Archive for research
June 19, 2006 at 3:25 pm
· Filed under article, research, waitstaff
excerpt:
"John Collins and Nigel Pickhardt, who met 15 years ago waiting tables in New Orleans, have drawn on their experience to warn diners and restaurant owners about the dangers lurking beneath the tablecloth.
Their self-published little handbook — "How to Burn Down the House" from Promethean Books — is a virtual how-to for waiters and bartenders interested in fleecing the customer, and an eye-opener for the hundred million of us who eat out every day. It starts with their own version of profiling."
source: "Restaurant Rogues – Authors Turn the Tables on Wiseguy Waiters" (ABC News, Jun.16,2006)
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June 6, 2006 at 2:48 pm
· Filed under article, budget dining, chain restaurants, food, ordering, research
excerpt:
"Consumer Reports' latest survey of restaurant chains shows that readers were especially happy with meals at some of the newer chains-and that casual restaurants usually offered the best bang for the buck.
Readers told Consumer Reports that they found the especially good value-$15 to $19 for a very good meal-at seven casual-dinner chains: Claim Jumper, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Johnny Carino's Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy, Texas Roadhouse, Red Hot & Blue, and Famous Dave's.
Conducted by Consumer Reports' National Research Center, the survey results are based on information from 66,000 readers about 149,000 meals and 103 full-service restaurant chains between April 2004 and April 2005…"
source: "Consumer Reports' Survey of Chain Restaurants Finds Best Value in Seven Casual Dinner Houses" (Consumer Reports, Jun. 5,2006) [Press Release]
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May 28, 2006 at 6:16 pm
· Filed under article, food, health, research
excerpt:
"…a pair of Wisconsin researchers has calculated how that jumbo-sized restaurant “bargain” meal deflates your wallet while it inflates your stomach.
The answer is between $3.10 and $7.72 based on only three hidden costs, say researchers Dale Schoeller, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Rachel Close, a research assistant. Their findings will be published in June in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
…The three costs which Schoeller and Close used were driving a vehicle, medical care, and the need for extra food to supply the energy to maintain that extra weight. There were other costs that could have been included but which they rejected for one reason or another, Schoeller said."
source: "Study: Bargain meals actually cost you" by David Steinkraus (Journal Times, May 27,2006)
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May 26, 2006 at 9:59 am
· Filed under reference, research
excerpt:
Is ChefDb yet another restaurant listings site?
Absolutely not. Nor is it a restaurant review site. Instead, ChefDb is an archival project designed to document the names of chefs, restaurateurs and restaurants, past and present. Profile pages reveal the employment history of the individual or, in the case of restaurant profiles, the individuals who have worked at that particular establishment.
All of the information is cross-referenced, making it easy to navigate between people and places. As the information on this site has not previously been collected in a central repository, it makes for an exciting project to build and develop from the ground up.
link: The Chef and Restaurant Database (ChefDb)
Similar to IMDB (Internet Movie Database) and other user-powered database sites, this is a growing site that will allow anyone to find the history and current status of restaurant professionals. For the empowered diner, they can use it to find out where their favorite chef is working or other related information.
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May 8, 2006 at 5:02 am
· Filed under article, research, seating
excerpt:
"All three restaurants served types of food that we enjoy. Although it was early in the evening, one was already quite crowded. Another had a couple at one table near the window. The third appeared to have no customers.
In such a situation, many people might think that there must be some reason why no one is at the third restaurant. Maybe there's something wrong with it. The restaurant with just one couple might also appear questionable for the same reason…"
source: "Going with the Crowd" by Ivars Peterson (Science News, Jan.2005)
Interesting research on why one restaurant may be much more crowded than another. The findings differ from popularly held beliefs. The science also may explain why restaurants seat initial customers in highly visible tables (e.g. near the window).
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