Tag Archives: Restaurants

by | August 18, 2012 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Washington DC Restaurants Damaged In 2011 Flood "Reinvent Themselves" By Rebuilding With "New Concepts"

“…The establishment was hit hard by the flood…the owners used some insurance money to rebuild. But they also took the opportunity to come up with a new concept for their establishment…”

“…(the owners) renegotiated the lease and worked with Washington Harbour so insurance covered 85 percent of the about $5 million needed to rebuild the restaurants…”

Three restaurants at Washington Harbour are preparing to reopen after the spring 2011 flood that covered parts of the K Street complex in 10-plus feet of water. Tony and Joe’s Seafood Palace and Nick’s Riverside Grill are expected to fully open at the end of this week, and Farmers and Fishers plans to reopen as Farmers Fishers Bakers at the end of October. All three closed after an April 2011 storm during which MRP Realty, the company that manages the complex, raised only three-quarters of the floodgates that block the establishments from the Potomac River.

Nick Cibel, whose family owns both Tony and Joe’s and Nick’s Riverside Grill, said the flood was devastating, but he and his relatives have made the best of the situation.

“It was complete destruction at both restaurants, and everything had to be thrown away and rebuilt,” he said. “We are taking full advantage of that by reinventing ourselves. We want to be known by our food, not just the waterfront.”

Both Joe’s and Nick’s have been operating with outside seating and a reduced menu since about a month after the flood, while the interiors have undergone renovations. Tony and Joe’s has an updated design that allows for a wider, unobstructed view of the river. Nick’s Riverside Grill’s square footage has increased by 25 percent, and the restaurant will carry more international cuisine.

For more:  http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/flood-damaged-restaurants-set-reopen

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by | August 13, 2012 · 6:24 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Restaurant Owners Need To Obtain "Product Liability And Completed Operations Insurance" To Cover "Gluten-Free" Menu Items

“…a growing trend toward “gluten-free” menu items at America’s restaurants and catered events is increasing the demand for product liability and completed operations insurance, designed to protect food-service businesses against lawsuits arising from bad reactions to food products…”

The “gluten-free” trend is helping many establishments appeal to millions of Americans who are seeking gluten-free options for a variety of reasons, including gluten sensitivities (claimed by up to 10 percent of Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health) and celiac disease (diagnosed in about 1 percent of the U.S. population, or 3 million people). While offering more options for these customers makes for good public relations, it also opens the door to a new level of potential liability.

While any restaurant could face a lawsuit arising from alleged food poisoning or food allergies, those promising “gluten-free” menu items are at even greater risk of a lawsuit if a customer should choose these options and still have a reaction. Because there are currently no standards that define exactly what constitutes “gluten-free,” some restaurants may be promoting a “gluten-free” product that is prepared in the same area as foods containing gluten, raising the potential for cross-contamination. While many people with sensitivities may not have reactions to small amounts of gluten, others with higher levels of sensitivity could have a severe reaction, raising the potential for lawsuits.

Thankfully, food service businesses — including restaurants, catering businesses, and other food service providers — can protect themselves against the high cost of lawsuits by purchasing a type of insurance known as “product liability and completed operations” coverage. This insurance not only covers lawsuits related to gluten reactions, but also those related to other food allergies, food poisoning, or other injuries or damages caused by the products a restaurant or caterer sells.

For more:  http://www.restaurantnews.com/gluten-free-trend-spurs-demand-for-restaurant-liability-insurance/

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by | August 6, 2012 · 7:26 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: South Carolina Restaurant Group Pays $1.1 Million To Settle "Alcohol-Related Death" Lawsuit Caused By Assistant Manager

“…the 32-year-old (defendant) has just left his job as an assistant manager at Husk restaurant last December when he rear-ended a car being driven by 32-year-old Quentin Miller on the Ravenel Bridge. Miller died in the fiery wreck, and police say Burnell’s blood-alcohol level was 0.24 percent…”

The parent company of a Charleston restaurant will pay $1.1 million to the family of a man killed in a drunken driving crash that authorities say was caused by one of the restaurant’s employees.

The Post and Courier of Charleston reports the settlement calls for Miller’s parents to get $518,000, Miller’s common-law wife to get $91,500 and the remaining $490,000 to go to attorneys’ fees and costs. The settlement should be finalized at a hearing later this week.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/08/05/3432731/charleston-restaurant-to-pay-1m.html#storylink=cpy

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by | August 5, 2012 · 6:52 am

Hospitality Industry Employee Risks: Kentucky Restaurant Employee Arrested For "Falsely Reporting A Crime" And Stealing Over $500

“…police discovered Dyer took the money and made up the story to cover up the theft…Police arrested Dyer and charged her with falsely reporting an incident and theft by unlawful taking over $500 – a felony charge…”

A local restaurant employee who told police she was robbed at gunpoint Thursday night at work has been arrested for theft and falsely reporting a crime. According to a statement released Friday by Frankfort Police, 28-year-old Amanda Dyer, of Frankfort, reported around 11 p.m. Thursday that she was robbed at gunpoint by a black male while working at the Sonic restaurant on Louisville Road.

Dyer told investigators the man pointed a gun at her when she went outside to take an order, said Maj. Fred Deaton. She told police he threatened to kill her and other customers if she didn’t give him money, Deaton said.

Deaton said police interviewed other employees and customers and found “none of them said anything that helped corroborate her story.”

Dyer was lodged in Franklin County Regional Jail but has since been released.

For more:  http://www.state-journal.com/local%20news/2012/08/03/sonic-employee-accuses-black-man-of-theft

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by | August 3, 2012 · 6:21 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Michigan Restaurant Closes Down After Confirmed "Norovirus" Outbreak Sickens Over 200 Customers

“…customers reported symptoms of vomiting, nausea, cramps, and diarrhea. More than 200 individuals have come forward with symptoms since last week. Nearly all patients recovered within a day, but one individual was hospitalized for dehydration…”

An outbreak of foodborne illness at a Mexican restaurant in Holland, MI was confirmed to be norovirus, the Ottawa County Health Department reported on Tuesday. Officials are no longer seeking any reports of illness on this case. However, Susan Felgner, representative to the health department, noted, “[t]he overwhelming public response was critical…to the investigation.”

The owners of Margarita’s Mexican Restaurant have voluntarily closed its doors and have not announced when it will re-open.

Norovirus is a highly contagious disease transmitted through contaminated food and water or contact with infected surfaces. The virus causes gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach, and leads to symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and fever.

For more:  http://www.healthmap.org/news/norovirus-outbreak-hits-restaurant-michigan-8212

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by | July 26, 2012 · 8:15 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Chicago Hotel And Restaurant Sued For $500,000 In Wrongful Death Lawsuit

“…The 10-count lawsuit, which seeks more than $500,000 in compensation for Duskey’s wrongful death, names Hilton Worldwide, the Palmer House Hilton, Surreal Chicago and Adrenaline Y2K as the party hosts…Megan Duskey fell four floors to her death after she tried to slide down a railing at the Palmer House Hilton…”

The parents of a former Crete woman who fell to her death at a “Haunted Hotel Ball” at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago in 2010 are suing the hotel and the event hosts. James and Deborah Duskey claim in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court that the death of their daughter Megan at the Halloween-themed ball was due to the negligence of the hotel and the event companies who hosted the party.

The lawsuit claims the hotel and event hosts allowed people at the ball to “consume unlimited amounts of alcoholic beverages” after they paid for a ticket and failed to provide security to protect the patrons of the ball.

For more:  http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/13998052-418/lawsuit-former-crete-womans-fatal-fall-due-to-negligence.html

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by | July 14, 2012 · 8:16 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: Oregon Restaurants Will Not Be Required To Prohibit "Bare-Hand Contact" Pending Review; "Double Hand-Washing Rule" To Be Enforced

“…(the State of Oregon) decided to remove the bare-hand contact prohibition from the proposed rules because this issue needs further discussion…the group will convene multiple times over the next few months. The state will continue to enforce its double hand-washing rule for food servers until any changes are announced…”

The Oregon Health Authority is shelving its proposed rule mandating that restaurant workers not prepare food with their bare hands. State health officials have decided to convene a work-group on standards to prevent food-borne illness. The group will work toward a substitute to the so-called “no bare hand contact” rule originally proposed by the Health Authority.

That provision was to take effect on July 1, but was delayed after protests from the food service industry. The work group will include restaurateurs, legislators, medical professionals and others.

Gail Shibley, the administrator of the OHA’s Public Health Division, said her agency is looking for diverse opinions. “We think we can get the wisdom from restaurateurs as well as a variety of other folks to really dig into the details of this specific provision, and move forward at a later date,” she said.

For more:  http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120713/NEWS07/120719990/-1/NEWSMAP

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by | July 13, 2012 · 10:10 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Washington D.C. Hotel And Restaurant Suffer Significant Water Damage When Pipes Burst; Repairs Could Take Six Months

“…due to extensive water damage, the Latham Hotel & Citronelle closed down on July 12, 2012.  The building will be evaluated for the full extent of the repairs, but we are expecting that it may take up to 6 months to complete the necessary improvements…”

Water damage will temporarily close Georgetown destination Citronelle, and the hotel that houses it as well, according to a spokeswoman for the restaurant.

Both venues suffered water damage, though how significant is unclear at this point. Recent storms have plagued the general Washington area, including last week’s derecho that caused major power outages regionwide.

Citronelle spokeswoman Mel Davise confirmed the closure via email and said it could last up to a few months. She said she could offer no further details at this time about the closure or damages.

For more:  http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2012/07/citronelle-latham-hotel-temporarily.html

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by | July 8, 2012 · 10:13 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Thieves Steal Florida Restaurant's Air Conditioning Units During Night As Video Surveillance Documents Theft

“…the surveillance system was rolling as the thieves committed the crime, at around 11 p.m…one suspect can be seen on surveillance unscrewing the AC units. Some time later, a black truck is seen driving by the business…they stole the two air conditioning units, probably for the copper coils…”

Crooks remain at large after stealing the air conditioning units from a South Florida business. The thieves stole two AC units from CafeSolé, located at 711 NW 27 Ave. in Miami.

Delemar believes the truck was involved in the thefts, and said the crooks responsible did their homework. “They pretended that they were cleaning up, that they were some kind of gardening service or something,” said Delemar. “They went ahead and cased the place first, and then, about half an hour later, they showed up, and they took the two units.”

No AC means no business for the restaurant. “Naturally, this is going to affect my business, because I cannot open up with the heat. I don’t have air conditioning inside, so that does affect the business,” Delemar said. “It’s disruptive, it’s disheartening.”

Read more: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21007939691030/crooks-steal-ac-units-from-miami-restaurant/#ixzz203VFKKoz

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by | July 3, 2012 · 6:28 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Washington Restaurant Damaged By Early Morning Grease Fire Which Spread Into Vents

“…The restaurant wasn’t open yet…but they likely were getting food ready for their lunch buffet when the fire broke out…Crews had to cut holes in the roof and also attacked the fire from inside…”

A grease fire that spread into the vents of a Kennewick restaurant prompted a large call-out of fire crews Saturday morning.

The building already had been evacuated when the first crews got on scene, but firefighters did do a sweep inside to make sure everyone was out, said Kennewick Fire Capt. Linc Swenson.

Ten units from the Kennewick, Richland and Pasco fire departments and Benton Fire District 1 were dispatched to the restaurant.

Fire crews, however, were able to get the fire contained within 10 minutes, Swenson said. It took another 10 minutes before they were sure flames hadn’t spread into the attic. “It went out with a little bit of water and quite a bit of tenacity,” Swenson said.

The biggest challenge was getting onto the roof, because of the way it’s designed and the power lines on one side of the building, he said. Fire crews were on scene for about two hours. There were no injuries. Most of the damage inside the restaurant was in the kitchen, Swenson aid.

Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/07/01/2202089/kennewick-restaurant-damaged-by.html#storylink=cpy

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