Lynn’s Paradise Café, a funky and popular eatery for 22 years in Louisville, Kentucky, suddenly closed down in January after employees publicly complained about a tip pooling arrangement. The owner was requiring servers to carry $100 cash at all t...

The key to this recipe is in the sauté, which releases all of the earthy flavors and texture of wild mushrooms. Combined with fresh pesto, this makes for one memorable pasta dish. Wild Mushroom Pesto Penne 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon butter, divided 1...

Educating servers can keep customers satisfied and increase check averages   Restaurant customers ask many questions, ranging from “What’s the special?” to “Is there gluten in the salad dressing?” Servers need to be educated so they ca...

For Dave Garcia, Alamo City Pizza didn’t go according to plan. In 2010, Garcia closed his six-year-old, San Antonio-based pizzeria. After a failed attempt to buy the building his shop inhabited, Garcia’s landlord presented a 10-year lease with a ...

Underperforming operations need to get SLOPPIE   If your sales are increasing, give yourself a big pat on the back. If your sales are flat, and you are barely breaking even, welcome to the new normal. If you are afraid of what the future has in ...

No matter the size or shape, arancini appeals to many It seems like everyone has an arancini story. Michael Spurlock may have grown up in Detroit, Michigan, but Boston was where he first tried arancini. “After I ate it I said, ‘If I ever open a r...

Stolen credit cards. Data security breaches. Identity theft and fraud. When customers come to your restaurant or place a phone or Web order, these issues are probably not even on their radar, but they should be on yours. If you’re not careful, your...

Chicken wings go beyond the Buffalo   Chicken wings are hot right now and have become a staple on appetizer menus in pizzerias across the country. And, why not? They are a great complement to a robust pizza menu and the ingredients for a flavorf...

Each year, we mail out surveys to independent pizzerias across the nation. Using their responses, we compile our Hot 100 list — a ranking of America’s 100 largest independent pizza operations (based on sales). This issue is eagerly devoured by Pi...

Purchasing is the second leg of the profit triangle What is the first question you ask your sales rep every week? I’ll bet it isn’t weather or family related. I’d bet it goes like this: “How much is cheese this week?” I stopped asking the b...

The king of all pork products Bacon is tops in pizzerias As my wife and I watched a competitive cooking show a few months back, one of the judges tasted a certain dish and said, “Chef, I loved your dish but you cheated.” “Uh, excuse me? I don�...

The dissolution of a partnership doesn’t have to be painful   If a restaurant partnership is similar to a marriage (as many will attest it is), then dissolving a partnership must be very much like going through a divorce — which should be a ...