“We’re the number-one employer in the state, only new car sales yield more sales tax. Can you imagine my hamburger compares with a Lexus?”

--Michael Hawkins

(Owner of Green Street Restaurant in Pasadena,

and President of the California Restaurant Association)

There are 77,000 restaurants in California, and even the most venerable restaurants aren’t immune to the impact of changing food tastes...nor another essential ingredient called atmosphere. In short, the longer you’ve been around, the longer you’re no longer new.

So, how do you spark a new buzz and turn a restaurant around? There are many ways...from resorting to remodeling, to creative advertising and marketing.

Cooking up more attractions is helpful too--special theme nights, parties for long-time patrons, or adding a line of fashion T-shirts.

But one of the surest ways to entice more traffic your way is to work closer with your trade exchange.

Because across our country the story is the same as in California--there’s a lot of competition. And your establishment must continually adjust to the changes that take place with ever-increasing frequency these days.