Food & Beverage - Phenomenal Sides - By Joe Dunbar

A quick way to attack food cost issues in almost any operation is through a simple menu upgrade. Rather than attacking entrees, take a hard look at your sides. A few mouth watering sides prepared with less costly ingredients will boost profits every time. Buffet guests will consume fewer meat and seafood items if they can't resist a great side dish or salad. A la carte operations should charge for the extra special side dish whenever possible. If you offer guests a full meal with their entree choice, offer the top side dish as an upgrade option.

Whenever the guests ask for help ordering from the wait staff, the side should be mentioned along with the entree choices. Perhaps, the dish requires a last minute preparation. Bringing this to the guest's attention can increase orders. Special optional toppings can be used to make an impression.

I believe Durgin Park does a phenomenal job of highlighting mouth watering sides, soups and desserts. Whenever I dine at this historic Boston landmark, everyone in the party raves over the traditional accompaniments. The Corn Bread, Baked Beans, Indian Pudding and Clam Chowder are frequently ordered. Newcomers don't have to guess "what's good?" at Durgin Park. The management offers their recipes for all of these favorites on their website. Whether you enjoy the line upstairs, communal tables, waitresses with an attitude or not, the Yankee favorites are top notch. [ Complete Article ]

Receipt System Offers More Nutritional Info

BY JULIE VALLONE - FOR INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Posted 8/23/2007

Imagine ordering lunch and getting a receipt that not only shows your meal's impact on your wallet, but also on your waistline.

For diners at several Southern California fast-food restaurants, it's a reality. After buying their meals, they get receipts that also include a custom nutritional breakdown of what they ordered. The receipts display the calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein and nutritional daily value for everything they ordered.

Moreover, the receipt shows the impact of customized orders. If you say "Hold the mayo," your receipt will indicate how many calories and fat grams you saved by that decision and how it affected other nutritional categories. If you ask for extra cheese, you'll see how many calories and fat grams were added to your meal, as well as changes in protein and other nutrients.
Complete Article

Nutrition information could be added to TheGrubClub.com menu system. Then restaurants could give interested patrons that menu rather than on every receipt. Nutrition is a major issue but how many people want to see it every time they have a nice meal out. Please let us know if you are interested in this feature. Contact Info.