Editorial Review

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Reviews (2)

What an incredible person with an incredible gift.
I had the great pleasure of working for Danny Meyer briefly in 2002 as a hostess at the acclaimed Tabla, and he is just an exceptional individual.You can tell that first and foremost he cares about his customers and the well-being of his staff.I feel completely honored and blessed to have worked for such a visionary and I am glad to see that he has written a bookto let us all in on his great secret of success.

Smart about restaurants, brilliant about life
The 2006 Zagat Survey lists Gramercy Tavern as New York's most popular restaurant. (It was also #1 last year.)
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. General    6. Hotel And Restaurant Management    7. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    8. Meyer, Danny    9. Restaurant management    10. Business & Economics / General   

Reviews (29)

2004 Writers Notes Book Award Winner
The Restaurant Manager's Handbook is a no-nonsense, coverall manual for the food establishment industry. It's the essence of a successful handbook-no jokes, parables, and preachy lectures, just the facts. If you delve into the heal-thy index for fault, you'll abruptly bump into a page number for an answer, and if you're currently running a restaurant and afraid to appear inadequate, you can load the handy CD-ROM and pretend you're checking your e-mail while figur-ing out the monthly audit procedures or why the beer is flat. I'm not kidding. The next time your favorite kitchen runs short of the daily special or closes down for a lack of permit, serve them a copy of this great reference book.

Large Print and Weak Content
I recieved this book anxiously, but soon became quickly disappointed with its extreme lack of content.It could have just as easily been published in 30 pages of novel sized text, because that's about all that's contained between it's large vinyl bound covers.There are less expensive books that tell you just as little as this one.

If you know the restaurant business, this book is not for u
This book has a lot of information, however it does not go into great detail for those who are familiar with the principals listed inside but are looking to expand on those ideas.If you are an experienced restaurant manager or owner, this book is a waste of money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business & Economics / Management    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Facility Management    6. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    7. Restaurant management    8. Food Service Management    9. Food service    10. Management   

Reviews (5)

Holding Success in Your Hand!
While this resource guide by Sharon Fullen may not deal with the most glamorous aspect of opening a new restaurant or other food business, it certainly discusses the most import: the business plan. The entire book and accompanying CD-ROM handles basic business preparation with aplomb. Starting with What is a Business Plan? and ending with an entire chapter devoted to an example of a sample business plan, Fullen leaves no stone unturned. She highlights business plan writing strategies, pinpoints problem areas that are often stumbling blocks to success, intersperses invaluable information on writing a feasibility analysis and deftly assists the reader with ideas on how to implement and understand successful marketing strategies. One section that should not be skipped discusses Getting Your Plan Published, offering tips on standing above the competition when presenting your business plan. The CD-ROM is an extra bonus that affords you the luxury of having printable examples and a portable way to use and share your new-found information. Opening a Restaurant or Other Food Preparation Starter Kit is a must-have resource for any aspiring restaurant owner; a resourceful guide that offers sound advice, concrete examples and hidden nuggets of valuable information that only serve to solidify a sound start to the opening of your new restaurant.

Great information
I absolutely loved this book.Not only did author Sharon Fullen tell readers exactly what they will need to do to write a business plan, she went out of her way to provide excellent examples, detailed descriptions, amble resources for finding additional and more specific information and much more.
How to Prepare a Restaurant Business Plan and Feasibility Study
Pretty good but too bad the arrived late...
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Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Development - General    5. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    6. Management    7. New Business Enterprises    8. Restaurant management    9. Small business   

Editorial Review

On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat. Read more

Reviews (1313)

Easy to get lost
If you like fact reading, you'll like this.I thought he was to discriptive and went on and on and on about nonsense. Some of the info was really good, but it was hard to stay focused and really take it all in.I found my mind wondering and thinking about other things.

Like a guilty little trip to the corner Mickey D's
Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation" is a thorough if somewhat slanted analysis of the fast food industry.The author hooks the reader early with sweeping invectives against the titans of fast food.Before you can say "Supersize Me," you've learned that Ray Kroc and his cronies are responsible for the homogenization of global culture, the spread of E. coli and other deadly pathogens, the obesity of America's children, and the exploitation of the unskilled masses.Take a deep breath - that's just the intro.
Top-notch Journalism
The author brings a high level of professionalism to his story about the growth of the fast food industry and the consequences of its ruthless pursuit of profits.
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Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Convenience foods    3. Corporate & Business History - General    4. Fast food restaurants    5. Food Industry Services    6. Food industry and trade    7. History    8. History: American    9. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    10. Nutrition    11. Social History    12. Sociology - General    13. United States    14. United States - General   

Reviews (8)

Wast of time and money
This book is a wast of time and money. Basically you get the forms but no way to change them to suit your business. The CD is is Adobe and you are unable to do aany modification to the form, just print as is. Also, the Adobe reader included on the CD is corupted, and you have to get it elsware if you need it.
Must-have for anyone preparing for a career in food service
The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training is a no-nonsense, thorough resource covering the necessary training for all positions in the food service industry, from professional chef to maitre d to bartender and much more. Written in clear, easy-to-understand terms and charts spelling out explicit training instructions, and illustrated with some diagrams (such as a picture of how to properly set a formal table), The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Training spares no effort to be as understandable as possible. No background knowledge in any trade is needed to grasp explicit instructions ranging from a step-by-step breakdown of the hostess job to the proper order of service for a luncheon handout to how one can go about creating a memorable presentation to food service employees, and much more. A CD-ROM accompanies this absolute must-have for anyone preparing for a career in food service, or charged with the responsibility of training food service recruits.
A Complete package for the Food Service Industry
As a long-time user of The Restaurant Managers Handbook by Douglas R. Brown, I have found The Encyclopedia of Restaurant Forms and it's CD Rom to be the most complete and comprehensive selection of forms and ideas for every day and every situation that can or will arise in the food service business. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    3. Business & Economics / Management    4. Business & Economics / Reference    5. Business / Economics / Finance    6. Business/Economics    7. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    8. Restaurant management    9. Small Business - General    10. Management    11. Reference    12. Restaurants   

Editorial Review

Since 1987, Starbucks's star has been on the rise, growing from 11 Seattle, WA-based stores to more than 1,000 worldwide. Its goals grew, too, from the more modest, albeit fundamental one of offering high-quality coffee beans roasted to perfection to, more recently, opening a new store Read more

Reviews (105)

Marketing Master, yes. Quality Coffee roaster.....Now he's full of ____!
Being a specialty roaster since 1975 and being part of a local specialty roaster group. I can tell you that starbuck's main accomplishment is their marketing ability. The coffee they distribute is garbage, and this doesn't have to come from my mouth, it comes from people who come to me after tasting their supposed "specialty coffee."Starbucks lost their specialty status the moment you could find them on every street corner and/or supermarket. Where they beat most is their non stop advertising and brainwashing of people. The reason starbucks got big was because there was noone around to fill that demand, or more importantly, due to the nature of the specialty market, noone who wanted to fill that position.The amount of coffee they are forced to produce lead to only one scenario, inferior quality.Concepts of mass production. Economics 101. The higher the demand, the less likely quality is to have influence.

How Starbucks changed the World
What a great read! This is a story of how Starbucks changed the world. Howard Schultz, the CEO, tells the history of Starbucks starting with its founding in 1971 up until 1999. Schultz tells how he came on board,later bought the company and its sky-roacketing growth.
One of the Greatest Models of Superior Business that Cares About People
This is a FANTASTIC book about passion behind business, dealing with major growth, serving the customer, helping people from the heart, actually caring about the consumer, and caring about humanity at the same time.
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Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Business    3. Business & Economics    4. Business/Economics    5. Corporate & Business History - General    6. Corporate & Business History - Strategies    7. History    8. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    9. Restaurants    10. Restaurateurs    11. Schultz, Howard    12. Starbucks Coffee Company    13. United States    14. Business & Economics / Corporate History    15. Business & Management    16. Food manufacturing & related industries   

Reviews (9)

Culinary Arts.
One of the many neat features of studying at Cornell University is that, even if you're not enrolled in its famous School of Hotel Administration, you can attend one of the cooking and wine tasting classes organized especially for non-Hotel School students, and get at least a flavor of the five star culinary instruction provided by the chefs teaching at that school. (That is, you can do so if you're willing to get up an extra hour or two early on the morning of non-Hotel School student enrollment, and if you're lucky enough to beat the crowds or at least slip in as a substitute participant.) In addition to numerous recipes and pieces of valuable advice, information and memories -- particularly of the last night, on which we had to put together a four-course meal, fine dining style, complete with menu, garnishments and perfectly laid table -- Cornell's "cooking class" has enriched my kitchen by two items I have since found it very hard to do without: A professional grade chef's knife, and Sarah Labensky's and Alan Hause's "On Cooking," which we used as our textbook.
An Excellent Resource
While this is essentially a textbook for culinary students, On Cooking is still very accessible.I would reccommend this book to any amateur wanting to learn more about the concepts behind cooking, rather than just reading and following a recipe.
On Cooking
This book is a huge help for anyone seeking more knowledge in the culinary arts area. It provides you with many tips on how to cook in high quanity. It also has many wonderful recipes! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Cookery    4. Cooking    5. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    6. Methods - Canning & Preserving    7. Cooking / Culinary Arts & Techniques    8. Hotel & catering trades   

Reviews (10)

I liked it
I had to buy this book for my Quantity Foods course as a part of my Dietetics major. I actually liked the book, and I am going to keep it for later use. I thought the book was organized very well. Some of the charts in Chapter 2 and 5 that we used quite often were a little hard to find (because there are so many!).
Wow!!! A must have for all chefs
I had seen this book at a friends business and thought it was good.Since I have ordered and received it I have had the chance to really review the contents and find it one book that I can use daily.The CD rom is also fantastic in the number of recipes it contains.One nice feature is that you can size the recipes to what you need.Another great plus.Well worth the money. Tom Elliott, CEC

Food For Fifty
Very well written book, leaves nothing for the mind to question,I would highly recomend this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking / Wine    2. Food Science    3. Food Service Management    4. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    5. Menus    6. Methods - Quantity    7. Nutrition    8. Quantity cookery    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Technology    11. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism   

Reviews (1)

A Must Read
With 27 years of restaurant experience I know the importance of design to the success of a restaurant. What is often overlooked, however, is that the kitchen and dining spaces have to work together. The authors of Successful Restaurant Design are the first to point out the importance of a holistic approach to restaurant design. Their insights into the design process are a must read for anyone planning a new restaurant or renovating an existing facility. The chapter of interviews offers readers design tips from leading designers and restaurateurs. And the case studies offer a straighforward way of understanding simple solutions to complex issues. This book belongs in the library of every restaurateur and designer interested in keeping up with front and back of the house design. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Art    3. Commercial Interior Design    4. Design and construction    5. Interior Design - General    6. Public, Commercial, or Industrial Buildings    7. Restaurants    8. Architecture / Interior Design    9. Hotel & catering trades    10. Interior design    11. Public buildings: civic, commercial, industrial, etc   

Reviews (4)

Essential of Food Safety & Sanitation
I am using your textbook for a class I teach for the Oklahoma City/County Health Department.I Love It!The class I teach is the Food Service Operator's Certification Course that is required by all food service operators in this county. I am a Registered Dietitian who is contracted by Oklahoma State University-OKC and Francis Tuttle to teach the class for the health department. It is kind of a community service offered by the two schools. I have only been teaching the class for three years now, and by far your book is the best. Meets the training needs for Food Handlers
As an instructor who teaches Food Safety classes to front-line employees, I find this text an excellent resource. It is comprehensive yet still easy-to-understand, a difficult combination to achieve for some of the technical aspects of foodborne illness, pathogens, etc. The cartoon-style drawings add to the enjoyment. I have had many trainees who share these positive comments. Only negative comment would be to include color photos instead of the old, grainy B&W. An excellent food safety training resource
Essentials of Food Safety & Sanitation is a comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to help food workers produce safe food. In my job as editor of a food safety-oriented newsletter, I review and have access toa lot of training materials, but "Essentials" is the one I referto the most for current, reliable information. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cooking    2. Food Sanitation    3. Food Science    4. Food Service Management    5. Food handling    6. Food service    7. Methods - Professional    8. Safety measures    9. Sanitation    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Cooking / Culinary Arts & Techniques    12. General cookery    13. Hotel & catering trades   

Reviews (7)

A 'must' for any newcomer cook who would market a product
The gourmet food industry is perfect for entry-level food distribution in this country: it lends to testing new products, it doesn't require large start-up investment, and it's a fast-growing industry. To enter, consult Food Marketing International president Stephen F. Hall's latest 4th edition of From Kitchen To Market: Selling Your Gourmet Food Specialty: it outlines and analyzes all kinds of food marketing opportunities for small cottage industries new to the business, discussing everything from building a product's concept using trade shows, brokers, and more. A 'must' for any newcomer cook who would market a product.
Absolute must for aspiring food wholesalers!
Having owned a specialty food store, and having developed a unique food product that distributors were interested in marketing through convenience and other specialty food stores (including McDonald's Express) I can attest to the accuracy of most of this book. Tutor In Print for the Aspiring Gourmet Food Marketer
This is well done, by one who has spent the time and provided his knowledge to prospective entrees into this market.Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Food industry and trade    6. Food service    7. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    8. Marketing - General    9. United States    10. Business & Economics / General    11. Food manufacturing & related industries    12. Sales & marketing   

Reviews (6)

A Truly Professional Approach
If you're planning to open a bed and breakfast as a hobby or with the notion that "you're not really running a business, you're just making profits in your free time," this is not the book for you.This book covers almost all potential areas that you'll need to know to run a professional B&B, and the level of detail will quickly dissuade anyone who isn't serious.That having been said, anyone who does want to run a professional bed and breakfast will find the information invaluable.The forms included on the enclosed CD pay for the book themselves--everything from employment applications to inventory forms, invoices, standard recipe cards, and kitchen safety inspection forms.The book covers all stages of the planning and setup process, including business plans, marketing and promotion, safety, and employees.Particularly useful is the section on marketing, something that most B&Bs that I've known tend to ignore.With a little creativity (and there are lots of suggestions contained in this chapter), your B&B can become part of the very identity of the neighborhood or city you live in, as in, "If you want to capture the flavor of X, go to this B&B!"The only change I would make to the book would be to make the section on writing business plans a more user friendly for those B&B owners who have never opened a business before.Nevertheless, the book contains lots of hardheaded business sense, presented plainly and clearly, with many good examples of existing B&Bs to illustrate the point.While you may not need all the information included when you first open your business, this book will provide you with lots of options for a time when you're able to expand.I recommend this book to anyone seriously considering going into the B&B business as a business, rather than just a way of pouring money down the drain!

A Great Introduction
"HOW TO OPEN A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL BED & BREAKFAST: OR SMALLHOTEL" by Lora Arduser and Douglas R. Brown
A Dream to Own
The book is packed with valuable information for anyone who has ever dreamed of opening a bed and breakfast.The layout of the book is easy to use and simple to understand.The authors go into great detail on many aspects of the business.It begins with giving the reader a realistic look at the time and effort, as well as, the financial aspect of what goes into starting such a business so that the reader can decide whether or not it will work for them.It has details on everything from how to select a location to writing a business plan. Also has everything you need to know about hiring, laws, and even how much to charge.
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Subjects:  1. Bed and breakfast accommodatio    2. Bed and breakfast accommodations    3. Business & Economics    4. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    5. Business & Economics / Management    6. Business & Economics / Small Business    7. Business / Economics / Finance    8. Business/Economics    9. Development - General    10. Hotel management    11. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    12. Management    13. New Business Enterprises    14. Small Business - General    15. Economics, Finance, Business and Industry    16. Entrepreneurship   

Reviews (4)

Good information, bad organization
I had to use this book as a text for a purchasing course I took and was frustrated to no end by its lack of organization.The different sections often repeat and even contradict themselves, although this improves substantially when you get to the chapters in the second half of the book on specific categories of items to be purchased.Each chapter is followed by a list of 30-40 "important words and concepts," most of which aren't defined or explained in the chapter but just mentioned in passing.Some of them aren't even mentioned in the chapter, and many of them appear on two or three different lists.The index is so limited as to be next to useless, and there is no glossary.I found myself continuously referring to other books and internet resources to get the information I needed, not because it wasn't in the book, but because I couldn't *find* it. Awesome Book!!
This text is very easy to use.It covers just about every aspect of purchasing in the hospitality industry, and makes it simple to find what you're looking for.The information is very straight-forward, and it's written in plain english for anyone to understand.

Good book!!!
This book is very informative and well-organized.It's very easy to find what you're looking for...and it's got it all when it comes to information that pertains to purchasing for the industry.Very up-to-date...I especially liked the "Technology Applications for Purchasing" chapter. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. General    4. Hospitality industry    5. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    6. Purchasing    7. Purchasing & Buying    8. Sociology    9. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    10. Food & Drink / Cookery   

Reviews (25)

Can I get an "Amen!"??
McDonald's is one of the great symbols of America, and most countries around the world absolutely love McDonald's.If you want to know the history of the mega-giant corporation, this is a good starting place.We are capitalists in America - we love making money, and that can only be considered a good thing.McDonald's embodies much of the American spirit and American dream.Sure, the food isn't healthy - as if that's a newflash for anyone these days.But eating it in moderation is not harmful in any way.Oh, and westcoaster (below) didn't actually read this book prior to reviewing it - that person just has a problem with successful business-people earning money.If you don't have that problem, read the book and marvel at the entrepreneurial spirit.And to Hades with the naysayers - come to think of it, I'm outta here - gotta grab a Quarter Pounder with cheese, baby!

McDonald's - How to Build a McEmpire While Making People McFat
Funny how people always vote a review to be "not helpful" when the reviewer expresses an opinion the voter doesn't like...
authorised corporate bio, but a truly excellent one
This is a great bio of a great company.Though it is somewhat dated, this book will set the standard for every deep inquiry into how McDonald's operates.It is simply a remarkable story.
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Subjects:  1. 1902-    2. Biography    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Corporate & Business History - General    6. History Of Specific Companies    7. Kroc, Ray,    8. McDonald's Corporation    9. Restaurateurs    10. United States    11. Business & Economics / General    12. Food manufacturing & related industries    13. Hospitality industry    14. Kroc, Ray    15. Social history   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Corporate & Business History - Strategies    5. Economics - General    6. Handbooks, manuals, etc    7. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    8. Starbucks Coffee Company    9. Success in business    10. Business & Economics / General    11. Business & Management   

Reviews (5)

casino operations
Good overview of casino operations.It covers Indian gaming as well as Nevada and mentions where there are difference.I am the controller and I wish it had more accounting /finance.

Excelent operations overview
This book is a must read for everyone entering the casino business. It's a clear reference, and it shows derails some myths about gaming operations.

Great read
This books assumes you know nothing about Gaming Operations and goes from there, taking you on an in-depth exploration of the gaming industry, from it's beginnings through modern-day operations.This book was highly beneficial.I also read "The Gaming Industry: Introduction and Perspectives" from the UNLV International Gaming Institute, both of which I would strongly recommend.Well written and dives to the appropriate level of detail. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Casinos    5. Gambling - General    6. Industries - Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    7. Management    8. Business & Economics / Hospitality, Travel & Tourism    9. Gambling    10. Management & management techniques    11. Sport & leisure industries   

Reviews (1)

Culinary Arts.
One of the many neat features of studying at