hotels articles

DALLAS � Jim Deering, president of Wingstop Restaurants, Inc., announced that the fast-growing chicken wing chain will reach the 50-store mark by the end of this month.
Currently, 47 Wingstop restaurants are in operation with another four to open by February’s end. The company will pass the 50-store milestone with restaurant openings in Gainesville, Fla., Augusta, Ga., Pleasant Grove, Texas and Las Cruces, N.M.
Deering says although this record is rewarding, the company has its sights on a bigger goal.
“We plan to continue company growth until we reach a national presence,” Deering said. “At the current rate, it should not take more than a few years.”
More than 60 additional stores are currently under development. Last year, Entrepreneur magazine ranked Wingstop as one of the fastest-growing franchises in the nation, and Southern Methodist University ranked the company the 13th fastest-growing, privately-held company in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Restaurant veteran Antonio Swad founded the Dallas-based company in 1994. As an early chicken wing pioneer, Swad focused his concept on a made-to-order, single-entr�e menu that combined the broad appeal of poultry with his unique and proprietary sauces and seasonings.

NEW VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS WEB SITE AND VEGETARIAN RESTAURANTS BOOK NOW AVAILABLE.

Announcement a new up-to-date, extremely detailed Web site contains vegetarian restaurants and natural food store all over America. An up-to-date guide with over 2,500 detailed listings by city and state presented by Spiritual Guides. Detailed information on vegan, vegetarian and vegetarian friendly restaurants, juice bars, and natural food stores throughout the entire country.

Restaurants are listed by state and city. Listings of restaurants are vegan, vegetarian, vegan-friendly or vegetarian-friendly. Restaurants information includes: Type of cuisine, opening hours, price range, sample menu, comments about the restaurants, directions to many places, Web site address for many places, whether a place is formal or casual and which credit cards are accepted.

The information about natural food stores lists whether they hava a caf�, deli, bakery, juice bar, salad bar or organic produce. All restaurants and natural food stores have been called, so at the time of printing all listed places were open.

Has a wide variety of subjects including: vegetarian suggestions for fast-food restaurants, vegetarian organizations, vegan and vegetarian web sites, reasons for being a vegetarian, health benefits of being a vegetarian, disadvantages of eating meat, organic produce information, vegetarian nutritional considerations, what to look out for in various cuisines (dishes that contain meat products), ingredients that may be derived from meat, and warnings about apparent vegetarian dishes that aren’t.

This book is available from their Web site bookstores, natural food stores and Amazon.com for the retail price of $19.95. There is also a wholesale price.

Spiritual Guides consider it extremely important for a person to be a vegetarian for their spiritual well-being and happiness. We are hoping that our Web site and book will make it easier for vegetarian, vegan and people who want to be vegetarian.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Palm Restaurants will become the first fine-dining chain restaurants to benefit from the Competitive Performance Analysis Program (CAP) provided by Smith Analytics, an affiliate of Smith Travel Research. Smith has been contracted to measure the performance of all units in both chains, which includes 89 Ruth’s Chris Steak House restaurants and 28 Palm Restaurants.

The Smith Analytics CAP program collects identical performance data points from each unit and converts them into confidential, aggregate performance reports that are distributed on a weekly basis. Unlike same-store analysis which offers only limited insight, the Smith Report is anchored by factual data that allow each restaurant to compare its performance to a chosen set of competitors on a local, regional and national basis. Key performance indicators such as weekly average unit volume, liquor sales, traffic and average check are tracked.

Smith Analytics is the only company that offers this level of analysis.

“Smith Analytics offers our company the opportunity to benchmark our performance on a market-by-market basis,” said Craig Miller, chief executive officer of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Inc. “The fine dining steak house segment has become increasingly competitive. Being able to measure our market share is a valuable tool in determining the future size of the market and how our brand execution translates into our share of that market.”

Mr. Miller added “Being able to measure our performance in a confidential way against a custom defined competitive set of other restaurants will be an excellent way for us to gauge the effectiveness of our operations and marketing.”

“In the restaurant industry the battle for success is fought in each local trading area before it’s fought on the national level,” said Fred Thimm, president and chief operating officer of the Palm. “Finally our industry has a tool to benchmark success. Smith is a well-known brand in the hotel industry and we’re very pleased that its affiliate is providing an equally high-quality service to restaurants.”

Smith Analytics currently provides competitive performance data to many restaurant chains, including Au Bon Pain, Captain D’s Seafood, Panda Restaurant Group, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc. (the parent of TGI Friday’s Inc.), Tony Roma’s, Houlihan’s, O’Charley’s, la Madeleine French Bakery, Caf� & Bistro, Chi-Chi’s, Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, Golden Corral, Marie Callender’s, Ryan’s Steakhouse, and The Krystal Company, as well as franchisees of Applebee’s, Denny’s, Waffle House and Pizzeria Uno.

“Our expansion into the fine dining segment on a national scale demonstrates the unique and powerful nature of the information provided in the Smith Report,” said Dan Webster, president and chief executive officer of Smith Analytics. “That value will continue to grow as more restaurants in each segment participate in the competitive analysis program.”

The methodology utilized by Smith Analytics is based on the unique reporting model pioneered by its affiliate, Smith Travel Research, in the lodging industry. Smith Travel Research has served as the lodging industry’s source of performance information for almost 20 years.

Inter-Continental and Crowne Plaza hotels are parlaying the Success of their first joint initiative, last year’s Summer Options, into another campaign with TV and print ads telling leisure and business travelers that they can tailor their lodging package.

New this year is Business Options, giving road warriors a choice of a free breakfast, extra night at half price, upgrade or bonus frequent flyer miles or Priority Club points, in keeping with travelers’ preference for customized vacations over prepackaged offerings.

The two upscale Bass Hotels & Resort brands based in Atlanta again roll out Summer Options beginning Memorial Day weekend, offering guests either an additional room at half price, room upgrade, breakfast for two daily or bonus miles or points.

This year’s budget was not available from Bass or Inter-Continental’s agency Campbell Group, Baltimore, which handles duties for joint campaigns. Director was said to be Ron Ames of Crash Films, Santa Monica, Calif., who shot an ad dubbed “Weekend Options” for the Bass brands’ joint promotion last fall. Last summers effort was backed with $3 million.

The Post’s Travel Section Flight Crew will take your comments, questions, suspicions, warnings, gripes, sad tales and happy endings springing from the world of… the world. Of course, the Flight Crew will be happy to answer your travel questions — but the best thing about this forum, we insist, is that it lets travelers exchange information with other travelers who’ve been there, done that or otherwise have insights, ideas and information to share. Different members of the Crew will rotate through the captain’s chair every week, but the one constant is you, our valued passengers.

We know you have a choice in online travel forums, and speaking for the entire Flight Crew, we want to thank you for flying with us.

You may also browse an archive of previous live travel discussions.

Please read all instructions before completing the “SLA Official Housing Request Form.”

* To receive the special SLA conference rate, use the Housing Request form to make your hotel reservations.

* The Housing Bureau does accept phone calls: 1-800-370-8282 (answered from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST, M-F) or 1-404-584-7458 (answered from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST, M-F). You can also mail your Housing Request Form to: SLA Housing Bureau, 240 Peachtree Street, Suite 22-S-10, Atlanta, GA, USA 30303; fax it to: 1-404-584-0685; or submit your request over the Internet at http://www.sla.org/nashville2004.

* Reservations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis until May 7, 2004. You must indicate a hotel preference as instructed on the Housing Form. If your top choices are not available, the Housing Bureau will assign you to a comparable hotel. After May 7, 2004, conference rates and hotel rooms will be based upon availability.

* Do not fax and mail your housing form, as this may result in a duplicate reservation.

Mapping applications compete on the extensiveness and accuracy of their street, road, and highway data—which are the focus of the latest version of DeLorme’s consumer mapping application. You’ll find about 200,000 updates in the searchable 6,200,000-record street database. The program’s updated points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, and other local listings, keep road travelers in the know. GPS users have access to split-screen tracking, expanded voice commands, and directions to nearby services.

CHICAGO—High-speed wireless Internet access is coming to nearly all of Hyatt Corp.’s 200-plus hotels and resorts by 2005, under a deal announced Thursday by Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and T-Mobile USA Inc.

The technology, known as Wi-Fi, short for wireless fidelity, lets computer users within a few hundred feet share a high-speed Internet connection. Since being introduced in the late 1990s, the technology has caught on in coffee shops, college campuses and airports.

“This furthers Hyatt’s position as a premium, global brand and industry leader,” said Tom O’Toole, senior vice president of strategy and systems for Hyatt.

Wi-Fi will be available in the lobby and select guest rooms at most Hyatt hotels by the end of 2004, officials for the Chicago-based hotel company said.

Hyatt’s wireless access won’t be free. Guests can expect to pay $9.99 a day—unless they’re already subscribers to T-Mobile’s Wi-Fi service, in which case there will be no extra charge. Those who only subscribe to the company’s cellphone service will also have to pay extra.

There are numerous ways to enjoy delicious and healthy meals on your budget travel. Here are some budget tips to ensure that you do not go hungry during your vacation.

There is no disputing that food is a part of any travel experience. Sampling the local food is a must wherever you go on your travels. If you miss out on tasting the local delicacies, you miss out on a huge part of traveling.

It is important begin your day right. So make sure that you eat a healthy and hearty breakfast. Many hotels include a daily breakfast in the package. If it is available, then make sure that you eat well and enjoy it. After all, beginning on a good note every day will set the mood and tone for the day. Starting each morning with a healthy breakfast will give you the energy you need. Plus, it will help to deter you from eating expensive and unhealthy snacks in between meals.

Moving on to lunch! It is the best time to get the most value from some of the finest restaurants in your destination city. If there is an expensive restaurant you’ve been wanting to visit during your budget travel, go there during lunch instead. Often, you will get the same great food at a lower price.

Another budget tip on food is to eat at places that are popular with the locals. Ask your hotel’s staff where they usually hang out or eat. They would probably tell you about places or recommendations that are frequented by locals. Hence, it is not touristy and will probably cost lower than a restaurant near a tourist attraction.

Having your meals at ethnic neighborhoods is another budget tip. Sampling the food in the local Chinatown, Korea town, Little Italy, Little Saigon or similar neighborhood is a fantastic for meeting the locals and enjoy the culture and food at one go!

And when you are traveling, be sure to pack a few healthy snacks such as granola bars, a bag of trail mix or a few pieces of fruit in your backpack. You can pack them from home or even get them inexpensively at your travel destination’s local stores.

A trip to the local grocery store can save you money while traveling. Many travelers will spend some time to stock up on bottled water, cereal and other low cost food. Just leave them in the hotel room and take what you need each time you head out to continue your budget travel.