Equipment/Technology Articles

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To-go goes green
For many operators, disposable servingware and dishes have become a necessary part of doing business. Even if you’re not going to go “fully green” there are lots of smaller steps you can take to make your usage of disposables a little more eco-friendly.
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MexiCali Burrito turns to Phoodeez to boost its corporate catering
MexiCali Burrito Co., a, family-owned taqueria in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was already well into catering when it signed up with Boston start-up Phoodeez (pronounced food-ies) to boost its corporate reach.  Currently available in the greater Boston area, Phoodeez is an online catering service focused on building business for local independents. Its restaurant clients, says Christine Marcus, CEO, are carefully screened to ensure that food is of the highest quality, and that the eateries have the logistics to prepare and deliver food for large corporate events.
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Dunkin' Donuts mobile app adds support for Apple's Passbook
Dunkin' Donuts announced its mobile app for iPhone and iPod Touch has added support for Apple's Passbook, allowing people to run on Dunkin’ faster and more conveniently than ever before. Guests can now easily add their Dunkin' Donuts Cards to Passbook and pay for food, beverages and merchandise at participating U.S. Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants simply by scanning their Dunkin' Pass in-store or at the drive-thru.
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Zoës Kitchen’s mobile app delivers data and a smile
In February, Zoës Kitchen joined the growing ranks of fast casuals offering a smartphone app. Free for download on iTunes and Google Play, the LIFE  app—Zoë translates to life in Greek—gives guests the ability to earn ‘goodies,’ while providing the concept with a vehicle for measuring guest satisfaction.
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Mixologists: Top tools to create the extraordinary
To help create the extraordinary cocktail, mixologists rely on a slew of tools and techniques, some borrowed from the kitchen. Sous vide is a prime example; its popularity extends beyond the kitchen into the bar area, where the technique is used to keep flavors pure and temperatures consistent. We asked some of today’s top mixologists to name their favorite tech tools behind the bar, with the direction that it didn’t have to be electronic. Their answers were notably low-tech; along with sous vide, jiggers, foam-makers and a card binder make the list.
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Smoothie, frozen beverage and dessert dispensers
With the ever-increasing popularity of smoothies, frozen yogurt and frozen alcoholic beverages, chilled treats have found a place on the menu all year long. To keep up with that popularity, beverage and dessert machines are easier than ever to operate and offer a wider range of products.
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Hot ovens and cooktops
As you might expect, chefs have some definite ideas about what they want from an oven or cooktop.
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Holding cabinets
At high-volume restaurants, a holding cabinet can be a real time- and money-saver for keeping dishes warm without drying out. For smaller operations, there are countertop models, usually holding two or three pans. The basics The standard holding cabinet comes in  many sizes, ranging from undercounter models (which hold about six pans) up to full-height, 20-pan models. Many of the larger cabinets have split “Dutch” doors to keep heat in when the cabinet is opened.
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Market your new product
When Firehouse Subs partnered with King’s Hawaiian to offer the King’s Hawaiian Pork & Slaw sandwich, it was the first time the sweet bread producer had partnered with a restaurant chain. To commemorate the occasion the “Lei Your Love on the Line” video contest was born.
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2013 Social Media 50: Winning Strategies
You’ve already gotten a taste of our list of 50 great social media tips and tactics. Now it’s time for the main course. For this year’s package, we looked for chains that had shown strong growth in their social media following in 2012 based on data compiled by Digital Coco, a reputation tracking firm focused on the restaurant industry. Get ready for a deep dive into some winning social media strategies.
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Anatomy of a social website
As Shake Shack has grown from its humble beginnings into a family of 15 stores in three countries, so has its social media fan base. To support their avid and active customers, they redesigned and relaunched their website. 7. The company loaded the fan page header with guest-submitted photos. “We plan to switch them out at least twice a year,” says Edwin Bragg, director of marketing and communications for Shake Shack.
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A Facebook scavenger hunt
6. Arby’s most successful social media campaign was launched last year, timed to the anniversary of its founding—July 23, 1964.
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