The notion of a “restaurant that only sells cereal” sounds
like something right out of a child’s fantasy. But in more and
more places — most of them on or near
college campuses — real-life “cereal cafes” are opening
their doors for business.
Near the North Carolina State University campus, a cafe called Bowls offers childhood favorites like Rice Krispies, Trix, and Apple Jacks in dispensers that look like giant gumball machines. The entire atmosphere oozes Gen-X and Gen-Y nostalgia, with decor that features such items as Scooby Doo lunchboxes. Students hang out, watch TV, and eat cereals that, in many cases, their parents may not have allowed them to have (or at least gorge on) as children.
Employees provide the cereal for patrons, who pour their own milk (of which there are various kinds, including chocolate) to the level they prefer. A 4-oz. bowl costs $1.99, a 6.5-oz. is $2.99, and customers can mix cereals together for a small extra charge. According to Bowls owner Rocco Monteleone, the most popular cereals are the “monster cereals” — Franken Berry, Count Chocula, and Boo Berry.
Bowls isn’t alone. Cereal cafes are showing up all over. The most well-known is Cereality, which opened in 2003 and has locations in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Tempe, Arizona.
There is some speculation that the cafes are too trendy to sustain themselves over time, with the argument being that they’re selling a product that people can easily eat at home. But then, that’s what people said about coffee shops.
Source: Raleigh
News & Observer
When the FDA banned fresh spinach this fall in the wake of E.
coli fears, foodservice operators had to make quick adjustments
to their menus in order to comply. Now that similar fears about
lettuce have surfaced, savvy operators are realizing the importance
of flexibility and quick adaptation. Here are some tips on responding
to a sudden menu crisis:
1. Eliminate the ingredient
High-volume suppliers like McDonald’s, Aramark, and Sodexho simply removed all fresh spinach from their salads, sandwiches,
and other items, leaving either lettuce or nothing. Sodexho,
for one, rolled out an information campaign to let customers
know of the change via signage and websites.
2. Make substitutions
where necessary
The Rock Bottom Restaurants and Old Chicago
Pasta & Pizza pulled spinach and substituted romaine, arugula, and a spinach-free
mesclun mix. Because the ban did not extend to cooked spinach,
the restaurants continued selling their spinach dip.
3. Work
with vendors
Flexible vendors may see the big picture and be willing to
work with you. A wedding at the Langham Hotel Boston was slated
to serve baby spinach salads and had already accepted eight
cases of spinach. The produce vendor was willing to swap these
cases out with six cases of mesclun, which the chef was able
to use instead.
4. Be creative
Restriction of a favorite ingredient is a unique challenge
to the culinary minds in your organization. Some substitutions
made in the wake of the spinach ban were:
• leek-and-ricotta ravioli
for spinach-and-ricotta ravioli
• truffle-creamed
haricot verts for truffle-creamed spinach
• arugula-and-mascarpone
crepes for the spinach version
• kale
and Swiss chard for spinach as a side-dish to featured entrees.
Source: www.rimag.com
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Marcia Hoeck’s recent speaking engagements:
• IABC Phoenix, May 18, 2006
• PDMA Phoenix, August 10, 2006
• NAWBO Phoenix, October 11, 2006
Comments from attendees:
"Very excellent presentation. Probably the best brand presentation I’ve ever seen."
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Interested in having Marcia speak for your organization? Please contact her at 419-472-8808 or marcia@hoeck.net.
Published by Hoeck Associates, Inc.
© February 2006 All rights reserved
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