Postandcourier.com - Airing grievances online has become a standard element of the disappointing restaurant experience. But if those complaints involve the reservations policy at Grill 225, the poster is at risk of being sued.

According to an 832-word “dining contract” sent to guests making reservations for five or more people, Grill 225 will exact a $50 per person penalty if the reservation holder cancels all or some of the requested seats within 24 hours of the party’s arrival. No-shows are subject to the same fee.

The terms set out by Grill 225 aren’t unusual. To curb the costs associated with empty tables, an increasing number of restaurants are threatening to charge miscreants. But Grill 225’s contract includes an additional clause: “By agreeing to these terms and conditions, the guest(s) and their party agree that they may be held legally liable for generating any potential negative, verbal or written defamation against Grill 225.” In other words, if someone in your group kvetches online about the restaurant enforcing its stated rules, a lawsuit may follow. 

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WESH.com - Workers and customers at a DeBary IHOP restaurant were forced into a freezer at gunpoint late Friday night.Volusia County Sheriff's Office spokesman Gary Davidson said the holdup occurred just before 11:30 p.m.

Investigators said three gunmen, who were wearing dark clothing, bandanas and hooded sweatshirts, entered the restaurant on Dirksen Drive. Four employees and three customers were inside.

Officials said one worker was shoved by the robbers but was not injured. They said the workers and customers were ordered into the freezer after the robbers took their wallets and phones.

The suspects fled, and the victims were able to escape and call 911. Continue

Thetowntalk.com - A 2012 lawsuit that alleges a man was burned when a gas explosion at an Alexandria Mall restaurant will head back to 9th Judicial District Judge George Metoyer's courtroom on Monday.

Kyjtim "Tim" and Zejgan Ajro filed a civil lawsuit against Alexandria Main Mall LLC, the city of Alexandria and both entities' insurance carriers in November 2012. It alleged that, in November 2011, a city employee of the gas department failed to conduct a "leak test" after supplying the Ajros' Made in NY Pizza restaurant with natural gas and "completely failed to test a portion of the gas supply system," reads the lawsuit.

The employee was physically unable to reach a gas valve behind a pizza over, but told Tim Ajro that it was safe to light the pilot, it reads. The employee then left, leaving the task to Tim Ajro. Continue

A federal judge is ordering the Hibachi Grill and Supreme Buffet in Jonesboro to give its employees $2 million in unpaid wages. Jonesboro is just south of Atlanta. 

It's a lawsuit resolution alleging unfair working conditions and management stealing money from employees. But most of the people presently working there didn't know about the Department of Labor investigation.

When CBS46 tried to speak with employees, one after another appeared to be completely in the dark about the huge amount of cash coming to servers and kitchen workers. We even found a waitress who was going to bat for the restaurant, demanding that we leave.

But when we finally found the manager, she explained why no one knew about this lawsuit. Very few, or possibly none of the 84 employees who will split the money are still working there.

Owners are accused of never giving overtime, forcing employees to work for tips only and then taking some of those tips too. Continue!

NBC-2.com -  A DUI suspect was arrested after crashing into a downtown Portland restaurant where a Portland Police Bureau sergeant was having dinner, according to officers.

Police said a Central Precinct sergeant was having dinner at E-San Thai, 133 S.W. 2nd Ave., at 7:52 p.m. Wednesday when a car crashed into the restaurant through the windows on Pine Street.

The driver then pulled the car out and drove away.

The sergeant chased the car on foot and eventually a bicycle, while broadcasting information to other officers.

Police said responding officers saw the car on the Morrison Bridge and pursued the driver as he drove down the Southeast Water Avenue ramp. Continue

Orlando Business Journal - A new ranking has placed Orlando as the 38th-best city in the nation to start a restaurant.San Francisco-based NerdWallet examined 530 cities in the U.S., each with a population of at least 50,000. The website said it used U.S. Census Bureau data to calculate the score for each city based on demand for new restaurants and local economic conditions that could affect the success of those restaurants.Boca Raton was the only other Florida metro to best Orlando, coming in at No. 27. Miami ranked No. 68, Tampa No. 101 and Jacksonville No. 427.Topping the list is Cedar Park, Texas, followed by Mission, Texas; Franklin, Tenn.; Smyrna, Ga.; and Round Rock, Texas. Continue

Caller.com - A Corpus Christi man is suing Hooters, accusing the restaurant chain of gender discrimination for not hiring him as a food server in a filing that attempts to reopen an issue that was settled 11 years ago.

Nikolai Grushevski's suit acknowledges the earlier agreement, which established that the chain's signature Hooters Girls would continue to be the restaurants' only food servers and established gender neutral jobs. But the suit challenges the policy, saying it still is discriminatory, and invites other men to seek a class action suit.

He asserts in the suit that when he applied to be a waiter at the local restaurant in May he was not hired because of his gender. The suit says that even though food servers are referred to exclusively as "Hooters Girls," the job should not be limited only to women. Continue

SFbay.ca - The parents of a 24-year-old Palo Alto man, who was killed earlier this year after a bouncer at a San Jose restaurant punched him, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the bouncer, restaurant and its owners.

After First Year in Franchising, Gourmet Scratch-Kitchen Brand Drives Innovation and Growth in New Markets

Charlotte, NC  (RestaurantNews.com)  As the brand prepares for six openings this fall, doubling its unit presence, Famous Toastery was recognized by Technomic at the food and restaurant research firm’s Restaurants Trends & Directions Conference this summer as one of 12 emerging restaurant brands.

“What Famous Toastery is focused on is an upscale, more sophisticated breakfast,” Darren Tristano, executive vice-president of Technomic said. “It’s higher-end, polished and more brunch-oriented.”

The Charlotte-based franchise’s success story dates back ten years since the first location set out to become the best restaurant in the breakfast, brunch and lunch category.

“There is no frontrunner in the better-breakfast segment and we see that as our niche to fill,” said co-founder and CEO Robert Maynard. “We do breakfast and lunch better than anyone else in the game. Our kitchen is fresh, our dishes are made from scratch daily, and we provide unique and enticing specials that keep our loyal fans coming back week after week.” Continue!