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Restaurant Playbook

New Restaurant Playbook Part 3: How to Choose the Right General Contractor

Opening a restaurant is an exciting venture, but without the right team in place, it can quickly become overwhelming. One of the most critical hires? A General Contractor (GC). Our CEO, Mistie Boulton, sat down with Sam Carlson, owner and founder of Carlson Construction, to discuss how restaurant owners can choose the best GC for their project. With years of experience handling commercial tenant improvements and restaurant build-outs, Sam shares valuable insights on what to look for, what to avoid, and how to set your project up for success.

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Featured Article

The Art of Food Plating: Enhancing Visual Appeal to Boost Sales

When dining out, our first taste is with the eyes. Every restaurant knows that the secret to a diner’s heart often begins with visually stunning plates. EyeSpy restaurant consulting uncovers how the art of plating can elevate a meal’s appeal and, yes, boost those sales.

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Restaurant Playbook

New Restaurant Playbook Part 2. How to Choose the Perfect Space

Opening a restaurant is a thrilling journey, but it’s also one filled with unexpected challenges—many of which can be mitigated with the right architect on board. Our CEO Mistie Boulton sat down with Jimmy Turner, founder of Studio Turn Architecture, to discuss the ins and outs of restaurant design.

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Featured Article

Proactive Strategies for Restaurants Facing New 25% Tariffs on Key Imports

An estimated $12 billion potential impact on the restaurant industry of a 25% Mexican and Canadian tariff on food and drinks is worrying us all.   Essential items like specialty cheeses, wines, seafood, and even specific kitchen equipment that are typically imported could see marked price increases. This situation could

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Featured Article

Spring Sips: Refreshing Beverage Trends to Elevate Your Restaurant Menu

As spring breathes new life into your locale, it’s the perfect time for you, the restaurant owner, to infuse your beverage menu with a fresh twist. Here’s your cheat sheet for crafting a spring beverage menu that mirrors the freshness of the season and caters to the eclectic tastes of your patrons.

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Expansion

2025 Restaurant Interior Design Trends

While we very much believe in timeless design choices, there are some cool trends emerging in the restaurant space and so we thought we’d share the ones that we think will stick and are worth doing. Here is a list.

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Restaurant Playbook

New Restaurant Playbook Part 1. Lessons in Opening a Champagne Bar from Melanie Bauer

Opening a bar is no easy feat. From navigating financials to finding the right location, every step presents its own challenges. As Melanie Bauer prepares to open Winston Champagne Bar in the summer, she sat down with our CEO and owner Mistie Boulton (also the CEO and co-owner of Oren’s Hummus Restaurant Group), to discuss what she wishes she had known before embarking on her first hospitality entrepreneurial venture.

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Featured Article

Fresh Spring Menu Ideas

Spring is coming! That means fresh tangy flavors, mocktails, salads, tarts, and more. Here’s a refresher on spring ingredients and some suggestions for how to incorporate them into your menu.  1. Peas: Sweet and Bright Peas burst with sweetness and are perfect for spring. Create a lively pea and mint

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Featured Article

Our Favorite 2025 Service & Culinary Trends

As we delve into the future of the food and beverage industry, keeping up with emerging trends is essential for restaurants. Here, we explore our favorite service and culinary trends for 2025 that are set to redefine the industry. These trends reflect a broader movement towards immersive, sustainable, and data-driven dining experiences. 

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