Here are the featured articles and editorial content in the April 2007 issue of Restaurant Startup & Growth magazine.

RestaurantOwner.com members have access to these articles in the RS&G Archive department on RestaurantOwner.com.

FEATURES

B2B Banquets
Building a Banquet Business With Businesses and Organizations
by Michael Attias
The reasons to include business-to-business (B2B), or any banquet service for that matter, in your startup are seductive, indeed. Banquets have as much as a 20 percent to 30 percent return on sales whereas on-demand restaurants are in the 4 percent to 10 percent range. In this article, the author looks at how to get a piece of the $100 billion meeting marketplace.

Texas Hold’Em
A Poker Player’s Guide to Navigating a Restaurant Lease Agreement
by Larry S. Green, J.D.
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, and know when to fold ’em, when negotiating a restaurant lease. That said, if you don’t understand the language of the lease agreement, you don’t really know your hand. Here, an experienced commercial real estate attorney explains key terms, conditions and negotiating points.

Team Spirit
The Case for Marketing Cooperatives, and Why Your Startup Might Want to Join
by Wendy Gillett
A growing trend in this country is independent restaurants banding together to promote their businesses, as a way of competing with the marketing clout of the large chains and franchisors. The author points out the features and benefits of these organizations, with a few caveats for your consideration.
 

DEPARTMENTS

Opening Remarks
by Barry K. Shuster
Sorry Nationwide, You’re No Budweiser - If your dream of becoming a rap star fizzles, consider a career in hospitality. You might even learn some valuable interpersonal skills.

Insights
by Patricia Luebke
May we start you off with an appetizer? In this issue, we touch on why restaurant guests take major complaints directly to management, and other useful tips and trends in our monthly fast read.

Equipment Notes
by Howard Riell
And Don’t Forget to Close the Door Behind You - A Walk-in Cooler Selection and Maintenance Primer for Startups — How to pick the right walk-in for your restaurant and maintaining it for years of faithful service.

Structures
by Jeff B. Katz
Now, That’s Using Your Head - Bathrooms as a Design Feature in Your Startup – It may not be enough that your restrooms are clean; to really stand out they may need to dazzle — your customers.

Chef Training
by Chef Dan Butler
Do It Yourself? - A Candid Look at Premade Versus Scratch in the Startup Kitchen – You really can’t run to the 7-11 when you run out of béarnaise sauce on a busy Saturday night, can you? Our chef trainer looks at the pros and cons of do-it-yourself versus heat-and-serve in different situations.

What Our Readers are Building, Buying and Remodeling
by Diana Lambdin Meyer
Our readers share with us their dreams and plans. Take a glimpse at what your peers are doing.

Recipe Mapping
by Joe Erickson
Our newest department, RecipeMapping, is a three-step process that allows you to add new items to the menu consistently, methodically and profitably. This month, we help you offer your guests spicy cilantro chicken pizza and crunchy broccoli salad without losing your way or your shirt.

New Products and Services
This month, we look at an energy-efficient line of conveyer dishwashers, all-natural sausage, and two service items with eye-catching designs.

Points of Origin
by Doug Turner
A bird's-eye view of both the number and the geographic distribution of the nation's new restaurants.

Showtime
by Gene Gentrup
Your best ideas might be waiting for you at trade shows staged across the country.

Last Seating
by Chef J. Arthur Gordon
Film at 11 - The Challenges of Creating a Positive Spirit – Does it ever seem that the news media only want to report on negative activity related to our industry, rather than our good deeds?