Here are the featured articles and editorial content in the September 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

Spiffs, Gifts, Games and Pats on the Back
Finding Employee Motivation Techniques That Work for You
by Patricia Luebke
Create a fun environment in your restaurant with incentive boosters that energize the staff, keep them focused, and encourage them to do as well as they can, all the while enjoying it. Here are some techniques to reward high performance and build sales.

Ready or Not, Here It Comes
Cost and Pricing Adjustments to Help Your Restaurant Cope With Minimum Wage Increases
by Joe Erickson
Last May, President Bush signed legislation that increases the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour over the next two years. Moreover, a number of states have their own new minimum wages that exceed the federal requirements. In this article, we offer some advice on how to manage this inevitable increase in your labor costs.

Not Too Big...Not Too Small....Just Right
The Goldilocks Approach to Kitchen Design
by Stephani Robson
Working out space needs isn’t all there is to kitchen planning, but it’s the first step in ensuring that you have a facility that allows you to serve your guests the way you want to serve them at a cost that works for your budget. In this article, we look at how to blend science, art and planning to help you find the right amount of room in the back of the house.

DEPARTMENTS

Opening Remarks
by Barry K. Shuster
What Are You Gonna Do About It? – We can talk about the recent and pending minimum wage hikes until the proverbial cows come home, but at the end of the day, it’s here and you have to deal with it. In this issue, we attempt to show you ways to manage your business in the face of inevitable increased labor costs.


Insights
by Patricia Luebke
Why people eat less at unbused tables and other interesting and useful tips in our monthly appetizer of useful information.


First Impressions
by Bill Marvin
Looking the Part – Your internal appearance is more than just dining room decor and tabletops. A major element of the face you present to the public is how your staff looks. It is the first thing that people look for when they arrive, and it is an area few managers consider part of their competitive front.

Chef Training
by Dan Butler
Peace Among Menus – If moving from the lunch shift to the dinner shift entails an effort that resembles retooling the GM factory, you might want to rethink your menus. The author shares some advice and personal horror stories.

What Our Readers are Building, Buying and Remodeling
by Susan Lawson & Barry K. Shuster
This month we visit Cary, North Carolina, where David Molee has expanded his Irish pub to cater to his faithful bar patrons as well as those looking for a quieter smoke-free dining experience.

RecipeMapping
by Joe Erickson
Our cool, new 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 Muscovy Duck Skewer and Baja Shrimp Cocktail without losing your way or your shirt.

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.

New Products and Services
A description of useful gear and services for your restaurant, and how they can benefit your operations.

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

Last Seating
by Karla Pavese
Building a Restaurant Business is Not for the Faint Hearted: A Third-Year Report – If year three is making your hair stand on end, hang in there, you’re not alone.

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