restaurant news stories on Newser

Restaurateur Reveals Ugly Secrets of Fine Eateries

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:29:59 CDT

Welcome to the world of New York restaurants, where Wise Guys drop "hundies," Bill Clinton always gets a table, and the maitre d' is usually on the take. Long-time restaurateur Joe Bastianich—co-owner of dining hotspots like Babbo, Lupa, and Eataly—dishes on the biz in a potty-mouthed tell-all coming...

Burger King Tries to Sell Healthier Image

Dustin Lushing — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 12:20:05 CDT

Burger King overhauled its menu this week and is selling smoothies, wraps, and new salads as part of a push to woo women and families. The makeover comes after Burger King dropped to third place in the fast-food rivalry last year, trailing McDonald's and—for the first time ever—Wendy's,...

How You're Coming Across to Your Waiter

Evann Gastaldo — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 15:21:11 CST

Gone are the days of, "Hi, my name is Tom and I'll be your server tonight." Restaurants are increasingly moving toward a less scripted approach, teaching waiters how to "read" tables and subtly mold their service to fit each individual group. The Wall Street Journal offers a rundown of the...

Restaurant Bans Crying Kids

Kevin Spak — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:30:58 CST

Do you like listening to screaming children while you eat? No? Well, Grant Central Pizza feels your pain. The Atlanta-area restaurant has added a new message to its menu: "We respectfully ask that parents tend to their crying tots outside." Grant Central's co-owner Donnie Parmer tells Fox 5 that the...

Iconic Chicago Restaurant to Close Doors

Matt Cantor — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:19:05 CST

A Chicago landmark will soon be history. Legendary chef Charlie Trotter is closing his restaurant in August, after a quarter-century of service. It's not a financial matter: "We’ve always been profitable, that’s for sure," he tells the Sun-Times . But Trotter is ready "to put the flag in the sand" and...

Ludacris' Latest Gig: Restaurateur

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:30:51 CST

Ludacris is launching his own restaurant in Atlanta's busy Hartsfield-Jackson airport. "Chicken and beer coming soon!" the 34-year-old hip-hop star tweeted. Ludacris' eatery will be yet another addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, which include Cognac and headphones. He also is expected to have a new album out this year called...

At Bon Jovi's Restaurant, Pay What You Can

Matt Cantor — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:01:05 CDT

At Jon Bon Jovi’s new restaurant, you can get “cornmeal crusted catfish with red beans and rice” or “grilled salmon with soul seasonings” without paying a cent. The restaurant aims to feed the hungry—but that doesn’t mean the meal is totally free, the Christian Science Monitor reports. You can...

How Bad Was the Storm? Check the Waffle House

John Johnson — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:44:05 CDT

FEMA thinks of it as the "Waffle House Index"—an unscientific but reliable guide to the severity of a storm along the coast. If a store is serving a full menu, that's a good sign for the area, explains the Wall Street Journal . A limited menu, suggesting that the store...

Restaurant Boots Woman Over 'Twerp' Tweet

Matt Cantor — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:21:05 CDT

Watch what you tweet: A diner was kicked out of a Houston restaurant for calling the bartender a “twerp” on her Twitter feed, the establishment’s owner tells KPRC Houston . When a manager with the night off saw the comment, he called the restaurant and asked the woman to leave. “Any...