Christmas Season, Christmas Tree, Christmas Gifts,

It IS Christmas Time

Christmas is American!

Restaurant Proz has a no apology use of the phrase  Christmas. Christmas is as American as Baseball, Apple Pie, Chevy, Ford (They weren’t bailed out) Our Great Nation was founded on Christian Principles, see below, notice it does not say Nature’s Budda, or Allah or whatever…

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation

What Is Christmas According To Wikipedia

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The date of commemoration is not known to be Jesus’ actual birthday, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either a historical Roman festival or the winter solstice. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

Although traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas is widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and some of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, and garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, Father Christmas (known as Santa Claus in North America, Australia and Ireland) is a popular mythological figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of gifts for children.

Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor that has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world.

Its the Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

Restaurant Christmas

The Christmas Tree is decorated, with care, The chimney is cleaned out, the kids are excited and drawing Pictures of Santa Claus, Christmas Presents, Snowmen and Reindeer. My wife is hustling about making everything perfect, and we get to go shopping purchasing only from stores that have not caved to the countries minority whiners, and chief complainers, the ACLU members.

Restaurant Chain, Owners, Managers and Employees have a sense of responsibility to you and your country, enough is enough, Its Christmas Time and if your guests have the desire to be offended and want to be offended because you say have a Merry Christmas.

Let them that is their right as is your to wish them a Merry Christmas. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year, we all ( most of us at lease) seem to be a little nicer, act a bit more kinder and remember why Christ came to begin with. Enjoy your Christmas, and if anybody has a problem with it, Just smile, wave, and chuckle at the incredible frigid stupidity that they are displaying, remember to thank God That they are not a part of your family.

Ciao

From Our Families to Yours during this Christmas Holiday Season!

Need Butts In Seats?

Keep Your Restaurant Marketing in the Neighborhood

Most of us have heard that  80% of your business lives and or works in within your 3 mile radius of your restaurant. If we you threw out the paid advertising and focused on the Neighborhood, Grass Roots, Guerrilla Marketing,  your effectiveness, ROI, and your restaurant sales will increase.

The core of your overall marketing strategy (plan) must center around your restaurants neighborhood. Tempting as it may be to hand money over to your newspaper, local magazines, radio and even cable ad rep touting the latest deal for promotion to massively spread your name to thousands for just pennies, per day, resist the temptation until you have a solid Guerrilla Marketing Plan.

Restaurant Branding

Who are You? Who is your Customers Do you have a brand? do you know who your customers are? Hell do you know why they come to your restaurant?  A simple old school tactics for doing market research is to find poll your employees and find out where they are coming from. Sound silly, well it ain’t. It is easy all you need is a

1. Corkboard / Maybe an easel
   

   Do You Know Who You Are?

2. A map (of your neighborhood)
3. Pins
4. A wee bit of Training

Now just collect data, sounds easy, well it is, incorporate some pre-shift meetings, conversations with each and every , host staff, have the wait staff communicate the desire at the table, voila, market research.

Collect Restaurant Marketing Data

Make collecting data fun, Use the time to graciously welcome your guests as they arrive and when the are leaving.  Welcome your guests back! (step number 10 in the ten steps of service) have fun, collect names, build relationships, learn names, “The Cheers Factor”.

Now What?… A Hospitality Marketing Plan

Analyse then set up a grass roots campaign (More on this to Follow) do,  find other businesses in the area that you can “Coop”, Joint Venture, Ready, Fire Aim… ok maybe not lets create a restaurant marketing plan.

Community Organizing (Not Really)

When I first began managing, I learned a new term  MBWA (Managing By Walking Around) my mentor, the regional VP,  did this better then anybody I know. The restaurant industry has adopted this term to communicate a style of restaurant management, this can also be a very effective tool in your restaurant marketing campaign.

True MBWA marketing starts with your neighboring businesses, remember joint ventures.  A great way to find those other businesses to joint venture with is to first begin building a relationship with the owners and employees, the ideas will happen naturally.

Ciao

It's Beer Thirty

Restaurant Nutritional Labeling and a Sugar Tax …in The Health Care Bill?

Buried in a health care bill to pay for the “Deficit Neutral” bill our incompetent leadership from Washington has buried . The National Restaurant Association appears to be sitting on their hands doing nothing. The NRA this year has excelled at Incompetent Restaurant Leadership,  actually, negligent management!

Yes, I do feel the NRA has been deficient in its representation  of restaurant owners and emplyees. The NRA expects it fees but for what?  are they organizing the industry, the chains, the mom and pops? Is The NRA educating companies, owners, managers, employees, YOU on the current issues and how they will affect your business? To take a a

The NRA Needs to Put Politicians on a Diet

“Change of Diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. When a man makes his thoughts pure he no longer desires impure food”

James Allen in his book “As A Man Thinketh” States

Lacking Leadership and Direction

Instead of changing our selves we expect a bail out from the Federal Government. We want to throw  blame on McDonalds, and the Fast Food Restaurants for serving fattening food. Are we stupid? Have Americans become that irresponsible? You need a new management system

“Leadership is doing things for the right reasons, Management is doing things right”

Peter Drucker

If you are overweight from improperly managing you, you are an example for your world,  suing McDonalds shows a lack of personal responsibility, from you and anybody else involved. If  you are blaming Mc Donalds because of these issues;

* Maybe your genetic pre-disposed issues (medical condition)
* Maybe your lack of managed caloric intake
* Maybe Your health!
* Maybe Your Lack of Knowledge!
* Maybe Your Lifestyle!
* Maybe Your Workouts or lack of?

What kind of leader are you?

Washington Needs a Spending Diet

The Politicians in Washington need to go on a spending diet the NRA says on their “About Us” page

Where Are You NRA?

…“restaurants need a powerful voice before Congress and federal regulatory agencies because public policy affects every facet of the $566 billion restaurant business…”

The NRA says that they got your back in Washington, to track and influence pro business  legislation.  But whereare they? Nobody is looking out for you. You have paid your dues every year the benefits are on the site. The NRA said they are here to fight for your interest because you do not have time, you are running your restaurant.

Below is from the NRA’s About us page

What We Do

We Represent Restaurants

“Restaurants need a powerful voice before Congress and federal regulatory agencies because public policy affects every facet of the $566 billion restaurant business. The National Restaurant Association promotes a pro-restaurant agenda on critical restaurant issues like health care reform, immigration reform and food safety. Through the NRA-PAC and Save American Free Enterprise Fund, we work to help elect pro-restaurant candidates and battle anti-restaurant initiatives.”

What  Does The National Restaurant Association Do?

Is the National Restaurant Association Standing at the top of the stairs yelling stay out of our business? I don’ t

Communicate With The NRA

think so. Instead the NRA is to worried about attendance at the coveted National Restaurant Show?

These Are misplaced priorities. The attack on your lively hood from Washington is and should be alarming, just as you call for all hands on deck for that Friday night rush the NRA has failed you in putting “Aces in their Places” on the health care takeover. The incredible onslaught of anti business legislation proposed this is year is unprecedented the “Progressive Democrats” are accelerating the destruction of the US economy by redistributing  America’s wealth.

Take Action

All Hands on Deck Call and Demand Information and action from your local and National Restaurant Association

Ciao

Its Beer Thirty Leadership

“A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justices which regulates his life.”

“As a Man Thinketh”   by; James Allen

Life is a Race

There is a book from Mac Andersen (the Founder of Successories) Successories – 10% Off All Orders Over $99 Mac found and heard the story one day and was so inspired he found the author and created a motivational book.

This particular book explains the with exactness the  problems that we seem to be experiencing in America.  We seem to have lost our tenacity,  stick-to-itive-ness, (I just made that up)  We no longer believe in being responsible for our failures, I way hear to much blame.

If you feel that the Federal Government is your personal ATM then you may need an attitude adjustment. Read this Book entitled “The Race” By Dee Groberg

Personal Responsibility

In this inspirational  book Mr Groberg tells a story of a young boy and a race, the temptation to quit and the motivation he finds to keep going. The Race offers a profound, moving message that can help each of us run the “race of life.”

It is a small book only 64 pages easy to read over and over. I read it at least once a month to my son as I am putting him to bed. He usually falls asleep, thank goodness, I cannot keep up with him, and the message helps to remind me of my role as a father.

This book is about choices, responsibility, being an American, The Colonists did not quit, the 56 signers of the

Actions Show Leadership

Declaration of Independence, were thought “crazy” for declaring war from Britain and their tyrannical rule. Could they have whined and complained, were there defeats? yes, but they pulled up their bootstraps (or whatever they had to wear) and pulled off the biggest of all upsets.

Be the underdog, get up, shut up, Lead by example Buy and read “The Race”

Successories – 10% Off All Orders Over $99

Jobs Here. Jobs Now. Jobs First

Restaurant Work

This is proven, time and time again, America is full of the most ingenious people on earth, flat out plain and simple. We are Independent!

I sent an e-mail to The NRA (National Restaurant Association) Asking where is the nations restaurant association in regards to this issue? I have not seen updates where are you with hundreds of thousands of associations dollars? Where are your press releases why are you not actively organizing large chains, manufacturers, everybody to fight these job and industry killing bills?

Michelle

I am a Restaurant consultant in addition to a small business and internet marketing coach. I am concerned that I have not been able to find much, if any information that is up to date concerning the takeover of health care by the federal government. I am also not aware of the NRA’s efforts to stop this job killing, industry crippling legislation by the leftist elite in Washington. Their objective is to mandate, control and socialize small business. This is a government control issue, the belief that is legal to plunder the wealth of hardworking citizens the haves for the benefit of the have nots!

These three bills;

1. Health Takeover
   

   Where Are You NRA?

2. Cap and Tax
3. Card Check

I call a “Triple Whammy” this will not only cripple the US economy but destroy the restaurant industry as we know it.

The crippling effects will begin with farmers and producers, increase costs and limit the supply products and of transportation.

The resulting effect on the economy is less money (period) spent on goods and services resulting in reduced manufacturing and production. What does this equate to? The NRA is out of a job! You will have less members, with less money for your fees. The devastating impact on independent restaurant operators and increased paperwork ( aka, Tax Payer Dollars for Clunkers)

I feel the NRA must move all available resources (cash) at stopping these bills and future job killers, to educate the general public, employees, restaurant owners about the job killing effects of these bills individually and collectively. I am struggling to find the NRA pulling together industry leaders to crush this take over of America. !

Where are you! now is not the time to play patsy with nicely drafted letters on what you believe. I do not believe currently that the NRA is really looking out for the 12 million jobs you claim to represent.

Prove Me Wrong, Please! Show me what you are doing!!

As of posting I am still waiting for a response, So where are your fees going?  You would not hire an employee and not know what their job description is? Would You? What is your expectation of the Restaurant Association? Are they following through? Do they promote job and industry growth? Below are key ways to infuse more money into the economy and CREATE RESTAURANT JOBS

Below are the 4 key tax cuts and then 12 steps to prosperity from the Jobs Here Jobs Now program at www.americansolutions.com

Tax Cuts Increase Restaurant Work and Sales

The big government spending programs have failed to produce jobs and economic growth. They have never worked and never will.

More of the same government spending programs will also fail.The American people require an alternative that will succeed.
With the Federal Reserve’s recent report that we are nearing a 10% unemployment rate ( 10.2% as of this writing), enacting new policies to help create new private sector jobs should be the first priority of government today.

I urge you to read the reprint of the 1968 article from former secretary of agriculture

(The Proper Role of the Federal Government)

However, instead of focusing on jobs in restaurant creation, Congress is taking steps to impose new job‐killing draconian health, energy taxes, and union card check legislation which will crush main job creators in America—small business. Yea you Mr and Mrs restaurant owner!

Thank You

4 Key Tax Cuts

The following four tax cuts will help create jobs in your restaurant and fundamentally shift power from politicians to small business, from lobbyists to restaurant owners, and from bureaucrats to investors. The Proper Role Of Government is to create jobs first, protect American interest, (protectionist? Yes!) before we spend any more on government programs. These measures put the control, capital, and power in the hands of the people! Not in the hands of the Politicians

1. Immediate Payroll Tax Relief.

Whereas many people do not pay the income tax but do pay for every employee, and dramatically free up available cash for every small business employer to hire and invest. Among other sources, this would be paid for with all the unexpended TARP money, along with $300 to $400 billion of the unspent “stimulus” spending authorized in February.

The Incompetent Obamanomics

2. Reduce the Corporate Tax Rate. Combining state and federal taxes, America has the highest corporate tax system in the world. Matching the Irish corporate tax rate of 12.5%, combined
with zero capital gains, will make America the most desirable economy in the world to invest in.
3. Abolish Taxes on Capital Gains. Matching the Chinese capital gains rate of zero is relatively inexpensive in the current economy because people are going to have smaller gains. In the
1970’s, this is the rate that Alan Greenspan testified was best for economic growth.
4. Abolish the Death Tax. Inheritance is the most powerful accumulator of capital and eliminating the death tax has been consistently supported by over 75% of the American people.

Below are the best twelve in order from American Solutions

1. Payroll Tax Stimulus.  With a temporary new tax credit to offset 50% of the payroll tax, every small business would have more money, and all Americans would take home more of what they earn.
2. Real Middle-Income Tax Relief. Reduce the marginal tax rate of 25% down to 15%, in effect establishing a flat-rate tax of 15% for close to 9 out of 10 American workers.
3. Reduce the Business Tax Rate.  Match Ireland’s rate of 12.5% to keep more jobs in America.
4. Homeowner’s Assistance. Provide tax credit incentives to responsible home buyers so they can keep their homes.
5. Control Spending So We Can Move to a Balanced Budget.  This begins with eliminating Congressional earmarks and wasteful pork-barrel spending.
6. No State Aid Without Protection From Fraud.  Require state governments to adopt anti-fraud and anti-theft policies before giving them more money.
7. More American Energy Now. Explore for more American oil and gas and invest in affordable energy for the future, including clean coal, ethanol, nuclear power and renewable fuels.
8. Abolish Taxes on Capital Gains. Match China, Singapore and many other competitors. More investment in America means more jobs in America.
9. Protect the Rights of American Workers. We must protect a worker’s right to decide by secret ballot whether to join a union, and the worker’s right to freely negotiate. Forced unionism will kill jobs in America at a time when we can’t afford to lose them.
10. Replace Sarbanes-Oxley.  This failed law is crippling entrepreneurial startups.  Replace it with affordable rules that help create jobs, not destroy them.
11. Abolish the Death Tax. Americans should work for their families, not for Washington.
12. Invest in Energy and Transportation Infrastructure. This includes a new, expanded electric power grid and a 21st century air traffic control system that will reduce delays in air travel and save passengers, employees and airlines billions of dollars per year.

It is time to create jobs in your Restaurant, restaurant work is the basis of this economy, $567 billion in sales give or take a few billion 12 million jobs, over a million establishments We got fat and sat on our hands for the last ten years growth was great lets hope this

Restaurant Owners, Managers, Employees are Community Leaders

This is a continuation of Real leadership Part 1 and Part 2

This discourse is in its entirety and is fully the rights of The Honarable Ezra Taft Benson Former Secretary of Agriculture. (http://www.zionsbest.com/proper_role.html) True Leadership and principles do not change with or over time, natural law is natural law. Being a leader whether in your restaurant managing 30 employees or in the Senate managing 300 million people is the same. The same goes in 1968 as it does in 2008, 40 yeas later our society has strayed from protecting your rights as a restaurant business owner. I hope you read it in its entirety and ponder where we are as a nation. Leadership extends outside of your four walls that you market within, it extends outside of your 2-5 mile marketing radius.

Ciao

Fifteen Principles Which Make For Good And Proper Government

As an Independent American for constitutional government I declare that:
(1) I believe that no people can maintain freedom unless their political institutions are founded upon faith in God and belief in the existence of moral law.
(2) I believe that God has endowed men with certain unalienable rights as set forth in the Declaratioth in the Declaration of Independence and that no legislature and no majority, however great, may morally limit or destroy these; that the sole function of government is to protect life, liberty, and property and anything more than this is usurpation and oppression.
(3) I believe that the Constitution of the United States was prepared and adopted by men acting under inspiration from Almighty God; that it is a solemn compact between the peoples of the States of this nation which all officers of government are under duty to obey; that the eternal moral laws expressed therein must be adhered to or individual liberty will perish.
(4) I believe it a violation of the Constitution for government to deprive the individual of either life, liberty, or property except for these purposes:
(a) Punish crime and provide for the administration of justice;
(b) Protect the right and control of private property;
(c) Wage defensive war and provide for the nation’s defense;
(d) Compel each one who enjoys the protection of government to bear his fair share of the burden of performing the above functions.
(5) I hold that the Constitution denies government the power to take from the individual either his life, liberty, or property except in accordance with moral law; that the same moral law which governs the actions of men when acting alone is also applicable when they act in concert with others; that no citizen or group of citizens has any right to direct their agent, the government to perform any act which would be evil or offensive to the conscience if that citizen were performing the act himself outside the framework of government.
(6) I am hereby resolved that under no circumstances shall the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights be infringed. In particular I am opposed to any attempt on the part of the Federal Government to deny the people their right to bear arms, to worship and pray when and where they choose, or to own and control private property.
(7) I consider ourselves at war with international Communism which is committed to the destruction of our government, our right of property, and our freedom; that it is treason as defined by the Constitution to give aid and comfort to this implacable enemy.
(8) I am unalterable opposed to Socialism, either in whole or in part, and regard it as an unconstitutional usurpation of power and a denial of the right of private property for government to own or operate the means of producing and distributing goods and services in competition with private enterprise, or to regiment owners in the legitimate use of private property.
(9) I maintain that every person who enjoys the protection of his life, liberty, and property should bear his fair share of the cost of government in providing that protection; that the elementary priing that protection; that the elementary principles of justice set forth in the Constitution demand that all taxes imposed be uniform and that each person’s property or income be taxed at the same rate.
(10) I believe in honest money, the gold and silver coinage of the Constitution, and a circulation medium convertible into such money without loss. I regard it as a flagrant violation of the explicit provisions of the Constitution for the Federal Government to make it a criminal offense to use gold or silver coin as legal tender or to use irredeemable paper money.
(11) I believe that each State is sovereign in performing those functions reserved to it by the Constitution and it is destructive of our federal system and the right of self-government guaranteed under the Constitution for the Federal Government to regulate or control the States in performing their functions or to engage in performing such functions itself.
(12) I consider it a violation of the Constitution for the Federal Government to levy taxes for the support of state or local government; that no State or local government can accept funds from the Federal and remain independent in performing its functions, nor can the citizens exercise their rights of self-government under such conditions.
(13) I deem it a violation of the right of private property guaranteed under the Constitution for the Federal Government to forcibly deprive the citizens of this nation of their nation of their property through taxation or otherwise, and make a gift thereof to foreign governments or their citizens.
(14) I believe that no treaty or agreement with other countries should deprive our citizens of rights guaranteed them by the Constitution.
(15) I consider it a direct violation of the obligation imposed upon it by the Constitution for the Federal Government to dismantle or weaken our military establishment below that point required for the protection of the States against invasion, or to surrender or commit our men, arms, or money to the control of foreign ore world organizations of governments. These things I believe to be the proper role of government.
We have strayed far afield. We must return to basic concepts and principles – to eternal verities. There is no other way. The storm signals are up. They are clear and ominous.
As Americans – citizens of the greatest nation under Heaven – we face difficult days. Never since the days of the Civil War – 100 years ago – has this choice nation faced such a crisis.
In closing I wish to refer you to the words of the patriot Thomas Paine, whose writings helped so much to stir into a flaming spirit the smoldering embers of patriotism during the days of the American Revolution:

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis, shrink from the servisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; ’tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed, if so celestial and article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.” (THE POLITICAL WORKS OF THOMAS PAINE, p.55.)

I intend to keep fighting. My personal attitude is one of resolution – not resignation.
I have faith in the American people. I pray that we will never do anything that will jeopardize in any manner our priceless heritage. If we live and work so as to enjoy the approbation of a Divine Providence, we cannot fail. Without that help we cannot long endure.