Blog

Chain Restaurants Offer Free Food During Recession

Whether it's to introduce an customers to a new menu item, launch a new location, or celebrate National Cow Appreciation Day, restaurants everywhere are finding reasons to give away free food. As the recession has played a discouraging role in regards to spending habits, free food giveaways are a great way for restaurants to get people through the door and show goodwill. There are many creative ways that restaurants have chosen to distribute free food. Often it involves a coupon that you can download online. Chick-fil-A got a little more creative this July, when it asked customers to dress like…

Patrice’s Book Recommendations

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I'm sure many of you, if you're in the recruitment or hospitality industry, have the same problem that I do - how to prepare great meals when you don't have time (or in my case the skill!) to be a gourmet chef. Crock Pots can be a life saver! I know many people think of heavy winter meals when they think of slow cookers, but this books gives you tons of recipes for all seasons. It would be worth your time to check out! You can order it by clicking on this link to Amazon. It only costs about $14. Biggest Book…

Chipotle Engages Customers with Contest

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In the latest advertising campaign for Chipotle Mexican Grill, they ask their biggest burrito fans to get creative and tell the world how they like their burrito. It encourages fans to submit original pictures and videos about their favorite burrito concoction, including all the ingredients. Web site visitors can vote on their favorite submission on the web site www.mychipotle.com. Prizes range from one free burrito a week for a month to $10,000 in cash! The "Find Your Inner Burrito" video (below) is one of many videos featured on the Chipotle site. Chipotle is not the first fast-food chain to ask…

Some of Our Contest Entries

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Since our Web site went live, it's been a pleasure reading the Patrice and Associates Venting Wall on our new microsite, didyougetthatmemo.com. I also get to take a look at the contest submissions as they come in. They are pretty entertaining, it will definitely be fun to see what else comes in. Here is a contest entry we received: "This bar is in a historic building which has become an excuse for not fixing anything or making any investment in ambiance. The carpeting has begun to revert back to some kind of organic material so when you vacuum it is…

Did You Get That Memo? Our Microsite is Live!

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With the new Patrice and Associates microsite, www.didyougetthatmemo.com, we are making work days a little more fun. This site is a place for people to have fun at work, and vent about past or current jobs. Visitors can spend time on the site watching funny videos, sharing stories, sending anonymous e-mails and searching for new jobs. They can even enter a “My Job Sucks” Contest for a chance to win a cruise! You'll also see photos streaming from the Patrice and Associates' flickr page, where I have my top recruiters' picture with testimonials from former candidates. We created this site…

Summer Means More Jobs In Restaurant Industry

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The National Restaurant Association is predicting that eating and drinking places will add 381,800 jobs between June and August. This is a 4.1-percent increase from the industry's employment levels in March. These statistics could indicate that things are looking better for the restaurant industry. The expected growth in summer restaurant jobs is contrary to what The U.S. Travel Association projected earlier this year, that there would be 322 million domestic "leisure person-trips" in June, July and August, a 2.2-percent decrease from last summer. The NRA's projection for employment growth this summer is the same as last summer's growth of 4.1…

Patrice and Associates Job Placement Success Story

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Patrice and Associates loves to hear back from former candidates who worked with our recruiters. In this entry, David Currier shares his success finding a career in the hospitality and restaurant industry after working with a Patrice and Associates recruiter. Visit our Flickr page, if you would like to see testimonials from other former Patrice and Associates candidates. “Early this year I was looking for a new position in the restaurant and hospitality industry. I needed to leave my current position to be able to take care of my Mom who had become ill with her second bout of…

New Partnerships and Military Career Fairs

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Patrice & Associates has partnered with VetFran and other organizations specializing in offering a business opportunity to veterans at a reduced rate. In upcoming months, we will be participating in military career fairs and offering seminars on "Be Your Own Boss.” Please come see us! VetFran - Supporting the Cause Growing steadily in popularity, the VetFran Program is supported by nearly 300 of the International Franchise Association's 1,300 plus member franchise systems and has enabled more than 1,000 veterans to acquire franchises. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs, with which the International Franchise Association has signed an…

Patrice and Associates to Start Recruiting for Counter Burger

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Recently, Patrice and Associates signed on Counter Burger, a California-based restaurant that specializes in custom-built burgers. Counter Burger has more than 20 locations, and plenty Counter Burgers are coming soon at locations across the country. Counter Burger is not your typical burger joint, it has contemporary, industrial décor, new music, beer, wine, cocktails and an innovative burger-building experience. Building a Counter Burger is quite an exciting process, and involves five steps—choosing what kind of burger, cheese, toppings, sauce then bun. The menu is full of tasty, unique burger toppings—from dill pickle chips to grilled pineapple! We’re thrilled to start recruiting…

Jamba Juice Adds Food to Its Menu

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Keeping customers’ wants in mind, Jamba Juice launched its new menu this week. Research showed customers don’t feel a smoothie alone is enough of a meal, and that they want food with their smoothie. The new menu is comprised of healthy flatbreads, salads and wraps. And I must say, these menu items look and sound delicious! The new menu items will first be at 222 stores in California and will be available at all 732 locations within the next year. Jamba stresses the importance of healthy living, so of course, the new menu items have no artificial flavors, preservatives, high-fructose…