Charlie Rushton

🚨 The dangers of drinking & driving 🚨 The recent news about Tyson Foods' CFO pleading not guilty after a drunken driving arrest highlights a critical issue. Drinking and driving endangers lives, damages careers, and tarnishes reputations. ✊ It's critical those in positions of power & influence remember the importance of responsible choices and set a strong example for our communities. #wsj #insurnace #claims #nyc #foodandbeverage #hospitalityindustry https://lnkd.in/gd2RRHSe

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Not all news is happening at #FODC2024. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has announced that California is banning restaurant fees and surcharges beyond posted menu prices. The interpretation is still murky, but seems to exclude: 💲 Tipping and any other comp that goes 100% to employees (does this mean healthcare surcharges are still fair game?) 💲 Delivery Fees (does this mean marketplace Service Fees and "California surcharges" are gone?) 💲 Prices lower than posted menu are ok (but higher, no -- implications for dynamic pricing?) It did say that all Delivery Charges must be a fixed fee and not a percentage, and that they must be known by the customer upfront (before they get to checkout). So that does not bode well for Service Fees. The new pricing complications are based on AB 478, a truth-in-advertising law passed last year. https://lnkd.in/eXZX7AYd

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#FunFoodFactFriday On September 19, 1969, the first Cracker Barrel Old Country Store opened in Lebanon, TN. Founder Dan Evins began his concept as a restaurant–gas station combo to help his family’s oil business and give travelers a place to rest and socialize. By 1977, the chain had grown to 13 Cracker Barrel locations. However, the oil embargo of the mid-70s led to a switch in the chain’s focus. They began expanding the menu and creating a “country store” shopping area for the restaurants. The name “cracker barrel” was a nod to the barrels often found on the front porches of country stores. They were used to ship soda crackers to avoid breakage and then became a gathering spot for people to visit and play checkers while visiting the stores. The first menus were handwritten by Dan Evins himself and contained intentional misspellings and folksy phrases to make them look and feel like they were written on brown paper bags. The menu included standard Southern cuisine, such as biscuits, grits, country ham, and turnip greens. The gift shops typically stock toys reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s along with home décor and classic brands of snack foods and candy. They also sell country music CDs, DVDs, cookbooks, branded mixes, and more. Cracker Barrel now has 662 restaurants in 45 states. Other Fun Facts: *** Each Cracker Barrel location contains around 1,000 artifacts that complement the town and the region of its location. However, there are five items found in every location: a deer head (usually above the dining room fireplace), horseshoes (above all front door exteriors), a cookstove (often in the gift shop), an axe yoke (above the front doors), and a traffic light (to show the way to the restrooms). *** Cracker Barrel has an employee-funded non-profit organization called Cracker Barrel Cares, which helps Cracker Barrel employees in times of need. Additionally, the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation supports nonprofits and charities around the country. *** The most popular candy sold at Cracker Barrel is the thin sticks, and the chain sells over 13 million of them per year! #restaurantindustry #innovation #nowyouknow #forhireresults The Newell Group

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The "restaurant operating environment has become challenged, as consumers have cut back on dining. Many restaurants are also struggling with inflation and thinned margins. . . . Red Lobster, Rubio’s, Tijuana Flats and several small chains and franchisees have declared bankruptcy." #restaurantindustry #chapter11bankruptcy #franchisee #restaurants #inflation #bankruptcy #chapter11 #foodservice

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As ROIs and LOLs converge in conversation, don’t we need more TLAs? NDA: The sworn oath of secrecy in the corporate world, where 'loose lips sink ships' is not just a saying but a policy. #NDA #CorporateSecrets #SpreadPositivity #HBros DEFINITION Non-Disclosure Agreement: A legal contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes but wish to restrict access to or by third parties.

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The pace of bankruptcies are picking up in the restaurant industry. We are seeing a lot of concern from California due in part to recent labor cost increases. It’s an imperative to develop new business models and plans ahead of sitting down with creditors. In many cases, effective turnaround plans can gain traction and confidence, but they require credibility and objectivity to convince other shareholders and stakeholders to come along. It’s essential to win not just their consent, but their renewed trust and enthusiasm for a new and inspired vision. #restaurants #bankruptcy #turnarounds

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Absolute Risk vs. Relative Risk. LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DUFF IT Warren Buffett once said, “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” Imagine two golfers standing at the same tee box, facing a green surrounded by water. To an amateur, this shot is fraught with danger—they duff it 9 out of 10 times, sending the ball into the water. But for a professional, that same hole presents far less risk—they land the ball on the green almost every time. This is a perfect illustration of absolute versus relative risk. The hole, water, and conditions are the same, but the difference in risk comes from skill. • Absolute Risk represents the general level of risk any unskilled or average person faces when dealing with uncertainty. For the amateur, hitting that green feels nearly impossible because they lack the practiced skill set. • Relative Risk refers to risk measured against someone more experienced and knowledgeable. A professional golfer has honed their abilities, studied this type of hole, and understands how to reduce the risk by controlling their swing and mindset. Risk Management Through Skill The lesson here is that risk is not a fixed, immovable barrier. It’s fluid and can be managed or reduced significantly with the right preparation, experience, and partnerships. Just as the professional golfer can land the ball with far greater consistency, a skilled investor or decision-maker can minimize risk in business or financial ventures by understanding the environment, honing their strategies, and working with the right team. Preserving Upside Potential The goal is not to avoid risk entirely—without taking on some risk, there’s no reward. The key is to minimize unnecessary risk while preserving the upside potential. For example, investing alongside a seasoned fund manager or working within a skilled team allows you to manage risk effectively, limiting downsides while positioning for success. With the right skillset and support, risk becomes less of a threat and more of a calculated decision, enabling you to outperform those who fear risk or lack the skill to manage it. In both golf and life, risk, when properly managed, is not something to fear—it’s an opportunity waiting to be unlocked. Having started as a family investment partnership we built Gratus to optimize risk adjusted returns, because life is too short to duff it.

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Why "Covers" should be every Restaurateur's North Star Covers aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They are the heartbeat of your restaurant’s success. If you want to truly gauge your growth Focus on covers. Not just revenue or profit. Here’s why - ✅ Covers measure footfall ¬ Demonstrates the true traffic in your restaurant, indicating guest interest & brand appeal. ✅ Covers drive consistency ¬ they encourage a focus on sustaining a steady stream of diners, not just isolated bursts of income. ✅ Covers reflect demand ¬ giving you a clear sign of whether your concept is resonating. ✅ Covers fuel forecasting ¬ helps plan your stock, staffing & overall operations with precision. It’s simple: Covers are the ultimate signal of health and potential. Is "covers" your restaurant’s North Star? If not, it's time to rethink your metrics. ♻️ Repost, comment and connect #restaurants #Hospitality

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Good morning restaurant friends. It's that time again. Time to check your linen rental contracts and invoices. The CPI was just released, and as expected, inflation has cooled quite a bit. If your contract allows your linen rental company to raise your prices by the CPI, you should know what that number is, particularly on your renewal date. #restaurants #restaurantoperator #linenrental #priceincrease #costs #management #restaurantmanagement

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Every restaurateur I know wants to either make 20% profit at the unit level or, if they don’t, they want to know why their restaurants don’t make a profit at that level. They have heard the overworked saying that restaurants operate on “razor-thin margins.” Of course, that saying refers to the industry as a whole, so it includes successful restaurants as well as average and unsuccessful restaurants – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Combined, all restaurants average 3-5% profit. Show me one person who started a restaurant brand because they had a dream of being average! My business is about making successful people more successful. You must have success first before you work with me. Aiming of more than just being average? Let’s make your restaurants a standout success! Read here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/gQdYgbbj #restaurateur #restaurant #success #businessadvice

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What does this tell you? 1. Donald Trump own relative uncles, aunts, cousins will not endorse him and feel that he is unfit for presidency 2. Donald Trump’s vice president Mike Pence and his entire administrative staff will not endorse him 3. the CEOs of big corporations after having a meeting with Donald Trump will now not endorse him 4. All our labor unions will not endorse them 5. The American Bar Association having 1.3 million lawyers will not endorse them 6. Our law enforcements and military personnel will not endorse them 7. The Lincoln project a republican platform will not endorse Donald Trump 8. There is a small but growing underground Grassroots of Republicans who will be voting Democrat because they feel Donald Trump is unfit for presidency and to save our democracy. 9. There are millions of Republicans who will put aside personal policies and ideas and just this 1 time vote Democrat to save our democracy. Donald Trump is an evil Wicked Man Who spreads lies, hate and anger to divide our country, he follows the old war strategy divide and conquer.

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Remember Chi-Chi’s the Mexican Restaurant?. Well, its making a come back more than 20 years after filing bankruptcy as the son of the former owner and founder of Kona Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill will be opening restaurants with the Chi-Chi’s brand. https://lnkd.in/gEeZDV8b #bankruptcy #retail #landlords #chapter11 #chapter7 #reorganization #creditorsrights #debtorcreditorsrights #landlordtenants #ceosanddirectors #ceosandofficers #officersanddirectors

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10 years ago, Chick-fil-A made a promise to serve antibiotic free chicken. Today, in the face of supply chain issues, the company is rolling back on its promise, saying they will now serve chicken that has “No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine”. It serves as a cautionary tale for restaurant owners who are considering making bold sustainability pledges. Don’t get me wrong - I am all about incorporating environmental consciousness into the operations of your business. But it's crucial to ensure they are realistic and sustainable in the long run. Instead of overcommitting, owners must ensure they make smart pledges they know they can keep and investing in baby steps that can build and grow over time. https://lnkd.in/esaXe_tu #tagex #liquidations #furnitureauctions #furnitureliquidations #equipmentliquidations #equipmentauctions #businessliquiditions #foodindustrynews #foodserviceindustry #kitchenquipment #restaurantequipment #commercialkitchenequipment #restaurantauctions #restaurantclosures #restuaranttrends #restaurantnews #cfo #coo #foodindustry #foodindustryequipment #liquidaterestaurant #openrestaurant #expandrestaurant #foodoperations #restaurantclosure #restaurantremodel #restaurantliquidation

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To get the most of the storied region it helps to be connected. Hear the person you need to know in Burgundy. By Mike DeSimone Jeff Jenssen Robb Report https://lnkd.in/deK95vzE

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The resurgence of the restaurant industry — and our return to eating out now more than ever — is starkly documented by the The Wall Street Journal's real estate reporters. In addition to the expansion of tables and seats as restaurants expanded into sidewalks and streets during COVID, they're also now taking over the vacant retail space the pandemic left behind, and are now a sizable — and the fastest growing — commercial real estate tenants. Buried in the infographics, is the remarkable spending habits of Americans who now spend well over half their food on meals cooked by professionals (and closer to 65% when prepared meals in grocery retail are included). That's something Changing Tastes has been pointing out over our past decade of work and strategic advice https://lnkd.in/eV6MM3F7

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18 April 1942-Less than a mere 5 months after the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the first installment of payback is delivered on the Japanese home Islands by Jimmy Doolittle and his USAAF Raiders, and the US Navy/Army team. At 03:10 on 18 April, American radar operators on the carrier USS Enterprise, escorting the Hornet and Task Force 18 and TF 16, detected a Japanese picket boat far outside the expected patrol area. The course of the task force was changed as each new Japanese vessel appeared on the radar screen. Finally, at about 7:38 AM, lookouts on the Hornet spotted a Japanese patrol craft just 20,000 yards from the carrier. Although the USS Nashville sank the ship, the Hornet radio room intercepted an outgoing message alerting the Japanese military to the presence of the Americans. While Doolittle had hoped to launch aircraft at a distance of 400–600 miles from the target, Halsey was unwilling to risk his valuable carriers by pushing deeper into the Japanese defensive perimeter. Halsey dispatched an order to the Hornet: “LAUNCH PLANES. TO COL. DOOLITTLE AND GALLANT COMMAND, GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS YOU.” At the same time, Halsey launched his own aircraft to engage the Japanese surface vessels in the area. At this point, the Hornet was more than 820 miles from Tokyo. Final instructions were given to the flight crews: nonmilitary targets were to be avoided at all costs, especially the Imperial Palace complex in central Tokyo. If it proved impossible to make it to the Chinese coast, pilots were ordered not to divert to the Soviet Union (although one did and the crew interned), but to proceed as far west as possible, ditch their planes at sea, and make their way to shore in China. This would prove unnecessary for most of the aircraft, as they were aided by a 25 mile-per-hour tailwind throughout the last 1,200 miles of their journey. After this final briefing, the crews boarded their B-25s, and Doolittle’s plane (photo) was the first to lift off from the deck of the Hornet at 8:20 AM. Despite heavy seas, the remaining B-25s took off without mishap, and within an hour all 16 of the raiders were airborne. Actual damage done was minor to the targets in Tokyo, Yokosuka, Nagoya, Kobe and Osaka, but the phycological damage inflicted on Japan was enormous — as was the morale boost for America. As well, it showed the Japanese that their home Islands were vulnerable to attack, and led to them attempting to expand their security zone and attack and seize Midway Island. That battle (and later Guadalcanal) was the turning point of the war in the Pacific. Jarhead Java / Bravo Zulu Java / Stars & Stripes Java - 50% of profits are donated to the Semper Fi & America's Fund to support our wounded troops from ALL service branches. Great coffee for a great cause! Please visit our website and shop: militaryjavagroup.com at Amazon.com and at MCX

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