Shiftplanning is just another in a host of online services that I think are exploding to help the restaurant industry in a big way. If any of you have had a chance to use this product please shout out to me, I would love to get your input.

Prepare for the likes of even more powerful tools in staffing, marketing, local targeting, menu planning, calorie and health apps and most of all integration to Social Media. Let us not forget geo-location, mobile and apps for Twitter and Facebook that could take on reservations, online order and more.

Point here is "tech is finally low-cost and effective", which is really just another reason I think we are on the verge of Restaurant 2.0.

The restaurant industry must take part in this cause and work to really make a difference in the way we and our kids eat. Fast Casual is one of the emerging segments that has an opportunity that can begin to change the destiny of our kids.

I feel strongly about Food & Healthy living and what it will mean to the restaurant industry in the next ten years. My mission over the past fifteen years has bean about exposing the fast casual segment for the health options that it represents over fast food, and the fact is we are still are way behind.

The time is now we we have to begin to make a change our future. The Food Revolution is a new series that will be lead by Jamie Oliver (a great visionary) watch it please! Take it to heart and lets begin the hard work in what we will call in a decade Food 2.0.

The mobile becomes the new card reader of today. I can only hope that they are working on phone to phone payment apps. But with that said this is a great example of how mobile is becoming so powerful. 2010 Year of the mobile!

To all my restaurant buddies, experts, operators brand managers and leaders of great concepts. It's time to think DIGITAL BRAND. And don't tell me you all ready are because I know you are not. Wake up out there and lets help lead this digital epiphany. Have a great weekend!

I get this question often not only from the industry but also from media and analyst alike. Over the past 15 years since I coined the term “fast casual,” I have seen the segment of restaurant it describes go from virtually non-existent to become the fastest growing in the restaurant industry. So many concepts based on creativity, passion and innovation have sprung forth in that time that in essence their collective emergence heralds the era of what I call Restaurant 2.0. I credit the spread of fast-casual concepts across the nation for that reinvention of creativity.

A fast-casual concept is one that creates a unique value and quality experience, with gourmet-level food or drink, that delivers an interior that wows the guest, all at a price that is driven by value.

There are many that are trying to duplicate the value proposition of fast casual and soon I will post my Top 100 Fast Casual blog post that will elaborate on this more but the focus here should really just be on the understanding of what this segment is and can be.

I would really like to know what you think a Fast Casual restaurant experience means to you?

I wrote on this a few months back pre-iPad and pre-Facebook open API development. Here is the Wired Magazine Demo for its iPad App but what I really want your mind to explore is how your restaurant could be using the power of new devices like this.

Three years ago Apple changed the way we use mobile - yes that's right just three years ago. Now we can't imagine another way to find a restaurant when we need it most other than on our smart phone. My estimate is that the iPad will change the way consumers will be perusing content, which has already changed so much in the past 24 months.

Your restaurant could become a great hub of content and interaction for your customers. The ideas are early but the concept is sound as we see restaurants building new fresh destinations that just scream, "I need to be seen". Fear not your time of being seen is coming.

The app wars are raging in the restaurant space; I have at least 25 on my iPhone right now. Interesting concept here that Microsoft, yes I did say Microsoft is developing here. Much like the fact that you can have ten open windows of information flowing your way on your computer the new Windows Phone 7 is going after the ADD supreme.

Me being one of those I could see this as an interesting feature for reviews, reservations and geo location friends all at once on my phone. Maybe an even bigger idea to base my apps on my proximity for auto launching the most used tools just by knowing where I am.

When I am in an airport, I'm checking email, flight status, hotels and the Starbucks locator. Hmm this would be nice if my home screen just automatically new what I needed based on my habits or pre-determined mobile profiles. For me I would need Home, Restaurant, Airport, Office, Beach. Seems pretty simple, but just maybe there is an app for that coming our way already.

Is Microsoft too late to the smart phone party? Give me your thoughts on what you think about another smart phone and could it help the restaurant business?

Interesting video post from Hudson over at the NRA. We seem to be seeing some small glimmer of hope that 2010 could be our leader in the past three years. I know to many operators this will be a huge sigh of relief.

In my travels I would have to agree with Hudson and the NRA on the point that operators are seeing signs of life and growth. Though I do think this has come from operators getting a bit tighter around the belt, leaner in operations and in some cases closing the under-performing locations.

One area that has not grown much this past year has been the area of new store openings, which is indicative of the people I am talking with, just slower moving. What is interesting though is that the really smart operators are snapping up prime real estate and prime personnel where they can in hopes that they will be primed for the recovery, which looks to be toward the end of 2010.