WHNetwork Blog

Green Eating Part II

Last week's topic of the large amount of waste involved in quick service take out struck a chord; I heard from a lot of you! (For all the comments, click here, I have posted them at the bottom of the blog). Although the topic was about take out, the subject really applies to every type of food we buy, and of course, also everything else in life.

Having just been in Germany (if fact I am writing this at the Frankfurt airport, while waiting for our delayed flight), I paid a lot of attention to the way they do things in Europe. I hate to admit it, but they seem to live far "greener" lives than we do. It seems the packaging or plastic industry must have a pretty powerful lobby!

Things that I noticed, that we would no doubt be wise to adopt include:

Many people take "market baskets" to the market, and avoid having to use bags. If you do need a bag they charge for it, so there is added incentive to take your own. (And the market baskets are really great, I am bringing one home with me!)

The produce is not packaged, as it seems ours is more and more. Where I shop, strawberries, grapes, herbs, mushrooms, some tomatoes, etc. are all sold in plastic containers. At Trader Joe's , I store I love, almost every type of produce is in a plastic container or on a plastic tray that is wrapped in plastic wrap. Considering their organic focus, it seems a bit incongruous.

There was an obvious lack of styrofoam, in fact, I don't think I saw it in any shape or form in the last two weeks!

At quick service cafes, things aren't all wrapped and bagged automatically. If you are "eating in" your items are placed directly on a non-disposable plate, and drinks are in real glassware. Even if getting your items to go, they generally were not wrapped AND bagged. At one seafood place, the sauces were served in small cups made out of ice cream cone batter, rather than something disposable.

Bottles (such as Coke bottles) are sterilized and re-used, as they are in Mexico. (There is a telltale band around the bottles where they have rubbed against each other during the process). I have often wondered why we see the need to completely melt every glass item down after one use; it really seems outrageous when you think about it.

Many stores still have service counters so that there are no pre-packed meats, sausages (and there are a LOT of sausages in Germany!) or cheeses. You get exactly what you want, so only one wrap is necessary.

They use far more paper type products and far less plastic in all types of food service, I never saw a plastic clam type container. Even at the grocery store, most juices -- that would be sold in the US in heavy plastic bottles -- come in tetra-paks. Even items with the same brand names as here are packaged far more green for their European customers.

Their recycling program seems far ahead of ours. We saw recycling containers everywhere: stores, restaurants, on the street, even at the airport. And it seems that everyone participates.

One thing I loved was that many downtown areas have become "traffic free" zones. Cars can pull up to load or upload and then must move, making the streets for pedestrians, bikes, etc. The cafes and shops spill out into the street, creating a wonderful atmosphere and a great feeling of community.

I read that Germany now has one completely car-free town. Cars can be parked in one of two car lots at the edge of town (you must buy your parking space), outside of that there are no cars at all. 70% of the residents have decided to give them up all together. Of course, Europe is far ahead of us in other types of travel -- there are trains everywhere, so cars are less necessary for travel outside the community.

Smart cars are everywhere!

It is just that we are spoiled and demanding? Or are there politics behind some of these things as well? Email me and let me know your thoughts!

-Margie Follow on

______________________________________________

Tom Furlong

___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Hi Margie!

Last week I had some late meetings - meaning I would not be getting home until after 8PM. My boyfriend decided to make things easier and stopped at Pollo Loco on the way home, to grab something quick for dinner. I am not (never have been) much of a quick service or take out kind of girl, so my experience here is limited.


I have to say I was happy to see the food though - I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I opened the first box and dug into a piece of chicken. Dinner included a small side salad, two pieces of chicken and a large bowl of soup. I was just happy that it was relatively tasty and at least somewhat healthy.


However, when I finished eating I was astounded when I looked at the array of containers sitting on the table! I mean really, it was one meal for one person, yet the contribution to the landfill was not insignificant. I am an avid recycler, yet many of the containers were not recyclable. The amount of energy expended for one meal seemed outrageous to me.


Here is the list of items to be recycled or thrown in the garbage:


* 1 styrofoam box (chicken)
* 1 styrofoam bowl, plus plastic lid (soup)

* 2 small paper bags (tortilla strips for soup)
* 2 small plastic containers and lids (salad dressing)

* 2 small plastic containers (salsa and cheese)
* 1 plastic container and lid (side salad)

* 1 paper cup and plastic lid (drink)
* 1 small plastic bag (extra protection for soup)

* 1 large plastic bag (for the whole meal)
* 1 plastic knife, 1 plastic fork

* 1 paper napkin, 1 plastic bag (for napkin and utensils)


Is it just me, or is this just wrong? If you multiplied this times the population of world (again, for just one meal) it is mind boggling. We just can't afford this kind of behavior any longer (in reality, we never could).


I can´t justify eating at places like this. What are your thoughts? What changes are you making in your life to reduce, reuse, recycle? Would you stop patronizing a place because of the type(s) of containers they use?

Email me and let me know your thoughts!

-Margie

WineAndHospitalityNetwork.com

Follow on

____________________________________________________________

Wow – I was astounded by the number of items – had never really thought about it. Yet, I doubt that you will get our society to stop getting “take-out” – what is the alternative? I guess places could suggest that people bring their own containers, or offer containers than can be used at home for an extra fee – places that do this might attract new clients, but might lose a lot of clients to. Maybe making it optional such as grocery stores offering recyclable bags that you can bring back with you – but food is more difficult. An interesting challenge – maybe we can invent something if enough of us think hard enough about it!

Sue Redenbaugh
President
WINE COUNTRY NATURALS
a division of Medispa Resources Inc.
www.winecountrynaturals.com
________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for your comments on excess waste. When I think of all the plastic garbage floating in the oceans and all the other plastics being wasted every day, I get so scared for my young children! What will we leave to them?

Marie-Eve Gilla, Managing Partner, info@forgeroncellars.com Forgeron Cellars, Walla Walla, WA
____________________________________________________________________

Margie!

I own a business and we are slowly revamping our practices to decrease our carbon footprint. I think we do have a responsibility to try and find measures to make our businesses (and therefore our neighborhoods) more green. And you know what? It’s not always more expensive! Here are some things my business is doing:

* Swapped out our commercial dumpster for a smaller size and added a recycling dumpster, as most of our waste is recyclable cardboard
* Offer a discount when customers return our bags and boxes. 5% off a purchase when they return 10 bags with our logo on them; 10% off a purchase when they return 10 of our 4 or 6 bottle cardboard carriers.
* We will be selling recycled cotton bags screen printed with eco-friendly ink by this time next week to encourage people to not take paper and plastic bags when shopping
* Carry a large # of locally, sustainable made cheeses and other food products
* Carry a large # of biodynamic wines or wines using sustainable methods
* We are a member of Local First Chicago
* We use a non-toxic all-purpose cleaner for windows, counters & floors that is citrus based and therefore not a health hazard for our staff. We are always looking for ways to become a more green business so let me know if there are things that other folks share.

Thanks!

Tracy Kellner
Provenance Food & Wine
_____________________________________________________________________________

We have a dinner restaurant on the Mendocino Coast. Even though we are a fine dining establishment we do get to go orders. We use recycled paper products, but do encourage our customers to bring their own containers, some have those multi layer metal togo containers other have porcelain dishes they can take cassoulett home in and warm up later. A little different from a high volume fast food place but an idea.

Lisa Geer
____________________________________________________________________________

Depending where you live. We prepare and sell artisanal "Take-Out" food in San Francisco, since 1981.A couple of years ago the City of San Francisco cracked down on the use of non-recyclable plastic containers. Manufacturers complied with supplying us with recyclable food containers. NONETHELESSwe have NEVER used as much packaging as you describe, - EVER. Perhaps it takes more time to conserve which "FAST food" operators don't have to spend. Find a GOOD FOOD, SLOW FOOD purveyor in your community. You shouldn't have such a problem with packaging.

Lisa Middione, VIVANDE, San Francisco
________________________________________________________________________________

One solution that one of our local restaurants does here in Napa for take out is that you bring in your own containers. Yes, it means you have dishes to do but at least you did not have to slave over a stove. I guess a suggestion might be to call the restaurant you wish to order from and ask if they can accommodate you with this request. You may need to wait a few extra moments in order for your take out to be placed in your containers but it should be worth the wait in more ways than one.

Donna Blevins
Hospitality Administrator/Wine Club Liaison
Far Niente
_________________________________________________________________________________

It is a difficult position for business people - they wish to give their customers and patrons wonderful service and a high standard of product but they also do not wish to create undo strain on the planet with non recycled one use items. At our bed and breakfast we try to find a balance by looking for re-usable items that people will take away and be able to continue to use for other things - our gift wine is in glass bottles that if they leave we will clean and re-use or it can be recycled by the guests if they leave. Our coffee cups glasses and plates and cutlery are always ones that we re-use - no styrofoam. We ask if guests have travel mugs for coffee to go. However when we send someone off with leftovers it is difficult to package for travel and re-use. Sometimes we will use recycled plastic containers but it is not always possible to find just the right thing that also looks professional. Our towels and linens are the best and newest for the guests and then they become family items and finally are sent to Big Brothers or other charity organizations for their use.

We are always on the look out for cleaning/laundry product that are organic and environmentally friendly but also do an excellent job of cleaning. We make our own soaps for the bathrooms and encourage our guest to take the left overs since they would only be thrown out (most people like to take the softly scented organic specialty soaps)It is an issue that requires on-going though and attention but in the end our planet is certainly worth all the attention a assistance we can give it.

Robby Tranfield
Country Ridge Ranch House Bed and Breakfast
Come and be pampered in the Okanagan
www.countryridgebedandbreakfast.
________________________________________________________________________________

This is defiantly a topic that my wife and I have faced as restaurant owners, but let me try to give you some insight into the industry side or the dark side of “green”. At Canvas we use several “green products” from recycled “Bio-Plus” to-go boxes that cost us almost a dollar per box, to all of our bakery boxes which are made from recycled paper and are also very expensive, but the problem with the new “green” “plastic ware” made from corn-starch, which are totally bio-degradable and the only current alternative to the Styrofoam and plastics that you mentioned, is that they are enormously expensive like 5 times the cost of comparable plastics or styro-foam, and right now are virtually useless. The corn derived “plastic” products cannot exceed rather minimal heat as they warp and actually melt if a hot soup or hot beverage are introduced, not to mention they conduct the said heat and it feels very much like holding melting plastic.

On the other side of the coin if the items placed into the container are too cold the corn products become brittle and very unstable to any slightly abnormal pressure.In a business that is already extremely strained in this current economic environment, and has uniquely thin margins of profit, it is not only cost prohibitive to be ”totally green”, but it opens us up to a whole new line of litigious attacks by the next customer who burns them selves with an unstable “to-go” product, or swallows a shard broken off from a brittle corn based product. So you tell me….where does it end? Where do we begin?

I think it is counterintuitive and irresponsible to suggest that we stop ordering food from our local Mom and Pop businesses and restaurants, or chains for that matter, because they are not “green”, what we need to do is offer constructive suggestions for options, what do we do for the customer that orders like you did? The nature of the food items that you ordered required the vessels they came in, thus the irresponsibility is shared, so the solution must be also. This is a much bigger issue than either you or I, or how your conscious or my conscious treats me as it relates to being “eco-friendly” and “green”, the problem is that there are zero cost effective, viable options out there and this applies to the entire “green” movement, to be “green” requires a lot more green cash, and to produce more green cash we have to expend more and create more waste in the process of becoming “green”. All of these “green” energy options out there are facing the same types of prohibitions which is why they have not been implemented.

It will cost the end user way too much and expend way too much to be effective. The cost of the technology has to come down across the board if we desire to move into this direction we cannot simply wish it into existence or legislate it into existence because there will be a trail of destruction and loss leading to “green”.Obviously this is something that deeply bothers me and as responsible business owners we not only desire to, but feel responsible to do our part to minimize our business’s impact on the environment, but the problem is not with us and our desire to do so, the problem is that it all looks good on paper and sounds great when preached to us from a podium, a blog, a megaphone, or even the White House, the problem is who can afford to be as responsible as we would like to be? Is going “green” worth losing our business? Taking away employment and health benefits from the ten families that we are responsible for? Taking a viable addition to the community away? Removing a tax generator from the city/county/state/fed? What would you do?

Christopher Gatti
CANVAS Cafe and Bakery
724 Cherokee St.Marietta, GA 30060
www.canvasfoods.com
____________________________________________________________________________

I couldn't agree more! So when I was forced to close my restaurant (where we used earth-friendly takeout packaging) I began a new business preparing meals to serve two or more in pyrex and ziplock storage containers that are returned when the next meal is picked up. It's run as a membership and you can read more about it here.http://soupandsupper.blogspot.com/Btw, I always enjoy reading your ezine! Good topics! Thanks,

Susan
_____________________________________________________________________________

I read your story about your "Pollo Loco" take out experience with great interest. I live in Seattle which has banned all styrofoam containers in take out restaurants. In addition, I manage foodservice for a corporate cafeteria serving a population of 1900+. Over the last year we have turned from styrofoam fully compostable plates cups and utensils as part of newly attained GRA certification. We compost the vast majority of our refuse now and instead of our trash going out in a very large compactor every week, trash is now limited to two small dumpsters. Compstable is expensive and still a work in progress, but is becoming a viable option. Our city council has also been toying with the idea of making grocery store charge customers per plastic bag used at the store. Great topic!

Josh Hulett
______________________________________________________________________________

You’re entirely right about the awful Styrofoam and plastic containers used for take-out in many (most?) restaurants today. They are inappropriate and a disgrace from a recycling/environmental point of view. Probably the best response is for concerned consumers to refuse to eat at restaurants who continue to negatively impact the environment by using plastic bags, Styrofoam, plastic utensils (non-biodegradable), plastic cups, etc.Some communities have actually passed laws forbidding the use of non-biodegradable food containers and/or plastic bags. On a personal level, I suppose we could all carry our own canvas bags, reuse paper bags, use stainless steel water canteens instead of plastic bottles, and generally boycott plastic soda cans, Styrofoam, and other non-biodegradable containers. Maybe I’ll start carrying my own knife and fork set and plate (sincerely)!In any event, I appreciated your comments and concerns. The unconsciousness of humanity is rampant. Let’s hope other people will continue to promote better environmental consumption and awareness. You have done your part with your E-mail communication to us. Thanks very much....With appreciation,

Jim Boswell
THE BOSWELL COMPANY
www.boswellcompany.com
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks for the email on the amount of waste some restaurants still choose to package to-go food. This is an area that highly irritates me as well. If I find a restaurant gives me to-go food in containers that go in the landfill than I try and not go there in the future. I love that Martha’s Mexican Food on main street in Sebastopol not only has amazing authentic Mexican food but she gives the food in eco-friendly to-go boxes and reusable plastic containers in which I use in my home. I wish I could think of more good examples for you but I can’t! I hope other people email you with suggested restaurants that are doing a great job in this area.Another example of a new green restaurant in Santa Rosa, which is on my list to check-out is http://www.ggsearthandsurf.com/. I haven’t been but I’ve heard good things about the food. The only down-side is the wine list is limited because they are only serving organic and biodynamic wines. I would imagine their to-go packaging is eco-friendly. I plan to twitter my thoughts once I go (possibly this Friday!). I just added you, so would love if you also followed me: http://twitter.com/MySonomaLife

Kim Lapides
Wine Club Director
Lynmar Estate
www.lynmarestate.com
__________________________________________________________________

I agree! I’d rather pay a little more for fast food that encourages recycling and uses items that are biodegradable, supports sustainable measures, etc. (like Chipotle). There are many choices now and it certainly could be a savvy marketing tool!

Ronnie Campbell
THE BURRELL GROUP, LTD.
__________________________________________________________

I couldn't agree with you more on all of your comments. I'm glad to see you using your platform to educate people in a non-"down your throat" fashion. Same kind of stuff is happening with wine production and the crazy amounts of pesticide, herbicide, fertilizers, fuels, etc, etc. What's it worth to drink low priced wine? Just like the takeout meal, most people either don't know or don't think about all the impacts they are making with their consumer choices. Please, keep the information coming.

Bryan Hope
Sustainable Vine Wine Tours
805.698.3911
_______________________________________________________________________

I am 35 years in the restaurant biz...25 years at greenleaf restaurant in ashland oregon...it makes me ill when i see the amount of packaging it takes for a to go order...we do our best to limit containers...we use recycled for some, but i agree with you...it is astounding the waste to package a meal for one person...thanks for keeping the issue in the spotlight...

daniel
________________________________________________________________________________

I caught your email on eco-friendly takeout and thought you might be interested in PizzaFusion. We’ve gone to great lengths to address the very concerns you addressed in your email. Below, I’ve included some of the initiatives we’ve taken at our restaurants nation-wide to combat this stigma. Please take a moment to review this information and let me know your thoughts.

PIZZAFUSION'S ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES:

In our restaurants:

·Building all our restaurants according to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification standards set forth by the United States Green Building Council (making us the first and only national restaurant chain to do so)

·Offsetting 100% of our power consumption in our restaurants with the purchase of Green-e certified renewable energy certificates

·Delivering our food in company owned hybrid vehicles

·Promoting sustainable agriculture by serving a more than 75% organic menu

·Mandate recycling in all our stores and giving customers discounts for bringing back their pizza boxes to recycle them

·Using only eco-friendly cleaners to sanitize all our stores

·Serving our food in containers that are made 100% from corn starch and are designed to decompose in landfills in 60 days

·Using spudware utensils that are made 100% from potatoes that biodegrade in 60 days

·Recycling the heat from our ovens to heat the water in our stores

·Selling and providing our employees only with eco-apparel made from 100% organic cotton

·Using only Energy Star Certified appliances in our kitchen whenever possible

·Using 100% post consumer toilet paper and paper towels in all our bathrooms

·Printing our in-store graphics on a banner material made from 100% recycled soda bottles and printed using non-VOC inks

·Using Compact Fluorescent (CF) bulbs in our stores which saves on energy consumption

·Manufacturing bathrooms sinks made entirely from bamboo for our bathrooms

·Using furniture made from reclaimed wood sources

·Using reused construction elements and furniture, such as old church pews used for booth seating, furniture reclaimed from a closed bowling alley, wood flooring salvaged from an old high school gymnasium, discarded slate roof shingles reused as wall tiles, and more

·Install low-flow faucet aerators on our sinks that cut our water usage by as much as 40% from 4 gallons per minute to 2½ gallons per minute

·Using pizza peels, plateware and cutting boards made entirely from bamboo

·Utilizing a cradle-to-cradle approach by reusing glass bottles from our stores to manufacture countertops for our future locations

·Installing a smart lighting system in our bathrooms that automatically turns off when the bathroom is vacant

·Using FSC (Forest Stewardship Council - http://www.fsc.org/en/about) certified wood to build our cabinets and wood fixtures

·Using eco-friendly paints from Green Planet Paints

·Using seat cushions made from naturally biodegradable latex, instead of petroleum based foam

·Using drywall in our build-out that is 95% post-consumer content and locally manufactured

·Using insulation in our restaurants made from recycled blue jeans

·Using the most energy efficient HVAC unit on the market

·Using 30% recaptured industrial concrete

·Using ceiling grids made from 74% recycled aluminum cans and 24% post industrial metals

·Installing bamboo flooring and veneer, instead of wood

·Using ceiling baffles made from recycled composite board

·Prohibit smoking inside all our restaurants with designated smoking areas located at a minimum of 25 feet from our restaurants

·Select restaurant locations that maximize natural light inside our restaurants and are located within close proximity to public transportation, whenever possible

·Using soy based concrete sealer, containing no VOCs, for our floors

·Install floor tiles made of 75% post consumer materials

·Install dual flush, low flow toilets to reduce water waste

Education, philanthropic & political:

·Donate money to environmental causes in, around and beyond our communities

·Host a free organics for kids class every third Saturday of the month that educates children on the importance of eating organic and sustainable living

·Lobbying for political action, such as The Safe Climate Act (H.R. 1590), that supports a more socially responsible future

·Speaking at various environmental events in and around our local communities

·Furthering our eco-impact nationally by speaking at various environmental and organic conferences around the U.S., such as the 2nd Annual Business of Organics Conference (http://www.almevents.com/ conf_page.cfm?instance_id=29& web_id=1017&pid=625) and the 2008 All Things Organic conference (http://www.organicexpo.com/ 07/public/Content.aspx?ID= 14290)

·Organized a holiday bike donation for the Boys and Girls of Deerfield Beach, FL.

·Organized fundraising team for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life in Delray Beach, FL and chaired the event in organizing its execution.

·Raised $38,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team In Training and running the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

Awards & Recognitions

·Fast Casual - #6 in the 2008 Top 100 Movers & Shakers annual listing

·PETA – Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Restaurant in America – http://www.peta.org/mc/ NewsItem.asp?id=11834

·Co-op America – Top 10 Green Business of the Year

·Cookie Magazine – Best Fast Food

·Grist Magazine – Top Green Business Founders

Our mission is to uphold the highest level of integrity in all we do, from the quality and origin of our food to our care for the health of our customers and the environment. Our motto is ‘saving the Earth, one pizza at a time.’

Beyond our organic menu of gourmet pizza, sandwiches, salads, beer and wine, we proudly offer health conscious alternatives for people with selective diets and food allergies. For example, we serve gluten-free pizza, brownies and beer for our friends with celiac disease. Vegans and vegetarians love us for our soy mozzarella (used in our ‘Very Vegan Pizza’) and vegan brownies. We also offer a healthier multi-grain crust for the carb conscious eater.

For additional information, you may download an electronic version of our press kit at http://www.pizzafusion.com/ uploads/documents/presskit.pdf, as well as access all our recent press releases at http://www.pizzafusion.com/ press-room/press-releases.aspx.

Thanks again for your interest in eco-friendly eating. If I may be of assistance in the future, please let me know.
Eric Haley
Vice President of Communications
Pizza Fusion
e.haley@pizzafusion.com
Fresh, Gourmet, Organic Pizza, Sandwiches & Salads
Saving the Earth, One Pizza at a Time!'
www.pizzafusion.com
______________________________________________________________________________________

I don't know about where you live; but here in Oregon, more and more places are going to 90% post consumer recycled boxes and bowls for their take out. There are also a few companies that produce "plastic" type containers made from corn. These are a bit more expensive, but I am willing to pay for it. Maybe you should ask some of you favorite take-out places to consider switching.

Jason Brumley
________________________________________________________________________________

I totally agree. Take out food creates a huge amount of waste. Conscientious take out establishments should have their order takers ask the customer if they need utensils and napkins...and also, use biodegradable containers and charge 10% more.Thanks for bringing up an important subject!

V. Ciarlo
_____________________________________________________________________

Excellent point on the amount of trash fast food produces, Margie. I think they should have recycling containers for the various items, (paper, plastic, food, etc.) and come-up with less wasteful containers at the same time. Thank you for pointing this out, it’s been bothering me more and more lately as well.

Dana Johnson
Brewery & Winery Technical Representative
BIRKO Corporation
web: www.birkocorp.com
____________________________________________________________________________

Living too far from Poco Loco (salivating) while pondering all those containers... So - - - 1) how much energy is consumed washing dishes vs making recyclable containers??? 2) does your garbage service have a recycle center so that the packaging is separated and goes back to a mfgr??? (i.e. aluminum cans consume less energy than new processed aluminum ore...) 3) How do we get ALL materials recycled [that place in the Pacific where stuff has accumulated - can it be harvested???]One of my crazy things is WATER - letting it run while shaving and radically taking a NAVY shower {get wet, lather, rinse off - requires a comfortable temp in the bathroom unless your a radical outdoorsman }Sorry you asked; I always shudder watching volumes of water flow down the drain @ the Gym from the guys shaving... [would people stop and think if the bowls automatically plugged to show how much water is being consumed??? do sensor faucets use less water? ??paper vs hot air dryers??]so much food for thought; gonna throw up <;(

Scott Jackson
_________________________________________________________________________

Margie, great job of pointing out what many restaurants still do…our favorite restaurant in San Rafael, Lotus Cuisine, has finally switched to better (bio) containers after we complained for one year…its all about education…!

Grant Raeside
Executive Director
Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance
www.sonomavalleywine.com
__________________________________________________________________________________Thanks for a very good observation. Yes, I would stop patronizing a place that uses so many non-recyclable products. Unfortunately that would do no good if the company didn’t know why they were losing my business. The next important step would be to notify the company of my intentions, perhaps suggest they change their policy and their take out products and promise to return to their business once they do.Thanks for the article.

Janet Laursen
Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery
www.amapolacreek.com
_________________________________________________________________

I too have noticed the same problem! I live in the British Virgin Islands, and sadly the locals do not respect their natural surroundings. Styrofoam containers are either littered, placed in a landfill (right at the base of our only rainforest!) or thrown in the incinerator. Such a shame in such a beautiful place! It seems to be a large trend throughout the Caribbean as well. While travelling thorugh the Dominican Republic we crossed a bridge through some stunning foothills, and we couldn't even see the creek as it was filled with plastic shopping bags and styrofoam carry-out containers. People have come up with the shopping bag solution and I proudly carry my Whole Foods bag every time I go shopping, and I was thinking that restaurants could create their own reusable tupperware type thing. It could work a few ways, you could purchase a kit from your favourite restaurant and wash it yourself and bring it in when you place your next order... or exchange resuable packaging when you return again and again. This means the restaurant would be doing the washing up, and you'd have to rely on people actually returning their gear. But at least they wouldn't be tossing it. Believe me, I have thought about this over and over again! I am so happy you noticed and to share my ideas. Might never take off in Tortola, but at least somewhere else in the world just as beautiful may have a fighting chance!

Kind Regards, Michelle
________________________________________________________________________________

One probably can't eat takeout and go green. But the first question I had was why do you think that that was a healthy meal? I'm sure it was nice that your friend was thinking about you; but honestly do you really think that that was a healthy meal?Next time you want a fast meal, try an avocado smashed on (sprouted grain) toast and sprinkled with sea salt. It would take less time to prepare than unpacking the stuff you had, and the avocado skin can go in the compost heap. And, oh, yes, with a glass of red wine it would be a complete meal, complete with MUFAs and pH balanced. Now that is healthy!

Dennis
______________________________________________________________________

I read your story and I liked! Today people having less and less respect to the food and would like daily food to be like Nokia cell phone!! very easy to handle small and convenient so you can take with you at any place , and after using just throw in garbage and buy new because is going (mass production) cheep-er and cheep-er( and less quality but more quantity).We should keep restaurant (restaurant is French word for restorations and same time socializing place)to be place where to to eat pay the bills an let them do one time recycling and will be not more mess around. At the same time all grocery stores should sale fresh/food products (without chemicals that kipping product long shells)and cooking love for professionally trained cooks/chefs or for individuals in there own kitchen for there/family own needs.That looks like regulation , and I think we should have regulation in food industry, It is most important industry for our human civilization.

tomo dragosavljevic
Chef tomislavcatering/personal chef & restaurant consulting
www.cheftomislav.com
Toronto-Ont-Canada
____________________________________________________________________

It is indeed a real conundrum for the fast food industry. I am sure they are trying to provide a better food experience for their patrons, which they believe requires the extra packaging to deliver the ingredients at the quality level demanded of patrons. Having been in food packaging positions before, I can tell why they are using the materials that you experienced, and I can also tell that they are trying to mitigate the impact on landfill (even though it doesn't appear to be so!!).Thanks for the article. Maybe if folks like you keep crying out and using their literary powers there will be a higher demand for innovation in the packaging industry. If you want more info related to food packaging, Mr. Glenn White out of Louisville is one of the industry's experts, athttp://www.linkedin.com/pub/12/547/237Ps. If you think the food industry has a lot of packaging, check out pharmaceuticals!!

John
______________________________________________________________________________________I I love your article on recycling and take out food. First off - I hate most fast food. Too much sodium and not healthy! I work with a caterer and we encourage everyone to bring in there own platters, etc...so we do not have much plastic to dispose of at the end of the day. Stay greeen and eat fresh food!I also represent a chef who makes hand made artisan stuffed pasta - cappellacci and borsette are his most famous shapes.Also, another pastry chef who is coming out with a specific fun line if desserts ( I cannot tell you the name yet but it is really catchy!).Lastly, I work with a local coffee roaster who provides fresh ground coffee nation-wide. Private label too. We have been to some shows.I live in Illinois and would like to introduce them to people nation wide. Any thoughts, advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated. Especially how to get into the Wine Country market in CA.

Suzanne M. Accurso
_________________________________________________________________________________

While I agree the number of containers astounding, you can't fault the restaurant as you were the one ordering the food items for take out. I suppose you could show up with your own containers but that is improbable. So fill your freezer with frozen items and nuke? Or cut down on the things you order. And bring your own carry out sak. I have a number of insulated bags I use, keep them in the back of my car.I have a film catering company and would love to use the new biodegradable knives and forks but they are crazy expensive, and my clients have already cut back on how much they want to spend, so I use flimsy paper plates and plastic knives and forks. Any thoughts on that?

Chery Corshen
Puttin' On the Ritz Catering
___________________________________________________________

This is an eye opening commentary. Myself and my wife take out food once sometimes twice per week, and I really do not pay much attention to this, but will make a point to comment on it to some of the places we frequent. This is a very relevant and needed area of remark, and like you say, if people took a moment to consider how much of this garbage it takes just to feed us a meal, it would make them take notice.

Excellent post!

_________________________________________________________

Although we run a small wine bar and wine shop, we have made many changes. All our take-out containers are recyclable. I stopped buying Styrofoam wine shippers and now use pulp (recycled paper) egg crate shippers. They also take up less room... Bonus! If I am shipped wine in Styrofoam, I offer my customers the option of getting a free shipping box and the knowledge they are helping to recycle (reuse). We encourage our wine club customers to recycle the paper wine bags we give them each month (reuse). Our "popped" corks go to the local schools for kids art projects. The kids have also collected corks (as a contest) to donate to Re-cork America (reuse & recycle). I installed a lot of light dimmers and not only does it save on electricity, but the bulbs last 12-18 months longer (save energy)! Five years ago I bought a box of plastic bags. I still have it. We are not perfect, buy we have come a long way in the past five years, setting a standard in our business.

Rick D, Mendell, President & OwnerRick's Wine CellarCorte Madera, CA 94925
_____________________________________________________

I think it was last summer, that I saw a segment on Good Morning America that talked about companies that are making the disposable containers made out of biodegradable styrofoam made from corn or soy. Also, I went to the Southwest Food Expo when it was held here in Dallas a couple years ago. Anchor Hocking was there promoting their line of reusable microwaveable containers designed for take out items. I agree, it's a disturbing thought - about the waste, but now that "green" is trendy, more people will want these items and hopefully they'll become more affordable for small business foodservice. So, I believe that being green while eating out will become/is becoming more common.

Mary McCreery
___________________________________________________________

Wow, I had no idea how much @#$% comes with a take out meal. We rarely eat take out, but I will definitely think twice about it. There are some companies who do it better - Organic To Go (a former client), Whole Foods containers are bio-degradable and M Chaya Cafe (Los Angeles).We do try to limit our footprint, but it can be challenging sometimes especially when you're rushing around just trying to keep your head above water.I would love some suggestions as to how we can ask for less packaging at a place like El Pollo Loco (love them btw) or other options.Thanks for the great post.

Carin Galletta
____________________________________________________

Thanks for forwarding this information. Personally as someone who tries to do the right thing when it comes to eco/conservation I, too, am floored by the waste associated with take-out products. Add to that the distance traveled by most food/ingredients used in commercial/restaurant establishments, and the overall impact on the environment is incredible (and we’re not even looking at the benefits of organic gardening).For many reasons, I decided to take a marketing position with E-cloth, an eco-friendly cloth with dramatic benefits including reduction of paper waste and unnecessary tree harvesting and the virtual elimination of the need for cleaning solutions. Did you know that the average family of four in the US uses nearly 38 trees worth of paper products (napkins, paper towels, toilet paper and tissues, which are made from virgin wood not recycled paper) and that even many ‘green’ cleaning solutions contain chemicals that when combined with others that exist in water run off create dangerous concoctions? E-cloth uses only water and cleans like no other paper towel, rag or microfiber on the market. The company has an extensive list of products, including a Drinkware Drying and Polishing Towel. I am happy to send you a sample if you are interested in checking it out, may be sharing your thoughts with your network of friends/followers. If you are interested in running a give away, we will gladly donate a package.Please let me know and again, thank you for sharing your ezine info with us.

Lauren Curley
_________________________________________________________

Your thoughts have influenced me to think and act.

Amarjit Bindra
__________________________________________________________

Thanks Margie,It is a brilliant article!

Jose Ruiz
__________________________________________________

Yes, Margie, you are 100% right. Thanks for at least mentioning the waste that goes along ‘convenience’, whether it’s for food or almost any other service or commodity. Does the packaging industry have some secret rewards program that gives bonus points to wasteful, non-eco packaging?

Thanks again for the effort. We can always hope that a few more people at least start thinking a little bit.

Cheers-

David Key
Schug Carneros Estate Winery
___________________________________________________

Hi Margie,

A friend of mine forwarded your recent question about eating takeout and going green. She receives your Ezine and thought I would be interested in this question.

Your list of items to be thrown away or recycled was pretty impressive but also quite typical. Unfortunately our, and when I say our I mean ours in the context of industrialized nations, modern food system is based on the quick and easy. The costs are never fully built into the price of what you get. You’re right, we can’t afford it and the truth is the rest of the world bares a lot of the cost of these habits.

There are some great solutions to this problem that save costs and reduce waste in this regard yet allow people to still continue to frequent “take out” establishments. At least these are some that I can think of.

A. Bring your own reusable food containers from home and/or keep some at the office. I’ve asked the places I frequent on a regular basis if they’ll give me a discount for using my own containers. In some establishments I’ll use their paper container but refuse bags, utensils, and napkins and use my own back at the office.

B.Bring your own containers for sit down establishments to use as “doggie bags” for leftovers.

C.Retail food outlets can offer incentives for people to bring their own containers. In the end this saves them in reducing overhead costs.

D.Communities can mandate that containers used for takeout are either fully compostable or recyclable.

E.And yes, customers can choose not to frequent an establishment that disregards their concerns about what types of containers they might use. It may seem harsh but if you value a pristine natural environment why shouldn’t that be a condition for why you frequent an establishment.

If it tastes good, but it leaves a bad taste in your mouth are you really going to enjoy it.

Thanks for this post. I hope it gets people thinking.

Best regards,

Mathew Lachesnez-Heude
Environmental Manager
Lindblad Expeditions

_____________________________________________________

As with anything, people need to vote with their dollars. Corps only respond when it hits their bottom line. In this case, only when they become aware their biz is slipping unless they at least pretend to be Green.
Glenn A Curry

______________________________________________________________________
This is a beautiful email. I am very glad you made it, and I agree 100%.

These kind of considerations are so important and when producing a product, you realize how much wrapping and containers are used..it is crazy.

I am looking forward to the Hess Collection tasting, and am due to arrive in CA this coming Thursday to begin our Summer launch. I look forward to seeing what events we can grow to do with you.

Thanks again for this newsletter & speak with you soon.

Andrew Lazorchak

____________________________________________________________

I couldn’t agree more. What I have tried to do on occasion is take my own Tupperware or pot to a restaurant. The other thing is that Sonoma needs to make some changes that prohibit restaurants and markets from using Styrofoam containers. The paper take out boxes are a bit more costly, but I think a step in the right direction. I do know that there are products similar to Styrofoam out there that are recyclable and actually edible, made from potatoes or some starch.

Rose Galanty
_______________________________________________________________

We run a B&B. Many of our guests go out for dinner and often time bring left overs home in those oh so lovely styrofoam containers. Once they have had their snacks it is often up to us to dispose of their styrofoam. I hate putting it in the garbage but that is pretty much all you could do with it. Imagine my surprise when one of our guests pointed out that the containers were bio degradable. They had gone to Ricardo's Mediterranean Restaurant in Lake Country/ Kelowna and asked for their food to be packed to go. Signs up at Ricardo's told them the containers were all bio degradable and good for composting. We happily put them in our compost. How great is that? I wish more restaurants would use those containers.

Regards

Robby Tranfield
Country Ridge Ranch House B&B
Come & be pampered in the Okanagan
www.countryridgebedandbreakfast.com

__________________________________________


Great post. As a quick service restaurant owner myself, I have noticed the intolerable amount of trash that is accumulated with takeout. This is one of the primary reasons I decided to join the Green Restaurant Association. As for our restaurant, The Pita Pit, we don't really produce that much trash with our take out. 1 paper bag, possibly a biodegradable PLA bag depending on the size, recycled napkins (unbleached) , PLA (corn based) biodegradable cups and a paper wrapper. The key is to get more and more restaurants involved. The more eco-friendly products restaurants buy, the cheaper they will become.

Adam Palmer

David vs Goliath, Big Wine Goes after Small Retailer

Industry giant Ernest & Julio Gallo is suing a Seattle retail wine & specialty food retailer over pasta. The Spanish Table, which operates four retail locations, opened their Seattle store near Pike Place Market in 1995. This January, owners Sharon Baden and Steve Winston received a letter from a lawyer representing EJ Gallo, stating that unless they stopped selling the “Gallo” brand of pasta, which is imported from Italy (and not related to the wine company), they would be sued. (Apparently the pasta brand is pronounced differently - it is pronounced "guy-o.")

When I spoke with Winston, he expressed shock and dismay that the first contact he would have would come from a lawyer. Winston said that if someone from EJ Gallo had simply called to have a conversation regarding their concerns, he would have been open to it. Regardless, he states that they were still willing to stop selling the pasta, not because they felt that was right, but simply because they didn’t feel that a legal fight was worth it. Baden and Winston say that they contacted the Gallo attorney asking if "they preferred that we donate the pasta to a food bank or destroy it."

Then things got a little messy. The couple told me that it seemed that Gallo was willing to drop the threat of a law suit if the couple would disclose the name of the importer. Baden & Winston say they declined, and things went downhill. They stated that the Gallo attorney would no longer communicate with them at all, only with their attorney, in essence, forcing them to hire one. They say that they were given an April 16^th deadline to hire an attorney and cease pasta sales, however, Gallo officially filed suit ahead of their own deadline on April 14^th.

Baden "wonders why we were dragged into this at all, after all we are just retailers, we don’t produce the pasta nor have any control over the name." Gallo Pasta has been made for decades in Italy and is quite popular with their customers. Baden said that The Spanish Table customers have been very supportive and have "expressed outrage at the actions taken by EJ Gallo." The publicity surrounding the story has caused the remaining pasta to fly off the shelves.

KING 5 News in Seattle, says that The Gallo Winery released a statement to them. "The Gallo brand is known, recognized and trusted throughout the world. The brand represents our promise to the wine consumer that there are Gallo family members involved in the business who are passionate about making wine, who care about the quality and are involved in every detail to ensure that the consumer is receiving the best quality wine. Thus, we must always protect the image of our brand and the promise it represents," says Susan Hensley, Vice President of Public Relations for the E. & J. Gallo Winery.

The Modesto Bee
reported that Susan Hensley said E.&J. Gallo is merely protecting a valuable brand.

"Like many companies, we have understandings with companies around the world to not sell or market products in the United States under the 'Gallo' brand," she said in a written statement. "We have such an understanding with the Gallo pasta producer. Given this understanding, whenever we discover the product is being sold in the United States contrary to this understanding, we must take steps to correct the problem."

Hensley added that the matter likely "will be quickly resolved."

Modesto Bee reporter John Holland also wrote that this isn't the first time that the winery has sued to protect its name. Founders Ernest and Julio Gallo sought in 1986 to keep their brother Joseph from marketing cheese from Atwater under the "Joseph Gallo" name. They prevailed, and the cheese today is known as "Joseph Farms."

We'd like to know what you in the industry think, please take a moment and share your opinion.

-Margie

King 5 News video
_________________________________________________________________________________

Just sharing with you, something related to my country history http://www.gallo.pt/azeite/historia/en
GALLO, it's about Portuguese olive oil . . . i wonder if it is related or not with the article issue that you described!

Bartolomeu Lança
http://www.linkedin.com/in/bartolomeu
tannin.co.uk/consulting/5desetembro_winenotes.pdf

Last week we talked about "standing out in a sea of sameness" and how important it is to ask your customers what they think. (Go here to read the article -scroll down to see all of your comments). I mentioned several very small details I have encountered that made me either come back to - or stay away from - local restaurants. I find it fascinating how very minor details can swing an experience from favorable to not, and vice versa. And the fact is most of us are quite fickle. Especially in lean times, people may not be willing to risk another trip to your establishment if they were not thrilled with their previous experience.

We talked about why it's important to engage your customer to get their feedback, perhaps through an online customer satisfaction survey. OK, so now you are on board; you are actively asking your customers for feedback (feedback of any kind mind you, not just confirmation that you are doing a good job). Now that you have asked, and you have your customer's feedback, what do you do with it?

I believe that you look for different types of information. The first would be anyone who has had a less than fantastic experience. Although many people would agree with this, it is also human nature to put off the unpleasant tasks for later. Don't. Immediately contact anyone who has not had a stellar experience. Why? First of all, they can provide you with details of what may be going wrong: with your service, staff, products, etc. and you can immediately correct it. Second, but just as important, you have a magnificent opportunity to save a customer; perhaps even win a customer for life!

When you contact your customer (and the sooner the better), here are some easy steps to follow:

1. Listen completely/Let them vent.

Give them your complete attention. Don't interrupt, don't explain, don't defend or justify what happened. It doesn't matter why the problem occurred and they don't need your side of the story.

2. Apologize (sincerely).

Many managers don't like to apologize, especially if they feel they (or their staff) were not at fault. If it was your or your staff's fault, acknowledge it! If not, apologize anyway; you don't have to take blame for causing the problem, you are simply apologizing for the customer having a bad experience. And remember: you never know what else has happened in a person's day, be empathetic.

3. Make it right.

There are two trains of thought on this one. The first is to ask the customer what it will take to make it right. Personally, I disagree with that approach. For myself, it makes me feel put on the spot, and I dislike "asking for something." I think the manager should volunteer what they think is right, and should make it above and beyond simply fixing what went wrong.

4. Thank the customer for taking the time to talk to you and sharing their experience (and for their patronage)!

And invite them back...

Now that you have dealt with the issues, it is time for rewards. What did the customer(s) rave about? This is a great time to reinforce and reward staff behavior. Did a server receive compliments? Pass them on - in front of all the staff! Did the customer adore a particular dish? Compliment the back of house - in front of all the staff! (You may even wish to implement an informal formalized reward system).

Next - what about the ideas, thoughts and opinions you have received? You know: "The music was too loud," "The lights were too low," "I hate Sushi," "The service took too long," and on and on. Do you immediately react and change things? Do you lower the music? Turn up the lights? Change the menu?

Not so fast...

It is imperative to know what your concept is - and is not. Do you have a written concept statement? If not, you may want to consider writing one. A concept statement defines your concept: The look, atmosphere, food, service style, target audience, etc. And it can help keep you on track.

Let me tell you a story that was told to me by a friend, who had been in multi-unit management for the concept in this story. They began, as every concept does, with one unit. They were hip, they were cutting edge. The music was loud, the servers edgy, the food casual, yet popular with the young crowd that frequented the place. It was hit. So they did what many people do with a hit - they grew the company.

Some interesting things happened along the way. The young hipsters that started the company got a bit older... married... maybe had a kid or two. Then one of them noticed. Hey this music is too loud for a baby's ears! And there aren't any high chairs! And what is little Suzie supposed to eat? We need a child's menu! And on and on it went. A new HR Manual came out: no body piercing, no visible tattoos, you must look "professional" after all, this is a family joint! (Or wait a minute? Is it?)

Sales went down, down, down. Why? They weren't true to their concept. Sure, they gained some new customers along the way. But at the same time, they alienated their core audience. They lost focus of who they were. And their customers didn't seem to know anymore either.

Prior to making any decision regarding your concept, you need to first ask yourself one question: "Will this support what our concept is?" If you are a sushi restaurant, and you get feedback from someone who doesn't like sushi, you could add other choices to your menu. Or you could just accept that people who don't like sushi aren't your target market. If you are the Hard Rock Café, you don’t play Barry Manilow. Or ban body piercing, unnatural hair color and tattoos. The more you do to appeal to those who aren't your target market, the more diluted your concept becomes.

What are your experiences? What decisions have you made that were right? Which ones would you make differently if you could do it all again? Email me!

-Margie

If you are not currently actively seeking your customers' feedback or need help with a customized guest satisfaction survey - call me at 707-933-0687 or email me.

__________________________________________________________________

Well said Margie. Too often, to solve a problem in business we want to "drive" the customer in a certain direction and we forget about treating them as a fellow human being, listening carefully, empathizing and then remedying and addressing the cause of the negative feedback. Some new tools are now available in the market for restaurateurs to use to make it easy for the customer to give their feedback. There are the traditional comment cards and 800 phone numbers and of course web surveys to elicit this all important feedback. The ubiquitous use of mobile phones now provides a real-time channel to obtain this feedback in a discreet manner, while the customer is still in the restaurant. Too often, the customer does not want to deal with a direct confrontation to complain about an issue, so they bottle it up, get out and just don't ever come back. If they use any modern tools on the web and in the blogosphere, they will vent negatively to everyone they know and more! Not a good situation for the reputation of your establishment. You typically need to be able to provide the customers with more than one channel to provide this critical feedback to you. Of course this should be low cost and not an additional data collection and assimilation burden on the business. It also should make it easy for the staff and management to address issues quickly and effectively. Research also shows that if you can achieve a quick resolution of an issue with customer, you have a great chance to change the situation of the customer being a detractor of your brand and converting them into a strong promoter. Check out a product suite called Txtandtell that uses the mobile channel to do this at http://www.txtandtell.com

Carl Mostert
________________________________________________________

Margie,

I am going to have to take this and pass it on internally. Too good not to use and as the guy managing the feedback process at Ted's (an interesting job for the IT guy), it will help us to jump start our customer service policies refresh.
Thanks for doing my job for me.

David Curtis

I was talking with a friend of mine yesterday, who happens to be a brilliant speaker and trainer (Debbie Maier). We were talking about how companies can stand out in a sea of sameness.

Location, service, personality, product(s): all are ways to stand out and differentiate your company. However, before you try to differentiate yourself, don't you need to know how you are perceived by your customers now? After all, without first getting a clear picture of what your customers think, there is no way to know how to get to where you want to go. It's like going to Map Quest and asking for directions to New York - only having no starting location!

How do you find out exactly what your customers think about your company, your products, your service? Ask them! It's fast, it's easy. it's inexpensive, yet there number of companies that do it is still relatively small.

I can tell you why I go where I go when I go out, and why I avoid some places:

* One place has terrible lighting and uncomfortable chairs in the bar, especially on a rainy day, it's just too dreary.

* I met a girlfriend for a quick nibble and drinks at one local place and got a $100 check. It's been two years and I haven't been back.

* The entree I got at one place wasn't very hot. It was the first time I'd been there in a long time and I haven't been back. After all, maybe that's their norm...

* A friend and I sat at the bar for dinner and a glass of wine at another local place, and they poured us an extra 1/3 glass when we were though with our wine, but still had a few more bites of dinner. It was a nice gesture, and left me feeling really good about going back.

* There are a couple of local wineries that are always on the list to stop at when people are here from out of town. I can count on having a great time, tasting some great wines, and they have personality plus. There's also a few I avoid...

None of these places have ever asked me what I think - some of them don't know they lost business, and some may not know why they keep getting me back!

Where have you stopped going, and why? And does anyone know they've lost your business? Let me know! (email margie@wineandhospitalitynetwork.com)

Call me for information on how fast (and inexpensively!) you can find out just what your customers are thinking. Call 707-933-0687 or email me at margie@otlconsulting.com.

-Margie
__________________________________________________________

Margie,

Great article. There is one place that I have not been back to since my first time, Good Time at 1104 Pine St in Paso Robles. When I went there the tables and floors were dirty, the wait staff was slow and did not know anything about the menu, the food came out cold and the bill equaled that of a fine dining restaurant.

On the other hand 10th Street Cafe in San Miguel (805) 467-3141 has been one of the best restaurants I have ever been too. The food is always top notch, the staff are attentive and excited about helping out with special dietary needs and they cater to children. I frequent that restaurant on most of my special occasions and when friends and family come into town.

Mike Sanchez
_____________________________________________

Great points for sales people in all industries to consider. When I was in sales at CIBA Vision my territories changed annually; my first step when introducing myself to new accounts was to ask them for their opinions of CIBA Vision and our products. This simple question (and how I handled the information received in the responses) was a contributing factor to my quick success when assuming new territories.

Tom Furlong
_______________________________________________________

Was at Bouchon on a Friday evening a couple years ago. Crowded, of course, which is to be expected for a Keller restaurant. We had been going to Bouchon about six times a year, so while not regulars we did frequent the place. Had a reservation for two and we were seated near the kitchen door in the back of the room…no big deal, someone’s got to sit there. After placing our order for appetizers and entrees, the apps came, fine, we finished. Dishes were cleared along with silverware. Twenty minutes later the entrees appeared. Literally ten minutes after that fresh silverware appeared. Laughable… After we finished our meal the waiter approached with our bill, but then tucked it away after seeing our dinner plates had yet to be cleared. We hadn’t even been offered coffee. Amazing. Haven’t been back in over two years. (And no, we are not high maintenance patrons.)
_______________________________________________________________________________

I have certain special wineries that I always take people to. And what they all have in common are four things:

1. Good wine

2. Friendly wine servers

3. Knowledgeable wine servers

4. Attractive surroundings

If the people visiting are wine geeks, then the surroundings don’t matter. While attractive surroundings do make a visit more pleasant, if the wine itself is of superb quality, then tasting in an industrial warehouse works just fine. But as for the other three points, obviously if the wine isn’t good, why bother. And an unfriendly server—and there are many—can spoil the experience. Wine knowledge is important, especially for the people I take to visit. It’s not crucial if people are just out for a good time.

What I find interesting is that some wineries just don’t care. I have let wineries know if their tasting rooms have cost them visitors and purchases. And yet often no changes are ever made. I know firsthand where the hospitality director hired secret shoppers to comment on the experience, and then, when the shoppers reported “the worst experience ever” at that tasting room, the owners refused to make any changes at all. The hospitality director then quit, leaving the inmates in charge of the asylum as the tasting room people now had free reign to ignore customers completely.

Wineries which depend on direct sales will generally offer a better tasting room experience than wineries which sell mostly through the distribution channel. It all depends on whether the management sees the tasting room as a sales channel producing income or as a public relations effort that simply costs money.

Larry Chandler

Wine Editorial | Sales | SEO Marketing | Winery Support Services
________________________________________________________________

Hello Margie, You are absolutely right that a way to know what your customers think about you is simply to ask candidly the question. Among other ways to also find out what your guests like or dislike, is to look at your product mix reports. People vote with their money therefore read what they buy or don't buy. When you analyze your sales buy price point, day par, protein, or flavor profile, you can determine what you should remove from your menu, what to improve on and what to keep as is. To go back to your title, I think that a certain amount of "sameness" is desirable because we all need a taste profile reference. When I order a grilled cheese sandwich or a minestrone soup, I already know that it is supposed to taste like. We all have a taste and flavor memory bank and sometimes we don't feel like being adventurous. But you are right to imply in the title that "sameness" is not desirable. A certain amount of novelty creates appeal and interest. This said, too much uniqueness could incite decision confusion. The hard part is to determine a just balance. That's were intuition and experience come into place.

Alex Smida
___________________________________________________________

I agree that speaking with customers is a part of defining what can make a destination stand out. Customer satisfaction or lack thereof can be a gauge to measure how well you deliver on a promise of value. However, customer satisfaction alone is not a good indicator of how well you've differentiated the destination. There are many other things to consider. Our publication, The Wanderlust Report on travel marketing and destination branding, discusses this subject in depth from a different perspective n each issue. Volume I | Issue no. 4 covers Brand Positioning For Tourism Marketing, the core to achieving meaningful differentiation. You can find it here: http://www.createwanderlust.com/marketing-tourism-defining-a-brand-positioning

Mark Shipley
___________________________________________________

I read the title of this post as how to stand out in a sea of sameness... but it's all about "whining." That's easier to do than to make recommendations on how to stand out. Most restaurants unfortunately don't stand out and don't understand the concept of WOW and differentiation. Standing out and WOWing your guests is as simple as a table by table approach to conversing with your guests, handing out a business card with a unique title, or giving your guests a "kiss" -- a Hershey Kiss, rather than those same old boring, boring lousy tasting mints that every restaurant gives out.

Joel Cohen, Publisher of WOW www.RestaurantMarketing.com www.RestaurantMarketingBlog.com
__________________________________________________________

Great Topic! Word of mouth and personal referrals still seems the best and most reliable way to promote in my business. Treat your customers right, bend over backwards for them and they'll keep coming back... and bring you lots of referrals! I also hand out raffle slips during my tastings between the whites and the reds that collects contact info and comments. I collect them at the end and conduct a fun raffle. I often get feedback about the tasting and many referrals to people who would want to host a tasting or even join my team as a wine consultant.

Michael Schwartz Independent Wine Consultant & Team Leader Grapevine, Texas http://www.thetravelingvineyard.com/michael7856
___________________________________________________________________

Thanks, Margie! You just helped me a realize a quick and free way that I could ask people what they think. My blog has a sidebar heading that says, "Recent Comments." So I just modified it to say, "Recent Comments -- Please Share What You Think." So simple, but a world of difference! Most appreciatively, Sue http://blog.lovingmyself.com/
__________________________________________________________________

Some great points here... 1. Small gestures of hospitality leave lasting impressions and usually don't cost much. Careful about watching margin too closely in lieu of pursuing great hospitality. 2. Hospitality involves more than just friendliness. Would you invite someone over to your home and have them sit in an uncomfortable chair? Or turn off half the lights so you can't see each other. 3. I'll bet if the place that charge you $100 had the world's best hospitality, you might remember the $100 but you would also remember the experience. Thus...more willing to make another visit. I talk to my regulars each and every shift to get the pulse of the restaurant. Talking involves more than a greet, sometimes I actually sit and drink a cup of coffee with them. I've gotten more valuable feedback from this...I keep in mind that one regular speaks for probably 10 other customers.

Scott Temme
____________________________________________________

Margie, this is well said and appropriate for any business. I think it's a trust issue for many people. They don't trust that outsiders could know better than they do. After all, they've spent their life savings and every waking moment for the last year to build this thing that came from within them.

My wife tells me that she knows me better than I know myself, she's right.

Jeff Schacher
__________________________________________________________

I'm in total agreement here. The EASIEST and BEST way to get the measure of one's business is to ASK the patrons who use it. It's not complicated or rocket science, and it's usually inexpensive. Highly effective, too. This could quite possibly be the most important post on this site, and most people are going to miss it.

Chef Zig Thomas
______________________________________________________________

There was a restaurant that I once went to late one evening where they allowed this "couple" to do some things in a booth that weren't meant to be done in a restaurant. Haven't been back there in years. I doubt they know I've quit going there. And given what went on, I doubt they care.

Harold http://www.sellmoremeals.com
___________________________________________________________________________

This is something we are struggling with as a company right now. While we have the "secret shopper" program, that only tells us from a checklist point of view how our restaurants are meeting our standards. It does not tell us what our clients think about us or what they think we should do to improve. We have a feed back form on the website, but that requires guests to seek us out. So, we have been experimenting with survey technology. Creating a web survey and adding a message to the check out receipt. But that still does not get us in face to face conversations with our guests. Our next step is to investigate a different kind of loyalty program, one that emphasizes restaurant level events where we can interact with our most loyal guests and give something back. We are tossing ideas around, monthly wine tasting, new menu item tasting, fan club meeting, etc. Rather than the old points type system we want to bring our fans together and have an open dialogue and reward them with free food, drink, and the opportunity to participate in making our restaurants better.

David Curtis
_____________________________________________________________________

Hi Margie, I love the topic and the feedback. I agree with Michael about treating your costumers right. As Darby said some companies only allow you to use there "cookie-cutter" sites, so it is up to the individual to make the most of every opportunity. Nothing, but nothing beets one to one contact with a client. You should be in contact with a customer at least 4 times a year, and not to sell them anything. Asking them about a new product they have tried, if their delivery came in a timely manner, (in my case) what they thought of the tasting and what they would like to see in the future. At the end of every tasting I talk to everyone in the room, whether they placed an order or not, and ask if they enjoyed themselves and if there was something they would like to see different at another tasting. I am always looking for productive comments...something more than "it was great". So I ask specific questions. I think this shows your clients that their opinion is important to you and help with your business. Great topic!

Sabrina Porter spgreatwine@aol.com"