Independent restaurants were hardest hit this past year according to a new CREST report.

The total number of units closed was over 5,000 and independent restaurants faired worse than the national chains. Cited as reasons were sales and traffic declines chiefly due to prolonged high unemployment.

Read the full article here.

Mark

I recently read a top-line consumer report from one of the biggest consumer research think-tanks in nation that stated customers are racing to prepared food and meals from supermarket retailers…and why restaurants should be concerned.

A snap shot of the data reports that of those consumers that were interviewed, over half were more likely to eat a dinner at home, with food purchased from the grocery store. The data also indicates that 64% reported buying ready-to-heat, ready-to-eat, or ready-to-prepare meals within the last 30 days. Most of the comments and reasons for the purchase intent were value and one-stop shopping convenience.

The retail food industry seems on track for a 7% top line sales growth increase in the next year which is almost unheard of in the industry.  Much of the growth is coming from customers who seek a low cost alternative to restaurant meals or those who see the time value in buying prepared foods at the store instead of dealing with the dining hassle of a restaurant. Price, Time, and value all seem to be the drivers of this trend.

As I have consulted many clients and colleagues about the right way and the wrong way to use social media for their marketing, it’s refreshing to see a fellow chef who “get’s it”

My new friend Chef Jeremy Barlow from the restaurant Tayst in Nashville is doing a superb job!

Chef Barlow utilizes Twitter in a way that connects his customers with RELEVANT info from him and his joint.  For example, Tayst isn’t officially open for lunch, but those customers and fans who follow him on twitter get to learn about the unadvertised lunch special. Twice a week via morning tweets, Chef Barlow and his team offer his social network info about the $8 daily lunch special. One recent dish was Sarsaparilla marinated lamb wrapped in a kale “burrito”.

This kind of info is what separates you from the other restaurants from your area that are only marketing traditional, boring menu specials and evening events. Be creative and give your most rabid fans “insiders only” access to your stuff.

You can follow Chef Jeremy on twitter @the_green_tayst

Stay Tuned,

Mark

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is partnered with Rubicon Resources to market the concept’s oven-ready seafood entrées and appetizers, including Chipotle BBQ Shrimp and Soy-Ginger Shrimp & Noodles, at retail outlets nationwide.

My Interment Marketing Mentor/Coach, Ken McCarthy recently thanked me for helping him stay vibrant at his recent System Boot Camp in Chicago.

Ken, thanks so much for the kind words, but it was my pleasure to prepare some great tasting vegan meals for you and the team. As always, you put on a FANTASTIC training and my head is still spinning from all of the content from the instructors at the System.

Mark

Read the full story here: Click Here

So, I took a random sampling from some of my closest chef colleagues and we all agree that we gained our love for food and cooking from dear old mom.

I thought it would be fitting since we just celebrated Mother’s Day that I pay homage to all those mom’s, grandma’s and mother figures who made impressions on future culinary stars.

Some of us  started cooking while holding their mother’s apron strings, most of us were inspired by the treasures served at the family dinner table — or possibly, if their mothers’ priorities weren’t in the kitchen, learned to cook in self-defense — maternal influence can usually be found in a chef’s cooking.

Hello to all of my online marketers! We all knew that it was only going to be a matter of time until Twitter starting opening up their traffic to paid advertisers.

Read all about here:

Click Here for the full story.

I wonder what this will do for Rockstar Chef Marketing…Hmmmmmmm

Check out some of these unique new soft serve flavors that creative chefs across the country are using

in their menu repertoire…

It’s that time of year again…for my out of town friends who are coming down to Texas for SXSW, here is a quick list of hot places in or near most of the events taking place.  There are also some great “Street Carts” food  vendors around the downtown area. Check ‘em out

Lamberts Downtown Barbecue
401 West 2nd Street. Austin, Texas 78701

Whole Foods
525 N Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78703
At least three sit-down places to eat within the store itself, including BBQ. Whole Foods has some of the BEST people watching in the area. Gorgeous women, healthy food, and a great fresh food environment!

Iron Works BBQ
100 Red River Street. Austin, TX 78701-4127
Close to the Convention Center, not the music venues such as Stubbs on Red River

Brick Oven
1209 Red River Street, Austin, TX‎
Head north from the Red River music venues

Gueros
1412 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX‎
Just across from the Continental Club in SoCo

Magnolia Café South
1920 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX
South from Gueros, serving 24 hours

Katz’s Deli and Bar
618 West 6th Street, Austin, TX
Cousin of the 2nd Street folks, serving 24 hours, downstairs from Momos

Huts Hamburgers
807 West 6th Street, Austin, TX‎
East of Whole Foods, voted best burgers many times in the Chronicle

Fran’s Hamburgers
1822 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX‎
South from Gueros, close to Magnolia Café. Get the onion rings!

Opal Divines
700 West 6th Street, Austin, TX
Across from Katz’s

Cuba Libre
409 Colorado Street, Austin, TX
Austin’s best mojito, worth every penny. In the Warehouse District just east of Antones.

Here is a list of the most popular Sushi Rolls in Japanese restaurants