaurant industry is in the midst of being shaped by the convergence of the mobile, yet always connected, consumer; location-based and context-aware technological innovation, and mobile payments, which already demonstrate the potential to redefine how to cultivate restaurant guest loyalty, incentivize dining occasions, and better tailor marketing messages,” says Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts.

Restaurant lifestyle engagement informs technology use, according to the report. For example, according to Packaged Facts’ proprietary survey, 31% of adults who consider going out to restaurants as “part of their lifestyle” use their computer to place orders, while 21% use their cell phone or other portable device to do so.

Social media outlets Facebook and Twitter in particular are providing fertile opportunities for innovation. As Starbucks and Chipotle Mexican Grill have discovered, Facebook interaction offers tremendous potential for restaurant brands seeking consumer mind share; through well-timed and tailored online incentives, the brand can weave its way into consumers’ lives, according to the report. And because Facebook users are also frequently on the go, the foodservice industry can use the site to ramp up location-based marketing. Packaged Facts expects such efforts to explode in 2011, as the industry increasingly uses social media to guide patrons to a particular restaurant while they are mobile and deciding where to eat.

Twitter offers restaurants a significant opportunity to reach a younger, more urban, multi-cultural audience, because Twitter usage is particularly popular within the Hispanic, African American, and Asian populations. And, according to the report, Twitter has proven itself to be critical in attracting followers — and patrons — to food trucks, an urban-based and exploding segment of the foodservice industry. Meanwhile, handheld devices and technology are allowing point of sale and in-restaurant tools to evolve and expand. Some of these devices streamline a customer’s visit and maximize efficiency for the restaurant. Introducing such technologies may also reduce the instance of human error in order taking and bill calculations. Mobile phones are already ubiquitous, and Packaged Facts recommends that restaurants stay abreast of quickly emerging ways to tap into the restaurant guest early in the decision making process.

“Social Media and Technology in the U.S. Foodservice Industry: Trends and Opportunities for an Emerging Market” focuses on the quickly evolving social media and technology trends currently shaping the future of the restaurant industry. The report specifically assesses the impact of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, as it relates to consumer-to-consumer interaction, consumer-to-business interaction, and the ramifications and opportunities for the restaurant industry. It also identifies and assesses emerging technologies and smartphone applications that Packaged Facts believes will help reshape the industry within just a few years. Emerging multi-concept ordering platforms, popular online consumer review platforms, and innovative food blogging & photography sites are also identified and assessed. For further information, please visit: http://www.packagedfacts.com/Social-Media-Technology-2848312/.

About Packaged Facts – Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer goods and retailing, foods and beverages, demographics, pet products and services, and financial products. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services. To learn more, visit: www.packagedfacts.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Operators are smart to embrace the concepts of Twitter and Facebook and most – 8 out of 10, according to the National Restaurant Association– expect to do so this year. But many chains continue to outsource this work rather than hire a social media expert in-house.

A survey done in late November by MustHaveMenus, a provider of restaurant menu templates, polled 1,300 operators and found that while almost half of restaurants invest in social media, only 12 percent actually hire someone specifically to manage their social media presence.

While large chains such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell and Dunkin’ Donuts are able to put a solid social team into place, it’s a fairly recent trend. The Golden Arches didn’t dedicate a department to social media efforts until early 2010.

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On December 11, Genghis Grill marked the beginning of the first ever social media-driven music tour, Genghis Live. Local band Don’t Wake Aislin and local artist Bernadette “Dette” Buentipo battled their talents to see who could get the most Twitter Tweets and Facebook Posts for the tour. The winner that won $500 and had the most social media buzz was Don’t Wake Aislin, with about 75 Facebook Posts and Twitter Tweets, with Dette Buentipo having 53 Facebook Posts and Twitter Tweets. Genghis Grill’s Fan Page and Twitter Page gained about 300 followers Saturday afternoon.

“I think this is a very cool idea and It’s great to reach out to fans through a different platform, and we’re really excited to be a part of Genghis Live,” said Brandon Brown, guitarist for Don’t Wake Aislin.

The first stop was in Dallas, TX at the Genghis Grill in the Uptown area off Lemmon Ave. where they also donated 15% of the event’s sales to the North Texas Food Bank, making sure that those in need during the holiday season will have a meal to enjoy.

Three more stops for the Genghis Live tour will be held in Houston, Atlanta and the final stop, Austin, TX, which will be held during the legendary South By Southwest Tour. Bands that will be performing in these markets will be announced on GenghisGrillTV.com.

GenghisGrillTV.com was created by Genghis Grill to provide another avenue for their loyal fans to socially interact. At GenghisGrillTV.com fans can upload photos, videos and submit their stories that relate to the Genghis Grill experience.

Genghis Grill, the largest Mongolian Grill in the US, is well-known for its fresh, hot and healthy food, and for its style of fun service. It offers a Heart Healthy dining option along with an array of recipes to choose from KHAN’S KITCHEN (food bar) where one can “build your own bowl” from 14 proteins, 12 seasonings, 30 veggies, 15 sauces, and 6 starches.

Today, Genghis Grill is a segment leader when it comes to Mongolian Barbecue, with 55 units in 16 states. Genghis Grill has been ranked #2 on the Fast Casual Top 100 Movers and Shakers and ranked #6 on the Future 50 list by Restaurant Business magazine.

For more information on www.GenghisGrillTV.com, Genghis Live and tour dates, please contact Chiara Granado at chiara@genghisgrill.com or call 214-774-4240×233.

For more information on band, Don’t Wake Aislin, and artist, Dette Buentipo, visit http://www.facebook.com/dontwakeaislin and http://www.facebook.com/dettebuentipo.

Social media certainly has its benefits for those who love dining and drinking. From free drinks for Foursquare checkins, to Twitter notifications about happy hours, to Facebook messages about free food, there’s always something tasty happening online.

But the social web offers a lot more than just discounts and deals when it comes to drinking and dining. Restaurants and bars are giving social media users a backstage pass to the food and the people who make it. Chefs and restaurateurs are using social media to reveal how their dishes are made, generate familiarity with chefs and provide a means for diners to share feedback.

While customers go to lower end restaurants looking for value and discounts, higher-end restaurants think that “discounts cheapen the experience,” says Tom O’Keefe, a Boston-based restaurant tweeter and social media-focused marketer.

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UFood Restaurant Group, Inc. (OTCBB: UFFC) announced today that it is expanding its social media efforts and online presence to better engage with UFood Grill consumers and shareholders through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media applications. Additionally, the Company will pursue opportunities for expansion on military bases and to the military community.

UFood Grill retained The Castle Group (www.thecastlegrp.com), an agency with a unique blend of restaurant, social media and military experience, to develop closer relationships with consumers and the investor public by engaging with customers, creating and sharing content, and building a dialogue around healthy lifestyles and nutrition. 

In addition to expanding the Company’s social media efforts, The Castle Group will also oversee the introduction of potential franchise and company-owned retail locations at military installations across the U.S. 

“Social media has become the dominant vehicle for businesses and consumers to communicate and we want to evolve with it,” said Charlie Cocotas, COO of UFood Grill. “UFood Grill wants to extend its shareholder communications and customer service beyond our retail locations. UFood Grill has a great story to tell and The Castle Group will dramatically improve our exposure and reach additional shareholders and consumers for better communication and interest in our brand. Additionally, we believe that our better-for-you fast casual concept is a natural complement to the fitness-focused military lifestyle, and we are excited about the potential to grow in that area.”

A recent survey by MustHaveMenus a provider of restaurant menu templates, revealed that nearly half of the 1,300 restaurant owners, managers and caterers that were polled, do not use social media to attract customers to their eateries. While social media usage among restaurateurs is growing, a large percentage of eating establishments are social media holdouts.

Here are some of the key findings from the study:

• 42% of restaurant owners and managers invest in social media efforts (including blog participation, and managing their Twitter and Facebook accounts.
• 12% of restaurants and caterers hire someone to manage their social media presence.
• 23% of respondents do not believe that they need to use social media as a marketing tool.
• 23% of respondents believe that they don’t have time to devote to social media, along with all their other restaurant management duties.

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Domino’s Pizza, along with families across the nation, is getting ready for the hustle of the holidays!  The night before people enjoy a Thanksgiving Day feast with friends and family, many choose the convenience of fueling up on pizza – making Thanksgiving Eve one of the busiest nights of the year for Domino’s.

Because so many will make this Wednesday night a family pizza night, Domino’s will be delivering more than 1.1 million pizzas to homes across the country.

“As weary travelers roll into their destinations the night before turkey day, Domino’s Pizza is making sure a delicious, hot meal for the family is only a few clicks or a phone call away,” said Chris Brandon, Domino’s Pizza spokesperson. “It’s one of those days we circle on the calendar well in advance. Our stores stock up on ingredients and get plenty of delivery drivers ready to make sure we meet the needs of our hungry customers across the nation.”

A day consumers have circled is the day after Thanksgiving – of course, to take advantage of big savings. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, the big deals of the long weekend bring with them a bit of shopping madness. Domino’s hopes to ease the insanity with its Feed the Shoppers Twitter giveaway.

Beginning today through Dec. 5, 2010, customers can enter to win a free meal in the form of a $15 Domino’s Pizza gift card at twitter.com/dominos.  To enter, consumers simply must follow @Dominos and tweet the phrase, “I’m entered to win a free meal from Domino’s ($15). Follow @Dominos & RT to enter! #feedtheshoppers Rules: http://bit.ly/dpz_fts”.

Domino’s will give away 20 gift cards every day during the 2-week period.

“We want everybody to have a stress-free holiday shopping experience, which means giving them a break from the madness to enter to win some pizza on us,” said Brandon. “Use the winnings for yourself when you don’t feel like cooking after a long shopping marathon. Or better yet, use it as a gift to mark a name off your holiday shopping list.”

Consumers hungry for an easy and affordable gift this season can also visit www.dominos.com to treat family and friends to a Domino’s gift card.  Gift cards are available in denominations of $5 to $100 and are redeemable online.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.  LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES (D.C.) 18 YEARS AND OLDER.  VOID IN ALASKA, HAWAII, AND WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes ends 12/5/10. For Official Rules, prize descriptions and odds disclosure, and to enter, visit http://more.dominos.com/2010/11/feed-the-shoppers/.  Sponsor: Domino’s National Advertising Fund Inc., 30 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48106.

KFC is taking the application process for its KFC Colonel’s Scholars program to the “Twitterverse” with a web 2.0 spin. Starting today through November 26, high school seniors can try to win a $20,000 Colonel’s Scholars scholarship by drafting a single tweet, 140 characters or less, including the hashtag #KFCScholar.

KFC is asking college hopefuls to tweet why they exemplify Colonel Sanders’ commitment to education and enriching their communities, and why they are deserving of a college scholarship. The scholarship winner, announced on December 1, will receive up to $5,000 per year for the next four years to pursue a bachelor’s degree at an accredited public university within his or her home state.

“Every year, the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation awards more than 75 scholarships to college hopefuls who are committed to both their education and enriching their communities,” said John Cywinski, Chief Marketing and Food Innovation Officer for KFC. “This year, through one of the hottest emerging forms of media, we want to offer students a creative way to realize their dreams of obtaining a college education.”

@KFC_COLONEL Scholarship Applications: The Short and the Tweet of It

• From November 16 – November 26, follow KFC on Twitter (@KFC_Colonel) and submit your application, including #KFCScholar in the tweet
• Applicants do not have to include @KFC_Colonel in the message, but are required to include #KFCScholar, which can be included as part of the message; e.g., “I should be a #KFCScholar because…”
• Tweets will be reviewed after November 26 to determine that applicants comply with proper eligibility requirements*, and the winner will be announced on December 1.

KFC Colonel’s Scholars Rewards Those Hungry to Learn

KFC Colonel’s Scholars, now in its fifth year, is an annual program of the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation, an independent charity supported by KFC, its employees and franchisees, and KFC patrons. The KFC Colonel’s Scholars’ mission is to empower students to improve their lives with scholarship resources. The program has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships since its inception.

For official rules and more information on KFC Colonel’s Scholars and the Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation, visit www.KFC.com or www.KFCscholars.org. The regular application process begins December 1, 2010.

*Eligibility

To be eligible to compete for the KFC Colonel’s Scholars Scholarship, an individual must:

• Graduate from high school this academic year (8/31/11)
• Earn a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 2.75
• Plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a public, in-state college or university (start no later than 9/30/11)
• Be a US citizen or permanent resident

KFC Colonel’s Scholars is a program of Kentucky Fried Chicken Foundation, an independent 501c3 charity funded by KFC, its employees, franchisees and KFC patrons, and seeks to help provide high school students scholarship resources to attend public post-secondary schools within their states of residence. Colonel’s Scholars is a registered trademark of KFC Corporation.

Recently, Montrealer John Hartupee and his girlfriend headed to New York City for a foodie week-end.

“Burger King in the airport waiting for my flight to NYC. I’ll consider this my amuse-bouche for Eleven Madison Park!” he tweeted.

When he got to Eleven Madison Park (has four stars from the New York Times), they sent out extra amuse bouches under silver domes. Each had mini lamb burgers on them. “We hope these are better than the one you had at the airport,” the server smiled. Is it stalking?

Nope. It’s what Twitter-happy restaurateurs would call personalized service. If your birth date is on Facebook, don’t be alarmed if a hostess wishes you a Happy Birthday! On the other hand, if you forgot the name of the wine you liked at a restaurant, well, tweet and ask.

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Twitter, people keep telling me, has become a vitally important tool for restaurants to keep in touch with their fans, their friends and their regulars. I follow maybe 50 different local restaurants on Twitter. 50 or 60, plus some of the bigger out-of-state operations, a few from back in Denver, and a couple chefs who have feeds of their own. I check in not religiously, but probably four or five times a week, looking specifically for restaurant news, interesting happenings, updates and what-have-you. I would maybe check a little bit more often, except for one thing.

No restaurant ever has anything interesting to say on Twitter.

Or almost never, anyway.

Until now.

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If you’re going out for dinner, you might want to check your computer or mobile device before you leave to see what the specials are for your favorite restaurant.

Restaurants have been taking advantage of the various social media to showcase their menus. It is not enough just to have good food to survive in today’s economy and local restaurants are engaging with their customers to not only make sure they give them a try, but to guarantee they are repeat customers. By using the different tools that are available to them, they are able to make connections with the people who visit.

“The initial fear,” said Steve Haweeli, president of Word Hampton Public Relations, “was that customers would post about a bad experience. Owners quickly realized that you have a chance to make good in public. You see how things work. It is a great opportunity for customer service best practices.”

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When Tony Bosco saw mostly negative reviews about the restaurant Wow Bao, he Tweeted: “Going to ‘business’ dinner (at)Wow Bao. Can any1 tell me if it’s going to suck as much reviews suggest.”

And almost immediately he got a response from an unexpected source — BaoMouth, the official Twitter feed of Wow Bao, an upscale fast food place in Chicago. The restaurant offered him a coupon to find out for himself, on the house.

Wow Bao sent Bosco two $15 gift cards via an iPhone app, and Bosco went the next night, posting pictures of the food on Twitter.

“I would say it made it a little more exciting,” said Bosco, 34. “That immediate interaction.

Conversations about food that once only happened between friends are now public thanks to the Internet. And the microblogging site Twitter has only sped up the conversation. Whether it’s reviews before the meal or the service afterward, opinions are voiced freely — and restaurants are taking notice.

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When Carmel Ruggeri opened the doors of her new Sydney restaurant yesterday, the Twittersphere almost certainly lit up. After all, almost unbelievably, the restaurateur has built her entire business on the back of it.

From wine suppliers to website designers, photographers, and even tweets from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, Ruggeri has built the business in 140-character instalments.

“It’s quite funny when I really start to think about it how many people I’ve found on here,” she says, referring to suppliers, supporters and followers who have already booked for tables via Twitter. “It’s mind-boggling. I don’t think people realise the true power of Twitter.”

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A colleague of mine who raves about Ottawa’s Play Food and Wine recently tweeted to her followers that she was looking forward to her Friday night dinner reservation. Much to her surprise, just minutes after settling in, a restaurant manager she had never met came to the table to thank her for always tweeting such kind words about the popular spot.

She was delighted.

Over the past year the marketing world has seen some incredible PR campaigns strategically harness the power of social media – it is an important tool that can be used by businesses big and small.

Well-known Ottawa restaurateur Stephen Beckta opened Play in January, 2009. Grayson McDiarmid, Play’s wine director and service manager, decided it would be fun to sign-up for Facebook and Twitter about 10 months ago. At the time of this column, Play had almost 500 Twitter followers and about 665 Facebook fans.

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Tony Crolla has won plaudits and prizes for the quality of his log fired pizzeria, La Favorita and for the Italian cuisine on offer Vittoria on Leith Walk and Vittoria on the  Bridge.

Now he is ensuring the dining experience extends well beyond the three venues by become the first Italian restaurants to interact with customers on their favourite online venues.

Tony has launched both Twitter and Facebook pages for La Favorita and Vittoria, giving his customers the chance to keep up to date with the latest restaurant news, events and offers.

The social media sites also give his customers a platform where they can express their views on the restaurant, inviting them to make suggestions and improvements, ensuring that they get the ultimate dining experience.

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Restaurants are increasingly using social media as a marketing tool, but a New York City burger chain launching next month is redefining the strategy.

4food, which on July 6 is to open its first of 11 planned locations, will allow customers to use iPads to place orders.

Customers also have the option of naming and branding their creation, and posting it on Facebook or Twitter. When ordering from home, they can create commercials on YouTube.

The branded burgers and commercials are then featured on a 240-square-foot media wall at the restaurant that also streams from Foursquare, a social-networking site where users can check in at restaurants and other locations. Every time someone buys one of the concoctions, the creator receives a 25-cent credit through their account.

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With a landslide victory at the polls, pizza lovers across the country have united to keep Pizza Hut’s $10 Any Pizza deal – any size, any crust, any toppings for just $10.  From May 11-June 10, 2010, Pizza Hut asked America to vote on the fate of the incumbent deal at Facebook.com/PizzaHut.  An overwhelming 98 percent of voters clicked “Yes,” resulting in a resounding victory for the $10 Any Pizza deal.

“America has voted and the $10 Any Pizza deal will be extended at Pizza Hut,” said Brian Niccol, Pizza Hut Chief Marketing Officer.  “The one-sided victory shows that pizza fans remain hungry for the combination of great taste and value.  We’re excited to continue offering that combination with our $10 Any Pizza deal.”

With a determination to keep the $10 Any Pizza deal alive, Pizza Hut Tweetologist Alexa Robinson packed up campaign materials and embarked on a tour across America to rally support.  As campaign manager, Alexa visited state capitols, engaged voters at city landmarks and made media appearances in New York City, Philadelphia, Little Rock, Richmond, Va., Columbia, S.C., and Des Moines, Iowa.

“From New York City to Des Moines, I met with hundreds of loyal Pizza Hut fans who voiced their support of the $10 Any Pizza deal,” Robinson said.  “And that support resulted in an overwhelming victory in the Facebook vote.  The $10 Any Pizza deal at Pizza Hut is clearly a popular choice.”

Alexa tracked her progress on Twitter (twitter.com/pizzahut) and Foursquare (foursquare.com/user/pizzahut), giving Pizza Hut fans exclusive news of her whereabouts and access to photos from the campaign trail.  Fans can also visit Flickr (flickr.com/pizzahuttwintern) to view photos from the tour.

Since it opened in Midtown Miami, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill has been well known in the local “twitterverse” for its interaction with followers and diners. Responses are so immediate and personalized you have to wonder if someone’s hiding somewhere in the restaurant monitoring it all. No one is. The person behind the tweets, Joanna Cisowska, is based in New York at the corporate offices of SushiSamba and Sugarcane. And she makes it no secret that she’s a little crazy about Twitter, a tool she hadn’t used much before she started tweeting for Sugarcane.

Cisowska credits Lee Schrager with helping popularity on Twitter. “He came to the restaurant the second or third night we were open and he tweeted about the chicken. That started a huge conversation about the chicken on Twitter. So a big thank you to him.”

Here’s what she told Short Order about her Twitter responsibilities and why she won’t give up tweeting for Sugarcane. She made sure to specify that she does have a life.

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Can you sum up your dad’s character in 140 characters or less? Give it a shot on Twitter – using the hashtag #AllProPapa – and your All Pro Papa could win a year of free Papa John’s pizza!

This Father’s Day, Papa John’s is teaming up with Super Bowl XLI winning head coach Tony Dungy and his charity, All Pro Dad, to recognize fathers for being heroes in their own homes.

“All Pro Dad’s daily ‘Play of the Day’ e-mails emphasize that it’s the little things that make a big difference in a home, whether it’s having breakfast together, discussing the day’s events before bedtime, or building a rapport with your child’s teacher,” said Dungy. “Twitter provides the perfect venue for people to describe the simple acts or family traditions that make their dad an All Pro Papa.”

To be eligible for the grand prize of free Papa John’s pizza for a year, entries must include the hashtag #AllProPapa. Papa John’s and All Pro Dad executives will determine the winner, judging submissions on creativity and love for dads conveyed in 140 characters or less.

In addition to the Twitter contest, $1 of every Papa John’s gift card purchased online during the month of June, up to $30,000, will be donated to All Pro Dad, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to helping men become better fathers.

An organic burger restaurant in midtown Manhattan is using social networking for menu development, marketing, entertainment and even social change. Its delicious plans suggest ways that businesses of all kinds can transform themselves by “crowdsourcing” not only marketing, but product development as well.

When the 4food eatery opens its doors at the corner of 40th and Madison on July 6, it just might usher in a new era in the integration of social networking with the real world.

A 240-square-foot monitor in the restaurant will constantly stream Foursquare check-ins, tweets from Twitter, and restaurant information. In other words, the restaurant itself will be a social networking application.

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Edlynne Laryea swears she’s not a geek. Before last spring, Laryea, 33, had never met a stranger from the Internet in person. But few of her offline friends share her passion for food, so Laryea, a digital marketing strategist, started discussing her culinary adventures with fellow food lovers on Twitter.

Now she spends a lot of time with friends she’s made online. “I never thought I’d say it, but I’ve made a lot of good friends through Twitter,” said Laryea. She and a group of five other foodies on Twitter organized an eating club to test out dim sum restaurants. Later they set out on a mission to discover the city’s best burger.

Many foodies in Toronto have taken to the web to connect with others and set up dinners and trips to local markets on sites like Twitter and Meetup.com. In May of last year a group called Foodie Meet held its first event at Brassaii on King St., which was attended by Laryea and about 100 other foodies.

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The humble 144-character tweet is changing the way we eat–even at lunch trucks.

A plethora of food trucks serving hip and exotic cuisines are rolling into cities and towns across the country, and they’re using social media tools like Twitter and Facebook to advertise their gastronomic offerings and provide up-to-the-minute location information.

In the Los Angeles area, Kogi BBQ’s trucks have nearly 63,000 followers on Twitter and more than 10,000 on Facebook who come for short rib tacos and Kimchi in quesadillas.

Seattle’s Skillet Street Food “airstream trailer,” which serves up bacon jam and burgers made from grass-fed beef, has more than 6,000 Twitter and Facebook followers.

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As state primaries heat up across the country and the American public grapples with today’s issues, Pizza Hut is reaching out to voters with another monumental task — saving the $10 Any Pizza deal.  Pizza Hut announced today that its famous $10 Any Pizza deal is on the ballot in 2010.  Supporters can participate by visiting Facebook.com/PizzaHut today through June 10 and voting ‘YES’ to keep the $10 Any Pizza deal.

In keeping with the American democratic process, the outcome of this important pizza poll will be decided by majority vote.

“We started a pizza revolution when we introduced the $10 Any Pizza deal,” said Brian Niccol, Pizza Hut Chief Marketing Officer.  ”Now it’s up to the people to put pizza first and vote ‘YES’ to keep the $10 Any Pizza deal on the menu at Pizza Hut.”

To help push this issue to the top of the political agenda, Pizza Hut Tweetologist Alexa Robinson will serve as campaign manager for the $10 Any Pizza deal and visit communities across the country canvassing for votes.

“Voting is one of the most basic American rights and pizza fans should have the ability to exercise this right as well,” Robinson said.  ”There are many issues being decided at the polls this year, but the future of the $10 Any Pizza deal is at the top of our list.  I’ll visit Pizza Hut restaurants, national landmarks and political hot spots to gather support for the $10 Any Pizza deal.  Join us in putting pizza first in 2010.”

$10 Any Pizza deal advocates can follow Alexa on Twitter (twitter.com/pizzahut) and track her progress on Foursquare (foursquare.com/user/pizzahut) for exclusive updates.  The “Keep the $10 Any Pizza Deal” campaign tour kicks off today in New York City with scheduled stops in the following cities:

Pizza Hut, America’s Favorite Pizza, delivers more pizza, pasta and wings than any other restaurant.  The only pizza company to be named a top ten franchise in 2009 by Entrepreneur Magazine, Pizza Hut began 50 years ago in Wichita, Kansas and today operates nearly 10,000 restaurants in more than 90 countries.  Pizza Hut, Inc. is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. ( YUM).

Nothing annoys some Twitter users like reading tweets about everything someone else has eaten. But when you’ve visited a good restaurant, made something particularly interesting to eat, or you’re enjoying a particularly good dish or drink, you’ll want to share it with your friends so they can join you the next time you go. If you have an iPhone, Fiddme is an app that allows you to share the food and drinks that you enjoy, the restaurants you’ve visited, and what you thought of the meal with friends and earn points in the process.

Fiddme is a free app, supports iPhone 3.0 or higher, and works just as well on the iPod Touch and iPad as it does on the iPhone. Once you have the app installed, you can set up an account for yourself and begin connecting with other people in your area, or inviting your friends to the service.

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