A grease-trap fire started about 10 p.m. and was contained mostly in the restaurant's ventilation system, Fort Bayou Fire Chief Lyle Crandall said.

Customers and employees were evacuated.The interior received mostly smoke and water damage, and the vent system was damaged extensively, he said.

The restaurant will be closed for repairs, he said. No injuries were reported.

If you plan to fully leverage social media as a marketing tool, consider your audience and use Facebook to communicate with the people you hope to attract. There is a definite return on investment, so why waste time or resources when you can directly target your specific audience? Continue

Midpriced, sit-down restaurants — known as casual dining in the industry — have seen on average about 2 percent fewer customer visits each year since 2008. That translates into a total drop of almost 600 million annual visits, to 6.4 billion in 2012. Continue

The WBC started as a one-off challenge between two bartenders, and is now widely recognized as the toughest international bartending competition. Today, the WBC welcomes more than 8,000 bartenders around the world. Aaron has been practicing his flairtending technique for seven years, and part of the Fridays^SM family for 10 years. Continue

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – For those fed up with uppity waiters and cranky waitresses, D-Dog House in Brickell has the solution: cut them out altogether. Customers aren’t greeted by a waiter. Nor do they step up to a counter like in a fast-food restaurant.

Instead, each table is equipped with an iPad, from which customers can order their food with no human intervention, reports CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald. Continue

Foxnews.com - A woman said a Tennessee restaurant tracked her via her license plate number and sent her a bill of $5 for using its restroom.

Patricia Barnes told NBC’s Today Show that she went into a restaurant called The Flood Zone in Erin, Tenn., and, after getting permission to use the bathroom, did her business and left. A few days later, she received a handwritten note in the mail that stated that "posted on our front door is a sign that states restrooms are for Flood Zone customers only," and non-patrons must pay a $5 charge. Continue

Flhip.com has just released its app that allows restaurant operators spend more time in their restaurants and not online searching for the best products, services and pricing for their restaurant needs. Now you can Request Quotes to numerous vendors all at once with a few key strokes on your smart phone.

Imagine you are out away from your computer and you think of something you may need for your restaurant. Now you don't have to find a piece of paper and pen to make a note to go online and do a search, just reach for your phone. Now imagine you are at a trade show or another restaurant and see something you would like to have at your restaurant. You can "Snap" a picture of it and send it to Flhip and they will try and locate that item for you, All for FREE!

Check out the other great features below!

•Flhip.com is designed to help both restaurants and vendors improve their bottom line. •Restaurants receive information from both our blog and newsletters that will help them run their business more efficiently and profitably. •Restaurants have the ability to Request Quotes from multiple industry vendors all at one time. •Vendors have the ability to promote their businesses via listings on Flhip's directory and via their newsletters. •Vendors have access to leads of new restaurant that will be opening soon in their area. Download our Free mobile app to enjoy these features:      Get a Quote      Find a Vendor      Restaurant News in your area      One stop app for all your restaurant needs      and much, much more!

To Learn more about the New Flhip APP CLICK HERE! Or visit your  APP Store via your smart phone or Tablet!

You can also learn more about Flhip's benefits to both Vendors and Restaurant by contacting:  Ken Roberts 772-231-5826  or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Florida’s beer distributors have an annual economic impact of about $3.2 billion, according to a new report from the National Beer Wholesalers Association. Continue