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To: dylan murphy who wrote (6025)	8/16/2008 4:57:14 PM
From: MulhollandDrive	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 17107

i've long thought that a restaurant catering to the needs of diabetics would be a winner.... any restaurant chain or franchise...catering to low carb alternatives seems like an idea who's time has been a long time coming even hotels that have 'complimentary breakfast'....in the majority the best you can hope for is a hard boiled egg....geez

To: dylan murphy who wrote (6025)	8/16/2008 6:25:18 PM
From: E. Charters	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17107

Maybe Herschel didn't believe in advertising because Hershey's chocolate never spent a cent on advertising until very late in the 20th century and of course they sold more chocolate than anyone else. They had 100 years to build a reputation by word of mouth. As well Hershey's got scads of publicity in Hollywood from references in movies. These 'free bits' were probably paid for. Publicity costs the average national company about $2 to $5 million per year. Advertising is something else. Budget $5 to $10 mil for that. Advertising, which has been demonstrated from the 1930's to work like a charm, selling many lousy overpriced under-performing products to millions, came into its own with TV. Herschel should have known better. His image and the American fascination with football and beer sold products for decades. D'Lites is a lousy name for anything let alone an organic chain. They lost 18.7 million last year. Now they are advertising. They once had 100 officers. I think I can guess where the money went. A business has to be a business. It cannot be an ego trip. It must be run as a business instead of an avocation. Although the enthusiasm of an avocation would be a good model for the energy the staff must put into it making the many facets of the machine generate capital. The focus has to be on product and market. Product has to be the quality and image the market wants. You can't sell the business however, you have to sell the product. Any business that sells on image alone when it is the product that must deliver, such as "Sylvestre Stallone's Knock Out Restaurant", will die quickly. With few exceptions that has been true for decades. (Jack Dempsey's did alright I must admit, but he was smart enough to let others do the managing and make money on beer. Starting a national chain is out for vanity business.) The less admin the better. Tell me about 100 officers in a small food chain and I is outta here. The lesson learned here is look to the customer to create your atmosphere and your demand. The difficulty is in selling organic food to mr. and mrs. middle america. He don't has a clue whats organic is. If you sell it too hippy dippy he won't even recognize it as food. Too limited a market. A middle ground must be found. But the few I have seen try it, don't get it. I don't think you can do vegetarian or vegan and make a sou. I do think however you can do all organic meat and potatoes, with a bow to mediterranean make up of food.. without making health food an ordeal. I know some great vegan organic joints but I can't drag any of my meat and potatoes friend to these places twice. But-> I live a kilometre from an organic/wild meat butcher who does land office business. The organic restaurant I habituate does well, and the whole foods and Big Carrot stores I go to aren't dying broke. There is a market if you do it right. Quality, choice, service, customer confidence, health.. it will sell. And a good name. I like the way these people do their thing. angelicakitchen.com EC<:-}

To: dylan murphy who wrote (6025)	8/16/2008 9:08:11 PM
From: epicure	Respond to of 17107

I wish they would come up with some fast food places that cater more to people with allergies. I have to say, Dennys is fantastic, in that they have a large book with the ingredients to absolutely everything in it- and they also have a small handout you can take with you with many of their main items. I have found them very allergy friendly- and they will modify any of the dishes to suit special needs- like diabetes. They are one of the few chains that reliably will do this, and which has some system for knowing what is in all of their food items. When you are on the road, it's awfully nice to be able to eat a prepared meal you can be sure won't make you really sick. Of course I think organic food at chains would be fabulous- but until that nirvana occurs, Dennys is pretty good.