May 2013
Livengood Receives Top Tourism Award INDIANAPOLIS — John Livengood, President of the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association has been honored with the state’s top tourism award. Each year the Indiana Office of Tourism Development, in conjunction with the Lt. Governor, award outstanding efforts in the field of Hoosier Hospitality. This year the Will Koch Indiana Tourism Leadership Award was awarded to one outstanding recipient in Indiana Tourism, John Livengood. The Will Koch Indiana Tourism Leadership Award honors Will Koch, the longtime owner and president of Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. This award exemplifies a commitment to tourism and business development in Indiana, an entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to invest in Indiana, a dedication to improve Indiana’s travel and tourism profile; and distinguished service to community. John Livengood has a proven record of supporting Hoosier tourism. With 24 years’ service to the industry, and the creation of the Tourism Council and the Indiana Office of Tourism Development under his belt, his commitment to Indiana tourism warranted such recognition. “It is an honor and a privilege to receive the 2013 Will Koch Indiana Tourism Leadership Award, but this award isn’t just for me, it honors all those I’ve had the pleasure of working with to help develop Indiana into a destination for travelers from the Midwest and around the globe. As a state defined by our Hoosier Hospitality, and 6 million ambassadors of goodwill to welcome visitors, I have no doubt that Indiana will continue to provide a welcome environment for out of state guests.” said Livengood.
InRLA Members Receive Top Rating in Best Workplaces for 2013 Two of Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association (InRLA) members were featured in the Indianapolis Star article, “Top Workplaces in Indiana for 2013.” The Top Workplace in small business went to Harry and Izzy’s Downtown location, which is managed by Jeff Smith. For Harry & Izzy’s, it’s the third consecutive time it has been recognized as a top place to work. Smith has used the employee feedback to find areas for improvement. Last year, it received the special award for communication. In addition, The Leadership Award for small business went to Michael Crafton of 360 Services, for his leadership capabilities with the company. The Indy Star's "Top Workplaces" article came from a survey conducted by WorkplaceDynamics. Nearly 23,000 area workers participated in the survey and rated connection (employees feeling they are appreciated and doing something meaningful) and direction (employees being emotionally bought into what the organization is striving to achieve) as the highest level of importance.
NLRB poster mandate thrown out NLRB POSTER RULE INVALID—In a major victory for the NRA and other employer groups, a federal appeals court today threw out a National Labor Relations Board rule that would have required all businesses to post workplace notices advising employees of their union-organizing rights. The regulation violated employers' rights to free speech, the appeals court said. The mandate has been on hold since April 2012. The NRA, through the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, was one of the parties to the legal challenge. Page 1
UTILITY SALES TAX EXEMPTIONS FOR INDIANA RESTAURANTS Are you overpaying for the electricity and gas purchased at your restaurant? Purchases by Indiana restaurants of electricity and gas consumed directly in cooking are eligible for exemption from sales tax. Failure to implement the exemptions will result in your restaurant paying as much as 7 percent more than necessary for these utilities. In addition to the future benefit of sales tax exemption on utility purchases consumed in food preparation, restaurants also qualify for a refund or credit of sales tax that has been overpaid on purchases made during the previous 36 months. If more than 50 percent of the electricity or gas used through a meter by a restaurant is consumed in cooking, the meter qualifies for a 100 percent exemption from sales tax. In the event that less than 50 percent of the energy is used for cooking, the actual percentage consumed is eligible for sales tax exemption. The Indiana Department of Revenue requires taxpayers to provide detailed engineering studies of their electrical and gas usage to determine qualified exemption percentages. This stipulation is the precise reason that numerous Indiana restaurants do not currently have utility sales tax exemptions. Many restaurant owners do not pursue the exemptions because of their inability to provide accurate, acceptable engineering studies. The solution is to employ the services of a firm experienced in providing utility sales tax consulting. Restaurant owners should be certain that the company they hire is experienced in producing the utility consumption studies, filing all required documentation, and working with the Department of Revenue to insure that exemptions are implemented and refund claims are processed. If you are not currently enjoying the benefits of the utility sales tax exemption at your restaurant, now is the perfect time to investigate this tax-savings opportunity. If you have previously completed the exemption process, a periodic review of your electric and gas invoices is advisable to insure that the exemptions remain in effect. A variety of factors can result in the loss of the exemptions including meter changes, account name changes and Department of Revenue requests for updated engineering studies. In today’s competitive restaurant market it is imperative for owners to diligently monitor overhead expenses. The Indiana utility sales tax exemption provides the opportunity to save as much as 7 percent on future utility purchases and to receive a refund or credit of overpayments for the past 36 months. Failure to implement the exemptions will result in the monthly forfeiture of recoverable overpayments. Utility sales tax exemptions are a cost containment strategy that should be investigated by all Indiana restaurant owners who are interested in improving their bottom line. Learn more about this tax-savings opportunity by watching the Restaurant Video. Mark Price is Director of Operations at Enguard, Inc., a tax consulting company serving restaurants since 1986 and an Endorsed Provider of the Indiana Restaurant Association. Mark can be contacted at (317) 422-5003 or markp@enguard.net.
Health Care Knowledge Center at NRA Show Among the highest priorities at NRA Show 2013 is bringing health care clarity to operations of all shapes and sizes. We’re tackling those questions head-on by bringing together a line-up of experts in restaurant-focused health care. They will present the big picture and the details – discuss, educate, answer questions. You can help your members get the answers to their questions directing them to: Health Care Knowledge Center at the NRA Show (Booth 6520) - Located on the Show floor, attendees will meet one-on-one with independent, restaurant-focused health care consultants about their unique challenges related to the law. Appointments are free and on a first-come, first-served basis through the NRA Show website at http://show.restaurant.org/Attend/Attractions/ Health-Care-Knowledge-Center. Health care-focused Education Sessions – Attendees can start by attending the overview session “What You Need to Know Now,” and then either attend a small or large business overview session. Full details are availablr by going to http://show.restaurant.org/Attend/Why-Attend/Healthcare. After the Show – Visit our Health Care Knowledge Center online at Restaurant.org/Healthcare.
Restaurant Industry Operations Survey now LIVE! See how your operation compares to your peers'
Endorsed Providers
Your feedback is essential for one of the most in-depth surveys the in the restaurant industry. The National Restaurant Association has launched its Restaurant Industry Operations Survey, polling operators for data on cost of sales, gross profit, direct operating expenses and other performance measurements that will give you the chance to compare your restaurant with those of a similar profile. As a participant, you will receive a copy of the results, a $60 value, after the survey has closed. The results will help you detect potential problems, determine how to cut costs and become more efficient, by breaking down the data on restaurant type, location, sales volume and other measures such as amounts per restaurant seat and as ratios to total sales. Go to https://deloittesurvey.deloitte.com/Community/se.ashx?s=3FC11B266C514B1C%20to to complete the survey.
National Restaurant Association Continues Push for Permanent 15-year Tax Depreciation Schedule for Restaurants (Washington, D.C.) The National Restaurant Association applauded Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) for introducing legislation (S. 749) to make permanent a 15-year tax depreciation schedule for restaurant improvements and new construction, leasehold improvements and retail improvements. Under the bipartisan bill, restaurateurs, their landlords and other commercial-property owners could write off the cost of improvements to property, as well as the cost of new construction for restaurants, over 15 years, which is more in line with marketplace reality rather than 39 years. The current 15-year schedule for these investments is set to expire at the end of 2013. “Restaurants experience heavy wear and tear serving 130 million guests a day at nearly one million establishments nationwide,” said Scott DeFife, Executive Vice President, Policy and Government Affairs, National Restaurant Association. “Making the 15-year depreciation provisions permanent provides restaurant operators with the predictability needed to plan for future investments, and we commend Senators Casey and Cornyn for their leadership on this critical issue for our industry.” National Restaurant Association research shows that restaurants undergo significant renovations every six to eight years, on average. DeFife added that the measure would help create jobs beyond the restaurant industry, as construction spending has a significant ripple effect throughout the rest of the economy. The industry spent $6.1 billion on new construction in 2011, adding approximately 172,000 jobs to the economy. The quicker depreciation schedules would apply to new restaurant construction as well as investments in property such as interior walls, wiring, partitions, plumbing, and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems in restaurants, offices and other commercial space. The National Restaurant Association is a leader of the Depreciation Fairness Coalition, a group of restaurants, trade associations, and other organizations that support permanent extension of the 15-year depreciation schedule for restaurant improvements and new construction, leasehold improvements, and retail improvements. The following Senators are original cosponsors of the legislation: Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), David Vitter (R-La.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss).
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Health-care notice language released The Department of Labor May 8 released model language and a template for the written notice that almost all employers will be required to provide to their employees about how to access health care coverage through new "exchanges" created by the 2010 health care law. The notice also lets employees know they may be eligible for tax subsidies to buy insurance through exchanges. Notice required by Oct. 1 Employers will be required to provide the notice to current employees by Oct. 1, and at the time of hiring for employees hired on or after Oct. 1, the DOL said in IRS Technical Release 2013-02. Starting in 2014, employers meet the notice requirement if they provide written notice to employees within 14 days of the employee's start date. The DOL’s model language is contained in a "Model Notice to Employees of Coverage Options" posted on the agency’s website. The DOL offers two versions of the template: for employers who do not offer a health plan, and for employers who offer a health plan to some or all employees. All employers covered by the federal minimum wage law (officially, the Fair Labor Standards Act) must provide the notice to every employee, whether full time or part time. The employee-notice requirement was supposed to take effect March 1, but the DOL earlier this year delayed it because it said neither government agencies nor employers were ready to implement the requirement. The agency says it released the information as "temporary guidance" now because employers have been pressing for a model notice on an earlier timeframe so they can begin informing their employees about coverage options. Employers can begin using the form prior to Oct. 1, the DOL said. The temporary guidance remains in effect until the DOL issues further guidance. Oct. 1 is also the deadline for government-run exchanges to begin enrolling individuals and small businesses in health plans for 2014. The exchanges are designed to offer "one-stop shopping" for individuals and small businesses to compare and enroll in qualified private health insurance options for 2014. What the notice includes The DOL's template and model language: • Provides basic information to employees about what DOL calls the "Health Insurance Marketplace" (referred to in the law as an exchange), and how to contact the exchange. • Tells employees they may be eligible for federal subsidies to buy coverage on an exchange if their employer does not offer coverage, or if the coverage their employer offers does not meet certain affordability or "minimum value" standards. Note: To be considered affordable, a full-time employee's share of the premium for self-only coverage cannot exceed 9.5 percent of their annual household income. (Regulations allow a few alternative methods for measuring affordability; see the NRA's primer on the health care law to learn more about “affordability safe harbors.”) To provide minimum value, the employer’s plan must pay for at least an average of 60 percent of medical expenses incurred, for allowable charges. • Informs employees that if their employer offers coverage that meets the law's standards for affordability and minimum value, the employee will not be eligible for tax subsidies to buy coverage on an exchange. If an employee opts for exchange coverage rather than accepting the employer's plan in these cases, the notice warns the employee that he or she may lose their employer's contribution (if any) to employer-offered coverage. The model language notes that employer and employee contributions to employer-based coverage are tax-deductible, where the payments an employee makes for insurance purchased through an exchange are on an after-tax basis. The version for employers who offer health plans includes a section where the employer can provide information about the employer-provided coverage, including who is eligible for the health plan, whether the plan meets the minimum-value standard and whether the coverage is intended to be affordable for a particular employee. Employers have the option of filling out additional fields detailing whether the employee in question will become eligible for a health plan within the next three months, or whether employers plan any changes for the new plan year. Employers must provide the notice in writing, "in a manner calculated to be understood by the average employee," the DOL said. The notice may be provided electronically if the electronic notice meets certain DOL standards. Further details are available on the DOL's website at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform/. The DOL also yesterday offered a modified version of its "Model COBRA Election Notice." This contains model language that employers with 20 or more employees can use to offer employees and their families the opportunity to temporarily extend their health coverage (called continuation coverage) in certain instances where coverage under the plan would otherwise end. The updated version advises qualified beneficiaries that they may want to investigate health care coverage through an exchange, as an alternative to COBRA continuation coverage. Page 4
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InRLA's Endorsed Provider Spotlight! Heartland Payment Systems(R) Wins Five Stevie(R) Awards in International Competition for Sales and Customer Service PRINCETON, NJ -- (Marketwired) -- 04/02/13 -- Heartland Payment Systems (NYSE: HPY), one of the nation's largest payments processors, earned five Stevie Awards in the seventh annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service(SM) competition. The company won a Silver Stevie Award in the Sales Technology Category for its atlas sales solution, and Bronze Stevie Awards in the Contact Center of the Year (Over 100 Seats), Innovation in Customer Service, Customer Service Team of the Year, and Customer Service Training Team of the Year categories. The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service honor the accomplishments of sales, customer service, and call/contact center professionals worldwide. More than 1,100 entries from worldwide organizations of all sizes and industry sectors were submitted to this year's competition. "Our sales and customer service teams are the lifeblood of our organization and are well deserving of these honors," said Jeffery T. Nichols, executive director of Heartland Service Center (HSC) Operations in Jeffersonville, Ind. "The Stevie Awards showcase talent from across the globe and to win five awards further demonstrates the strength and depth of the Heartland organization. Additionally, we are especially pleased that atlas, our homegrown sales technology solution, was honored with a Silver Stevie Award, as it has been a game-changer for the way our relationship managers operate in the field while interacting with merchants on a daily basis." Heartland's sales professionals serve as trusted business consultants, bringing innovative payment solutions to the company's more than 250,000 merchant locations across the country. These relationship managers are backed by a strong network of managers, mentors, training programs and proprietary technology that enable them to gain, retain and provide added value to customers. The Stevie Award comes on the heels of Heartland being named one of the "Best Companies to Sell For" by Selling Power速 magazine for the fifth consecutive year. Supporting the company's sales force and merchants is Heartland's powerful servicing organization that operates on a regional service model unique in the payments industry. Based at the HSC, Heartland's team of more than 800 customer advocates handle all service calls live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, never using call trees or auto-routing. These well-trained customer advocates are the product of Heartland's Customer Service Training Team, which runs a comprehensive employee professional development and training program that includes Heartland University, an on-site, accredited higher education program that works in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College, the nation's largest community college system. These continuing education opportunities were created to contribute to the company's well-established training culture and help its employees grow in order to provide better service to Heartland's customers and sales force. About Heartland Payment Systems Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. (NYSE: HPY), the fifth largest payments processor in the United States, delivers payments processing, mobile commerce, eCommerce, marketing solutions, security technology, payroll solutions, and related business solutions and services to more than 250,000 business and educational locations nationwide. A FORTUNE 1000 company, Heartland is the founding supporter of The Merchant Bill of Rights, a public advocacy initiative that educates merchants about fair credit and debit card processing practices. Heartland also established The Sales Professional Bill of Rights to advocate for the rights of sales professionals everywhere. More detailed information can be found by visiting HeartlandPaymentSystems.com, HeartlandPaymentSystems.com/Careers, Heartlandpaymentsystems.com/Blog or following the company on Twitter @HeartlandHPY and Facebook at facebook.com/HeartlandHPY. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature which represent our management's beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are based on information currently available to us. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements due to many factors, including risks and additional factors that are described in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release. Page 7
Same-Sex Harassment Claims: A Growing Trend in Employment Litigation By: Brian L. McDermott and Ebony A. Reid
In the workplace harassment discussion, same-sex harassment is often overlooked by employers. That oversight can be particularly problematic for employers in the restaurant industry. To the extent restaurants tend to promote a jovial and carefree atmosphere, employees may not understand the distinction between appropriate and inappropriate conduct, especially as it pertains to co-workers of the same sex. Furthermore, employers who are less familiar with same-sex harassment may be inexperienced when it comes to handling such situations. For instance, employers may ignore inappropriate conduct between samesex employees, considering it nothing more than “horse play” or instances of “boys will be boys.” Not approaching same-sex harassment with the same level of seriousness afforded other forms of harassment is imprudent and increases the risk of costly litigation, as evidenced by a recent settlement reached between a New York steakhouse and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). In that settlement, a 42-month consent decree filed in federal district court provides that the restaurant will pay $600,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the EEOC on behalf of 22 male waiters who alleged that male managers sexually harassed and retaliated against them. The alleged harassment included inappropriate physical touching and highly offensive comments—mostly advanced by a single manager. The waiters also alleged that the restaurant retaliated against them by assigning them less desirable job tasks and threatening to terminate their employment. The waiters’ lawsuit alleged violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 1998, the United States Supreme Court held in Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services that an individual can bring a claim for workplace harassment when the harasser and the harassed employee are the same sex. In Oncale, the male plaintiff worked on an offshore drilling platform with a crew of eight men. Three co-workers, two of whom had supervisory authority over the plaintiff, subjected him to humiliating sex-related conduct in front of the crew. They also physically assaulted him in a sexual manner and threatened to rape him. Although the plaintiff complained, no action was taken; in fact, the safety compliance clerk called him a name suggesting he was gay. The United States Supreme Court resolved a split in the federal courts of appeals by ruling that male-on-male sex harassment violated Title VII if the harassment was based on sex and not the man's sex orientation. In other words, as long as an employee can show that the harassment was based on gender, he or she can allege hostile environment sex harassment. Although the New York steakhouse denies the waiters’ allegations in the consent decree, in addition to the monetary settlement, the restaurant must establish an employee complaint hotline for reporting alleged discrimination, distribute to all employees a revised policy prohibiting sex harassment and retaliation, conduct anti-discrimination training, post a notice to employees in the workplace, submit to monitoring by the EEOC, and submit written reports of discrimination to the EEOC. The restaurant is also required to provide one-on-one sex harassment training and issue disciplinary actions to the alleged harassers. As demonstrated by a case from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction covers Indiana, restaurant employers in Indiana should especially be mindful of inappropriate interactions between same-sex employees. In Cooke v. Stefani Management Services, Inc., the Seventh Circuit affirmed a jury award to a restaurant bartender who alleged he was sexually harassed by the gay general manager of the restaurant. There, the plaintiff alleged that his general manager subjected him to a litany of sexual propositions, inappropriate touching, and nonverbal gestures of a sexual nature. The plaintiff complained to the assistant manager, but no action was taken. After a jury trial, the restaurant was found liable for same-sex harassment and the plaintiff was awarded monetary damages. While the majority of sex harassment EEOC charges are filed by women, according to EEOC statistics, the percentage of sex harassment complaints filed by men has steadily grown. In 2011, 16.3 percent of sex harassment charges were filed by men, while in 1997 charges filed by men comprised only 11.6 percent of all sex harassment charges. The EEOC has noted that while it does not keep statistics about the sex of the harassers in those charges, anecdotally, many of the charges appear to involve same-sex harassment. Because employers have the same obligations to protect employees from same-sex harassment as they do other forms of harassment, employers should review their harassment policies to determine if the provisions clearly prohibit same-sex harassment. Additionally, employers should include same-sex harassment as part of any harassment training. Implementing the appropriate measures and policies as related to all forms of harassment, including same-sex harassment, can promote a positive work environment and reduce the chance of embarrassing and costly litigation. Brian L. McDermott and Ebony A. Reid are attorneys in the Indianapolis, Indiana office of Ogletree Deakins, one of the nation’s largest labor and employment law firms. Page 8
2013 GOLF OUTINGS AT YOUR SERVICE OPEN
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AUGUST 21, 2013
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• Dinner & prizes immediately after play • Cost per golfer at each outing is $150 for InRLA Members / $175 for Non-Members (includes green fees, cart, lunch, dinner & drinks) • 4-person scramble format • Team check-in and lunch for both outings: 9:30 -10:45 AM
Schedule for both Outings: Registration: Lunch (on carts): Shotgun Start: Dinner:
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RECOGNIZE REPORT REACT
13304439
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Educational Institute Adds New Safety Source DVDs The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) has added three new videos from Safety Source Productions to its line of risk management training resources, designed to provide hospitality employees with information to keep themselves and their guests safe. The new titles are: Human Trafficking Human trafficking is often facilitated using hotels as stopover points, while sexual exploitation sometimes happens in hotel rooms and hotel lounges. The “Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000” makes this activity a federal crime in the United States. Many organizations including hotels, airlines and others are stepping up to help combat this growing problem. This 8-minute DVD will help associates identify suspicious activity related to human trafficking and provide instruction on how to proceed with their suspicions. Preview the video here. Valet Safety Essentials This 14-minute DVD reviews key safety issues for valet parking professionals, including vehicular traffic, distracted drivers, weather, baggage handling, and parking in tight spaces. Guest service and courtesy are also discussed. Preview the video here. GHS: Hazard Communications Learn what the new GHS (Globally Harmonized System) is and how it works with your property’s current HAZCOM programs. Topics in this 17-minute DVD include: key points of the change, new symbols and labels, and new classifications. Preview the video here. Each DVD is available for $116.00 for AH&LA members and $145 for nonmembers. American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute was established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The Educational Institute’s mission is to continue being the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals worldwide.
Download Guest Safety Tip Cards Guest Safety Tip cards (including safety tips for children) are available for free download on AH&LA’s website. Go to http://ahla. com/content.aspx?id=3144&hq_e=el&hq_m=2460992&hq_l=4&hq_v=03d83832c4 and scroll to the bottom of the page to obtain the free copies. Responding to Reviews Online: Yes or No? With the proliferation of social media these days, there are many avenues through which customers can lodge their opinions good or bad. Should you respond to these reviews? Ask Tamika from the AH&LA Information Center says YES, especially to the negative reviews. According to a report, 78 percent of respondents said they felt like a hotel cared about its guests and their experiences when the management staff responds to reviews. The same study also shows that over half of the respondents are more likely to book with properties that have responses from management. HVS International recently published a detailed report titled “A 7-Step Strategy to Manage Hotel Online Guest Reviews.” Following is an outline of the seven steps; hoteliers are encouraged to download the entire free report from the HVS website. • Assign one or two staff members to respond to online comments (both positive and negative ones). Either the hotel’s general manager or ‘a seasoned, trustworthy employee with strong writing abilities’ should be the point person for writing responses. • Require management and/or the executive committee to read online reviews, and use them as a serious tool to improve customer service. Discuss them openly during staff meetings. • Respond to comments quickly and regularly. This promotes an image of engagement, akin to developing a relationship with your guests on- and off-line. A quick response to negative comments limits the negative image generated by them. • Be appreciative of all guest feedback. For negative comments, apologize for the subpar experience, explain what caused the complaint, and use a positive and personalized manner. • Ask guests for support. A more personalized approach is to train front desk agents to tactfully encourage satisfied guests, as they prepare to leave the hotel, to write a review. • Do not respond to all posted comments. This can generate a sense of non-genuineness. Strive to respond to a majority of negative comments. At the same time, plan to respond to some of the positive comments. • Do not offer compensation in online responses. Looking for more information and tools on how to respond to online reviews? Contact Tamika Figgs, research manager, at (888) 743-2515 or informationcenter@ahla.com to have resources sent to you or your members.
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This advertisement is brought to you by Taste of Indianapolis Page 12
Consumers Crave a Taste of Ethnic Authenticity by Crystal Grave; founder, president and CEO of Snappening.com
It’s true that our great nation has long been called the proverbial “melting pot.” But ask any consumer looking to enjoy a decent, ethnic meal, and they’ll probably tell you that the restaurant industry has yet to capture the flavor of our country’s melting pot. Consumers want to try new ethnic flavors when dining out, but the available options are often disappointing. According to Technomic, a research and consulting firm, only 28 percent of consumers were satisfied with the availability of ethnic offerings at full-service restaurants. Thirty-three percent of consumers said there are many ethnic dishes they’d like to order out, but they’re not available on any menus. Three out of four consumers say they order ethnic foods and beverages at least once a month; 38 percent order out weekly. Individuals of Asian and Hispanic ethnicity contributed the highest response to this survey. Here are some things to keep in mind as you consider how ethnic dishes appeal might appeal to your private dining experience: Keep it Real (Ethic) Consumers who want ethic food and beverages want an authentic dining experience. In a study by Technomic, 65 percent of consumers say authentic taste is one of the most important factors in deciding which restaurant to visit. Learn about your consumers and their wants, needs. Consider researching the region(s) from which your consumers originate to learn more about their heritage, including customary food dishes. Then, let your menu items speak for themselves and reflect the genuine preparation and authentic flavor of the dishes. Spice it up! One sure-fire way to add ethnic flare to your private dining menu is by using savory spices. Sauces, seasonings, dressings and marinades can be used in the preparation of familiar foods to give them a Thai, Indonesian, Indian or Vietnamese influence, just to name a few. Different cuisines tend to incorporate many of the same herbs and spices. For example, cinnamon, mint and nutmeg are all common spices in Indian and Greek cooking. However, combined with other ingredients, the resulting flavors are entirely different. As you learn to incorporate international flavor into your private dining menu, you will soon find that the possibilities are endless! Meat me at the Corner of Fresh and Flavor Meat and poultry products are simple, ideal ways to deliver diverse flavors. With so many marinades and rubs to choose from, today’s chefs just can’t go wrong. Don’t let your culinary creativity feel restricted to ground beef and chicken. Lamb, goat, shrimp and different choices of fish all are mouthwatering entrée selections that can be prepared with a variety of seasonings and marinades for incredibly unique tastes. Serve up Sides Local farmer’s markets have noticed the interest among consumers wanting to purchase fresh, even unique, vegetables to prepare ethnic dishes at home, and they’re meeting the demand. These markets offer fresh vegetables—like sponge gourds, mustard greens and white yams—to complete the newest ethnic creations on your private dining menu. Homegrown Ethnic Believe it or not, food doesn’t have to originate from another country to be considered ethnic. In fact, it could be as close as your backyard if you’re from New Orleans. Nine out of 10 consumers believe regional U.S. cuisines—like Cajun and Creole—are just as ethnic as any dish on the menu. Southern-style barbecue is also frequently considered an ethnic food here in the U.S. American ethnic food can be served with a variety of side dishes to “dress it up” or “dress it down,” making it suitable for nearly any type of occasion. Its versatility is part of what makes it so delicious! Snappening.com is an online event planning database that contains central Indiana's most comprehensive list of meeting and event venues including restaurants. Since its 2011 launch, the site has provided over 100,000 consumers, venues and professional planners with an online service that makes event venue and event planner searches quick and easy, as well as provides highly localized event planning inspiration, tips and tools. Feel free to poke around on the site to see for yourself how helpful we are and perform your own searches. We estimate we'll save you anywhere from 4-8 hours of your own time by bringing all your options together in one well-appointed location.
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Your Business. Your Industry. Your Solution.
Certification Classes in Your Area
FOOD SAFETY TRAINING The leading food safety training for the industry
Indiana Law Requires Certification of one food handler per establishment
ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING The leading food safety training for the industry
Indiana law requires all alcohol servers to be trained within 120 days of employment
ServSafe Food Testing Costs
ServSafe Alcohol Testing Costs
Class: $125 Member | $150 Non-Member
Class: $25 Member | $30 Non-Member
Recertification: $60
Train the Trainer: $250 Member | $300 Non-Member
Proctored Exam: $35 Member | $50 Non-Member To register call us at 800.678.1957 or 317-673-4211 or visit us online at www.indianarestaurants.org
Training at Your Location
The IRA offers onsite classes for groups of ten or more students. To schedule training contact us at 800.678.1957 or dscott@LMVconsulting.com
Training Dates
Training Dates May 21 Indianapolis 1 DAY
June 4 Franklin 1 DAY
June 17 & 24 Princeton 2 DAY
June 17 12 p.m. Indianapolis
May 23 Warsaw RECERT
June 4 Plymouth RECERT
June 20 Winchester RECERT
July 29 12 p.m. Indianapolis
May 30 Fort Wayne EXAM ONLY
June 13 Indianapolis 1 DAY
June 26 Albion RECERT
May 30 & June 6 Boonville 2 DAY
June 17 Indianapolis EXAM ONLY
August 26 12 p.m. Indianapolis
800.678.1957 toll-free • www.indianarestaurants.org Page 14
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