Restaurant operators’ outlook improves

WASHINGTON (Nov. 30, 2009) While customer traffic remained sluggish during the month of October, restaurateurs tended to be more hopeful about their prospects for the future, according to the latest monthly operator survey from the National Restaurant Association. The NRA’s Restaurant Performance Index, or RPI, posted its first gain in three months, registering 98.0 for the month, [...]

Family dining poised to prosper with value

CHICAGO (Oct. 15, 2009) After years of waning sales and diminished foot traffic, family dining is on the brink of a resurgence, thanks to some aggressive marketing, menu reengineering and an increased focus on providing more value to consumers, according to Technomic. (Read more)

Discounts Have Restaurants Eating Own Lunch

(New York Times) Consumers brave enough to pull out their wallets in this economy have grown accustomed to fire sales on every kind of merchandise, from fancy dresses to gas-guzzling cars. Now, add another item to the list: the casual restaurant meal. (read more)

Papa John’s Founder Makes Pizza Deliveries

The founder of Papa John’s is making pizza deliveries to surprised customers in a replica of the ’72 Camaro he sold 25 years ago to fund his start-up pizza business.  What are you doing (think out-of-the-box) to promote your business this summer? (read more)

How McDonald’s Is Winning More Than the Value Wars

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — It wasn’t enough that McDonald’s is beating competitors in same-store sales and winning the value-perception wars. Thanks to stepped-up burger marketing, it’s now getting higher-margin customers, too. While McDonald’s pretty much owns the value menu and pricing proposition, since last summer it’s quietly boosted advertising of full-priced items, which is paying off [...]

Why are customers leaving certain restaurants?

(May  04, 2009) The annual Leaky Bucket Report from Restaurant Marketing Group confirms that the trickle of customer defections from restaurants could intensify in this recession, and lack of value and poor service would ensure that guests jump ship. (read more)

McDonald’s Same-Store Sales Up 4.7% in First Quarter

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) — McDonald’s continued to broil its competition in the first quarter, with same-store sales up 4.7% over last year in the U.S, an impressive feat for a mature, expansive and already highly profitable system. The fast feeder credited its success to its everyday-value proposition and advertising behind full-price “core menu” items such as [...]

Domino’s Response Offers Lessons in Crisis Management

Domino’s responded too late, about 48 hours, according to AdAge, a trade publication; to a “video prank” two Domino’s employees played last week. The videos were posted on Monday night; a response didn’t come from the company until Wednesday.  What would you have done? (see the response and WSJ blog)