NRA Show Blog

Five food safety tips for memorable summer grilling

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Summer grilling season is heating up. From backyard barbeques to picnic cookouts, people across America celebrate summer by grilling alfresco. Experts at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) offer five food safety tips to ensure safe and memorable summer grilling experiences. (Click on image to enlarge.)

A how-to video of Beachey, who is also a certified chef and culinary expert for the NRAEF’s ProStart program, showing proper execution of these food safety tips is available on the NRA’s YouTube channel. 

National Restaurant Association Reveals Fresh, New Logo

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The National Restaurant Association unveiled its new visual identity, which will be applied to all NRA programs, advocacy, services and products this year. The new visual identity will help build cohesiveness in the NRA’s brand structure, and is a step in its multi-year strategic plan to strengthen the connection and messaging to core constituents. The new brand visual is designed to reflect the richness and diversity of the $632 billion restaurant industry and its nearly 13 million employees. 

“Creating this new visual identity has been a wonderful experience, as we have taken the many beloved aspects of the industry and translated them into imagery,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association.

Sweeney added, “We also incorporated our organization’s history into the new brand, bringing in elements from our logo from the 1920s, as well as elements from our well-established ProStart and ServSafe brands.”

What the Supreme Court health care law ruling means for you

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The Supreme Court upheld President Obama's health care law today, ruling that the government may impose tax penalties on those who do not have health insurance. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. was the swing vote in a 5-4 decision.

Employers with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees must offer "affordable" health insurance of minimum value to full-time employees and their dependents or pay penalties. The cost of such coverage or the penalties could threaten the slim profit margin on which most restaurants operate.

"Today's ruling by the Supreme Court is troubling for restaurant operators and business owners across the country," said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. "We encourage Congress to continue efforts to repeal the law, since the Court's decision leaves the employer requirements in place, provisions which impact restaurant operators' ability to grow and create jobs."

Upcoming "The Supreme Court's Decision on Health Care Law Webinar": The National Restaurant Association will hold a member-exclusive webinar June 29, 10 a.m. EDT, to summarize and explain the high court's key findings upholding most provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In addition, the NRA's labor and workforce division will host a second webinar to discuss the ruling's practical implications and what means for restaurateurs nationwide. 

Why fast casual works

Posted by Derrek J. Hull

As fast casual restaurants continue to outperform other industry segments in sales and unit growth, the National Restaurant Association's Fast Casual Industry Council explored the segment's secrets to success. 

In a standing-room only education session at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in May, Darren Tristano of Technomic pointed out that the segment has been less affected by the recession. That's because it attracts higher-income customers, as well as younger consumers, he said. It ranks highly with customers on food quality and cravability, as well as atmosphere. And it has a "health halo" around it, he said.

He said he expected the segment to grow and put pressure on other segments to improve in those areas and "drive more customers to go out to eat."

Several fast casual operators offered specific reasons their brands have been successful:

Hottest restaurant industry trends reigned supreme on NRA Show exhibit floor

"The Stick" by 'Top Chef' Texas: Season 9 contestants Chris Jones and Richie Farina at World Culinary Showcase, NRA Show 2012

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

From never-before-seen flavor combinations to globally sourced ingredients to food trucks and more, the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event showcased the hottest trends driving the restaurant and foodservice industry. This year’s Show – which attracted 1,900 exhibitors and more than 61,000 registrants from all 50 states and more than 100 countries – offered a sneak peek into the industry’s future.

According to the National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast, nine out of 10 restaurant operators said their customers are more knowledgeable and sophisticated about food and beverages than ever before. This year’s NRA Show was proof positive that the industry has responded to this evolution, as products and services catering to those hungry for the latest trends were prevalent throughout the show floor.

Exhibitors really brought their ‘A game’ this year, and attendees were buzzing about the non-stop action – from the Robofusion ice cream robot at the Stoelting booth, to the world’s largest potato, courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission. There was undoubtedly something new to do, see and eat at every turn,” said James Balda, chief marketing and communications officer for the National Restaurant Association.

Top trends from the exhibit floor at NRA Show 2012 – held at Chicago’s McCormick Place May 5-8 – included:

Restaurant industry outlook remains solidly positive for coming months

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The outlook for the restaurant industry remains positive for the coming months, as the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) stood well above 100 in April. 

The RPI – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 101.6 in April, down 0.6 percent from the strong level of 102.2 registered in March, signifying expansion in the index of key industry indicators.

“Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales for the 11^th consecutive month, and a majority of them expect business to continue to improve in the months ahead," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group of the National Restaurant Association. 

Summer heats up restaurant employment, adds 450,000 jobs

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Restaurants are expected to add 450,000 jobs over the next three months, the highest summer employment numbers since 1993 according to National Restaurant Association projections. 

“Restaurant industry employment growth will outpace overall employment growth for the 13th year in a row this year, illustrating the key role restaurants play in the nation’s economy,” said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the research and knowledge group for the Association.

Riehle added, “The boost of this year’s 450,000 summer jobs will propel total eating and drinking place employment to its highest on record. Overall, America’s nearly one million restaurants employ nearly 10 percent of the nation’s overall workforce.” 

Here's an infographic to tell the story (click on the image to enlarge).


Complete state-by-state 2012 projections, plus a national 10-year review, of restaurant summer employment can be found on the Association’s Website. 

Online, offline marketing helps restaurant operators find promotions "sweet spot"

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

The National Restaurant Association, in concert with LivingSocial, recently fielded a study to better understand restaurant operators uses and preferences for certain marketing channels and how consumers engage and respond to them. The researching indicates that online media vehicles – Websites, email, social media, and daily deals – occupy a rightful place alongside offline or traditional marketing channels and that effective use of online media can enhance a restaurant’s brand, grow revenue, and attract new customers. Online marketing efforts also easily provide what consumers say they want in restaurant marketing materials: personalized offers and savings.

“Our new research outlines the challenges and opportunities of both offline and online marketing to help restaurant operators find the ‘sweet spot’ for promotions by identifying what consumers respond to and how various messaging vehicles are perceived," said James Balda, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of the National Restaurant Association. 

VIDEO: Top Chef star Fabio Viviani's down-home cooking tips

 
By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Italian charmer and Bravo's Top Chef superstar Chef Fabio Viviani brought his down-home take on "your grandma's cooking" to this year's National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.

Chef Viviani, owner of several Southern California eateries, treated NRA Show attendees to a lesson in creating a fragrant poaching liquid sure to yield uber-flaky fish.

Join the NRA Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB) on Twitter @NRAShow, Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube for news and updates year-round.   

NRA Show 2012 exhibitors donate 41,000+ meals to Chicago's hungry

By Derrek J. Hull, Blogger-in-Chief

Exhibiting companies at the recently wrapped 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago donated more than 41,710 meals to the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD), resulting in nearly 5,000 more meals donated this year than in 2011. 

"We are so grateful to the National Restaurant Association and Show exhibitors for their donations to the Greater Chicago Food Depository," said Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. "These donations are especially important as we serve 77 percent more people than we did four years ago."

NRA Show 2012 exhibitors donated a total of 55,614 pounds of high quality, nutritious surplus food products, which provided nearly 42,000 meals benefiting men, women and children in need throughout the Chicago area.