PRS Newsletter – Volume 2 PRS Client Spotlight: 1123 W. Davis St. In the November/December issue of Preferred Restaurant Services’ Off The Menu we highlighted one of our guiding principles – Community. We asked our Client Partners to tell us what they were doing to help those in need for the holidays, which are now posted on our website at www.prslp.com. Norma’s Café’s annual charity Thanksgiving dinner earned this month’s client spotlight after serving over 3,400 meals to the homeless on Thanksgiving. Owner Ed Murph was praised by the National Restaurant Association for being a "community leader and philanthropist," Ed Murph says "The whole intent is to give whoever wants to eat, homeless or not, a good home–cooked meal." Although Norma’s is not open on Thanksgiving day for business, the team still proudly opened their doors, both front and back, for needy individuals. Pre–packaged family style meals were delivered to local charity organizations as well. Over the years, the crowd has grown – and so have the number of volunteers who help cook and serve these meals. This effort reaches beyond Thanksgiving – donations made during the charity event are used towards Christmas gifts for underprivileged children in the neighborhood. Norma’s Café, which has been open since 1956, has everything you’d hope for in a diner: bar stools and booths upholstered in cherry red, breakfast served all day and a waitstaff that greets you like family. That’s the thing at Norma’s. It pretty much is family. It’s the sort of place where customers come every single day, where the waitress doesn’t even have to ask some of the regulars what they want. Prices are very reasonable. It’s not fancy, but chances are, it’s just the way mom made it. And that's the whole idea at Norma’s – it’s like going home. Norma’s Café in Oak Cliff, one of Texas’ best–known temples of chicken–fried steak and chicken, turned 50 in 2006. Mayor Laura Miller signed a proclamation that made May 15 "Norma’s Café Day." Founded by Norma Manis, the blue–plate palace has been owned by Ed Murph since 1986.
For decades, the homestyle cooking experts at this cozy, unpretentious Oak Cliff diner have been filling plates with the familiar tastes of comfort food. Old–fashioned booths, nostalgic photographs and whimsical signs and decorations contribute to a fun, casual atmosphere. Any given day you will find junkers to Mercedes in the parking lot, Daily specials offer such entrée choices as roast beef, pork chops, fried chicken, chicken fried steak and meat loaf – but stay tuned this year as Norma’s will continue to surprise you with new specials, dining programs and good old–fashioned fun events! Happy New Year from Dean McSherry Communication Each month we are committed to sharing one of our company guiding principles with you. To kick off 2008 we are proud to put the spotlight on Communication. It is one of our goals to focus on providing you with consistent and timely communication through our newsletters, email updates, customer satisfaction surveys and individual face–to–face consulting with your business development manager. It is gratifying to know that so many trust Preferred Restaurant Services to provide great products and services. It is important as our company grows; we continue to honor the same values that have earned your loyalty. Retention We know that one of the most important aspects to retention is our ability to connect our Client Partner to the Preferred Restaurant Services team. For us at PRS, Client Connect is a culture and a way of life and we hope you will gather around our table (so to speak) and get to know our team a little bit better this year. We believe new Client Partners should be a top priority and can expect to receive personalized touches from each of our department heads throughout the year. Retention Highlights
As we dive into 2008, we invite you to call upon us anytime as we look forward to helping you grow your business. Best wishes to a successful year! What’s Preferred and Not Preferred What is the hottest trend right now when it comes to culinary use of alcohol?
Which is the hottest trend in kitchen equipment right now?
Where do you learn about new food items, recipes and trends?
From a marketing standpoint, one of the biggest trends of the year will be giving back. An essential is restaurants partnering more with charitable organizations that align with their values, benefit their communities and make good business sense. See Client Spotlight story on Norma’s Café in Dallas, Texas and how Ed Murph’s good deeds turned into great press for his restaurant. 2008 Preferred List
The trend list was developed from a combination of trade magazines, websites, trade shows, consumer magazines, close industry observation, coast–to–coast travel, discussions with industry experts, press contacts, conferences attended and media sources.
Preferred Restaurant Services in now offering Marketing Services – and we would love to help you tell "your unique story". Please call Eva Mangas, Vice President of Marketing at 972–764–2727 for more information. Testimonial DOC GREEN’S – Houston Texas, Austin Texas "PRS saves us both time and money by doing payroll – our payroll." Thank you Preferred Restaurant Services for reducing our costs and freeing up our time to operate the business. PRS went far and beyond expectations with getting us setup and ready for our just–recently opened second location in Austin, TX. The efficiency of the PRS single–source solution has been an invaluable asset to our organization. Doc’s caters to both the health–conscious and hearty–appetite crowds. Customers can choose from a range of salad greens, lettuces and vegetables, plus toppings such as chicken or fish, crumbled cheese, nuts and several types of dressings. The salads are then tossed "exhibition style" and served in large bowls. Panini sandwiches, soups, casseroles and other bistro fare are also available, and the stores additionally sell beer and wine. The decor of Doc Green’s is airy and well lighted, with pictures of the country’s famous port cities like San Francisco and New York on the walls and music from artists such as 10,000 Maniacs or George Michael playing. Formed by Restaurateurs for Restaurateurs Preferred Restaurant Services continues to provide superior and specialized services in third party management, marketing, restaurant specific accounting, insurance programs and employee benefits to our shared clients. PRS is a single source provider – we identify needs that are unique to restaurateurs and tailor our services to meet each need. If you are interested in benefiting from all that Preferred Restaurant Services has to offer, please respond to this e–mail or call PRS at 1–888–749–1839 and we will be glad to serve you. More News from Restaurateurs for Restaurateurs Healthwise New Year’s resolutions Healthy Hearts Health–conscious Menu of the Month –
Doc Green’s Ask Dean McSherry This time of year can be a slow period for restaurants (after the holidays and with the cold weather) and consumers are eating at home with more frequency. During January and February, try offering innovative and creative dining programs at a good price. For example, try three–course prix fixe dinners for $20.08 (in celebration of the New Year). Keep your restaurant atmosphere warm and inviting and offer soup and appetizer menus, allowing for smaller meals that are priced accordingly. Spend a Saturday morning offering your guests a chance to learn tricks of the trade from your Executive Chef in a cooking class. This month’s issue is focused on the consumer’s New Year’s resolutions and overall health and wellness – don’t miss the opportunity to capitalize on healthy menu items, organic ingredients and small portions. When it comes getting the most out of your money, consumers can’t argue with Restaurant Week. This year, a record number of restaurants will offer special menus at cut–rate prices—$24.00 for lunch, $35 for dinner—on weekdays from Jan. 21 to Feb. 29. Because the beginning of the calendar year is a traditionally slow season for the restaurant business, this program began as a clever way to drum up diners during downtimes. Visit your local restaurant association to find out more about Restaurant Week if your restaurant is not already involved. When it is slow take advantage of opportunities to CLEAN and TRAIN employees.
Training:
Welcome, New Client Partners! Jimmies on Savon Rock, in West Haven, Connecticut has also taken advantage of Preferred Restaurant Services property and liability policy. Jimmies, a waterfront restaurant, experienced a 40% overall financial impact by changing over to PRS. This client is currently reviewing other services and we look forward to providing a single–source solution for them in 2008. The Greek Olive and the Georgetown Saloon came aboard PRS in November of 2007. These clients now benefit from our property and liability, Workers compensation, Health benefits, payroll and are also starting full service accounting through PRS. Employees in the Spotlight Brianna has been in the restaurant business for a little over three years. She got her start in the industry with Brinker International/Macaroni Grill, and continues to host at a Dallas location on weekends. Brianna has also successfully provided customer service by hosting, serving and assisting in the payroll department for Buca Di Beppo and Nove located in Dallas. Brianna was part of the opening team for both Nove and N9NE Steakhouse owned by Michael Morton and Scott DeGraff (locations in Chicago, Las Vegas and Dallas) by heading up the receptionist team to ensure a successful opening. Brianna came to Preferred Restaurant Services in November of 2007 and is enjoying getting to know many of our payroll Client Partners. There is no doubt that Brianna’s years working in restaurants and past background in payroll have allowed her to better understand the needs of our clients. "I look forward to the opportunity to get to know each of our clients this year and encourage you to call me anytime with your questions or requests." Brianna can be reached at 972–764–354 |
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