National Pub Day gets MP support

You got to love the Brits..... always thinking up reasons to drink.

Frenchy's Chicken Brand Expands to Northwest Houston

Kentucky fried better watch out

Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights: Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Marriott International

Interstate Hotels & Resorts Receives Credit Facility Waiver

This article is interesting

" a leading hotel real estate investor and the nation's largest independent management company, today announced that the company had received a waiver through June 30 related to the requirement under its senior credit facility to maintain listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The NYSE suspended trading of Interstate's stock on March 12 after the company failed to meet the minimum $15 million market capitalization requirement"

So the largest independant management company in the US only has a capitalization of $15M?

Denny's Franchisee Association to Form Purchasing Co-Op, Marketing Advisory Council

This seems strange that they are just getting around to this now.

Expanding Eateries Target Shuttered Sites

Hotel Lawyer: Hotel bankruptcy trump card. Terminating hotel management agreements without liability -- the alchemy of lead to gold for troubled hotel

Marriott takes over Grennbrier?

This looks like a good deal for Marriott.

Restaurants Haven't Reached Demand Bottom Yet

California Court of Appeals Upholds Restaurant Tip Pooling

Good Menu = Higher profits

Last night I watched Food Detective on the Food Network. Good show. They set up a restaurant 2 times. One they had no table cloths, used plastic cups. The menu items were stated simply. . . . IE fish, green beans, etc. The wine was from "New Jersey" . Well the people rated the food and experience as a 2-3 out of 10. They said that they would pay around $12 for the meal. AND the fish sucked! ! !

Well they then put table cloths out. Changed the menu, made it elegant. Added fancy names - The "chocolate Cake" became "Double Chocolate Belgian Black Forest Cake. (Even though the black forest is in Germany) The same wine now comes from Napa Valley. Every item was exactly the same. ALL ingredients were bought at the local discount club grocery store ready to heat up or serve.

Well the second go around the experience was rated as at an average score of 8 and people thought the meal was worth $38. AND the fish was excellent! ! !

There you go.

I think that there is a lot you can take away from this. People always say that you need to spend more for fresh ingredients...etc. Maybe you don't. Simply serve something decent, in a good atmosphere, and give it a good name.

There you go - - - Good Menu - - - higher profit........

- Kraft Dinner - NO

- Homemade Pasta with aged cheddar cheese - A Big YES

Crescent Targets 12 Portfolio Adds This Year

The web site

http://www.chrco.com/Default.asp

New Investors Coming To Australia

Waldeck Capital Launches Global Hospitality Recovery Fund

Restaurant Industry

Sonesta Announces 2008 Fourth Quarter Earnings

Analyst downgrades Choice Hotels on revpar decline

International Expansion: Cold Stone to Move into Caribbean

Canadian Occupancy, ADR, RevPAR - Week Ending March 21, 2008

$200M payment from MGM Mirage buoys mega-project

Sense Internet: Sense Internet develops a UK first with GPS-based iPhone application, the Travelodge iBooker, which allows quick and easy booking at

Hotel Investment Activity in Canada Witnesses Significant Decline

Chicago's Towering Spire Hotel Project Shuts Down

MGM Mirage's City Center Mulls Bankruptcy

Here is another sign that Dubai is in bad shape

Interstate hotels delisted

Investors focus on maintaining property values

Classical Hotel-Evaluation-Method is being put to the test

Dubai World Giving MGMMirage It’s Biggest Problem Yet

http://www.reuters.com/article/UPDATE 1-Park Plaza Hotels 2008 pretax profit sinks 64 pct

Hyatt Hotels Around the World Are Now 20 Percent Off

Hardee’s parent profit surges

Empire Resorts, Inc. Receives Audit Opinion Containing Going Concern Explanatory Paragraph

Tiny hotel room may fit shrunken travel budgets

Biltmore Hotel Announces The Biltmore Culinary Academy

As someone who likes to cook, I thought that this was interesting

http://www.biltmorehotel.com/resort/bca.php

Global Hotel Prices Drop 12%

Starwood signes restaurant deal

UPDATE 1-Sonic Q2 profit misses estimates

London Hotel profit down by 17%

About 37% in US$

Yum Brands Has an Appetite for Chinese Hot Pot Chain

Greenbrier owner cut off funds before bankruptcy