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Restaurant Daily News May 21

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R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 1 2 1 S a t u r d a y, M a y 2 1 , 2 0 1 6 LC: The Design Collections were creat- ed to make it easier for restaurateurs to select table lighting that best fits their restaurant's style and décor. Each collec- tion – Classic Elegance, Industrial Chic, Vintage Charm and Unique Impressions – is inspired by the latest, most popular restaurant industry design trends. They feature a variety of sizes and styles from votives and hurricanes to shades and can- dlesticks. RDN: Why is table lighting and ambi- ence important? LC: The effect a flickering candle can have is incredible; it can create an imme- diate sense of occasion. Have you ever walked into a restaurant and taken a seat, only to gasp in awe as you look around and melt into your surroundings? Suddenly you are transformed into a moment that you want to savor and remember, and as you browse the drinks menu you are unexpectedly intrigued into ordering a more adventurous wine or cocktail, and listen more intently to the description of the meal specials. This is a result of deliberate ambience. This is also the moment that many people will snap a photograph and post it to Instagram, which is another topic entirely. RDN: Do you just add a candle to create ambience? LC: Not quite. Ambience is fundamental to a restaurant's personality and origi- nates from more than a flickering flame. It evolves from a clear vision, an eye for detail and a desire for harmony among all design elements. When a restaurateur is able to meticulously select the correct elements and mix them together, it leaves an enduring impression and makes a guest hunger to relive the experience. A restaurant's table lighting needs to com- plement and reinforce the restaurant's Sterno P ro ducts (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) styling to have the desired effect. RDN: Will every restaurant fit perfectly into one Design Collection? LC: No. The most dynamic and personal restaurants are created from embracing aspects of different trends, cultures and philosophies. A restaurateur could find herself connecting with products within the Classic Elegance collection because of the crisp lines and timeless appeal, but also have sections of the restaurant or outdoor space that embrace features more in-line with the Industrial Chic col- lection. It's okay to mix and match col- lections. RDN: You mentioned ambience and social media. Tell our readers more about that. LC: Our society has become susceptible to share, in real-time, our experience with others, indicating location, people and surrounding objects. Décor statements, lighting elements and beautifully-styled food is photographed and shared to a host of social media channels as a way to cap- ture the moment. What is astonishing is that restaurants are now getting criticized by their guests via these posts if they feel like the restaurant's lighting choices do not help in taking an effective picture. RDN: Anything you'd like to add? LC: It's an honor to be part of a compa- ny with such an admired footprint and heritage within the hospitality industry. As a growing company, it's exciting to extend our expertise to provide table top and ambience insights, and offer a com- prehensive line of table lighting products, as well as liquid wax, traditional and flameless candles. For more information, go to www.sterno products.com, call 951.682.9600 or stop by booth #7225. infusion technology, the new XT bever- age system produces over 1,000 drink combinations to maximize your revenue opportunity. Here is a sneak peek at Concordia's latest technology. What is New about the Xpress Touch (XT) Espresso System? With its redesigned sleek styling and proprietary electronic code, the XT can solve your entire specialty coffee needs and desires. Designer colors of bronze, copper, stainless steel, black and white allow for a totally customizable presen- tation. The 10-inch touchscreen makes for easy access to over 1,000 drink com- binations in either guest facing, self- serve, vended or staff attended applica- tions. What this means for you: easy to set up/change menus; large touchscreen; easy to navigate touchscreen; customiz- able colors; broad menu breadth; and high profit margins. C o nco rdia (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) Stop by Concordia's booth #4223 in the South Hall if your company has a need for enhancing your current special- ty coffee platform or if you are looking to add a new specialty coffee concept. All of the Concordia machines brew fresh bev- erages by the cup (using fresh whole beans, fresh milk and fresh flavored syrups and chocolate sauce – in applica- ble models). If you are looking at a spe- cialty espresso beverage menu introduc- tion or improvement as a top strategy for 2016-2017, Concordia's cafe is a must- stop on your tradeshow walk. Concordia's team will be able to answer questions on the newest technolo- gies, menu breadth, return on investment, millennial desires and how to increase your overall traffic. It is an expert, so let Concordia work for you. Stop by its café at booth #4223 to enjoy a delicious bev- erage while reviewing the newest tech- nology. Also, ask Concordia about its new no-risk guarantee rental program. For information, visit www.concordia coffee.com or call 800.778.0990. Learn more at booth #4223. allowing customers to carry an entire combo in one hand while fitting in a stan- dard cup holder. The patent-pending Grub Tub fits on top of existing cups (S- XL) and allows you to place food inside for on-the-go convenience. "QSRs and Entertainment Venues are always looking for a way to increase sales, while customers are looking for something that's unique and solves a problem," said Richard Pola, Chief Executive Officer of RP & Associates. "The Grub Tub allows guests to buy more since they can easily carry a combo in each hand and fit it in a cup holder; the days of juggling food in one hand and a drink in the other are gone." The Grub Tub has multiple rings on the bottom that allow it to attach to the top of existing cups and place food inside. Its large capacity of 44 ounces is fit to be served with a wide variety of foods, ranging from popcorn to a com- plete combo meal, and it's completely stackable. The coned opening in the cen- ter allows for a straw to reach the drink without food falling inside of the cup, or outside of the tub. The Grub Tub increases sales by conveniently allowing guests to walk around with a meal in one hand, carry two full combo meals or place it in a cup holder. The Grub Tub can also be brand- ed with a logo or promotional materials R P & A sso ciates (C o nt'd. fro m p. 1 ) for marketing and social media cam- paigns. This product will become your favorite new marketing tool. Because it can be held in one hand, the Grub Tub creates a unique opportunity to upsell additional food items and combo meals, increasing your profit. When you brand it with your company logo or design, you can boost brand engagement through customer social sharing, in-home adver- tising and an exciting customer experi- ence. In a fast-paced "now" world, con- venience is king. Give your customers something they'll keep coming back for. The Grub Tub can currently be seen in Yankee Stadium, Chase Field and Magic Springs, to name a few. The Grub Tub is available now from RP & Associates; visit www.rpandassociates.com or call 310.372.9709 for more information or to place an order. RP & Associates designs and manu- factures unique products to increase sales for restaurant chains, beverage brands, hotels, resorts and corporate America. RP & Associates leads the industry with its creative beverage products and custom packaging, in addition to offering a wide selection of customized apparel, racks, drinkware, barware and other promotion- al items. For more information, visit www.rpand associates.com or stop by booth #8331. have been the most successful with grab- and-go programs? BC: Grab-and-go can be utilized by any type of establishment that features a retail section in its business. DayMark has worked with all types of foodservice operators, from full-service restaurants and hospitals to convenience stores and food courts. RDN: What methods are you seeing restaurants employ with regard to grab- and-go? What sort of trends are begin- ning to take shape? BC: Operators are continually changing or tweaking their menu to keep up with industry trends and customer demands. Competition requires their offerings to be fresh and current. Additionally, the label is becoming more and more important as the requirements of the label continue to change. Operators are providing their customers with nutritional information, ingredients and identifying allergens. It also has become a marketing tool that using methods such as QR codes can help drive customers to websites, loyalty pro- grams and other content. RDN: How can foodservice operators best utilize the DayMark 9700 for grab- and-go product labels? BC: The DayMark 9700 gives operators the ability to try new things, react to trends and easily make any changes. This allows for new menu items, limited time offerings and daily specials. They can change ingredients, pricing and portion without ordering new custom printed DayMark Safety Systems (Cont'd. from p. 1 ) labels. More importantly, after a change is implemented, there are no old labels to be discarded. Changes can be managed at the location level or from one central location to provide brand consistency. RDN: How are restaurants benefiting from grab-and-go programs and the DayMark 9700? Are there any sort of hidden/fringe benefits that are being real- ized? BC: The DayMark 9700 provides opera- tors the freedom to manage grab-and-go items with the same agility as the rest of their business. Establishments are no longer tied to the list of items that match their current printed label inventory. One casual dining restaurant chain with near- ly 600 locations has successfully consol- idated 40 custom labels into a single cus- tom label template for all of its retail bak- ery items; one of our commercial food- service operators has noted that they are in control of their labeling system, not the other way around. RDN: What do you foresee the future holding for grab-and-go? BC: Most agree that the only constant for the future of labeling requirements is that it will continue to evolve. The 9700 will allow an operator to quickly adapt with any new requirements. It takes the guess- work out of predicting label requirements and allows our customers to focus on their menus and guests. For more information, including how to order the DayMark 9700 Label Terminal, visit www.daymarksafety.com, call 800.847.0101 toll-free or visit DayMark at booth #1113.

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