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On January 17, 2023 Wisconsin-based Grande Cheese Company gave its Midwest customers the opportunity to participate in a seminar at the North American Pizza Academy. The presentation included information on industry trends, pizza styles overview, strategies for sales/profit growth, types of dough/flours, using American vs Italian tomatoes and how to make a menu addition using on-trend pizza styles.

Some of the highlights from the Grande Cheese Presentation:

Industry Trends

• Patron visits to restaurants are not expected to grow in 2023.

• Patron’s are trading to pick up vs delivery to save fees.

• Pizza/Italian has the largest opportunity to retain/grow sales during the dinner/evening meal occasion.

• Marketing and Special Deals are two key strategies to capture dinner sales.

Patron Spending

• High prices are a top concern for consumers causing a reduction in foodservice spend.

• Consumers are seeking out a good value, and pizza is an excellent option.

• Consumers plan to continue to reduce their foodservice spend over the next quarter.

Consumer Dinner Behavior

• 30% of consumer dinners come from restaurants.

• Of that 30%, 23% is pizza – the largest category overall.

• Half of consumers plan their dinner a few days a week.

• One quarter of Millennials plan out the whole week.

• One third of Boomers “wing it”.

Adopting the cash discount program is a strategic symbiotic move as it provides incentive for customers to pay by cash by offering discounts whilst saving your business on both credit and debit card processing charges; fees which only seem to increase year after year.

When merchants choose to include a service fee within the product or service posted price they end up offsetting the payment processing charges endured with all the card transactions. This is hard to pass up as it reduces expense which only increases profits; a win-win, all things considered.

This is not to be confused with a surcharge which is when an additional fee is added to the price without a discount applied to the posted price. When opting for the cash discount program the customer gets a chance to pay less than the list price where as the dreaded surcharge has the same consumer pay more.

Other benefits for merchants outside of the aforementioned reduction in fees cash payments are faster since they eradicate the processing period. They eliminate fraud which can be a major headache. Lastly there’s the marketing angle; all consumers love to save money so this chess move inevitably aids in driving traffic through your establishments doors.

Potawatomi Re-Opens a Signature Restaurant

After nearly three years, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee, Wisconsin re-opens one of its signature restaurant venues -Dream Dance Steakhouse. Guests can expect the same first-class dining featuring prime cuts sourced from the esteemed Allen Brothers of Chicago, more than 400 selections of wines from around the world including 20 available by the glass, attentive service and the warm ambience they’ve come to expect.

The kitchen will be helmed by Ben Jones, who has more than 20 years of leadership experience in respected kitchens throughout the country. He most recently served as Executive Chef at the Sage Lodge in Pray, Mon. He has also owned a woodfire catering operation and was a guest chef at the renowned James Beard House in March of 2016. In addition to his role at Dream Dance Steakhouse, Jones will serve as Executive Chef for the property.

Christian Hunter Appointed Atelier Executive Chef

Atelier, located in Lincoln Square in the former Elizabeth Restaurant space, announces the appointment of Christian Hunter. The restaurant recently opened for dinner service. A native of Lexington, Kentucky, Hunter was most recently the Executive Chef at Community Table in Litchfield County, Connecticut. He holds a culinary degree from Paul Smith’s College in upstate New York and has cooked at Relais & Châteaux’s Lake Placid Lodge and The Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. He also spent four years in Charleston, South Carolina, cultivating relationships with local farmers along with his own culinary identity.

Chili’s Ends Delivery-Only Test

Chili’s Grill & Bar has ended a test of the 1,600-squarefoot delivery-only unit it opened in Texas a few months ago, as part of a plan to refocus resources in other areas, including investing in digital efforts and the customer experience, according to a statement from parent company Brinker International. “We made some strategic decisions to accelerate some projects and to stop other projects,” Brinker CEO Kevin Hochman said.

– Source: nrn.com

Taco John’s Unveils New Design

Taco John’s has revived its Drive Thru Olé concept as its newest store design, according to a press release. The store design is currently less than half the size of its traditional footprint, requiring only 0.35 to 0.5 acres of land. It’s quicker to build and costs significantly less than its traditional free-standing units of up to 2,200 square feet with 38 seats. The redesign sits at 900 to 1,100 square feet. The exterior structure arrives at the site ready-built, interior finished (FRP, floor tile, ceiling grid and tile), along with HVAC, electrical, plumbing, three comp sink and hood, and the kitchen equipment is installed on the spot. These modular buildings would then be shipped to towns across the upper Midwest for franchisees. “With rising construction costs, Taco John’s has an option that makes it economically feasible to build stores in smaller markets, our focus initially is in towns with a population less than 10,000, and some high-density areas where real estate is limited,” Brooks Speirs, vice president of franchise development, said in the release. – Source: qsrweb.com

Whether you need beverage grade carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium, blended gases or just plain service, MacCARB is your single one stop shop.

For Personalized Service, Call us Today!

Phone: 877– 427–2499 http://www.maccarb.com

Rieslings Pair with Sweet and Spicy

More sommeliers are reaching for rieslings to add to their wine lists, thanks in part to how well the varietal pairs with a wide range of cuisines. Off-dry or medium sweet bottles complement Indian and Thai dishes that are spicy, sweet and sour, while sweet rieslings pair well with desserts from flan to lemon meringue pie.

– Source: Robb Report

Vienna Beef Print Series

In collaboration with Chicago’s local artists, Vienna Beef ventures into the realm of art and design with the launch of the Vienna Beef Print Series. This diverse curation of works celebrates the culture and tradition surrounding the Chicago Style Hot Dog.

The series released its second edition with Johnny Sampson’s ‘A Chicago Institution.’ “Sampson (b. 1974) is an award-winning American cartoonist and illustrator based in Glen Ellyn, IL. Clients include MAD Magazine, Abrams Books, Chronicle Books, The Stranger, The Reader, The New York Times, Vice Records, and Vienna Beef. He is a proud member of the National Cartoonists Society and is currently serving as the Chicago-Midwest Chapter Chair. When he’s not hunched over a drawing table, he likes to carve around in bowls on his skateboard” (johnnysampson. com). The print is available for purchase at viennabeef.com for a limited time.”