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.

Links

A few things of note out in the blog world as of lately:



NRN's The Scoop Latest Post on Politics - McCain vs. Obama?



It's Time to "Fall" Back with the End of Daylight Savings Time. More info here.



In Need of a Social Media Handyman?



Joel Cohen's Restaurant Marketing Blog



The Power of the Consumer Using Social Media

eWireless is making sure Indianapolis is connected!

eWireless's new interactive hotspot map really puts it all into perspective by pinpointing for consumers who in Indianapolis has a free eWireless connection and how to get there.

With the growing usage of Internet applications, like many of the ones we've talked about on this blog - Yelp, Fohboh and many others) and the need for reliable telecommunications, the Indiana Restaurant Association has teamed with eWireless to provide cost effective telecommunications solutions to our members. eWireless can customize the right solutions for each customer from Internet including WiFi Hot Spots, Phones, Email, Web Hosting, and remote data backup.

Not a hotspot for your customers yet or not sure how becoming one will help your bottom line? Contact Henry Kurkowski at 317.536.0400.

Visit http://www.ewireless.com/ for more information!

Be In the Know: Consumers Using Restaurants Differently

Read a great article today in QSRMagazine.com about how Consumers are Using Restaurants Differently.

Check out the report by Harry Balzer, a nationally recognized food industry expert, on Eating Patterns In America from NPD and let me know what you think of the emerging trend. Has it effected your establishment? Is it an issue at all?