Pihakis Restaurant Group’s Post

Old School Burger Joint: Hamburger Hamlet was the bomb- old school Rat Pack / Celeb feel, aspiring entertainers on work staff making it more fun, great place for the fam, or a date. Sunset and Westwood were my go to's. New School Burger Joint: Shake Shack, the fastest growing fast casual burger joint, decent burger, ok modern vibe, no wait staff, and now in some locations no counter staff, only kiosks. So no human interaction. So you go there to eat. That's it. Now, from a profitability standpoint, Hamburger Hamlet is long gone, while $SHAK is publicly traded on the NYSE trading over $100 per share. Times change, there is no going back to the past, we can only move forward. We know the restaurant industry is moving toward automation and all the reasons why. And we see it in every industry. But before we get rid of everything, and evolve into a non contact species, there are those of us who still want to live and enjoy life, interact and more. Which is why, at least in these next years, it is my opinion that businesses that can integrate optimal technology with true, real human interaction, will thrive. At the least, it's how I want to live my life. Stony Hill Advisors, Inc. is about face to face, boots on the ground, human interaction. And yes we are using, developing, partnering with, and looking to acquire any tech we can to help us be better for both our own use and our clients.

Boston Market, the fast-casual chain known for its rotisserie chicken, potatoes, and mac and cheese, has seen better days. While the food remains popular among consumers, the outdated 90s decor is no longer inviting to customers. One question that arises is whether the company should have stuck with their original name, Boston Chicken. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments. #BostonMarket #FastCasual #businesslessons #Branding #innovation #privateequity #mcdonalds

The word is out! Perkins' mission to re-frame Family Dining is now public and we're so pumped to have created the new brand framework for this American Food Company. From the new logo and positioning to the visual ID system and TV, this classic restaurant is only just beginning to make waves. Read more about it in Danny Klein's FSR article below, interviewing industry powerhouse, Toni Ronayne.

The Old Angle Tavern in Ohio City was a fitting location to discuss produce vendor Tom Boutros’ career at the venerable West Side Market. Only a three-minute walk down West 25th St. from the market, the tavern delivered a tasty plate of house-cut fries paired with Boutros’ favorite aioli sauce as he explained, “They’ve been with us since the beginning.” Tom and his brother Joe started serving the chef at the Old Angle Tavern shortly after renting their first vegetable stand and opening Boutros Brothers Produce at Stalls 32 and 34 at the West Side Market in 2003. Beginning in the late 1990s, both brothers worked on and off at the market before making the decision to open their own stand. Since they launched Boutros Brothers Produce in 2003, they moved to stalls 42, 44, and 46 and evolved to supplying many restaurants in Cleveland, Lakewood, and Parma. These restaurants include the West Side Market Cafe, Johnny Mango, and the Old Angle Tavern, their first account dating back to that original stall. Today, Boutros Brothers supplies an extensive variety of quality vegetables and specializes in fresh, homegrown mushrooms. Throughout his 20-year tenure at the market, Boutros has also served as both vice president and president of the United West Side Market Tenants Association, the group representing business owners at the market. The more things change, the more they stay the same, Boutros said. What has always made the West Side Market unique is the fact that the stands are run by local owners who know their product and deliver quality service with a personal touch. It’s the hands-on approach that makes the difference, he said. “What the vendors provide at the market is the experience, the experience that you can’t get anywhere else in the stores,” said Boutros. “You get to go down to the market, you talk to the vendors, they talk to you, they interact with you about your life, about families.” Read more about how vendors like Boutros Brothers are focusing on quality and customer service as the market goes through changes in this story by community journalist Molly Wilson: https://lnkd.in/eE43u7xQ  #theland #thelandcle #thelandcleveland #cleveland #cle #westsidemarket #westsidemarketcleveland #clevelandwestsidemarket #publicmarket #publicmarkets #oldworld #oldworldmarket #openairmarket #clevelandhistory #westsidemarketvendors #businessowners #clevelandbusinessowners #clevelandsmallbusiness #smallbusinesscleveland #clevelandbusiness #communityjournalism #communityjournalist #thelandcommunityjournalism #clevelandcommunity #clevelandcommunityjournalism #ohiocity #ohiocityneighborhood #produce #producestand #market

They say startup businesses are too risky to finance, even more so for the restaurant industry, and construction financing is supposed to be on extremely aggressive terms…but I beg to differ. We’re a 45-year old nonprofit community based financial intuition. Main Street Launch offers loans up to $350,000 to startup and existing businesses that can’t qualify for more conventional sources of financing (e.g. banks, equity-backed firms, rich friends, family, or fools, etc). Our loans are fully amortized up to 10-years with competitive rates that can be used for a wide variety of business purposes… Berkeley is now home to “one swanky pizza lounge.” three.one four (aka 3.14 aka pie aka pizza) took over the historic Lalime space in the Gilman District. If you’re in the neighborhood, go support a small business while indulging on what’s anticipated to be one of the best pizzas in the bay, and tell ‘em I sent you. Do you know any other entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their small business but having issues accessing capital?? I’m here and have been for 14 years helping these exact kinds of businesses…pass on the good word.

If you've recently eaten at an independent restaurant or ordered takeout from one, there’s a good chance your meal was cooked and served with gear sold by father-son duo Fred and Gene Clark’s WebstaurantStore, the Internet storefront of their 53-year-old family company Clark Associates. They've devoured a fifth of the $18 billion U.S. restaurant equipment and supplies market with an Amazon-like playbook. Now they’ve cooked up a plan for greater growth. Read my latest (very non-aerospace) Forbes Magazine story here: #restaurants #ecommerce #restaurantsupplies

I remember visiting Ponderosa Steakhouse as a kid. The restaurant was like a dream to me, mainly because of their salad bar.   Funny, I realize, but I’ve always loved wandering through a large salad bar and building a massive salad.   There are only a few places left I’ve found to do this, namely in the airport lounge and Ruby Tuesday.   You might think that it’s the “all you can eat” aspect that drives me to the salad bar, but truth be told, I’ve rarely gone back for seconds.   What gets me is the options.   Basically, you can build a salad, customized to your liking, on any given day. So, today might have lettuce, various vegetables and chickpeas, and tomorrow might have no lettuce, a quinoa base, and a topping of strawberries.   As human beings, 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. The main reason why is that we can select something that suits our tastes or interests.   💥 In sales, every prospect wants a unique solution catering to their specific needs. And, of course, it can create a challenge when you’re attempting to sell something that is either a pre-packaged service or a product.   However, you can limit the number of options you need to provide.   𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗲𝗲, 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘀.   Everywhere you look around you, there are groups of three — three blind mice; the red, amber, and green of traffic lights; baseball’s three strikes, etc.   𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 — 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 — 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.   Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Shawn, we only have one service or one product to offer.”   Okay, then how can you re-package this to turn it into three?   𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿: ➡️ You can increase the volume (i.e., sell one, two or three). ➡️ You can provide an add-on (i.e., more time, more access, more training) ➡️ You can increase the features (i.e., basic, mid-range and premium model) For the sake of this example, I’m only going to give you three options.    Seriously, though, when you provide options, you move your prospect away from wondering, “Do I or don’t I?” and shift them towards “Which option is right for me?”   And that’s how you increase your chances of closing the deal.   Studies have also shown that when faced with three options, many buyers will choose the middle option by default, so you not only increase your chances of making a sale, but you also increase the value of that sale.   What three options can you begin sharing with your prospects this week? #prospecting #sales

🌭 🍔 🍟 Retailer Highlight - Portillo's 🍟 🍔 🌭 I’m a sucker for Italian Beef. A few years ago I visited my buddy who was going to Northwestern in Chicago at the time and we had 5 Beefs in 2 days (I was 22). All local, all awesome, all different flavors. To be super clear I LOVE finding local dives. They can’t be beat. But I also thought… there has to be a chain that does this and does it really well… Enter Portillo's Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs, Fries, Shakes, and Chocolate Cake. Sold. And I guess I am not the only one. History: Portillo's was founded in 1963 by Dick Portillo in Villa Park, Illinois. Starting as a small hot dog stand called "The Dog House," it has grown into a major player in the fast-casual dining space. They have carried on the tradition and have a really neat, diner type feel. They do not skimp in the slightest on their Build out or FFE. More on that below… Menu Highlights: Portillo's is known for its Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs, burgers, salads (chopped salad s/o Kyle Ludlow), and their chocolate cake (r u kidding). Their menu breakdown is pretty expansive but I’m going to guess they are fairly heavy on their go-tos like the beef and shakes. Expansion and Growth: As of now, Portillo's operates over 80 locations across several states, including Illinois, Indiana, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The menu is catered towards the midwesterner but has obviously evolved well past that in terms of geography Store Design and Experience: Portillo's restaurants are typically large, often spanning around 9,000 square feet. They offer a unique dining experience with a 1950s diner feel, complete with nostalgic decor that adds to the charm. Performance Metrics: The average unit volume (AUV) for Portillo's is impressive, often EXCEEDING $8 MILLION per location (alot... sometimes over $10MM). Over the past decade, Portillo's has consistently increased its sales volume, driven by both organic growth in existing locations and strategic expansion into new markets. Recent Developments: Portillo's is focused on strategic expansion, recently opening new locations in Texas and Michigan. They continue to innovate with drive-thru services and catering options, adapting to changing customer needs. I'm beyond hopefully for one in my backyard soon. Fan Favorites: I’m a sucker for Italian Beef Sandwich, dipped, hot giardiniera, and a side of fries. Little night cap Chocolate Shake before bed as well. What are you ordering? (s/o Tyler Bindi on the hat of the week)

❓Whats your favorite restaurant on the beltline? 🙌🏽We got to try Nina + Rafi and loved all of the styles of Pizza and breadsticks that they had. Their main focus in Gandma Style Pizza and one of those is the Detroit Style 🍕This pizza comes with a spicy honey, pepperoni and jalapenos! What makes a pizza "Detroit?" 😱Detroit pizza, also known as Detroit-style pizza, is a distinctive style of pizza that originated in Detroit, Michigan. Here are the key features that make Detroit pizza unique: Square or Rectangular Shape: Unlike the traditional round pizza, Detroit pizza is baked in a square or rectangular pan. This shape is a hallmark of this style. Thick, Airy Crust: The crust of a Detroit pizza is thick and has a light, airy, and chewy texture. It's somewhat reminiscent of focaccia bread. The dough is allowed to rise, creating a fluffy interior. Crispy, Cheesy Edges: One of the most beloved aspects of Detroit pizza is the crispy, caramelized cheese edges. Cheese is spread all the way to the edges of the pan, where it melts and creates a crunchy, flavorful crust. Layered Toppings: Traditional Detroit pizza starts with the dough, which is topped with a layer of pepperoni directly on the dough. This is followed by a generous amount of cheese, typically a blend that includes brick cheese, which is known for its melting qualities. The sauce is then spooned over the top in stripes or dollops, rather than being spread directly on the dough. The Detroit here was amazing! We will definitely be coming back for more! #thefoodienetworknet #foodieblog #foodielife #foodiefinds #instafood #instafoodie #worldfoodie #travelfoodie #foodreels #foodshorts #foodies

#FunFoodFactFriday The first Waffle House opened on September 5, 1955. The restaurant was a collaboration of neighbors in Avondale Estates, Georgia, about 10 miles outside of Atlanta. Joe Rogers Sr. and Tom Forkner decided that the area needed a 24-hour, sit-down restaurant for their friends and neighbors that combined the speed of fast food with the round-the-clock concept. They opened the first Waffle House on Labor Day in 1955. The venture was named Waffle House to promote their highest-profit item—the waffle. Because the waffle did not lend itself to takeout, the owners also thought that encouraging waffle ordering might encourage diners to stay and linger. Forker would say, “We are not in the food business. We are in the people business.” The restaurant signs were painted bright yellow to attract drivers' attention, and menu items included waffles and eggs for 40 cents, hash browns for 20 cents, Coca-Cola for 10 cents, and a filet mignon for $1.50. Waffle House continues to be an icon, with more than 2,000 locations across 25 states. Every minute, Waffle Houses serve an average of 341 bacon strips, 238 orders of hash browns, 145 waffles, and 127 cups of coffee. Other Fun Facts: *** Waffle House used to serve Chick-fil-A. The chain was once licensed to sell fellow Atlanta-based CFA sandwiches. However, the sandwiches got so popular that orders were impacting Waffle House’s regular menu, so the partnership was stopped. *** The original Waffle House location still exists, but it has now been turned into a museum containing Waffle House memorabilia. It can be toured only by appointment, and the tours fill up months in advance. *** Waffle House releases its own custom waffle-based songs, starting with “Waffle House Family.” A full selection can be found on jukeboxes in Waffle House locations. *** FEMA uses the “The Waffle House Index” to determine how hard a natural disaster has hit a town: Code Green means Waffle House is open and serving a full menu, Code Yellow means Waffle House is serving a limited menu, supplies may be low, and power may be off, and Code Red means Waffle House, Inc. is closed and the area needs immediate assistance. #cpgindustry #wafflehouse #nowyouknow #forhireresults The Newell Group