OpenTable iPhone App

OpenTable, the leading supplier of reservation, table management and guest management software for restaurants is stepping out in a big way with the revealing of their new iPhone App. It's free and is said to be even better than the website, because it utilizes the iPhone's GPS and tells you the nearest 20 restaurants!

Read it first on Geek Sugar

Texting, Tweeting, Wikis...What??

The Millennial workforce making you feel behind the times with their talk of texting, tweeting, wikis and blogs? A recent article, How Not To Act Your Age, at CNNMoney.com gives you all the low-down you need to avoid looking old at the office.

Yelp Snapsot

Puts things into perspective. Yelp, being only 4 years old, is definitely something to take note of...especially for restaurants, who compose 34% of the reviews on the site. On the bright side 4-star and 5-star reviews top the chart for the most kinds of reviews made on yelp - a lot less bad mouthing and a lot more good word-of-mouth publicity!

Other interesting stats in the chart pictured above: 4 million reviews, with 34% restaurants, 23% shopping, 8% beauty and fitness, etc. Users are 51% male and 49% female, and 65% have a college degree.

Tech Crunch shares this and more info about Yelp in light of the recent Citysearch beta launch.

Downtown Indianapolis Restaurants Open For Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the time of year to gather around friends and family to enjoy good company and great food. This year, Downtown Indianapolis, Inc has compiled a list of the area's wonderful restaurants that are open on the Thanksgiving holiday.

Industry of the American Dream

The National Restaurant Association is looking for the next face of diversity for their 2009 Faces of Diversity Awards. This exemplary award, created by the NRA and PepsiCo Foodservice, celebrates individuals in the restaurant industry who are living the American dream.

The 2009 Faces of Diversity Awards application is now available.
Apply online or download the PDF application now! [3.3 MB PDF]

Check out the 2008 American Dream Award Winners:

Eddie Flores

Henry Garcia




Nicole Jackson

View more winner videos and more online at http://www.youtube.com/restaurantdotorg.

Delicious Revolution: Are You Going?

Photo by Thomas Heinser





When & Where: Tuesday, Dec 2 at 6:30 pm/Tobias Theater at the IMA (Sold out)
World-class chef, "eat local" advocate, and food educator Alice Waters visits the Indianapolis Museum of Art to ignite a conversation about learning, creative living, health, and sustainability. As the founder of the Edible Schoolyard garden project in which students grow and prepare their own food, Waters shares her vision for “a revolution in public education…When sustainability becomes the lens through which they see the world.” Savor Alice’s message of the pleasure, beauty, and power of food. Before and after the talk, browse informational booths and enjoy tastes of local food provided by the students of Ivy Tech Community College. Certification Renewal Credit Eligible

This event is sold out. Call 317-955-2339 to be placed on a waiting list. If tickets become available Monday, December 1, those on the waiting list will be contacted in the order received.

Learn more about Alice Waters
Learn more about Delicious Revolution

______________________________________________

Tickets are sold out! So tell us, are you one of those lucky ticket holders?? And what do you hope to learn from going?

Fish for Fishburn Event Today

Debra Scott, Executive Vice President of the Indianapolis Downtown Restaurant & Hospitality Association (IDRHA) speaks to Wish-TV Channel 8 about the chapter's fundraising event taking place today!

What Restaurants are Doing to Conserve

The National Restaurant Association's Conserve environmental initiative is designed to initiate and inspire actions that improve a company's bottom line, but also are good for people and the planet. Conserve explores conservation efforts being adopted by restaurants around the nation and offers suggestions and resources to help you reduce the cost of running your operation -- both to your bottom line and the environment.

The NRA Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability website hosts everything from resources, success stories, tips and tools to an overview of environmental issues, webinars, and upcoming event information.

An excellent resource for the restaurant industry!

Indianapolis Restaurants Get Fishy For a Good Cause

THE INDIANAPOLIS DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT AND HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION (IDRHA) ANNOUNCES “FISH FOR FISHBURN” NIGHT AT NUMEROUS RESTAURANTS IN DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2008 TO BENEFIT WOUNDED IMPD OFFICER JASON FISHBURN

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Officer Jason “Fish” Fishburn was seriously injured on July 10, 2008 while attempting to arrest a homicide suspect. Jason survived, but his wounds will require expensive long-term rehabilitation.

“The members of the Indianapolis Downtown Restaurant and Hospitality Association are pleased to host this fund raising event for one of our local heroes," said Debra Scott of IDRHA.
“Officer Fishburn represents what is best in our community and he deserves our community’s best effort in supporting him.”

Participating restaurants will display green “Fish for Fishburn” signs this week and patrons will receive check presenters informing them that proceeds from certain seafood items on the menu will go to the Jason Fishburn Fund.

“The level of support and volunteerism for Jason by our community has been wonderful,” said Danny Overley, President of the Professional Police Officers Credit Union, which manages the Jason Fishburn Fund. “Having the local restaurant industry come together for one of our officers means so much to Jason and his family and is inspiring to his extended law enforcement family.”

Participating restaurants to date include:

120 West Market Fresh Grille
120 West Market St.
Reservations: 317.972.0600
Website

Agio's
635 Massachusetts Ave.
Reservations: 317.488.0359
Website

Dunaway's
351 South East St.
Reservations: 317.638.7663
Website

Elbow Room
605 N Pennsylvania St.
Reservations: 317.635.3354
Website

Harry & Izzy's
153 S. Illinois St.
Reservations: 317.635.9594
Website

J Gumbo's
15 East Maryland St.
Reservations: 317.522.2666
Website

McCormick & Schmicks
110 North Illinois St.
Reservations: 317.631.9500
Website

Mo's
47 S. Pennsylvania St.
Reservations: 317.636.5418
Website

Oceanaire
30 South Meridian St.
Reservations: 317.955.2277
Website

One South (Hyatt)
One S. Capitol Ave.
Reservations: 317.632.1234
Website

Palomino
49 West Maryland St.
Reservations: 317.974.0400
Website

Pullman Restaurant
123 W. Louisiana St.
Phone: 317-236-7465
Website

Shula's Steak House
50 South Capitol Avenue
Reservations: 317.231.3900
Website

Slippery Noodle Inn
372 South Meridian St.
Reservations: 317.631.6974
Website

St. Elmo Steak House
127 S. Illinois Street
Reservations: 317.635.0636
Website

Basey's Downtown
419 S. West St.
Reservations:317.637.4514
Website

Yat's
1280 US Highway 31 N. Greenwood
Reservations: 317.865.9971

5363 N. College Ave.
Reservations: 317.253.8817
Website

Qdoba
9 N. Meridian St.
317.822.0386

907 Indiana Ave.
317.423.3932
Website

Cash donations to the Jason Fishburn Fund may be sent to:
PPOCUATTN: Jason Fishburn Fund
1502 E. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46201

NRA Conserve & Eco-Story Hosting Lighting Webinar

Webinar: Focus on Lighting – From CFLs to LEDs and Beyond

When: Thursday, November 13, 2008 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time

Panelist(s) Info:
Richard Young, Food Service Technology Center
Mark Shoemaker, Eco-Story
Scott Shippey, Chipotle

Duration: 1 hour

Description: Richard Young of the Food Service Technology Center is back following Conserve’s first webinar and education session at NRA Show 2008, “5 Things an Operator Must Know About Energy Efficiency,” to present the benefits of selecting the right energy-efficient lighting for your restaurant. Innovations in lighting technology are continually introduced and it can be hard to keep up, but Mark Shoemaker of Eco-Story will explain the finer points of new lighting technologies and will give us peek into the future of lighting for the restaurant industry. In addition, Scott Shippey will anchor this webinar by sharing results from Chipotle’s new lighting initiative.

This webinar is brought to you by NRA Conserve and Eco-Story.