Origins of the restaurant menu

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1 FLORIDA EDITION FLORIDA S FOODSERVICE INDUSTRY NEWSPAPER $3 VOLUME 17 NUMBER 3 MARCH 2013 Today s Special: How to develop a Great Menu Ap petizers: Industry Spotlight: A sweet bottom line 4 Beverages increase restaurant check averages 11 Entrées: Advertisers Directory...2 Calendar Events...16 Classified Ads...18 Food & Beverage...11 New Openings...6 Under the Toque...13 What s Going On...3 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID WEST PALM BEACH, FL PERMIT NO SPECIAL ISSUE Origins of the restaurant menu In a restaurant, a menu is a presentation of food and beverage offerings. A menu may be a la carte which guests use to choose from a list of options or table d hote, in which case a pre-established sequence of courses is served The first restaurant menus arose roughly one millennium ago, during the Song Dynasty, in China - the only region of the world at the time where paper was abundant. At this time, many merchants often congregated in city centers and had little time or energy to eat during the evening. Because of the large variation found in Chinese Cuisine from different regions, the restaurants could no longer cater to the local palates, giving rise to the menu. The word menu, like much of the terminology of Cusine is French in origin. It ultimately derives from Latin minutus, something made small; in French it came to be applied to a detailed list or résumé of any kind. The original menus that offered consumers choices were prepared on a small chalkboard in French a carte; so foods chosen from a bill of fare are described as à la carte, according to the board. Economics of menu production As early as the mid-20th century, some restaurants have relied on menu specialists to design and print their menus. Prior to the emergence of digital printing, these niche printing companies printed full-color menus on offset By Woody Mills This year, Woody s Bar-B-Q celebrates 33 wonderful years in the restaurant business. That didn t happen by chance. It came to pass through a well-balanced recipe of hard work, good people and great food. My cofounder Yolanda Mills-Mawman and I built our concept from the ground up armed with a dream and a stack of dog-eared recipes from my mother s kitchen. In the earliest days, our bill of fare was written on a simple piece of paper. Needless to say, over the years, our menu has evolved. Most recently, we tested a beautiful new menu at a few of our flagship restaurants and it has been met with rave reviews from our patrons. In the coming weeks, our new menu will be rolled out to more than two dozen of our current and new franchises across the nation. Based on our history and the lessons we ve learned in recent months, we re happy to share what we believe are the keys to designing a successful menu: presses. The economics of full-color offset made it impractical to print short press runs. The solution was to print a menu shell with everything but the prices. The prices would later be printed on a less costly black-only press. In a typical order, the printer might produce 600 menu shells, then finish and laminate 150 menus with prices. When the restaurant needed to reorder, the printer would add prices and laminate some of the remaining shells. With the advent of digital presses, it became practical in the 1990s to print full-color menus affordably in short press runs, sometimes as few at 25 menus. Because Keep it Fresh While nearly all of our original triedand-true items are still on the menu, we ve learned that it s important to keep our menu fresh by transitioning in new of limits on sheet size, larger laminated menus were impractical for single-location independent restaurants, and more restaurants began using menu covers to hold multiple sheets. The use of covers also makes it possible to update one or more pages of the menu without discarding the entire product. More recently, updated technology offers the option of larger laminated menus in press runs of as few as 100 copies. The changing economics of offset printing in the early 21st century made it practical to produce press runs of as few as 300 menus, but some restaurants may want to place far fewer menus into service. Some menu printers continue to use shells. The disadvantage for the restaurant is that it is unable to update anything but prices without creating a new shell. During the economic crisis in the 1970s, many restaurants found that they were having to incur costs from having to reprint the menu as inflation caused prices to increase. Economists noted this transaction cost, and it has become part of economic theory, under the term Menu Costs. As a general economic phenomenon, menu costs can be experienced by a range of businesses beyond restaurants; for example, during a period of inflation, any company that prints catalogues or product price lists will have to reprint Woody s Bar-B-Q shares seven tips to designing a successful menu Yolanda Mills-Mawman & Woody Mills of Woody s Bar-B-Q with theirnew menu. See MENU ORIGINS page 14 items from time-to-time. Our latest menu introduces exciting items like the juicy BIG Black Angus 1/2 LB Hawaiian Burger, lip-smacking Memphis Style Dry Rub Spare Ribs, and tasty BIG FISH Sandwich. This exercise is designed to keep our offerings engaging for longtime barbecue fans and address a wide variety of tastes for first-time guests. Listen to Your Guests In order to successfully launch a new menu item, it s important to test it first. We will occasionally roll something out as a limited time offer to see how it fares or test in a select number of locations. We also often incorporate the use of questionnaires to compile guest feedback to determine whether or not something will be a good item to permanently add to the menu. Woody s Bar-B-Q has been fortunate that our menu item failures are few and far between, but the above-listed steps proved invaluable to us in determining that our new Memphis Dry Rub Spare Ribs met customer approval. Table touches also See WOODY S page 14

2 FLORIDA MARCH MARSAL IS NOW REPRESENTED IN FLORIDA BY: Why is it that we tend to continue to do the things we do? Do these actions seem to make us comfortable, even if they are wrong or doing us harm? Haven t you said to yourself stop when you were drinking that next drink that would put you over the top or eating that calorie loaded dessert in the face of your doctors warning to lose weight? Haven t you ignored your own little voice that tells you not to do something? We all have! Why? My mother always told me that the only constant in life is change. Appell Pie Why? Howard Appell Today s Restaurant Publisher For each one of us the answer is different because we all have had different experiences growing up that have affected us in so many ways. Our past determines our future unless we step in to change the present. The story of a little girl watching her mother cook a roast is the best example I can give. The little girl while watching her mother prepare the roast for cooking asks Why did you cut out the bone before you placed it in the pot? The mother responded, Go ask Grandma The little girl went into the next room and asked the same question. Why do you take the bone out of the roast before cooking it? Grandma responded, Because my pot wasn t big enough to hold the roast and the bone together. Have you ever questioned the way you do the things you do? Sounds like a Temptations song title. I watch all of the reality shows showing celebrity chefs rescuing failing restaurant owners from themselves. The common thread that all of these shows have is an owner unwilling to change and believing that he or she is right. If they were right they wouldn t be in the shape they re in! What in their past has led them to cling to their beliefs? Why does the smell of an apple pie baking bring back happy memories to some people? It s all about what we were taught when we were growing up. Our parents or caregivers gave us the path to our future when we were young by teaching us their beliefs. Those of us who ask questions are able to make decisions based on current conditions and facts and are not perceived as pig headed and old fashioned My mother always told me that the only constant in life is change. Given the economic conditions we have been dealt during the last five years we have been forced to change our business models or be relegated to the junk heap of old ideas. What changes have you made in the running of your business? Does that little voice tell you that you should renovate your restaurant or change your menu to fit a changing demographic in your neighborhood? Should you advertise more in the local newspaper or build a new website along with a mobile app? Are you reading trade newspapers like Today s Restaurant to get news that impacts you? Do you take advantage of social networking like our Business Network where operators and suppliers can discuss topics and learn how to change while move forward. (see and click Business Network) Why? Because without change there is no future. Be part of it or get run over. Now, can someone show me how to really use my smart phone? Lol. Be sure to read the May issue featuring Restaurant Survival tips. Index of Advertisers Abacus...4 AMC Wholesale...3 American Range...20 Anvi Builders...15 Atlantic Coast Fire...5 Broward Nelson Fountain...13 & 19 Build Our App Now...15 Chernoff...2 Cool-Off...10 Culinary Software Services...13 Delray Foodservice...15 Filter Pure...2 Finkel Business Brokers Florida First Insurance...12 Florida Restaurant Assoc Gelato Fino...11 JF Auctions...15 Master-Tech Service...6 Miller & Associates...17 Prime Meat Cuts...14 Restaurant Vendors Association...12 S.E.R.V.E South Florida Food & Beverage Expo...18 Thunderbird...9 Toby Neverett Auctions...1 ToucheSuite...6 Trade First...12 Tropical Equipment...7 P.O. Box , Boca Raton, FL (561) Fax (561) howard@trnusa.com Today s Restaurant is published monthly by Today s Restaurant News. This issue s contents, in full or part may not be reproduced without permission. Not responsible for advertisers claims or statements. PUBLISHER... Howard Appell ASSOCIATE EDITOR... Wesley Paul CONTRIBUTING EDITOR... Joe Dunbar CIRCULATION MANAGER... Eric Spencer ADVERTISING MANAGER... Howard McKinney ART DIRECTOR...Jim Pollard SALES MANAGERS... Terri McKinney... William Lagusker GET INVOLVED! Today s Restaurant accepts contributions for our monthly articles and features including Calendar Events, New Openings, Under the Toque and What s Going On? Call or for more info on how you can get your business or product featured in Today s Restaurant! TODAY S RESTAURANT

3 Berner International Corp., New Castle, Pa., a leading U.S. manufacturer and innovator of air curtains, presented foodservice manufacturer s representatives, The Veitch Group, based in Fort Lauderdale, the Bronze Achievement Award for Outstanding Sales in 2012, at the North American Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) Show held recently in Orlando. Ocean s Grill, 2009 N. Citrus Blvd. in Leesburg has closed. It operated for several years as an Oyster Bar. It closed late Rosedale Brick Oven Pizzeria, an Italian restaurant in Naples, FL announced it will be opening a new, second location in Coral Springs. The owners made the decision to expand after the overwhelming success they have experienced, since opening their doors in April of The new restaurant located at 2049 N. University Dr., should open in May. What s Going On Important new products, corporate news and industry events. Sundy House, an award-winning restaurant and boutique hotel located in Delray Beach, Florida, has named Sarah Sipe as the Pastry Chef. She will be working alongside Executive Chef Lindsay Autry. Chef Sarah Sipe, a Florida native, has been delighting diners with her sweet creations in and around the South Florida area for the past 10 years. Sarah graduated from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island where she embarked on an internship in Vienna, Austria that pushed her love for the sweet side of the kitchen. Upon her return from Europe, she began working under Chef Frederic Monnet at The Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne, where she worked her way up to assistant pastry chef. Sarah has held the position of Pastry Chef for Michelle Bernstein at her flagship Michy s in Miami as well as The Omphoy Ocean Resort. Chef Sarah s addition to the Sundy House culinary team is further enhancing our menu and experience for our guests, said Bruce Siegel, Sundy Sarah Sipe House General Manager. She has worked with Chef Lindsay Autry at Michelle Bernstein s restaurants and together they are delighting our guests. Located in the heart of historic downtown Delray Beach, the Sundy House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sundy House is located at 106 South Swinton, Delray Beach. Co-owners Sophia Mylona and Gus Leontarakis announced the appointment of Chef Brian Cantrell as Executive Chef of Thasos restaurant in Ft Lauderdale. A veteran on the South Florida dining scene for more than 13 years, Cantrell was most recently Executive Chef at Prime Italian on Miami Beach. A native of Asheville, North Carolina, Cantrell acquired a passion for cooking as a child while helping his grandmother in the kitchen at the family farm. In 1996, he moved to Florida, and accepted a position as Chef de Cuisine at Bistro Zenith restaurant in Palm Beach Gardens. After moving to New England to become Sous Chef at Cioppino s Restaurant in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the warm weather quickly called Cantrell back to Florida, where he accepted a position as Sous Chef at Boca Raton s Mark s Mizner Park until The next decade found Cantrell, a Five Star Diamond Chef, in the kitchen of some of South Florida s most popular restaurants. Thasos is located at 3330 East Oakland Park Blvd., and can be reached at Electro Freeze, a division of H.C. Duke and Son, LLC (Duke), introduced their new Electro Freeze logo and website, making the most dramatic change to its visual identity since The most profound change to the logo is the EF Cone icon, said Tom Hotard, President. Electro Freeze is known for its premium soft serve dispensing equipment and for developing the first twist soft serve machine in 1958, a concept that revolutionized the soft serve industry. A cone image was displayed on the arch at the top of our machines in the 30s and 40s, but was never really a part of the logo. The updated corporate identity reflects the Company s history of providing soft serve frozen dessert and beverage dispensing solutions and is released in conjunction with the launch of the Company s new website. This new site brings our solutionsbased strategies to customers 24/7, continued Hotard, and is focused on optimizing the equipment, product and customer connection for business success. Visit for more information. Gas Foodservice Equipment Network (GFEN) selected Vulcan s PowerFry VK Series Fryer to receive the 2013 Blue Flame Award for Product of the Year, highlighting the company s commitment to producing leading technology that supports the Gas Foodservice Industry. Recognizing innovative natural gas appliances each year, GFEN s Blue Flame Award emphasizes the importance of introducing new and improved cooking equipment to the marketplace and rewards manufacturers outstanding efforts in research and development. Ranked best by GFEN, the PowerFry Fryer was evaluated in multiple categories ranging from creativity, technology and quality to productivity, safety and environmental impact. As a leading commercial equipment provider, it s our mission to help foodservice professionals streamline their operational needs with technologically advanced products, said Paul Forrest, General Manager of Vulcan s Fryer Cooking Division. The Power - Fry VK Series Fryer exemplifies our efforts to design equipment that seamlessly increases producitivity, reduces energy costs, and delivers exceptional cooking results. See WHAT S GOING ON page 8 3 MARCH 2013 FLORIDA AMC WHOLESALE,INC. YOUR LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR FOR THESE QUALITY LINES: More Product Lines Available CALL! Stocked in Miami Call AMC Wholesale, Inc. for the dealer nearest you! amcwholesale@bellsouth.net TODAY S RESTAURANT Call Us Today!

4 FLORIDA MARCH Industry Spotlight Bottom line profits: Sweet justification By Gregory Parker Ft. Lauderdale Restaurant owners focus a great deal of attention on the appetizer and entree portion of the meal experience, but not necessarily on the dessert and after dinner beverage area. However, research done by NPD CREST indicates that casual-dining guests who order dessert report increased satisfaction rates of percent. Simple equation: More Satisfied Customer = More Repeat Business. People in the restaurant and food service business are definitely leaving money on the table if they don t feature the sweet ending, states Greg Parker, President of Fort Lauderdale-based Gelato Fino Desserts, founded in Gregory Parker Gelato Fino Fort Lauderdale At a time when people are hankering for some small comfort, Parker s company provides the perfect fix with its superior line of finished dessert (both bakery and ice cream style), as well as their signature lines of gelato, sorbet, ice cream and Italian Ice. Top chefs, restaurant owners, clubs and cruise lines have been working with us for the last 25 years, developing custom creations they ve only been able to dream of serving in the past. We also offer a dessert design service for multi unit operators, where we create proprietary desserts in a collaborative process with corporate chefs. There are bakery companies and ice cream companies, but we are rare in that we do both. Parker recognizes that many restaurateurs and caterers like the pastry chef appeal of an individual dessert, which is why Gelato Fino has developed its very successful line of delectable creations. Together with a small amount of plate decoration, a very unique and upscale presentation can be achieved with this product, he says. During quiet times, individual desserts allow staff to defrost only what is needed for that day, minimizing waste and stales. During busy times, they can be tempered to serving temperature easily and quickly, unlike a sliced cake. Quick tips on selling desserts: Props dessert menus, dessert trays, etc ALL of the chains are now doing this. Have the servers try some small samples of your desserts this gives them the ability to give a valid endorsement. Sell one - Research proves that if you sell one dessert, the likelihood that you will sell another goes up 88%. Start talking about dessert early, during the meal, and before coffee. Coffee means the end of the meal to most. Dessert will sell coffee naturally, not necessarily the other way around. Sometimes operators have a reluctance to focus on desserts because they believe that turning the table is more profitable than increasing check average. This only makes sense if you are running a wait time of more than 25 minutes all day long. Why not do both? In almost every instance, don t you want to maximize every check? The overall strategy is to avoid time spent in selling by server suggestion, while adding to the bottom line. To assist food service providers achieve these additional profits, Parker focuses on supporting his outstanding product line with point of sale promotion. For the busy restaurant, for example, he provides high-quality, visually beautiful, customized menus, featuring the customer s logo. These menus keep server selling time to a minimum while giving the customer a compelling invitation to add dessert. A graphic dessert menu is tremendously effective in selling this part of the meal, and speeds up the whole ordering process, allowing the operator to both realize the added revenue, and also turn the table in an effective way, continues Parker. You also lessen the amount of server training and motivation necessary. As an aside, he mentions that while offering a dessert tray is effective, a graphic menu offers the same advantage without the waste. Also, many operators use a text-only menu, similar to their standard menu. People are already sold on an entree when they walk in the door - it s not optional. The dessert/coffee portion of the menu is optional, however, and needs another strategy to be sold. While we have been offering a free, image-rich dessert menu program - See SPOTLIGHT page XXXX TODAY S RESTAURANT

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6 FLORIDA MARCH New Openings New business opportunities in Florida s foodservice industry. Now Open MANHATTAN LOUNGE MARTINI AND MUSIC 2861 Commerical, Ft Lauderdale BIG LOUIE'S PIZZA 3095 W Cypress Creek Rd, Ft Lauderdale CECCI PERUVIAN, 1541 Washington Ave, Miami Beach CLAIRE'S CAFE, 6600 NW 14 St, Plantation SWEET DADDY'S WINGS 3684 W Oakland Park Blvd, Lauderdale Lakes THE DUBLINER (opens March 17th) 210 SW 2nd St, Ft Lauderdale AT THE PIER RESTAURANT, 943 CR 439, Lake Panasoffkee COYOTE CANTINA, 18 SW Broadway St, Ocala IVY HOUSE RESTAURANT, 917 E. Silver Springs Blvd, Ocala NORM'S PALETTE, 303 N. Baker St Ste 100, Mount Dora TANTRA INDIAN FUSION RESTAURANT 3131 SW College Rd. (SR 200) Ste 303, Ocala TASSO CAJUN KITCHEN (opened late last year), 123 S. Joanna Ave, Tavares VINCENT AND FRANCESCO'S ITALIAN BISTRO 4120 Corley Island Rd, Leesburg JERSEY MIKE'S, University Blvd. W, Jacksonville CHIANTI ITALIAN RESTAURANT, 3900 Clark Road, Sarasota JACK DUSTY - Coastal Cuisine & Crafted Cocktails, 1111 Ritz- Carlton Drive, Sarasota THE NEW MIAMI SUBS GRILL 901 South Royal Poinciana Blvd Bldg B, Miami Springs GREEN BAR AND KITCHEN, 1075 SE 17th St, Ft Lauderdale FRESH BITES LEBANESE RESTAURANT Countryway Blvd, Tampa BUNNIE CAKES, 2322 NE 2nd Ave, Miami THE CYPRESS ROOM, 3620 NE Second Ave, Miami Beach BARNACLES, 3480 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove SPADINIS PIZZA, 134 NE 2nd Ave, Boca Raton ARTIZAN FLAT BREAD CO, 141 Via Naranja, Boca Raton HOT AND SOUL, 3045 N Federal Hwy Ste 60, Ft Lauderdale KALE'A RESTAURANT & UPSCALE LOUNGE 1412 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach UNIQUE DESIGNER'S CAKE, 69 NW 9th Street, Miami B SWEET COFFEE SHOP, 20 NE 41 St, Miami PHARMACY, 8060 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando D ANGELO PIZZA TUSCAN REST, 1370 Weston Road, Weston BURGER 21, University Blvd Ste 16, Orlando TERRA, 4260 Herschel St, Jacksonville PINCHO FACTORY - Pinchos Burgers & Hotdogs (2nd location), 30 Giralda Ave, Coral Gables TOASTED, 1945 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park CHARLES ST RESTAURANT, 2000 Collins Ave, Miami Beach BISCAYNE TAVERN in the new b2 hotel, 146 Biscayne Blvd, Miami TUMMINELLO'S DELI CAFÈ 2014 E. Sample Road, Lighthouse Point BREW DOGS, 131 NE 2nd Ave, Deerfield Beach FORTY ONE GLOBAL GRILL 4100 N Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale SWEET SALOON DESSERT BAR & LOUNGE 7100 Biscayne Blvd, Miami BURT & MAX'S BAR & GRILLE 9089 W Atlantic Ave Ste 100, Delray Beach JIMMY Z KITCHEN PINECREST, 9050 S Dixie Hwy, Miami MALCOLM'S BAR & GRILL AT LPGA INTERNATIONAL 1000 Champions Drive, Daytona Beach OLD FLORIDA FISH CAMP AND SEAFOOD SHACK nd Ave North, Jacksonville Beach MARCO'S PIZZA, Collier Blvd, Naples CLASICO CAFE & BAR, 1341 Main St, Sarasota WILD SEA OYSTER BAR & GRILLE 620 E Las Olas Blvd, Ft Lauderdale EL OSH SOBE - Latin Delicatessen, 161 Ocean Dr, Miami SGT. PEPPER'S SUBS, S Dixie Hwy, Miami BOILING CRAWFISH SEAFOOD REST & SPORTS BAR Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville BLUE HIGHWAY - A Pizzeria, SW 1st Rd., Newberry SWINE SOUTHERN TABLE & BAR 2415 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables RIVAL'S SPORTS BAR AND PIZZA 3440 Harbor City Blvd, Melbourne TIJUANA FLATS BURRITO CO University Blvd, Orlando PAPA MURPHY'S - a Take and Bake Pizza Place, 859 Lithia Pinecrest Rd, Brandon CHOMPS SPORTS GRILL, 5109 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville RUMORS, 2426 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors CAPRICCIO ON THE RIVER, 31 SE 5th St., Miami BUCA DI BEPPO, 801 N. Congress Avenue, Boynton Beach THE FLAT LOUNGE & BAR 500 South Pointe Dr, Miami Beach MAC N CHEESE: 101 URBAN EATERY 101 SE Ocean Blvd Ste 103, Stuart LA PLAYA REST, 38 Town Center Loop C8, Santa Rosa Beach JOE'S CRAB SHACK, 1483 Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale ZITI, 3501 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota WOK, Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale BULLA GASTROBAR, 2500 Ponce de Leon, Coral Gables DORSIA, 5837 N Federal, Boca Raton LEMON TREE CAFE, 5463 Lyons Road Ste E, Coconut Creek HULLABALOO RESTAURANT 517 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach THE WINE AND CHEESE CAFE, 802 N.Dixie Hwy, Lantana NATURAL CHICKEN GRILL, SW 8th St, Miami ACROPOLIS TAVERNA, 3484 Main Highway, Coral Gables SEGRETO RESTAURANT, 39 SE 1st Ave, Boca Raton PETIT SOLEIL / offshoot of Bistro Soleil at the Olde Marco Inn, 100 Palm Street, Marco Island BETTY LOU'S RESTAURANT 50 Wilson Springs Blvd S, Naples STEAMIN JAX, 9703 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville THE POTTER'S HOUSE SOUL FOOD BISTRO II Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville HOLA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 9965 San Jose Blvd Ste 35, Jacksonville OISHII SUSHI, 4375 Southside Blvd Ste 4, Jacksonville DEANO'S BAR & BISTRO 425 S. Ft. Lauderdale Blvd, Ft Lauderdale MARTIN FIERRO STEAK HOUSE - an Argentine Rest, Livingston Rd Ste 11, Naples THAI UDON CAFÈ - a Thai Japanese Rest, 5926 Premier Way Ste 116, Naples GREEN BAR AND KITCHEN, 1075 SE 17 St, Ft Lauderdale BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE, 8888 SW 136 St Ste 380, Miami GILLEY'S COUNTRY ROCK SALOON 5739 Seminole Way, Hollywood CHEESE STEAK EXPERIENCE 3341 NE 32nd St., Ft Lauderdale GREEK CORNER GRILL, 317 SW 6th St, Ft Lauderdale SMASHBURGER 5975 N Federal Hwy Ste , Ft Lauderdale PIZZA HEALTHY, 2941 SW 160th Ave, Miramar THE DRUNKEN TACO 200 S Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Ft Lauderdale ARDY'S EATABLE DELYGHTS, 1855 N Main St, Jacksonville MANGO SUN CAFÈ AND GRILLE 2200 W. International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach FOUR STARS PIZZERIA, 3868 N University, Sunrise MILANEZZA, 700 Crandon Park Blvd, Key Biscayne CITY FIRE AMERICAN OVEN & BAR 2716 Brownwood Blvd, The Villages DENNY'S, 200 Third St, Neptune Beach PDQ RESTAURANT, 3255 North Federal Hwy, Oakland Park N LOUNGE BY NAOE, 661 Brickell Key Drive, Miami GREEK AVENUE, 805 N SR 7, Hollywood URBAN FLATS FLATBREAD & WINE CO 132 W Plant Street, Winter Garden TIME TO EAT DINER, 716 US Hwy 1 North, Tequesta GYROVILLE REALLY FRESH GREEK FOOD 8841 SW 107th Ave, Kendall MAZELLI'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 9763 W Broward Blvd, Plantation BAGEL BROTHERS 500 NW California Blvd Ste J-1 Library, Port St Lucie BAGEL BROTHERS, 4600 Kirby Loop Rd, Ft Pierce LOVE IS BLIND REST, 225 Altara Ave, Coral Gables JOHN S TACOS, 9517 Harding Ave, Surfside NOSH, 3477 Harding Ave, Surfside BISCAYNE DINER, 8601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami BENTO CAFE: PAN ASIAN & SUSHI, 15 SE 1st Ave, Gainesville JOELLE CAFÈ, 7910 Baymeadows Way, Jacksonville LATIN CHARADE, SW 143 Ct Bay 1, Miami DELVECCHIO'S PIZZERIA & ITALIAN REST S University Dr, Davie TEMARIS, 1250 S Miami Ave, Miami NATOLITANO CUCINA, 9835 Lake Worth Rd, Wellington OSTERIA MANCINI'S MODERN ITALIAN 401 E Las Olas Blvd Ste 150, Ft Lauderdale BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE, 700 Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach FRANK THEATRES CINE GRILLE & BOWL 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach SWEET FROG PREMIUM FROZEN YOGURT (many Fl locations in the works), 4799 W. Irlo Bronson Mem Hwy, Kissimmee THE FRESH MARKET, 1650 Airport Blvd, Pensacola LA SPADA HOAGIES, 1495-D SE 17th St, Ft Lauderdale WRAP & ROLL - A KOSHER REST 3000 Stirling Rd Ste 116, Hollywood PANERA BREAD, Paseo Drive Ste 100, Wesley Chapel ORIGINAL PICKLE BARRELL 1007 Ste A South University Drive, Plantation GREEN HOUSE ORGANIC FOOD RESTAURANT 3207 NE 163rd St, North Miami Beach THASOS, 3330 E. Oakland Park Blvd, Ft Lauderdale TEQUILAS, 1613 E Seventh Ave, Ybor City RIZIO'S PERUVIAN CUISINI Biscayne Blvd., North Miami Beach DAILY MELT, 3401 N Miami Ave, Miami PIANO - an upscale live music bar, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood G.W. SHARKEY S RAW BAR & GRILL Royal Palm Blvd, Coral Springs MR. BISTRO, 4933 N University, Lauderhill BURGER SHACK, 8855 SE Bridge Rd, Hobe Sound QUARTERMAN'S ICE CREAM PARLOR 4 S. Miami Ave, Miami LUCALI - famed Brooklyn pizza, 1930 Bay Rd, Miami Beach Under Construction ISLAND BREEZE, 1750 Clearwater-Largo Rd, Largo, Mar-Apr 13 BAR & GRILL, 8305 Bay Pines Blvd N, Seminole, Mar-Apr 13 LONG NECK BREWHOUSE, 950 SE Indian St, Stuart, Apr 13 PORKETTA, 50 Biscayne Blvd Ste 7, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 PASION DEL CIELO, 3301 NE 1st Ave, Miami, Apr-May 13 SHAGGY DOG PIZZA 3650 N Federal Hwy, Lighthouse Point, Mar-Apr TAP AND TAVERN, W St. Rd 84, Davie, March 13 GROUND & POUND 1701 N Congress Ave, Boynton Beach, March 13 FONOMEMECO RESTAURANT 2846 Palm Ave, Hialeah, Apr 13 MEANER WIENER, 500 S Howard Ave, Tampa, March 13 MOLLY MALONE'S IRISH PUB 304 E Davis Blvd, Tampa, March 13 WOLFGANG'S STEAKHOUSE 315 S Biscayne Blvd, Miami, Jun-Jul 13 FIT BODY BISTRO, 5440 Military Trail Ste 1, Jupiter, May 13 VILLA MARIA RESTAURANT 9910 ALT A1A Ste 701, Palm Beach Gardens, March 13 SHIKANY, 251 NW 25th St, Miami, Aug - Sept 2013 ITALIO MODERN ITALIAN KITCHEN 2211 N Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale, Jun-Jul 13 ITALIO MODERN ITALIAN KITCHEN 276 South Orlando Ave, Winter Park, Apr-May 13 TACO VIDA, 330 Clematis St, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 GROOVY'S PIZZA, 938 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 TILTED KILT PUB AND EATERY 606 E Hallandale Beach Blvd, Hallandale, Mar-Apr 13 LOUIE'S MODERN - Rest & Catering Facility, 1262 Palm Ave, Sarasota, March 13 TAPS BAR & LOUNGE, 9115 Strada Place, Naples, Mar-Apr 13 SECOND CUP (1st US location/out of Canada), 9115 Strada Place, Naples, Mar-Apr 13 TACO BEACH 2941 E Las Olas Blvd, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 BOILING CRAWFISH SEAFOOD REST & SPORTS BAR 5149 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, March 13 BLUE LAGOON RESTAURANT 2000 Oyster Creek Drive, Englewood, Mar-Apr 13 CASA MOFONGO Avalon Lake Dr Ste H, Orlando, Apr 13 TONGUE AND CHEEK 431 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 MAKNAO, 1737 University Dr, Sunrise, March 13 LENOS AL CARBON RESTAURANTE W Atlantic Blvd, Coral Springs, March 13 LUXE SPORTS RESTAURANT & GRILL 138 Miracle Strip Parkway SE, Ft Walton Beach, March 13 BUCA DI BEPPO 4125 Cleveland Avenue, Ft Myers, Apr 13 SUBWAY Florida Turnpike Mile Marker 184, Okeechobee, Mar-Apr 13 BENNIGAN'S, 6324 International Dr, Orlando, Sept - Oct 2013 ZIGGY'S CASUAL RESTAURANT 2525 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, Mar-Apr 13 COOPER S HAWK WINERY & RESTAURANT (1st FL location), Boy Scout Blvd, Tampa, Mar-Apr 13 CHARLIE'S BISTRO & BAR 100 Costa del Sol Blvd, Doral, Mar-Apr 13 BUSTER'S DOUGHBOYS & CLAM CAKES - a New England themed Rest, 4305 N Pine Island Rd, Sunrise, Mar-Apr 13 BAREZZITO SOUTH BEACH - Sushi bar & Music, 2000 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 THE GRASSHOPPER/EL CHAPULIN 7253 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, March 13 KINGS ORLANDO - EAT DRINK & BOWL 8255 S International Dr Ste 120, Orlando, Mar-Apr 13 SEA DOG BREWING CO Palm Parkway, Lake Buena Vista, March 13 DUNKIN' DONUTS & BASKIN ROBBINS ICE CREAM 3124 North Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, March 13 HOULIGAN'S, 1396 Dunlawton Ave, Port Orange, Mar-Apr 13 GRANTLEE'S TAVERN & GRILL 2004 N Dixie Frwy, New Smyrna Beach, March 13 BOBBY'S BURGER PALACE 7535 N Kendall Ave, Miami, Sept - Oct 2013 FIRE RESTAURANT 325 W Central Ave, Winter Haven, Mar-Apr 13 FOUR STARS PIZZERIA BY ITALIAN RED SAUCE 3834 N University Dr, Sunrise, Mar-Apr 13 SOULVLAKI FAST 706 S Federay Hwy, Deerfield Beach, Mar-Apr 13 GREAT LAKES GRILLE, 4300 US RT 1, Jupiter, Mar-Apr 13 TABLE a High End Rest, 427 Northwood Rd, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 JOE'S SEAFOOD SHACK 4402 N University Dr, Lauderhill, Mar-Apr 13 SWEET BANANAS GRILL Forest Hill Blvd, Wellington, March 13 MUSCLE MAKER GRILL 2020 West Pensacola Street, Tallahassee, Mar-Apr 13 M.A.D.E. RESTAURANT, 1990 Main St, Sarasota, March 13 CHEDDAR'S CASUAL CAFE 4101 Park Boulevard, Pinellas Park, Apr-May 13 CHEDDAR'S CASUAL CAFE 7171 N. Davis Highway Ste 240, Pensacola, Mar-Apr 13 LATIN AMERICAN RESTAURANT 311 North 3rd St, Jacksonville Beach, Mar-Apr 13 THE CRAZY EGG, SR 200 Ste 1 & 2, Yulee, March 13 YO3 METRO SELF SERVE YOGURT 6901 NW 47th Terrace, Gainesville, Mar-Apr 13 WAHOO SEAFOOD GRILL 3833 NW 97th Blvd, Gainesville, Mar-Apr 13 SALADWORKS, 1180 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, Mar-Apr 13 TANGO ARGENTINIAN STEAKHOUSE 2015 SW 17th St, Ocala, Apr-May 13 JITTERZ CAFE S. US Hwy. 27/441 Ste 11, Summerfield, Mar-Apr 13 FINNEGAN'S COLONIAL TAVERN, 2060 S. Bay St, Eustis, Mar-Apr 13 TODAY S RESTAURANT

7 EATON'S BEACH SANDBAR & GRILL SE 134th Ave, Weirsdale, Mar-Apr 13 KOUZINA GREEK BISTRO, 3535 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, Apr 13 PIZZA FUSION 2146 Tamiami Trail North, Naples, April FIRST WATCH DAYTIME CAFE (many more opening in FL), 4045 Tyrone Blvd N Ste 204, St Petersburg, Mar-Apr 13 FIRST WATCH DAYTIME CAFE (many more opening in FL), State Road 7, Boca Raton, May - June 2013 FIRST WATCH DAYTIME CAFE (many more opening in FL), Causeway Blvd, Brandon, Jun-Jul 13 LAS VEGAS CUBAN 2150 N University Dr, Hollywood, March 13 MARCO'S PIZZA 9120 W Commercial Ste 1, Sunrise, Mar-Apr 13 GOLD & PEPPER, 239 1st St, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 JAZZIZ NIGHTLIFE, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, Mar-Apr 13 A MODERN ITALIAN THEMED REST (to be named at a later date), 29 Palofox Place, Pensacola, Jun-Jul 13 BAR LORENZO, 1776 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, Apr-May 13 CHOPS LOBSTER SEAGRILLE 450 Las Olas Blvd Ste 190, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 JR'S BUCKWILD COUNTRY BAR & NIGHTCLUB 4000 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, March 13 ZINBURGER WINE & BURGER BAR 6000 GladesRd, Boca Raton, June 13 BLOCKS PIZZA 1450 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 NAPOLIS RESTAURANT 5709 N University Drive, Tamarac, Mar-Apr 13 BALDINOS GIANT JERSEY SUBS (1st one in Fl), 5921 Univeristy Blvd, Jacksonville, Apr-May 13 ROSEDALE BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA 2049 N. University Dr, Coral Springs, May 13 TX BASED - Twin Peaks Restaurant (1st in FL), 8350 International Drive, Orlando, Mar-Apr 13 BRAZA BRAZILLIAN STEAKHOUSE To come when available, Sarasota, Mar-Apr 13 MR. BIG FISH, 754 Neapolitan Way, Naples, Mar-Apr 13 HOUSE OF OMELETS 900 SW Pine Island, Cape Coral, Mar-Apr 13 LOBSTER BAR SEA GRILLE 450 East Las Olas, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 CHIPOLTE MEXICAN GRILL 2209 SW 37th Ave, Coral Gables, Mar-Apr 13 POLLO TROPICAL 2300 N Federal Hwy, Pompano Beach, Mar-Apr 13 BALANS, 7535 Dadeland Mall Space, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 EARLS KITCHEN + BAR 7535 Dadeland Mall Space, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 BOBBY FLAY S BURGER PALACE 7535 Dadeland Mall Space, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 AOKI TEPPANYAKI 7535 Dadeland Mall Space, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 AROMA ESPRESSO BAR 7535 Dadeland Mall Space 2380, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 BRICKTOPS RESTAURANT 220 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Mar-Apr 13 PIETRO'S ON THE OCEAN S Ocean Dr, Jensen Beach, May - June 2013 CARMEL CAFE & WINE BAR (1st Central FL location), 140 N. Orlando Ave, Winter Park, May 13 MANGO'S TROPICAL CAFE (original one on Miami Beach), 8102 International Drive, Orlando, Sept - Oct 2014 (not a typo) THE FLYING PAN, 2702 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, Mar-Apr 13 TEST KITCHEN, 7350 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 KUNGFUZI - Vietnamese style food, Alton Rd, Miami, Apr 13 WRAP N' ROLL CAFÈ 5241 Coconut Creek Parkway, Margate, Mar-Apr 13 CHUY'S MEXICAN International Dr, Orlando, Feb - March 2014 (not a typo) CHUY'S MEXICAN 7913 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy, Kissimmee, Mar. 19, 2013 MOXIE KITCHEN + COCKTAILS 4972 Big Island Drive, Jacksonville, Aug - Sept 2013 UMIAMI BURGER, 1080 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 LURE FISHBAR 1601 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, Sept - Oct 2013 New Openings Subscribe to the New Openings list at FRENCH QUARTER RESTAURANT 215 SE 8 Ave, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 THE MIGHT AS WELL CAFE 410 Broad St, Jacksonville, Mar-Apr 13 GOOZLEPIPE & GUTTYWORKS (permitting issues), 914 King St, Riverside, May - June 2013 EDDIE V'S, 7488 W Sand Lake Rd, Orlando, Sept - Oct 2013 S3 RESTAURANT (on the ground floor of Hilton Ft Laud Bch Resort), 505 N Ft Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Ft Lauderdale, Apr- May 13 THE COLONIAL QUARTER 51 St George Street, St Augustine, Apr-May 13 DOC S PIZZA HOUSE (was supposed to open in 2012 plans delay), 5475 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs, Mar-Apr 13 BUFFALO WILD WINGS (areas 1st), Airport Pulling Rd and US 41 East, Naples, Mar-Apr 13 BAY HOUSE VILLAGE TO INCLUDE A BREWERY, BAKERY & ITALIAN BISTRO & HOTEL 799 Walkerbilt Road, Naples, Nov - Dec 2013 CHUCK E. CHEESE'S pizza and entertain ment venue, Tamiami Trl N, Naples, July - Aug 2013 LE MACARON FRENCH PASTRIES 9100 Strada Place, Naples, March 13 SUSHIGAMI, W Sunrise Blvd, Sunrise, Mar-Apr 13 TIBBY'S (2nd Fl location), 494 West State Road 436, Altamonte Springs, May - June 2013 CIPRIANI RESTAURANTS, 485 Brickell Ave, Miami, Apr 13 CORNER TAQUERIA, 207 Atlantic Blvd, Neptune Bch, Apr 13 FLIPPIN PIZZA, 290 N Federal Hwy, Ft Lauderdale, Apr 13 TUTTO FRESCO, 9501 Brandywine Lane, Boca Raton, Apr 13 WORLD OF BEER, Brownwood Blvd, The Villages, May-Jun 13 GATOR'S DOCKSIDE Brownwood Blvd, The Villages, May - June 2013 FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES Brownwood Blvd, The Villages, May - June 2013 BUOYS' PORT-OF-CALL STEAK SEAFOOD & RAW BAR 220 E Monument Ave, Kissimmee, Mar-Apr 13 HUNGRY HOWIE'S 3837 Southside Blvd Ste 7, Jacksonville, Mar-Apr 13 WORLD OF BEER, 435 E Central Blvd Ste D, Orlando, Apr MONTADITOS- tapas-size sandwiches, Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 PDQ RESTAURANT 2015 Okeechobee Blvd, W. Palm Bch, Apr-May 13 WYNWOOD BREWING CO, 565 NW 24 ST, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 RESTAURANT DU CAP, 660 Brickell Ave, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 EATON'S BEACH SANDBAR & GRILL (2 story), SE 134th Ave, Weirsdale, Apr-May 13 SKY THAI SUSHI, 350 E Las Olas Blvd, Ft Lauderdale, Apr 13 FUNKY BUDDHA BREWERY 1202 NE 38th St, Oakland Park, Mar-Apr 13 SHANE'S RIB SHACK, 5037 Hwy 90, Milton, Mar-Apr 13 NEW TAPAS CONCEPT (to be named), 183 South Orange Ave, Orlando, Mar-Apr 13 STREAMSONG - a Luxury Golf Resort & Restaurant, Old Hwy 37, Ft Meade, Sept - Oct 2013 MAKNAO, 1737 University Drive, Sunrise, Mar-Apr 13 CHICK-FIL-A, 1130 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay, April P.F. CHANG S CHINA BISTRO US Highway 19 North, Clearwater, Mar-Apr 13 P.F. CHANG S CHINA BISTRO U.S. 41 and Osprey Avenue, Sarasota, Sept 13 WAFFLE HOUSE, 7652 Merrill Road, Jacksonville, Apr-May 13 WAFFLE HOUSE 4271 Roosevelt Blvd, Jacksonville, Mar-Apr 13 WAFFLE HOUSE 704 Blanding Blvd, Orange Park, Apr-May 13 CIGAR CITY BREWPUB N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, Mar-Apr 13 STEPHEN'S PIZZA, 4840 Hypoluxo Rd, Lantana, Mar-Apr 13 EUROPEAN CORNER 1850 SE 17th Street Causeway, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 EL AGUILAR RESTAURANT CAFE 2291 NW 36 St, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 SS HOOKERS - a Fish Market, Rest and Bar with outdoor Seating, Summerlin Road at Punta Rassa, Ft Myers, March 13 8 OZ. BURGER BAR 1245 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES (more coming in FL), 150 S. Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach, Mar-Apr 13 TRADER JOE'S (1st So Fl location), 9205 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 BARRY'S DINER AND BURGER'S 7841 Rittenhouse Lane, Jacksonville, Mar-Apr 13 COPPER BLUES ROCK CLUB & KITCHEN 700 Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 WANNA B'S KARAOKE BAR 700 Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 REVOLUTIONS - Bowling, Bar & Grille, 700 Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 THE BRASS TAP 700 Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 TEQUILA COWBOY BAR & GRILL 700 Rosemary Ave, West Palm Beach, Mar-Apr 13 HOW DO YOU ROLL SUSHI 1802 W University Ave, Gainesville, Mar-Apr 13 HOW DO YOU ROLL SUSHI W Sunrise Blvd, Sunrise, Mar-Apr 13 KAZUMI, 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne, Mar-Apr 13 BOSHAMP'S OYSTER HOUSE & ORGANIC AND SPECIALTY SEAFOOD, 414 Harbor Blvd, Destin, Mar-Apr 13 MARINA CANTINA RESTAURANT 25 Causeway Blvd, Clearwater Beach, July - Aug 2013 CABO FLATS CANTINA & TEQUILA BAR 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 SABABA LOUNGE 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 BELLA AMICI PIZZERIA 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 THE GRIND COFFEE CAFE 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 THE OLIVE TAP 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 JAPANGO 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 SHULA BURGER 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 FAMOUS FAMLIGIA PIZZA 9025 West Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, Mar-Apr 13 SHAKE SHACK, 1400 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, May - June HANDLES SELF-SERVE FROZEN DESSERT 665 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS 6419 Newberry Rd, Gainesville, April 13 SPOT COFFEE (2nd location in FL), 6600 SW 57th Ave, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 LOBSTER BAR SEA & GRILL 450 E Las Olas Ste 190, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 FRATELLI LA BUFALA 1801 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 PANTHER COFFEE, 1881 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 ICEBOX CAFE (closing its Lincoln Rd Miami location in April), 1855 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, May 13 PETITE BISTRO, 1929 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 EMACK & BOLLO'S, 1915 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 COAL FIRED PIZZA & PASTA 518 US Hwy 1 North, Tequesta, Mar-Apr 13 ORANGE LEAF FROZEN YOGURT (many more coming in FL), 821 Florida Hwy 434, Altamonte Springs, Mar-Apr 13 ORANGE LEAF FROZEN YOGURT (many more coming in FL), 2101 East Semoran Blvd, Apopka, Mar-Apr 13 TSUKURO - an Asian inspired restaurant, 225 S Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd, Ft Lauderdale Beach, Mar-Apr 13 POLLO TROPICAL 2300 N Federal Hwy, Pompano Bch, Apr 13 PETERBROOKE CHOCOLATIER 413 N Alafaya Trl, Orlando, Mar-Apr 13 JEREMIAH'S ITALIAN ICE, 413 N Alafaya Trl, Orlando, Apr 13 COOPER S HAWK WINERY & RESTAURANT 413 N Alafaya Trl, Orlando, Mar-Apr 13 DC-7 GRILLE - a real airplane that has been converted to a restaurant, 600 Skyline Dr, Smyrna Beach, Mar-Apr 13 BURGERFI (more coming), 1001 N. State Road 434, Altamonte Springs, Jun-Jul 13 BURGERFI (more coming), 2810 Weston Rd, Weston, Apr 13 BURGERFI (more coming), 3702 W Kennedy, Tampa, Apr 13 COUSINS SUBS (many coming from Mr. Evola in Central FL), South Orange Ave & Grant St, Orlando, Sept - Oct 2013 MEAT MARKET BRICKELLHOUSE 1300 Brickell Bay Drive, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 MELLOW MUSHROOM, 3601 St. Johns Ave, Avondale, Aug 13 MELLOW MUSHROOM US Highway 441, Mount Dora, Mar-Apr 13 PILLARS MARTINI BAR 146 W Plant St, Winter Garden, Mar-Apr 13 THE TRIPLE P BBQ 333 Las Olas Way Ste 210, Ft Lauderdale, Mar-Apr 13 CHINA GRILL (a 3 level, 15, 000 sq ft rest), 801 Brickell Ave, Miami, Mar-Apr 13 YARD HOUSE - 12,000 sq. ft. Rest & Draft Beers, 1681 Lenox Ave, Miami Beach, Mar-Apr 13 SALT LIFE FOOD SHACK 55 N Dixie Hwy, Stuart, Oct - Nov 2013 FISH TALES RAW BAR W Colonial Dr, Winter Garden, Mar-Apr 13 U-SWIRL FROZEN YOGURT (2nd in FL), 434 And Gateway, Altamonte Springs, Mar-Apr 13 BELLE GLADE COUNTRY CLUB, off of Morse Blvd South of CR 466 A, The Villages, Jan - March 2014 (not a typo) YOU SAY WHEN YOGURT SHOPPE (over 20 more coming), th Ave, Sebastian, Mar-Apr 13 ORIGINAL BROOKLYN WATER BAGEL CO W Sample Rd Ste 408, Coral Springs, Mar-Apr 13 ORIGINAL BROOKLYN WATER BAGEL CO. 600 W College Ave, Tallahassee, Mar-Apr 13 RISING ROLLL GOURMET 600 W College Ave, Tallahassee, Mar-Apr 13 BACKSTRETCH KITCHEN AT CALDER N.W. 27th Avenue, Miami Gardens ANDY'S BAR & GRILL, 1535 Bartow Rd, Lakeland, Mar-Apr 13 MENCHIE'S FROZEN YOGURT (many more FL locations coming), Cleary Rd, Plantation, Mar-Apr 13 MENCHIE'S FROZEN YOGURT (many more FL locations coming), 3030 E. Semoran Blvd Ste 274 A, Apopka, Apr 13 MENCHIE'S FROZEN YOGURT (many more FL locations coming), Atlantic Blvd Ste 28, Jacksonville, Apr-May 13 TEXAS ROADHOUSE State Road 70 & I 75, Bradenton, Apr-May 13 PANERA BREAD 1440 Hendricks Ave, San Marco, Apr-May 13 PANERA BREAD, 3500 SE Federal Hwy, Stuart, Apr-May 13 LILLY'S ON THE LAKE, 858 W. Osceola, Clermont, Nov 13 BENITO S ITALIAN CAFÈ & PIZZERIA 3825 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, Apr-May 13 GATOR S DOCKSIDE 4982 New Broad Street, Baldwin Park/Orlando, May - June 13 METRO DINER 4495 Roosevelt Blvd, Orange Park, May - June 2013 BJ'S RESTAURANT & BREWERY Duval Road, Jacksonville, Oct - Nov 2013 NEW VENUE 222 N Oceanfront, Jacksonville Bch, Mar-Apr 13 KORK WINE & CHEESE AND AVENUE D JAZZ CLUB 2 South Miami Avenue, Miami, March 13 4 RIVERS SMOKEHOUSE University Blvd, Orlando, Oct - Nov RIVERS SMOKEHOUSE 9220 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, May 13 EDEN RESTAURANT & BAR 2309 N Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors, April 13 YOUR PIE (pizza restaurant), 1545 County Road 200, Fleming Island, March Under New Management JIMMY JOHNS, 1100 N Congress Ave, Boynton Beach MARCO'S PIZZA, 4370 SW 20th Ave, Gainesville HUSH GENTLEMAN'S CLUB, 3260 West Hillsborough, Tampa BIG BOUYS SUBS & SALADS, 46 SW Albany Ave, Stuart MADISON MARQUETTE, PO Box 7674, Merrfield, VA PINE ISLAND BAGEL, 8902 State Rd 84, Davie MANGOS RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE 904 E. Las Olas Blvd, Ft Lauderdale 7 MARCH 2013 FLORIDA TODAY S RESTAURANT

8 FLORIDA MARCH TouchSuite is the only all-in-one POS solution that helps you run and grow your restaurant FOR FREE! No Upfront Cost Includes Monitor, Cash Drawer, Thermal Printer and Credit Card Swiper 5 Year Equipment Warranty and Ongoing Support and Training at $69 95 a Month Per System In-House Customer Service and Technical Support *with a low cost merchant processing account CALL NOW FOR MORE INFO & FREE DEMO Don t Know Jack? Then You Need to Join Our Business Network Website! Today s Restaurant Business Network is our internet site where restaurant owners, operators, managers, chefs, consultants, and suppliers meet to discuss topics that relate to your business in your state. Go to and follow the link to Today s Restaurant Business Network. This service is free no membership fees, no monthly charges just sign-up and go! Make important contacts and get the info you need to run your business efficiently. Who knows you might even meet Jack. (561) What s Going On from BinWise, Inc, a leading cloudbased software managing restaurant beverage programs, has launched BinWiseEnterprise on January 31. The product will provide restaurant owners and operators with a bird s eye view of summary financial data for all of their restaurants on a consolidated dashboard. BinWise has developed a dashboard of consolidated sales, perpetual inventory, purchases made by restaurants as well as dollars spent by vendor, and other key metrics such as top categories sold, and price range of sales, says the company. Restaurant owners can view this information over customized date ranges, compare restaurants side-by-side, and investigate any red flags that arise. "More than 65 percent of our current customers are restaurant groups with multiple restaurants," says BinWise President and CEO Doug Hickey. "We believe this is a powerful tool for restaurant managers and owners seeking to run an efficient and successful business. To have this much information at your fingertips is priceless." The Homer Laughlin China Company (HLC Inc.) has announced the appointment of Gene Williamson to Vice President of Sales, Foodservice Division, for the HLC Inc. family of companies, including Homer Laughlin China; Hall China; and the Kenilworth Trading Company, the exclusive distributor of RAK Ceramics in the U.S. The announcement is effective immediately. Gene brings HLC a lifetime of foodservice industry expertise and, in particular, a specific focus on tabletop and dinnerware. Most recently, Gene served as a Key Account Manager for Oneida. Prior to that, he managed The Williamson Group, a manufacturer s representative firm that for 20 years specialized in tabletop for restaurants and hotels. WineAmerica and Health Communications, Inc (HCI), providers of the TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) program, announced a partnership that will promote responsible consumption of wine among wineries across the United States. As the only winery trade association with national membership, WineAmerica is dedicated to advancing the social responsibility interests of the American wine industry. Founded in 1978, WineAmerica serves as the educational, technical, and informational clearinghouse for wineries. "Whether it be tastings, a festival, on-site restaurant or retail store, wineries have Gene Williamson unique challenges when it comes to promoting responsible sales and service. TIPS has the ability to not only train WineAmerica members to prevent the misuse of alcohol, but also can help build bridges and break barriers within the communities that wineries operate in," said Adam Chafetz, President & CEO of HCI. For more information about WineAmerica, visit For more information on TIPS visit Server Products has created the new In Season dispenser, which delivers perfect portions of granular seasonings to help ensure consistent flavor in menu items and promote nutritional accuracy. The InSeason dispenser comes in two models INS with a wide cone spread pattern ideal for large area applications like French fries, and the INS with a 4" (10 cm) drop pattern for precise targets like hamburger patties. Both models come with three interchangeable portion triggers to dispense 1/4 tsp. (1.23 ml,) 1/3 tsp. (1.64 ml,) and 1/2 tsp. (2.46 ml)* portions. These durable dispensers are dishwasher safe and rated for high heat, allowing them to be placed near heat sources in the kitchen, such as fryers or grills. Server s new InSeason dispensers are made in the USA and backed by a two-year warranty. Long recognized as a leader in time- and money-saving dispensing equipment, Server has a complete line of innovative dispensers / merchandisers perfect for any operation. For more information visit or call Hotel Happenings Tampa-based Mainsail Lodging & Development recently announced a target opening date of November 2013 for the Epicurean, a 137-room boutique hotel, which will offer extraordinary culinary experiences. The hotel which broke ground late 2012 in the Hyde Park historic district of South Tampa, the food-focused hotel will feature a large, state-of-the-art culinary classroom, high-end bistro, wine shop, rooftop lounge, full-service spa, and a retail and production bakery and pastry shop. The Epicurean is being developed in collaboration with the legendary Bern s Steak House, and will be the first newly constructed property in the United States to join the prestigious Autograph Collection of Marriott International, Inc. page 3 Orlando World Center Marriott, announced the completion of phase one of its multi-million dollar transformation. With extensive enhancements See WHAT S GOING ON page 12 TODAY S RESTAURANT

9 TODAY S RESTAURANT 9 MARCH 2013 FLORIDA

10 FLORIDA MARCH Salt Life Food Shack to expand in Florida Sand Jacksonville, FL - Salt Life Food Shack are casual, full service, seafood restaurants in Jacksonville and in Coral Springs. The Salt Life Food Shack is an extension of Salt Life, the ocean lifestyle apparel and merchandise brand out of Jacksonville, Florida. The executive management team is led by Bill Leahy and Ben Novello. The first restaurant opened in Jacksonville, the second location opened in Coral Springs last year. The Salt Life Food Shack brand has already begun construction on their next location in Stuart and plans to have multiple Florida locations in the next ten years. The company plans to develop their concept from Florida s west coast from Clearwater to Stuart and Florida s east coast from Naples to Key West in the near future. The projected expansion plans are to have 20 restaurant locations by Salt Life Food Shack s menu is an eclectic mix of dishes featuring Caribbean and American influences. They offer items from both land and sea, including Costa Rican shrimp salad, raw and grilled oysters, hand rolled sushi, live Maine lobster, St. Louis style ribs, and wood grilled burgers. Other beach cuisine options feature fresh seafood, burgers, sandwiches, and salads with tropical, Latin, and American influences Salt Life Food Shack s menu is an eclectic mix of dishes featuring Caribbean and American influences. Salt Life Food Shack is a natural extension of the ocean lifestyle brand, paying tribute to avid divers, surfers, sailors, fishermen and anyone called to the warmth of the ocean. The restaurant s menu features an assortment of soups, salads, sandwiches, main plates, and desserts with culinary influences from the Northeast to the Caribbean. Open for lunch and dinner, Salt Life Food Shack offers dine-in, carry out, catering, and a full bar, seven days a week. Two facts about menus online - 1) It s very important to do them well and 2) They can be a pain in the neck to update. Into the market to address this comes Locu, a one-stop menu publishing service for a restaurant s online needs. To dig into what s new with restaurant menus online I chatted with Rene Reinsberg, CEO of Locu. Jaime: What is Locu and how does it help restaurants? Rene: We realized very early on in talking to a lot of restaurants, that there is a huge pain point for restaurants in making sure their menu information is up to date across the Internet. That includes their own website, mobile site, Facebook and also partner sites like OpenTable, Citysearch, TimeOut and TripAdvisor - wherever customers may be looking for their information. It takes a lot of time, often requiring a webmaster to help out, and maybe even paying to make this sort of update. That s really not what restaurant owners, chefs, and general managers want to spend their time and money on. They want to run a successful restaurant. And so we built Locu with the idea of making it super easy to manage your menu in one place and publish it in real time to all the different sites that matter. Jaime: What about the print version of the restaurant s menu? Rene: From the Locu service a restaurant can also print a menu using one of our beautiful designs. A restaurant can choose one of our existing templates and customize it or create a template from scratch that matches their brand. It s very versatile. They can include photos of the dishes or venue, or borders and other graphical elements. Jaime: How does the restaurant s menu content get to the various sites? Rene: The setup works slightly different for the various sites. If it s your own website or mobile site, there s a onetime setup that literally takes less than a minute. Either you or the webmaster of the restaurant can simply copy two lines of code that we provide through Locu and embed it on the website, where either right now the menu is or where they would want to put the menu. Menus 2.0: 10 Questions with Rene Reinsberg Jaime Oikle Today s Restaurant Contributor Facebook is even easier. It s as simple as logging in to Facebook and adding a tab to their Facebook page. On partner sites, it s easy as well. Take OpenTable for an example. If you re an OpenTable restaurant you can log into Locu via OpenTable on their restaurant center dashboard, or log into Locu.com directly. Any change you make from that point onwards will show up in real time on OpenTable. So there s no extra work thanks to those content partnerships. Jaime: What kind of growth have you seen as a new tech startup? Rene: After developing Locu for almost two years, we launched our merchant product in October We then launched our partnership with OpenTable in November. We ve seen really fast growth and that partnership has definitely accelerated our growth even more. I think it speaks to the fact that it s still a pain point for restaurants. And restaurants are looking for easier and better ways to appear online. Just before the end of 2012, we crossed 10,000 customers for Locu. That s in fewer than three months from launching. It s definitely great to see so many people adopting the software. Jaime: What do you attribute such fast growth to? Rene: A lot of the growth we ve seen has been through referrals. A restaurant will start using the tool, like it, and they refer it to colleagues and friends. We ve seen a lot of adoption via word of mouth. It s gotten a little bit of press and so I think the word is spreading. And once people try it they see the value and become an advocate for the product. Jaime: Locu utilizes a "freemium" model correct? Explain. Rene: Yes, the great thing is it s free. We have a basic version that s going to be free forever. Then we provide a premium version for folks that want some extra features. We see ourselves as the restaurants friend and we want to bring this tool to all the restaurants out there. We hope we can provide additional services over time, too, to help them run See MENU 2.0 page 16 TODAY S RESTAURANT

11 Beverages increase restaurant check averages Seven out of ten consumers (71 percent) now purchase beverages away from home twice a week or more often, up from 66 percent in As the economy stabilizes from the recession, restaurants and retail foodservice locations are well-positioned to boost beverage sales. Beverages act as a high-margin add-on that can help increase check averages for operators and also increase the overall dining experience for consumers by providing an added element of flavor to a meal. Specialty coffees, specialty teas and smoothies exhibited growth at Top 500 limited-service restaurants. Specialty coffee increased by 10 percent on limited-service menus over the past two years, emerging as one of the segment's leaders. With the rise of sweet tea, specialty tea listings nearly doubled on menus. Smoothies, including fruit smoothies, grew by 8.5 percent, while the protein-enhanced varieties jumped by 123 percent, proving that smoothies have become a menu mainstay. "Today's foodservice consumers continue to base dining decisions on their perception of value," says Executive Vice President Darren Tristano. "Innovative operators are creating value by crafting new and unique beverages including specialty lemonades, handmade sodas and 'mocktails' that are uniquely flavorful, fresh and a better-for-you option." With nearly a third (29 percent) of consumers saying they like to try new and unique beverages, operators can build their credibility and bottom line by leveraging trending flavors with more creative beverage offerings. To help operators and others aligned with the foodservice industry more effectively understand consumer behavior, preferences and attitudes regarding beverages, Technomic has developed the Beverage Consumer Trends Report. Interesting findings include: The number of menu items offered at leading coffee cafes has increased by 18 percent over the past two years, as non-beverage menu development becomes a major focus in this category. 49 percent of women aged 18 24, and 41 percent of all consumers, agree that their beverage preferences tend to change depending on the season/time of the year. Specialty coffees, specialty teas and smoothies exhibited growth at Top 500 limited-service restaurants. Two-thirds of consumers say they drank regular hot coffee (68 percent) and regular soft drinks (66 percent) at least once in the past month. Roughly half of consumers say they purchased regular hot coffee (46 percent) and regular soft drinks (53 percent) from foodservice at least once in the last month. New and unique beverages are a strong traffic driver for young consumers; 47 percent of consumers aged 18-24, compared to 29 percent of consumers overall, say they'd like to See BEVERAGES page MARCH 2013 FLORIDA TODAY S RESTAURANT

12 FLORIDA MARCH Paying Too Much for Your Insurance? Restaurant Coverage: Food spoilage Equipment breakdown Liquor liability Contents Workman s Comp General liability All your insurance needs Servicing Florida Florida First Insurance 7625 Pines Boulevard Pembroke Pines, FL Call now: Fax us at or jon@doesinsurancematter.com Now Accepting New Members! South Florida's foodservice networking group is looking for new members to participate in our association! Restaurant Vendors Association has been operating in Broward County for over 20 years. We allow only one member for each business category ensuring the free flow of information and business leads between everyone involved. Members recommend fellow members to our customers creating a win-win situation for all. Members generate business for one another and are assured of quality product and services in return. Foodservice industry operators recognize RVA members as fair, efficient and reliable. Group established over 20 years Only one member allowed per category See for more info & a list of current members! Call Lee Spencer at What s Going On from to the North Tower guestrooms and meeting space, Hall of Cities meeting rooms, 110 guest suites, on-site Starbucks, as well as an expanded pool deck and lawn for poolside events and activities, up - grades further establish this landmark hotel. Phase two will feature enrichments to the iconic Falls Pool inclusive of a poolside Bar and Grille, any many other amenities in the spring of The hotel is located at 8701 World Center Drive. The International Palms Resort and Conference Center Cocoa Beach has announced the addition of Michal Sabata, Director of Food & Beverage, to the resort s executive team. In his new role, Sabata will be responsible for the oversight and management of all food and beverage initiatives in the four onsite restaurants and eateries and for the banquet space. Sabata brings more than 15 years of experience in culinary talent to his role at International Palms Resort. For more information, visit or call Rollins College and The Olympia Companies announced the appointment of Deanne Gabel as general manager of The Alfond Inn, opening in Winter Park in August The Alfond Inn, features 112 exquisitely appointed guest rooms and suites, 10,000 square feet of distinctive meeting and event space, a full-service restaurant and bar. For more information visit thealfondinn.com or Facebook.com/TheAlfondInn. Award-winning Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch restaurant First Watch Daytime Cafe announced plans to open a restaurant in West Boca Raton in May. The new 3,700 sq. ft. restaurant will occupy an interior space at State Road 7 in the Mission Bay Plaza. The restaurant will employ approximately 25 people. The new restaurant will be the second in Boca Raton and the sixth in Southeast Florida. Currently, there are 37 First Watch restaurants in Florida, which includes the recent opening of its first restaurant in Wellington. Our first Boca restaurant opened more than five years ago. It has been a great market for us, so it makes sense for us to open another restaurant in the area, said Chris Tomasso, chief marketing officer for First Watch. West Boca is an active, family friendly community and fits all the attributes we look for in a market. As the company celebrates its 30th year, its aggressive growth strategy continues in its home state. News of the West Boca page 8 restaurant comes just a week after the Wellington opening and after three other recent announcements impacting Florida, which included plans to open the first restaurant in St. Petersburg, Brandon and Winter Park this year. Ecolab has selected Café Joshua, a nonprofit kitchen in West Palm Beach, as the second winner of its Clean Makeover Contest, which invited foodservice operators to explain why they could use extra help from Ecolab. Café Joshua will receive up to $25,000 of Ecolab equipment, products and services to enhance the cleanliness and efficiency of its operations. Entries in the Ecolab Clean Makeover Contest ranged from humbling to humorous, but all shared a common theme: a desire to maintain a high degree of cleanliness under sometimes challenging conditions. From the hundreds of entries we received, Café Joshua s essay captured our attention because of the organization s impact on the local community, said Kevin Rowley, senior marketing manager, Ecolab Institutional Foodservice. The organization feeds the homeless, helps clients develop life skills and prepares them for work in the foodservice industry. Café Joshua also recently launched a corporate catering business to help support their efforts. Through Café Joshua s programs, students learn on-site food preparation and kitchen operations, including food safety regulations and best practices in kitchen sanitation. MAXWELL HOUSE delivers quality, premium taste and value with a variety of formats that make it easy for operators to select the best option to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and profitability for their business. The MAXWELL HOUSE portfolio offers solutions to deliver MAXWELL HOUSE coffee for more than one brewing system within an operation to satisfy all brewing needs. From roast and ground coffee to on-demand formats, MAXWELL HOUSE delivers superior quality and value that operators can rely on. Roast and Ground options include Fractional Packs, Whole Bean, Shuttle Packs, Filter Packs, In-room Filter Packs and Urn Packs. For added convenience, MAXWELL HOUSE also offers ondemand formats such as Frozen Liquid Coffee Concentrate, Shelf Stable Liquid Coffee Concentrate and Freeze-Dried Coffee. For more information, visit kraftfoodservice.com. When Beef O Brady s acquired the rights to franchise The Brass Tap in See WHAT S GOING ON page 14 TODAY S RESTAURANT

13 Under the Toque Chef Dan Pawa Porky & Beth s BBQ Boynton Beach Chef Dan Pawa was fortunate that he realized early in life what he wanted to do he loved to cook! From a young age he was always in the kitchen, inspired and eager to learn, but it was not until he discovered barbequing that his true passion was ignited. The use of wood and fire as a heating source and the blend of delicious flavors this method produced just seemed to come naturally to him. Growing up in Northern Virginia with his close-knit family and a culturally diverse group of neighbors, he was regularly exposed to a cornucopia of exotic seasonings and exciting, international cuisines. Despite the vast assortment of dishes and different techniques he learned, everything he made always came out tasting its best when he prepared it barbeque-style. Traveling frequently to Florida and other places throughout the south to visit relatives and friends, Chef Dan marveled at how regionalized the barbeque was in every locale he stayed. Absorbing it all, and making it his own, became an obsession of experimentation geared towards perfecting his craft. His formalized training began in earnest when his family relocated to Florida while he was still in high school. He was accepted into the Santaluces High School Culinary Magnate Program, in Lantana, and started to compete against students in other schools around the state and the country. As a member of both the FCCLA and ProStart culinary teams, he quickly distinguished himself and frequently won top awards. This only whetted his appetite and motivated him to continue on his chosen career path. Chef Dan graduated with honors, earning both his diploma and distinguishing himself by being the first student to concurrently be granted a Palm Beach County Culinary Academy Certification of Completion. Following high school, Chef Dan enrolled in the Florida Culinary Institute where he completed his Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts and then his Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management. As an undergraduate he was continually on the Dean s List and also a first place winner in their Chef Dan Pawa International Cuisine competition. During this period, he was also perfecting his skills working in the kitchens of both the illustrious Ritz Carlton in Manalapan and the historic Old Key Lime House in Lantana. Not being one to be idle, Chef Dan concurrently formed his first catering company, Twin Pigs, which focused on providing his favorite barbeque fare. Bringing all the things he was taught and loved to do to Porky and Beth s BBQ, it was a marriage made in culinary heaven. Much to the delight of his growing number of dedicated retail and catering customers, Chef Dan continues to make some of the best Southern-style barbeque to be found. Despite having limited opportunities to compete any more due to the rigors of running his own business, Chef Dan proudly displays his First Place for Ribs trophy from the 2011 Battle of the Badges Barbeque Contest. Chef Dan operates Porky and Beth s BBQ every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or as he warns his patrons, until he sells out at the Bedner s Farm Fresh Market located on State Road 7/US 441, in Boynton See UNDER THE TOQUE page 16 Big Red is Backat Broward Nelson! No Minimum Order For Delivery Required! Coca-Cola Bag in Box Syrups & Juices CO sales@browardnelson.com Broward Nelson the one stop for ALL your fountain needs wants to save YOU money! 13 MARCH 2013 FLORIDA TODAY S RESTAURANT

14 FLORIDA MARCH Woody s from page 1 prove a helpful measure, as guests will sometimes have a really great idea for a new menu item. Connect with Your Staff/Franchisees The best way to discover your best sellers is in talking with your staff and/or franchisees. To determine the best menu mix for our new menu, we requested feedback from our franchisees all over the country. Once the menu is complete, it s important to make certain everyone knows it cover to cover. Everyone from management to wait staff should be able to list and describe the items on your menu as though they are telling a delightfully delicious tale. Make it Legible When you ve been around for more than three decades, chances are some members of your fan base occasionally need their reading glasses to place an order. We worked closely with our graphic designer to determine the best use of certain typefaces and size of the font to make the menu easy-to-read for all of our guests. Teach an Old Dog New Tricks Continuing education is vital to the success of any business. My corporate team attended a special menu boot camp devoted to menu development to learn about the best placement of menu items and the dynamic use of images. I highly recommend this step to anyone launching a new restaurant or attempting to freshen up an existing menu. Pretty as a Picture Human beings are visual creatures. A well-shot image can get your customers tummies rumbling and mouths watering almost as quickly as placing a plate of food in front of them. Never skimp when it comes to photography. Make sure that the model is a valid representation of how the food will be served to the table patrons expect to receive a presentation that reflects the photo in the menu and doesn t pale in comparison. Hire a skilled photographer with experience in food shoots, and your menu images will serve as one of your greatest sales tools. Keeping it Real Your menu copy should be short, sweet, and to-the-point. It should get their taste buds tingling, but be careful not to make it a work of fiction. Your menu should be an honest representation of the items that will arrive at their table. Customer satisfaction is the goal; no one who desires success should ever aim to disappoint. In the end, all of these elements will come together for a menu designed to excite your patrons. Needless to say, anything they order from it should be met with that same level of excitement or greater. The most important advice you can take away from this list is to not only provide your patrons with a good read, but to give them a truly great meal. That s what they ll be talking about tomorrow and that s what will keep them coming back for more. About the Author: Woody Mills is the cofounder of Woody s Bar-B-Q. After opening their first Woody s Bar-B-Q in 1980, he and partner, Yolanda Mills-Mawman have spent the past three decades setting the bar higher for great Southern Bar-B-Q. From the humble beginnings of just one location in Jacksonville, Florida, the two have grown the Woody s Bar-B-Q brand to locations reaching from the Deep South to the Northeast and Western fronts. To view their menu online, visit Edited for Yolanda Mills-Mawman and Woody Mills By Kasie Bolling Out of Her Mind Fresh Ideas & Freelance Copywriting. Menu origins from page 1 these items with new price figures. To avoid having to reprint the menus throughout the year as prices changed, some restaurants began to display their menus on chalkboards, with the menu items and prices written in chalk. This way, the restaurant could easily modify the prices without going to the expense of reprinting the paper menus. A similar tactic continued to be used in the 2000s with certain items that are sensitive to changing supply, fuel costs, and so on: the use of the term market price or Please ask server instead of stating the price. This allows restaurants to modify the price of lobster, fresh fish and other foods subject to rapid changes in cost. The latest trend in menus is the advent of handheld tablets that hold the menu and the guests can browse through that and look at the photographs of the dishes. Types Menus vary in length and detail depending on the type of restaurant. The simplest hand-held menus are printed on a single sheet of paper, though menus with multiple pages or views are common. In some cafeteria-style restaurants and chain restaurants, a single-page menu may double as a disposable placemat. To protect a menu from spills and wear, it may be protected by heat-sealed vinyl page protectors, laminators or menu covers. Restaurants weigh their positioning in the marketplace (e.g. fine dining, fast food, informal) in deciding which style of menu to use. While some restaurants may use a single menu as the sole way of communicating information about menu items to customers, in other cases, the meal menu is supplemented with ancillary menus, such as: An appetizer menu (nachos, chips and salsa, vegetables and dip, etc.) A wine list A liquor and mixed drinks menu A beer list A dessert menu (which may also include a list of tea and coffee options) Some restaurants use only text in their menus. In other cases, restaurants include illustrations and photos, either of the dishes or of an element of the culture which is associated with the restaurant. An example of the latter is in cases where a Lebanese kebab restaurant decorates its menu with photos of Lebanese mountains and beaches. Particularly with the ancillary menu types, the menu may be provided in alternative formats, because these menus (other than wine lists) tend to be much shorter than food menus. For example, an appetizer menu or a dessert menu may be displayed on a folded paper table tent, a hard plastic table stand, a flipchart style wooden table stand, or even, in the case of a pizza restaurant with a limited wine selection, a wine list glued to an empty bottle. Websites featuring online restaurant menus have been on the Internet for nearly a decade. In recent years, however, more and more restaurants outside of large metropolitan areas have been able to feature their menus online as a result of this trend. Several restaurant-owned and startup online food ordering websites already included menus on their websites, yet due to the limitations of which restaurants could handle online orders, many restaurants were left invisible to the Internet aside from an address listing. 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15 Schlotzsky s brings six new restaurants to Florida Fast-Casual Chain Signs Multi-Unit Franchise Deal with Local Family, Locations Will Feature Schlotzsky s New Lotz Better Look Austin, TX Schlotzsky s, the home of The Original round-toasted sandwich and famous Fresh-from-Scratch buns, signed a multi-unit franchise agreement with the Patel family, which includes Harry, Jay, Dharmesh, Chase and Hemal, to open the six Schlotzsky s locations in Florida, including four locations in Pensacola and two locations in Tallahassee. The new restaurants will feature the brand s Lotz Better look, which includes a newly designed restaurant, a co-branding deal with Cinnabon and Carvel, and a new service model where crew members hand-deliver food to the tables. The first of the six locations opened in Tallahassee at 1814 W. Tennessee St. on Nov. 8. As part of the celebration, Schlotzsky s rewarded the first 100 customers who purchased a CinnaPack of six Cinnabon Classic rolls at the new Tallahassee location, with free Schlotzsky s for a year, which includes one free The Original (small) sandwich a week for a year. In addition, fans had the chance win prizes such as an Apple ipad, $100 Schlotzsky s Gift Card, and $50 Schlotzsky s gift card when they signed up for the Bun & Fun eclub during opening week. The family plans to open the second location in Mary Esther in early As a family that enjoys going into business together, we always knew that a family-fun restaurant like Schlotzsky s was the perfect business opportunity for us, Chase said, adding that there is a Beverages from page 11 try new and unique beverages offered at restaurants. Technomic's Beverage Consumer Trend Report examines beverage purchasing decisions, attitudes and preferences based on survey results from 1,500 consumers. The Menu Insights section utilizes Technomic's exclusive MenuMonitor database to provide an in-depth look at how leading and emerging chain operators menu and position beverages. The report also features 20 huge demand throughout Florida for its delicious menu. We look forward to fulfilling local cravings for Schlotzsky s high-quality, fresh sandwiches, pizzas, salads, soups and Cinnabon and Carvel desserts. As a family, the Patels have extensive management experience, accumulating a portfolio of 15 hotels and building more than 40,000 sq. ft. of medical office buildings in the past 10 years. The Patels are the perfect addition to the Schlotzsky s family, Schlotzsky s President Kelly Roddy said, adding that the family encompasses key criteria the company looks for when selecting franchise partners. We are confident they will do a wonderful job upholding our brand standards and reputation and look forward to watching their continued growth with our brand. The Patels are among several multiunit franchise deals signed in the past nine months, collectively totaling 128 tri-branded locations throughout Arizona, Florida, Minneapolis, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, Texas, and Orange County, Calif. With more than 350 locations worldwide, Schlotzsky s continues its growth momentum by aggressively targeting markets in Texas and untapped markets around the country for multi-unit developers. These markets include: Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Orlando, Nashville, Raleigh, St. Louis and Tampa. Roddy added that, ideally, Schlotzsky s plans to have upwards of 700 locations by emerging and innovative beverage concepts and demographic profiles for respondents who have consumed leading beverage brands in the past week. Technomic provides clients with the facts, insights and consulting support they need to enhance their business strategies, decisions and results. Its services include numerous publications and digital products, as well as proprietary studies and ongoing research on all aspects of the food industry. The company is available at Since 1971, Schlotzsky's has been the home of The Original toasted sandwich. The menu has evolved with customers' tastes to include some of the highest quality sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and soups available today. With more than 350 locations worldwide, Schlotzsky's is enjoyed around the world, with restaurants in Azerbaijan, The Affordable Mobile App for Restaurants, Bars & Nightclubs Build Our App Now Turkey, China, South Africa and Kuwait. Schlotzsky s is owned by FOCUS Brands Inc., the franchisor and operator of more than 3,300 Carvel, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky s, Moe s Southwest Grill and Auntie Anne s locations and Seattle s Best Coffee on certain military bases and in international markets. 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16 FLORIDA MARCH Calendar Events Upcoming industry affairs March Miami Taste of Brickell Food & Wine Festival Brickell Bay Dr Miami, FL April The Sandestin Wine Festival The Village of Baytowne Wharf 9100 Baytowne Blvd Destin, FL May The National Restaurant Association Show McCormick Place Chicago, Il June 2-4 IDDBA S Dairy-Deli-Bake 2013 Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL July Send your Calendar Event info to Today s Restaurant! 25 Taste of the Nation South Beach Loews Miami Beach 1601 Collins Ave Miami Beach, FL Info@StrengthFlorida.org September The 2013 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL Menu 2.0 from page 10 a more successful business. Jaime: Let s go back for a second and talk about the problem of menu updates and accuracy for restaurants. Rene: Historically, the problem has been that some of the places that have had menu data have just not been able to keep up in terms of updating the menu in a timely fashion. So if you re a restaurant and let s say you have a daily changing menu or you have a wine list that changes, that wouldn t be propagated across the web. So Locu really addresses that end point and it s aiming for real time distribution. For some of our customers, it s magical. It s a magical experience. Jaime: What do you mean by a magical experience? Rene: This was good. We had a support call a few days ago and a restaurant owner was on the line. He was like, "Yeah, I just made a change. What do I need to do now to see the change propagate on OpenTable?" And our support representative just said, "Yeah, just refresh your browser on OpenTable." They did it, and they were like, "Wow, I can t believe it. This is all I need to do." For us, that s really the value we want to bring to restaurants. A seamless experience - no need to send faxes or e mails with your updated menu to the different partners, maybe forgetting a few and having to wait for a day to see the update show up on your website and other sites. Remember, more and more consumers are searching on their phone, so you want to make sure you put the most upto-date information at their fingertips. Jaime: Yes, mobile is only going to get bigger and more important for restaurants, how do you think about it moving forward? Rene: I think the key point with the mobile is that first of all you just want to make sure that if someone visits your website that you actually have the mobile experience, whether it s a website that s viewable on mobile or a dedicated mobile site, it doesn t really matter. But it should be a great user experience in terms of loading the key information. And the menu is - especially on mobile - it s the number one thing that people look for, maybe apart from directions and phone numbers. So we spent a lot of time developing mobile templates for the menu that match the web and Facebook and print menus. We designed them to be optimized for viewing from mobile devices. We want to help restaurants capitalize on mobile traffic and mobile search as much as possible. Jaime: Rene, you re growing fast and planning for the future - tell me about that process for your company. Rene: For us, we re spending a lot of time on the culture and the brand around Locu. I think it s important that everybody on the team understands what Locu is about, what we re trying to do, how we want to be perceived in the market. So you ll find a lot of folks here on the team that are absolutely passionate about local businesses. Folks that want to help build technology for the small businesses out there that are a driving force of our economy. I think it s about finding a mix of folks that are exceptional engineers & product designers, but still looking in every single one of them for the passion to empower local merchants - so it s a cultural fit. I think that s really important. I hope it s setting us up for long-term success. I think that if you re looking at startups, that s one of the key criteria. Is there a strong culture? Is everybody really buying into what the company is going after? And so, for me, that s been kind of the biggest lesson and the area that I spend a lot of time and effort on. Locu - Jaime Oikle is the founder of two industry websites: as well as a comprehensive web site for restaurant owners & managers filled with marketing, operations & service tips to help restaurants profit and succeed. Editorial Calendar 2013 SPECIAL ISSUES YOU DON T WANT TO MISS Restaurant Survival Tips MAY 2013 Franchise Issue JULY 2013 Florida Restaurant Show Issue AUGUST 2013 Furniture & Design Issue SEPTEMBER 2013 Gluten Free Cooking NOVEMBER 2013 Call for more information or to reserve ad space: Toque from page 13 Beach. Among the numerous benefits of basing on the Bedner s farm are the amazingly fresh and bountiful assortments of produce he had readily available; not to mention the reduced carbon footprint required for its harvest. Since he is frequently one of the first people in the morning to be in the fields to select what he needs to prepare the day s menu, the only footprints he leaves behind are his own. Consistently rated the top produce market in Palm Beach County, it also attracts many customers who share Chef Dan s demand for the highest quality foods and appetizing flavors. Of course working out of a trailer as a mobile food vendor has distinct advantages that are all their own. Being involved with every aspect of creating his menu, he is actively immersed from end-to-end. Once he opens for business, there is nothing like then being able to be face-to-face with the people who will soon be eating his cooking. Better yet, it s having them come back to his window after finishing their meals to tell him how much they enjoyed it and that it was the best barbeque they ever tried. As the large pile of fire wood out front and the smoke wafting out of the stacks from his smokers attests, Chef Dan prides himself on consistently delivering authentic and Southernstyle barbeque. Whether they dine immediately under the onsite Tiki Hut, at a picnic table elsewhere on the farm, or take it home to feast later, a single taste is all it takes to prove it s delicious, says Chef Dan. The rest of the week and often on weekend evenings too, Chef Dan is happily serving his catering clientele. With a rapidly growing list of corporate accounts and private parties, all built on word-of-mouth referrals, there is seldom a dull moment for this talented barbeque chef. He especially enjoys working closely with each of his clients to craft customized menus perfectly suit their unique, individual needs. Chef Dan loves every element of his thriving barbeque business and is living proof of the wisdom expressed in Mark Twain s quote: The secret to success in life is to make your vocation your vacation. Chef Dan can be reached at 309 East Ocean Avenue, Suite 203 in Lantana and by calling TODAY S RESTAURANT

17 Bar 145 plans Florida, national expansion Miami, FL- Bar 145 recently announced plans to expand to Florida s East Coast, including the Miami metro area, Ft. Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Jupiter, Jacksonville, and Ft. Lauderdale. The Toledo, Ohio based gastropub began franchising in July Bar 145 plans to open at least three additional locations this year, including one in Columbus, Ohio. Afterward, Bar 145 projects opening a new location every six months with a combination of both corporate-owned and franchised locations. Outside of Florida, target markets include Cleveland, Chicago, Nashville and Ann Arbor, Mich. When it opened its doors in May 2011, Bar 145 became the first gastropub in Toledo. Lending to the definition of a gastropub, Bar 145 is relaxed and comfortable like a neighborhood bar, but instead of nachos and chicken wings, the menu features tempurabattered green beans, sliced pretzel bread with organic gouda sauce and Stack Your Own burgers featuring Niman Ranch beef, considered to be some of the finest tasting, all-natural meat in the world. Owner-operator Jeremy Fitzgerald has spent more than half his young life in the hospitality business. In addition to serving as the general manager of his family s two bars, which includes Mr. Ed s Bar and Grille on Put-in-Bay near Lake Erie, Fitzgerald also is the owner and operator of a Subway franchise on the island. For Bar 145, Fitzgerald is targeting investors who have the resources and restaurant industry experience necessary for multi-unit ownership and growth within a designated territory. We offer a unique concept that allows our franchise owners to appeal to a large number of people with Bar 145 s gastropub identity, Fitzgerald said. We offer gourmet food that far exceeds what you get at a typical bar while still providing an atmosphere that is energetic and entertaining with live music and a modern décor. Bar 145 appeals to an eclectic group of people that allows for strong lunch and dinner sales while still taking advantage of the after-hour late crowd. Utilizing local farmers (a mandate for franchisees, as well) and purchasing fresh products daily allows Bar 145 to offer a wide variety of exciting dishes, all under the direction of executive chef Robby Lucas, who gained extensive experience working at some of the nation s finest restaurants and who will continue to oversee Bar 145 s menu offerings as the concept expands. While it s traditional for most gastropubs to feature craft beers, Bar 145 restaurants spotlight bourbon in more than 20 varieties, along with creative bourbon cocktails including the BLT (Bulleit, Lemon and Tonic), Kentucky Lemonade (Woodford Reserve Bour - bon, Lemonade, fresh Lemon and Bitters) and Bourbon Ball Manhattan (Woodford Reserve Bourbon, White Crème di Cacao and Frangelico liqueur served up or on the rocks). Locations are anticipated to quickly build a reputation as the place to go to see great bands. Bar 145 s food and drink menus are complemented by an inviting atmosphere, with a spacious patio with highrise tables, a 50-seat oval bar split by an industrial-size garage door and flatscreen TVs strategically located for easy viewing. Restaurants are between 5,000 and 7,000 square feet and are suitable for strip centers, lifestyle centers and entertainment districts in urban and suburban areas. Additionally, Bar 145 restaurants feature live music six nights a week, ranging from acoustic to dueling pianos to ultimate party bands from across the country. Local favorites bring in a loyal fan base every time they play Bar 145. Locations are anticipated to quickly build a reputation as the place to go to see great bands. My dream ever since I was young was to create my own concept and franchise it, Fitzgerald said. My No. 1 goal has always been to create a concept that was new and fresh and provide something that no one else has been able to do. I strongly feel that our concept behind Bar 145 will be something that other people in other cities will embrace. Common menu mistakes Not treating your menu design with the same due diligence you d use in making any other major capital investment decision is setting yourself up for failure. So is leaving the menu layout and design up to your printer and not working with a graphic designer to accentuate the items you want to feature. Following are some examples of some menu design mistakes: It is important to design your menu so it fits the décor and personality of your restaurant. Hard to read. Some menus are compromised by poor readability, which results from selecting the wrong font size, style or paper color. Also, crowding menu pages with too many elements or using ink that is too dark can make the menu difficult to decipher under low-light conditions. Overemphasizing prices. When you align prices in a column down the page, guests can summarily dismiss items based on price alone. Poor salesmanship. Not using One Stop Shopping CACTUS MAT Frosty Factory of America Covers, Inserts, Place Mats, Check Presenters, etc. Full Line of Floor Covering, Mats & Misc. Baker s, Hanging, Bench, Receiving and Floor Scales. Frozen Drinks and Smoothie Machines Refrigerators, Freezers, Display Cases and Merchandisers Cast Iron Cookware and Misc. Products Bakeware/Cookware/Tableware, Kitchen, Pizza, Barware and Janitorial Supplies. Flatware and Food Prep Quality Outdoor and Indoor Furniture Pizza & Tortilla Presses, Grills, Wood Burning Ovens, Misc. Items IF YOU NEED IT - WE HAVE IT! Ben Miller & Associates CALL FOR THE DEALER NEAREST YOU: (954) Melamine Dinnerware, Specialty Drinkware Tumblers, Room Service Trays, Buffet Items Manufacturer of Superior, Inexpensive China - Ovenware - AlumaTux. Stocked in Florida Booths, Wood & Metal Chairs, Wood/Resin & Laminate Table Tops & Bases Beer Frosters, Bottle Coolers, Ice Merchandisers, Prep Tables graphics, fonts, color, or illustrations to emphasize the items the restaurant wants to sell reduces your influence on what items will move. Poor use of space. Not using the front and back covers to display information about the restaurant, such as hours, services, history, address, etc., is like having custom matches without your restaurant's name on them. Since people take menus from restaurants as souvenirs, they should contain what is referred to as "institutional information". Incongruence. Your menu is your primary communication tool. It should be designed in a way customers who have never heard of your restaurant can visualize your décor, type of food, price range and whether you offer casual or upscale dining. It is important to design your menu so it fits the décor and personality of your restaurant. Too big. Take into account the size of the table, the place setting and the table appointments so the menu doesn't appear too large. Oversized menus can be awkward for the diner to hold when handling a drink and trying to have a conversation with his or her companions at the same time. Article provided in partnership by the National Restaurant Association and Restaurant Startup & Growth Magazine. Seen in The Georgia Restaurant Associations Magazine. BenMillerAssoc@aol.com 17 MARCH 2013 FLORIDA TODAY S RESTAURANT

18 FLORIDA MARCH WAYS YOU CAN GET INVOLVED What s GoingOn? Do you have a new product or service? Let us know! Calendar Events Looking for something to do? The calendar is loaded with events! Classified Ads The best advertising deal in America! Only $149 for 12 months! Business for Sale or Lease Employment 3 6 FINKEL BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE WE HAVE BUSINESSES SERVING SOUTH FLORIDA! BUY OR SELL YOUR RESTAURANT WITH US! Peter Robinson Sales Agent NW 78th Ct, Tamarac FL probinsonbiz@aol.com International Wine distributor In South Florida seeks highly motivated individuals to represent our company to Restaurants, Hotels, Cigar Shops & Country Clubs. Experience And Bilingual a Plus. High commission paid. resume and contact info to Andyercolino@yahoo.com. MANAGER Needed! Top-notch GM/AGM for highenergy, upscale restaurant & lounge in downtown Ft Laud. MUST have stellar credentials, with proven RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT experience with highvolume upscale restaurants w/ heavy BAR biz. Excellent FOH & Service skills. resume in WORD (.doc) format to: Resume@RestaurantPlacement.com. Taylor a Leading Restaurant Equipment company is looking for B2B Sales Reps. Positions available in Dade, Broward, & PB Counties. Send resume to tina@taylorus.com. Visit New Openings Opening or reopening a new restaurant? We ll put it on our list! Industry Spotlight Do you believe your business is worth a closer look? Call us! 1 Advertise 4 7 Classified Ads Here In today s economy, can you afford not to advertise? Sales Associate Wanted: Looking for self-motivated, reliable individuals for sales position with growing company, quickly becoming a leader in POS systems with merchant accounts, aggressive compensation and residual income plan with no ceiling on earnings an experienced comprehensive team is in place to support you. Sales ability a must with high energy and integrity levels. Send contact info and/or resume to: Bill@MeridianStarPB.com, Fax: , Call: Merchandise BUY ~ SELL ~ EASY FINANCE ~ NEW USED RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT. FREE delivery see store details, free gas conversion, custom paint jobs & custom cutting boards. Call or info@onefatfrog.com CASH FOR USED RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT! One piece or entire location. TOP DOLLAR PAID. Also do appraisals. Call Toby at / Call Today! Toothpick Flags! Great for parties, luncheons and special events like Name A Hamburger party! Available in stock and custom designs for all occasions. Fast turn around or Flags and flagpoles for promotions, specials and grand openings, etc. We do it all! or STOP THAT CUSTOMER and get their attention with CUSTOM BOWFLAGS. Many sizes & shapes. Call or The affordable way to fry, grill or bake delicious and profitable menu items without grease or vented hoods! Quik n Crispy Greaseless Fryers doug@q-n-c.com USED RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT & FURNITURE Free delivery Tampa, Ocala, Jax, Melbourne, Lakeland, Orlando + warranty, CASH, EASY finance/ lease, or info@onefatfrog.com Services Under the Toque Know a professional chef with a special story? Drop us a line! Photo Bites Is there a special event in your area? We ll get fun pics! Call today for more info: months of advertising only $149. RESTAURANT PLACEMENT GROUP Exclusive recruiting, placement, and consulting services for the Restaurant, Hospitality, and Food Service industry. Personalized, professional service with absolute strict Confidentiality and Guaranteed results. Contact Ken Spahn at Ken@Restaurant Placement.com or (561) ; What s Going On from June 2012, Chief Development Officer James Walker had an idea tp open The Brass Tap in airports. Now, less than one year later, The Brass Tap, the emerging franchise known for its more than 300 craft beers, premium wines, live music and extravagant cigars, has launched a new venue prototype exclusively for airports. Founded in Tampa, The Brass Tap is best known for highlighting local breweries through ongoing promotions and tasting events, among other things. New to The Brass Tap airport locations will be a special food menu including the likes of goat cheese and prosciutto salad, marinated olives and Spanish manchego cheese, stout chili and much more. With five open locations, The Brass Tap will open 14 additional units by Unique Pizza and Subs Corp. announced Pizza Fusion, quality gourmet organic pizza, continues to cultivate its home state of Florida with two new locations in Naples and Boca Raton. With the addition of these two new locations, Pizza Fusion will grow its international chain to 22 restaurants system wide. Pizza Fusion Naples will open at 2146 Tamiami Trail North in "The Gateway of Naples" shopping center, strategically located near the popular organic market, Food & Thought. Corporate is actively assessing locations in the Boca Raton area for a new flagship corporate restaurant and training facility. The innovative husband and wife team, Colombian born, Carolina Montoya and Mexican born, Fernando Puga, owners of Unique Designer s Cake, have launched their first showroom bakery, in Miami, after overcoming economic obstacle and tribulations. Like so many in the U.S., the economic crisis hit home for Carolina and Fernando. Before the turmoil, they were both successful architects working at top firms in Miami. They never imagined they would both be out of work, at the same time. But, sadly, they were both let go due to downsizings in However, in the midst of this heart wrenching process, they kept the faith. Carolina knew that she had to re-invent herself and that was exactly what she did. After a day of watching her favorite shows on The Food Network, an idea dawned on her, "Why not fuse my architectural background, with my culinary skills and create captivating, edible pieces?" She brought her husband onboard and thus the next chapter of their lives began to be written. Unique Designer s Cake was born. "Our cakes are an expression of who we are and our pas- TODAY S RESTAURANT page 14 sion for creating pieces that are UNIQUE," says Carolina. "Because of our architectural backgrounds, our attention to detail is unseen in this industry." Our UNIQUE pieces are full of color, vibrancy and warmth; people are mesmerized by our Designs. This is the way we express how we live and the way we design every cake. There is no limit to what we can do," continued Carolina. In 2013, Unique Designer s Cake opened its first showroom bakery in Downtown Miami located at 69 NW 9th Street and can be reached at True to the Idaho Potato Commission s (IPC) Passionate About Potatoes foodservice advertising campaign, chefs across the country are dishing up Idaho Potatoes in extraordinary ways. To give operators insight into the creative thinking of six leading chefs, the IPC has collected their signature recipes in the 2013 Passionate About Potatoes card set. Chef and restaurant contributors include Richard DeShantz (Meat & Potatoes), Mastro s Restaurants, John Shenk (Strip House), Michael Kiley (Glen Cove Hospital), Scott Gottlich (2nd Floor Restaurant) and Eric Yung (Miami University of Ohio). To order the newest Passionate About Potatoes chef recipe set, the Idaho Potato Commission at jvail@potato.idaho.gov, or call To browse the Idaho Potato Commission foodservice recipe database or download the Idaho Potato Commission Foodservice Tool kit, visit foodservice.idahopotato.com. Boca Raton based, 3D Squared - -, is well-known across the country for providing the best in home theatre acoustic panels and soundproofing solutions. But recently, 3D Squared has expanded their acoustic installations into the hospitality industry. 3D Squared now provides solutions for restaurants, conference rooms, offices, home movie theatres, boutiques, and hotels. Whether it s the restaurant staff raising their voice to take an order, or a customer raising their voice to give their order, it s an unpleasant experience that makes the patron question whether the restaurant is worth leaving the comfort of their home for. Hoffman and his team will analyze the room to see the appropriate size, quantity and location of each panel, says Hoffman. Today s Restaurant invites you to submit information for the What s Going On column. Visit our web site at for more info.

19 Real Estate Restaurant, business and property happenings in Florida. Selling your restaurant in the 2013 economy By Curtis Kroeker Though the economy seems to be recovering, significant economic uncertainties remain that are still depressing small business valuations. These uncertainties, combined with a challenging lending environment have left a restaurant market full of buyers and sellers waiting for the perfect moment to find a deal. So will 2013 be the year market strength returns and patient restaurant owners can finally sell their business at the price they desire? Maybe. While small business sales prospects look a little brighter in 2013 than in recent years past, careful advanced preparation will be needed to differentiate yourself from the competition and sell for the price you want. To help you prepare, here are some of key issues you need to consider to sell your restaurant successfully in 2013: Make sure to resolve any issues that may hurt your value before you list your business for sale. Exit Plans Start Now As the seller, you need to carefully justify your selling price. The best way to do that is to provide detailed financial records. You should be able to provide at least three years of financial documents these will not only support your asking price, but will also help bolster the buyer s confidence that you have operated a well-managed business into which he or she will be able to transition smoothly. Make sure to resolve any issues that may hurt your value before you list your business for sale. Finally, remember to keep up the physical aspects of your business as well. When a potential buyer visits, the appearance of your building will make their first impression. The less work a new buyer has to put in, the more you can expect from your final selling price. Set a Reasonable Asking Price The best way to find a reasonable price is to simply compare your business to similar businesses for sale, both within the restaurant industry and in your local area. Do some research on business-forsale sites like BizBuySell.com and BizQuest.com. Business-for-sale marketplaces like these allow you to search businesses by industry, size and location. Knowing what comparable businesses are listed for provides a valuable reference point to help you set the price of your business. But before you actually list your business for seel, you should obtain a more precise valuation by enlisting the services of a business broker or appraiser. The last thing you want is to undervalue your business and leave money on the table. Of course, valuing the business too high can be just as detrimental. Your overall pricing goal should be to attract multiple buyers, creating maximum demand and an auction-like atmosphere. Find Qualified Buyers After you determine the right selling price, the next step is to find suitable buyers. For most business owners, it is best to hire an experienced business broker to market the business and manage the sales process. When selecting a broker, carefully consider his/her experience. It is your job to make sure that your broker has the experience and credentials that will help them sell your business. Of course, business owners can and do also choose to sell their business themselves but be honest with yourself regarding your ability to effectively market, sell and manage the sales process while operating the business. Don t forget to reach out to your network of family, friends and work contacts who might know interested buyers. Preserve confidentiality by describing the business for sale without including identifiable specifics and be sure to obtain a signed non-disclosure agreement from the prospective buyer prior to getting into specifics. Consider Tax Changes The Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extends the capital gains tax cuts for individuals with incomes less than $400,000 or households earning less than $450,000. The government estimates that the Act will ensure about 97 percent of small businesses will not see income taxes go up, avoiding a big hit to revenue. However, small businesses with incomes above $400,000 or $450,000, will see capital gains taxes increase. As the seller, it is up to you to research these new tax laws and understand how it will affect your net proceeds. Seller Financing a Key While offering seller financing means you won t receive all of the proceeds on the date of sale, it does offer several benefits. It attracts more buyers and can help these buyers secure bank financing. Additionally, instead of receiving the full sale amount initially, you will still get a portion of the sale up front and the rest will be paid over time. This may be an effective tax minimization strategy as it can keep singleyear income at the level needed to qualify for the lower tax rate. It also provides you with an opportunity to earn interest on your money. Finally, you will remain connected to your business after sale, 241 SW 21 Terrace, Fort Lauderdale BROWARD DADE CO2-TANK FINKEL HOT PROPERTIES Curtis Kroeker Seller Financing Available Asking Price:... $289,000 Gross Income:... $293,000 Cash Flow:... $91,000 FF&E:... $40,000.00* Inventory:... $1,500.00** Real Estate:... N/A Year Established: Employees:... 4 Facilities:... 2,650 sq.ft., Seats 120 Financing:... helping to ensure a smooth transition. If you re considered selling your restaurant in 2013, take your time and do it right. Start planning and researching asking prices now, market your business aggressively (either through a business broker or directly) and learn how the new tax situation affects your takeaway. Knowing the sales process and the details involved is half the battle. With proper preparation, you can ensure a low stress transition and a financially successful exit from your business. Curtis Kroeker is general manager for the Internet's largest and most heavily trafficked business-for-sale marketplaces. BizBuySell.com currently has an inventory of approximately 45,000 businesses for sale, and more than 825,000 monthly visits. We Now Distribute Premium Gourmet Fountain Syrups Post Mix Syrups and a Variety of Top Quality Concentrated Bar Juices 2 2 in Various Size Cylinders Asking Price:...$49,000 Gross Income:...$84,000 Cash Flow:...$34,000 FF&E:...$8,000.00* Inventory:...$2,000.00** Real Estate:...N/A Years Established:...4 Employees:...1 Facilities: sq.ft., Seats 16 Financing:...Will hold note BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE Business Description - Support/Training:..10 days no cost Reason Selling:... Business Description to Friday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM. No Saturday or Sundays. Increase hours and Increase profits. This is not a franchise. Support/Training: Reason Selling: HOT PROPERTIES Peter Robinson Sales Agent NW 78th Ct,Tamarac FL probinsonbiz@aol.com 19 MARCH 2013 FLORIDA TODAY S RESTAURANT

20 FLORIDA MARCH TODAY S RESTAURANT