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If you are walking down a busy city street, or even streets in small towns, you may notice an increase in the amount of outdoor advertising restaurants are doing. Outdoor menu boards are all the rage right now in outdoor advertising. This form of advertisement is simple - place a menu board outside (whether it be dry erase or chalkboard style) and write your specials for the day on it. This simple sign will draw customers into your restaurant that might not have stopped otherwise, as they can see what they will be getting before they take the time to walk into your restaurant.

This may seem like a small or unnecessary part of your business, but when customers know what is available, they are far more likely to come in for lunch and often, will come back on a regular basis to see what specials you may have for that day. Outdoor menu boards are typically inexpensive, and chalk or dry-erase markers (whichever your board needs) are even less. This means that more of the sales you receive as a direct result of this board will be profit for your business.

Optimizing the use of your menu board is also highly important. When utilizing an outdoor menu board (or even an indoor one), consider the following tips to make your board stand out against any and all competition:

• Always have a well-groomed board. Menu boards represent your company / restaurant and if they are not kept in good condition, customers will assume the rest of your business is taken care of in the same manner. Why would business owners have an exceptionally clean restaurant if they can’t take care of a simple menu board? If you have to tape, glue, or otherwise rig your menu board to make it stay together, it’s time to invest in a new one. Tire marks aren’t very attractive either.
• Clean your board! A board that has old chalk dust or smudged marker that you just didn’t take the time to wipe off presents a bad image. Take the time to clean.
• Use legible, attractive handwriting. Potential customers are more likely to stop in if your menu board is written in clear, easy to read handwriting. If customers can’t read your board, they will likely move on to the next one.
• Check spelling! Customers (for the most part) will recognize when your menu items are misspelled. Leaving off a letter or adding in extra ones can make all the difference.
• Refrain from the rainbow. Having a huge variety of colors on your menu board may seem like a great way to attract attention, however, numerous colors can be distracting and difficult to read, especially from a distance. Use one or two colors, preferably with the second color to highlight any items or specials that are sure to turn heads.
• Be consistent. Make sure to update your menu board every day. Creating a schedule for the person who writes on your board is important, as customers will look for the change in specials at certain times during the day. It may be terribly inconvenient for them to have to guess when your board will change.
• Advertise inexpensive items. Outdoor menu boards are great for advertising budget-friendly items that will attract customers into your restaurant. Make sure your price is clearly stated as well. No one wants to walk into a restaurant guessing how much an item will be.
• Keep a backup board and extra accessories. From time to time, boards will be blown over, ran over, or even damaged on purpose. When these types of incidents occur, it is important to have an extra menu board available to be written on and placed back outside immediately. It is also important to have extra chalk or markers ready in case the current one breaks or runs out of ink.
• Invest in rain-proof markers. No one wants runny information.

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Ingredients:

10 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground pepper
5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 pieces pita bread
1 tomato, chopped
Shawarma Sauce, recipe follows

Directions:

To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, and oil. Add curry powder, salt, pepper, and food coloring and whisk to combine. Add chicken and coat with marinade. Marinate chicken overnight in the
refrigerator.

Preheat a grill to medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Grill chicken for about 10 minutes on each side or until fully cooked through. Serve chicken on pita and top with tomatoes and Shawarma Sauce.

Shawarma Sauce:

Add garlic to the bowl of a food processor and process until chopped. Add tahini and pulse to combine. With the machine running, slowly add cold water until frothy. Add lemon juice and mix until creamy. Season with salt, to taste.

Recipe provided courtesy of foodnetwork.com.

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San Jamar’s Kleen Plug™’s eliminate the need to waste time wrapping beer taps overnight, which is typically done to meet the health code requirements. To operate this brush, you simply insert into the beer tap. The durable brush helps to clean your tap, removing all yeast an sediment that can build up during normal daily use. The innovative stepped design fits into a variety of beer tap openings, making these nearly universal. The handle also features a small hole at the end to allow them to be chained together for convenient storage.

Make sure to check out San Jamar’s full line of innovative bar solutions.

Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues:

It is with heavy hearts and great sorrow that we at KaTom send this message. Beverly Lewis, one of KaTom’s beloved team members, passed yesterday evening, November 10, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer. Beverly was a valued member of our team - our family - for many years. Over the course of this time, she touched each and every one of our hearts in a special way. Whether you were one of her many customers that she gave special care and attention to, or a member of her team, you always knew that you were dealing with someone wonderful. Beverly was a respected colleague and shared her expertise with all her teammates. She worked hard and consistently and always remained a student of life.

Beverly never stopped learning and never sat back and became complacent. Despite her worsening illness, Beverly never grumbled or complained about her sometimes obvious discomfort, a rare virtue in anyone. It has been said that “God will never give you more than you can bear.” Beverly held her head up high, her faith never budged and now God has rewarded her with a place at his side.

Beverly was a great friend, an amazing member of our team and someone who will be missed more than any words could ever describe. There are only a handful of people who come into your world, and touch your life in a remarkable fashion. Some of the people are just flickers of light during a long life, while others are consistent glows for years. For us here at KaTom, Beverly was a consistent glow. Her southern charm could soothe any situation, her smile was a force to be reckoned with and her strength was more than admirable. Beverly worked hard and loved unconditionally like there was no tomorrow. It is very hard for us to say goodbye to her and we don’t want to, but we need to remember that she touched so many people’s lives, so positively. She leaves an amazing legacy behind. Beverly left the world a better place than when she found it and for that we will always be grateful. Beverly, we miss you, but we remember you fondly, always!

Update: Funeral Arrangements

Saturday, November 14, 2009: Mayes’ Mortuary, Downtown Morristown

1 pm - 3 pm: Reception

3 pm: Funeral Service, Mortuary Chapel

Immediately following the funeral service will be the burial at Hamblen Memory Gardens

Veterans (as well as active duty military personnel in some cases) can look forward to many perks on Wednesday, November 11. This day is Veteran’s Day; a day when we should all take the time to honor and thank the veterans and active military personnel who make great sacrifices every day to make our country, our lives, and our futures safer. As a former military wife, I understand the sacrifice and hardships associated with the military lifestyle and hope that all veterans and / or active duty personnel will take full advantage of the offers presented to them on Wednesday.

The restaurant industry is getting into the act of thanking veterans and members of the military by offering free food to them on November 11. Three major chains that are offering free food as their way of saying thanks are Applebees, McCormick & Schmick’s, and Golden Corral. Offering free food goes far beyond simply showing appreciation for our veteran’s though, it also shows the community that these chains truly care about their customers and appreciate the sacrifice that is made by our military personnel on a daily basis.

If you would rather choose a different restaurant than the ones offering free meals, there are others offering special promotions as well. Outback Steakhouse, for example, is offering a free Bloomin’ Onion and beverage to both past and present military members, while Krispy Kreme is providing free doughnuts. If you have some home improvement that needs to be done, Home Depot and Lowe’s both offer 10% discounts on purchases to military personnel and veterans on this day.

Most places that are offering free food or a discount on Veteran’s Day will require some type of military ID, which all military personnel should already have, so make sure it is in your wallet or purse before heading out to eat.

Many places offer discounts to military personnel year round as well, so military members - make sure to ask about a discount regardless. I found (during my time with a military ID) that many attractions, amusement parks, retail stores, and restaurants will happily give some type of discount at any time, not just Veteran’s Day.

If there is a restaurant you would like to visit on Wednesday, call ahead to check for military discounts. It never hurts to ask.

Research conducted at the University College London also found that diets high in “fresh vegetables, fruit, and fish could help prevent the onset of depression.” Individuals who ate whole foods and other healthier options, in addition to exercise and other such lifestyle factors, have approximately a 26% lower risk of depression than those who ate mainly processed and / or fatty foods. Diets that weighed heavy with processed / fatty foods increased the risk of depression by up to 58%.

The study found several different possible reasons for this link, including the high levels of antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables which tend to have a protective effect and fend off feelings of depression. Including a large quantity of fish in your diet can also help reduce depression risks by providing polyunsaturated fatty acids which stimulate brain activity.

The study that reported these findings was carried out on 3,486 people with an average age of 55. Each participant completed a questionnaire about eating habits and a depression self-assessment.

Do you find that your food choices affect your mood as well?

Directions:

Make the fish-broth (mix water, fish bones, chopped onions, carrots, parsley, 1 bay leaf and salt and pepper). Cook for 15 minutes.

Clean the squid and cut in stripes. Season. Cover and save.

Put the mussels and clams in a pan and cook til open. Discard the shells that have not opened. Cover.

In a paella pan, heat olive oil. Add chopped onion, green and red pepper. When half soft, add garlic and tomatoes. Sauté until tender. Season.

Add rice and cook for a moment. Add hot fish broth (6 cups), saffron, and food coloring.

After 10 minutes, incorporate the squid. 5 minutes before the rice is done, add the langoustines, mussels, clams, and red pepper from the jar.

When rice is done, decorate with lemon wedges and peas.

Cover with a kitchen towel for 5 minutes before serving.