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Articles about Bureaucratic red tape

How I Helped Feed the Ego of a Sandwich Shop Named Capriotti’s

The banner of all banners

Remember how I wrote about Capriotti’s and its plans to take over DFW one sandwich at a time?  Then, recall how they sent 100 sandwiches to D headquarters for my co-workers to try, and most of them were pretty happy with their free sandwiches (minus the mayo).

I thought that would be my last interaction with Capriotti’s, but then a SideDisher posted a photo of this enormous banner on Nancy’s Facebook yesterday. Capriotti’s Plano location is sporting a hot new look along with a copy of my article posted in the window (minus the comments, of course).

In my imagination, I wonder if Capriotti’s trip to Kinko’s looked something like this:

Capriotti’s people: I want a banner with the whole headline included.

Kinko’s people: Er, how big do you want it?

Capriotti’s people: Biiiiig. So big that you can spot it from a satellite circling around the globe. So big that – should we enter another Ice Age, like, today – we could use it to build a big tent for a small population of loyal Capriotti’s customers.

Anyways, you should enjoy the sign while it lasts, Capriotti’s. I think our lawyers will be contacting you guys soon since ya’ll are breaking a couple of copyright laws and all. But before you throw that banner away, I have this one request: Send me your sign. I’d really like to hang it outside my house. That way, should I ever get lost in space, I’ll know how to return home.

(No, really, I do want the sign.)

posted by Carol Shih | March 16th, 2012 11:07am | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Sandwiches | 23 Comments »

Restaurant 101: What to do if Your Employer Doesn’t Provide Paycheck Stubs

Yesterday, I posted the news that Michael Costa of The Office Grill filed for bankruptcy. In the comments section, one of Costa’s former employees asked a great question.

Anybody have some suggestions for the former employees when it comes tax time? We never received check stubs or info on the taxes taken out of them, that is when we did get them and they didn’t bounce.

I contacted Gregory P. Williams, a CPA with Restaurant CFO Partners in Plano. He has a lot of answers. They are below. I’ve also included his contact information if you have more questions.

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posted by Nancy Nichols | October 13th, 2011 12:23pm | filed under Bad critters, Bureaucratic red tape, Food Crime, How to Open a Restaurant 101, I Hate it When That Happens, Nutjobs, Ouiet Restaurants, Restaurant News, make mine a double | 18 Comments »

New Code Compliance for Lowest Greenville Ave. Starts Tonight

Last night Avi S. Adelman, the Cesar Millan of Barking Dogs, walked the streets at midnight with Dallas Code Compliance officers as they “educated” business owners on new regulations that start tonight. Basically bars and restaurants must to have a late-night permit to be open after midnight. If they don’t, they get a ticket and this happens. Cesar, I mean Avi, has the whole story with pictures.

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 23rd, 2011 9:52am | filed under Bars, Bureaucratic red tape, Buzz Killer!, Hot Links!, I Hate it When That Happens, Restaurant News, press trips |

JonfromTJs Visits Total Catch Market in Houston

Part of the Total Catch.(photo by Jon Alexis.)

Jon Alexis, know on every blog in the United States of America as jonfromtjs, handles the marketing for TJ’s Seafood Market, the successful fish market in Preston Forest. He is a conscientious student of seafood. Recently he learned about Total Catch Market, a project (and blog) run by PJ Stoops and Billy Tellez of Louisiana Foods. Their niche is selling by-catch fish, the innocent fishes caught by fishermen actually fishing for a higher profile fish. JonfromTJs was so moved when he heard about these guys, he jumped in his car and drove to Houston.  He sends a brief story about his experience along with cell phone pictures. I am going to run it below. Grammar police be warned: the copy is unedited only because I am low on time at the moment. Take it away jonfromtjs:

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posted by Nancy Nichols | September 1st, 2011 2:32pm | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Foodie People, Free Stuff!, Groceries, I Went to College for This?, I'm a sucker for a man in flannel, catering, hostess gifts, make mine a double, pop-up restaurant, seafood | 11 Comments »

Update on Trader Joe’s in Dallas

Grass does not grow beneath Teresa Gubbins' shoes.

Leave it to Teresa “Gumshoe” Gubbins to find a snitch in Trader Joe’s camp. Since the grocery chain announced they were planning locations in Dallas last May, they have been quite secretive about their locations. According to TG, you can rule out the former location on Greenville Ave. Her Deep Throat coughs up three possible locations: Walnut Hill and Central, Knox Ave., and Fort Worth. All of the details are here.

There was a time when Trader Joe’s was cool and funky and carried stuff you couldn’t find elsewhere, but I think the company is now running on a tired image. In the 70s,  Two Buck Chuck played a significant role in nursing wine drinkers off the Spanada bottle but the last TBC I sampled burned the enamel off my teeth. So, Trader Joe’s? Yes or no? Why?

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 29th, 2011 10:10am | filed under Best Gay Hangout Restaurant Evah!, Breaking News, Bureaucratic red tape, ChirpyChirpy, Cult Cuisine, Groceries, Health Food, Hippie revolutions, Junk Food, Merguez Sausage Hunt, Skinny bitches, Vegetarian/Vegan, Yum is Dumb, cheap wine, restaurant business news, sassy pants | 20 Comments »

Hooters Execs Jump Ship to Expand the Addison-based Twin Peaks Breastaurant Brand

Execs ink the deal surrounded by their winning assets. (Photo courtesy of Twin Peaks)

Intern Harrison Smith attended a press conference this morning during which it was announced that a thundering herd of Hooters execs will be leaving Boob City (Hooters) for the rapidly expanding Breastville (Twin Peaks). Read on for his straight-from-the-press-conference-floor business tidbit:

An investment group led by Coby Brooks, who served as president and CEO at Hooters of America LLC from 2003 until last month, has signed a series of development agreements to open 35 new Twin Peaks restaurants over the next 10 years. Twin Peaks, an Addison-based restaurant franchise operating under Front Burner LLC, currently has 15 locations in five states. Six more are slated to open this year.

Four other former Hooters executives will join him in his La Cina Restaurants franchise group: Joe Hummel, former executive vice president of operations and purchasing; Roger Gondek, former vice president of company store operations; Clay Mingus, former vice president and general counsel; and Jim Tessmer, former vice president and controller. All four resigned from Hooters of America last month due to a frustration with the way things were handled at the company, Brooks says.

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posted by Sarah Reiss | August 23rd, 2011 1:14pm | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Openings, Restaurant News, breastaurants, restaurant business news | 9 Comments »

Yelp Versus the Restaurateur—Read and Discuss

Luther Lowe, Manager of Local Business Outreach for Yelp, chimes in on the great Yelp debate. (Image courtesy of TheFoodNetwork.com)

In an article on TheFoodChannel.com, Kay Logsdon updated us on the Yelp vs. the restaurateur debate—specifically whether online reviews via Yelp (and, eh-hem, other sources) are a good or a bad thing? The following is the opening excerpt from her article:

It was the food fight of the year. The tall, wavy-haired young marketing genius vs. the wiry, shaved-headed young chef. Both technically-savvy. Both heavily invested in the food business. Both opinionated.

In this corner, Luther Lowe, Manager of Local Business Outreach for the popular ratings powerhouse, Yelp.

And, in that corner, Stefan Richter (photo, right), the Finnish chef who was a runner-up on the fifth season of Top Chef, and owner of Stefan’s European Catering, Stefan’s at L.A. Farm, and Stefan’s Steakhouse (in Finland).

In the audience? Restaurant owners and operators who have a definite stake in the game. These are the people whose very livelihood can be impacted by a negative or positive review of their restaurant, and those online ratings can be important to attracting new customers. How popular is Yelp? The site this week passed a significant milestone: its 20 millionth review was posted.

The drama was all part of the great debate showcased at the National Restaurant Association’s session: Are Online Reviews a Good or Bad Thing?…

Click here to read the whole article. Then come back so that we can discuss…

posted by Sarah Reiss | July 25th, 2011 11:36am | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Food Fight!, I Hate it When That Happens, hold on to your effin hat | 5 Comments »

Kathy Jack, Owner of Jack’s Backyard in Dallas, Releases Statement to Clear Controversy

Give these gals some credit (sorry) for speaking up when they’re down on their luck. Kathy Jack and Susie Buck of Jack’s Backyard closed their popular indoor/outdoor venue on June 26. There has been some talk going around about why they closed and even though they’ve released the statement below, I’m still a little unclear on their message. Owner Kathy Jack writes “I developed a plan with the head of the creditors’ committee to repay our back debts and start repaying investors but ultimately, we were not given that opportunity.” By the landlord? By the bank? Whatever,  I admire her courage and commitment to make things right. I’ve asked for more details. Below is the statement she released late last night.

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posted by Nancy Nichols | July 8th, 2011 12:48am | filed under Best Gay Hangout Restaurant Evah!, Beverages, Bureaucratic red tape, Closings, Patio Dining, Pre World Series Depression, Restaurant News, beer, hold on to your effin hat | 9 Comments »

Something’s Going on With Michael Costa at The Office Grill in Dallas

Michael Costa, outside of The Office Grill, talks with a Smith Security agent.I got a tip this morning from a loyal Disher. He/she spotted chains on the front door of The Office Grill in North Dallas. I called the restaurant at noon and got voicemail. (They are usually open for lunch.) Sarah Reiss happened to be nearby and I asked her to go over and check on the situation. She pulled up to find owner Michael Costa standing with two Smith Security employees. Sarah snapped a picture and walked over to ask them what was going on. After identifying herself as an employee of D Magazine, she asked Costa what was happening.“Nothing,” he said. “We are open. I‘m not going to comment.”

When a worker carrying what appeared to be his chef knives tried to enter the building, Costa had a conversation with him and the worker got back in his car and took off.

They may be open, but The Office Grill (Lucky 7 Private Club) has been on the TABC delinquent payments lists published on May 3, May 18, June 3, and June 18. Carolyn Beck, of the TABC in Austin, confirmed that Lucky 7 is on the list because they owe Goody Goody Liquors $7,700 and have since March. If you are on the list, you are not allowed to buy liquor from wholesalers. She also said that the TABC has not suspended Lucky 7’s permit.

Being on this list does not always indicate the restaurant has hit hard times. Sometimes many restaurants make an accounting oversight or the payment gets delayed in the mail. Either way, if you miss the strict deadline you go on the list. Four straight? That’s a problem.

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 22nd, 2011 3:29pm | filed under Bad critters, Breaking News, Bureaucratic red tape, Food Crime, Restaurant News | 51 Comments »

How Charitable is In-N-Out Burger in Dallas?

The North Texas In-N-Out Burger invasion caused our favorite (and inquisitive) philanthropic blogger, My Sweet Charity, to ask if In-N-Out Burger donated any of their opening day profits to local charities. She made a few calls and came up with an interesting (and pretty secret) answer. (If you are a nonprofit organization, you’d better read this like yesterday.)

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 21st, 2011 1:05pm | filed under AgriBusiness, Bureaucratic red tape, Burgers, Buzz Killer!, Cult Cuisine | 4 Comments »

How to Identify Genetically Modified Food at the Grocery Store

A loyal Disher (h/t DG) sends  a link to a recent newsletter by Dr. Dirt. His parents know him as Howard Garrett, the multi-media writer/talker of all things growing. Anywhoo, Dr. Dirt has a quick guide to identifying genetically modified food in the grocery store. So if you’d like a little less Monsanto in your morning meal, check this out.

Many consumers don’t realize that the FDA does not require genetically modified food to be labeled. That’s because the FDA has decided that you don’t care if the tomato you are eating has been cross bred with frog genes to render the tomato more resistant to cold weather. Some consumers may not be concerned with eating “Franken Food”, but for those who are, here is how to determine if the fruits and vegetables you’re buying are (GM) genetically modified.

For conventionally grown fruit (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8. Example: A conventionally grown banana would be 4011. An organically grown banana would be 94011. A genetically engineered banana would be 84011.

Dr. Dirt has more guidelines for steering clear of GM foods in your diet. Click here. If you have questions on this newsletter or any other topic, check his radio show schedule. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 7th, 2011 8:53am | filed under AgriBusiness, Bureaucratic red tape, Cult Cuisine, Food Crime, Gardening, Goats!, Groceries, Hippie revolutions, Organic, Politics of Food | 6 Comments »

Several Dallas Restaurants Report Taking Reservations for Death of bin Laden Celebrations

So far three upscale restaurants in Dallas have emailed me to say their phones are ringing and the customers are asking for Champagne to celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden. Apparently former President George Bush was dining at Rise No. 1 when he got the news. Where were you? How do you plan to celebrate?

UPDATE: Down, Dishers. Stop the nasty emails and go about your lives. I stand by the post above. Our country is celebrating the death of person who murdered innocent people in our country. Poor taste to post what restaurants are reporting to me? I don’t think so.

UPPITY DATE: Here.

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 2nd, 2011 11:34am | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Celebrity Diners, Hippie revolutions, Nutjobs | 30 Comments »

Huffpost’s Article “When Is Organic Wine Not Organic” Sheds Light on Red Tape

We talk a lot about wine here on SideDish. And these days, as much as at any time, the buying of organic products (even wine) is a situation where caveat emptor is the name of the game. Be an informed consumer and check out what David Duman uncovered for HuffPost Food about the beurocracy behind the vine. Here’s just a bit:

“On a recent trip to a local Whole Foods, their USDA Organic wine display featured wine almost exclusively from some of the world’s largest wineries. Those are the producers with the resources to navigate the time-consuming and convoluted NOP process.” Read the rest of Duman’s article here, but promise to come right back.

posted by Sarah Reiss | April 26th, 2011 1:13pm | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, Hippie revolutions, Organic, Politics of Food, Wine & Spirits |