Headlines Through the Decades Amid a foodservice industry still in its infancy and a nation emerging out of a Second World War and poised for growth, the Louisiana Restaurant Association was formed. Ever since, we’ve set the table for our industry’s success, championing your interests … turning new ideas and technologies into business-building trends … and investing in the people who drive our industry forward. Today, thanks to the strength, innovation and resilience of our workforce, the LRA is one of the largest business organizations in the state and is its largest private employer. Ours is an industry of trailblazers, the backbone of our communities, and the realization of the American Dream. As the LRA now marks its 75th year, we take a peek back at the pages of our magazine to tell our history, one headline at a time.
1940s
1950s
What Television Means to the Restaurant Operator
American Restaurant Magazine’s “Eat Out More Often” Campaign
When actual telecasts begin in New Orleans on December 18 over WDSU-TV, every restaurant operator in the New Orleans television area (30 to 40 miles) will be asking himself the question – Shall I offer my patrons television? The answer of course depends on the type of operation.
Plan Your Menus in Technicolor! Plan your menus in technicolor, because color can actually make food taste better. By pleasing the eye, it stimulates the taste buds and prepares them for a treat. Eye appeal sells a meal almost as much as taste appeal, and it gets there first. Try it yourself. Leaf through the pages of one of the women’s magazines. The food pictures that make your mouth water are the ones in color.
Beware of the 5 cent Customer! I have repeatedly hammered away to my audiences all over the country that 50% of all new restaurants fail the first year, and after that 33% fail yearly from there on. The greatest single contributor to restaurant failures, in my opinion is the 5 cent customer. Yes, I know that you like to see customers come in, even for a 5 cent cup of coffee, but have you ever analyzed the 5 cent sale situation thoroughly?
The American Restaurant Magazine has launched a campaign which should interest every restaurant man, not only in Louisiana but in the nation. Building its appeal around the theme and that it’s fun to eat out, the drive features the slogan: “Enjoy Life! Eat Out More Often.” It is designed to interest the American family in patronizing restaurants more often than they do. We all know that the future of the restaurant business lies in the patron who still takes too many of his meals at home.
The Unfair Excise Tax on Equipment Must Go! Ever since the end of the war, the restaurant industry has been unfairly burdened with a ten percent excise tax on restaurant equipment. Many operators do not even know that they are paying this tax, since it is what is called a hidden tax. In other words, such a tax is added to the price of equipment by the manufacturer and the purchaser does not know that the price is raised accordingly. So you, Mr. Restaurant Man, have been paying ten percent extra for every unit of equipment you have purchased.
High Labor Turnover Still a Restaurant Problem The high percentage of labor turnover in the restaurant business is a matter of concern to the majority of operators. The problem was present even during the 1930’s in the depression. The wartime manpower shortage with employers competing for a scare supply of labor intensified the problem enormously. Since the war ended, the story has been the same, and even today most restaurant men have trouble in holding their help.
Feature Egg Dishes on Your Lenten Menu Eggs are cheap. Eggs are a good buy. Prices in most areas are the lowest since 1942. The current egg production is running 50% higher than the ten year average, and all indications point to an abundant supply for all spring months. Operators will do well to take advantage of the low prices and feature egg dishes on their menus for the coming spring months, especially during Lent.
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Louisiana Restaurant Association | a la carte | Fall 2021
