The Expediter final written test provides matching, fill-in-the-blank, and multiple-choice questions that cover key aspects of the training program to measure the knowledge and competence of the trainee....more >>

A Class Act. RestaurantOwner.com's Hospitality and Culinary Education Center is a new membership program for university and college hospitality and culinary educators and their students....more >>

After some highly publicized cases of foodborne illness, food safety is a big deal. Even with the best precautions, all operators are vulnerable. Here's how to use your health inspector and other resources to have a cleaner, safer restaurant starting day 1....more >>

Over the years we've heard several horror stories about operators getting stung, sometimes VERY badly from bad bookkeeping practices. Here is a simple way to find out if you could have an incompetent, careless, or even dishonest bookkeeper....more >>

Such a Waste... Earth Day is celebrated in April; however, as responsible independent operators, we must consider our effect on the environment 12 months a year....more >>

Knives are one of the most important tools in the back-of-house. Keeping them well maintained is a key to making sure that the kitchen runs well. Not only will a sharp knife keep things running smoothly and efficiently, but working with a properly maintained knife prevents simple, avoidable mistakes. A sharp knife is a safe knife....more >>

Insta Karma. Instagram trends come and go, but one thing remains constant: Restaurant operators who are not making the social media platform part of their marketing are missing out on attracting young diners. In this article, marketing and publicity professionals share the best ways to make Instagram work for an independent restaurant....more >>

This month's article features menu items from the American Lamb Board, more information is available at www.americanlamb.com. Tom Bruce of Central Coast Food & Beverage worked with the American Lamb Board to create the recipe mapping for these dishes....more >>

As consumers, Millennials tend to be adventurous, knowledgeable, socially conscious, and unimpressed by slick promotion and mindless upselling. They want their wine paired with a good back story and knowledgeable service....more >>

Numerous surveys tell us that most dissatisfied customers don't complain, they just never return. Many operators use mystery shoppers to find out what's really going on in their restaurants from the guest's point of view. Regularly employing mystery shoppers can help you identify things that are going on in your restaurant that may be causing people to leave and not return....more >>

We’ve worked with over 80,000 independent restaurant owners over the past 30 years. Time and time again we’ve noticed that our most successful members, those whose restaurants have remained highly successful even AFTER COVID, are very competent in 3 key areas – Culture, Systems and Business....more >>

We find that many restaurant operators open to the public before they are fully prepared. Unlike other businesses, restaurants cannot simply open when the construction is over. You only get one chance to open and there is so much at stake....more >>

This month we're featuring items developed for a client opening a lodge concept in the Sierras. Tom Bruce of Central Coast Food & Beverage created the recipe mapping for these dishes....more >>

Handling customer complaints is a necessary function of running a restaurant. How well prepared are your servers to handle an upset customer?...more >>

In partnership with the experts at Avalara, we address the various sales and use tax issues that might affect your business. This month, we will discuss the different tax requirements for prepared food when it comes to catering and delivery....more >>

Programmed for Hospitality. An industry-wide labor shortage has restaurant operators looking for ways to save labor across the board. The right technologies can increase efficiency and address labor shortages in the front and back of the house, without diminishing hospitality....more >>

For many reasons, finding quality employees is a growing challenge for the restaurant industry. Accepting that their employees are also their customers is helping savvy operators find and keep better quality staffers....more >>

FFCRA helps the United States combat the workplace effects of COVID-19 by reimbursing American private employers that have fewer than 500 employees with tax credits for the cost of providing employees with paid leave taken for specified reasons related to COVID-19...more >>