Dine In Archives - ChowEasy Blog

Women-owned businesses are a driving force in the U.S. economy. Every day, we rely on women entrepreneurs running their businesses and demonstrating their skills and expertise in the restaurant industry.

First, let’s look at some statistics that show how women have been dominating the business world.

Within the last year, women have started over 1,800 new businesses daily, and these women-run businesses are growing every day.
Of these new businesses, 64% of them are women of color.
More than 11.6 million firms are owned by women (generating 1.7 trillion in sales) 2017
5.4 million firms are majority-owned by women of color in the U.S., generating over $300 billion in annual revenue.

We narrowed down five women-owned restaurants (out of the many) in Atlanta that are a force to be reckoned with.

LottaFrutta

When Myrna Perez opened LottaFrutta in 2006, she wanted to infuse her Cuban culture with Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. This staple Latin restaurant has been in the community for the past fifteen years, and it’s a neighborhood favorite.

LottaFrutta serves fresh-cut fruit all day, smoothies, salads, and famously delicious Cuban-style sandwiches.

We recommend trying the Limonatta fresh fruit cup, which features Perez’s signature spicy chile guajillo. It is surprisingly spicy and an excellent combination of cantaloupes, pineapples, papaya and a sweet and spicy combo kick you never knew you needed.

Anna’s BBQ

This BBQ joint is everything we love in Atlanta food, and owner Anna Phelps is no rooky on the grill. Featuring classic items like smokey bbq ribs, mac and cheese, pulled pork, wings, and everything in between.

Since opening in 2013, Phelps has served southern-style meals in this cozy restaurant that feels like home with its warm and inviting comfort food. Anna’s was also voted Atlanta Magazines Best BBQ in 2019, which means these menu items are playing no games in the excellent food department.

Slutty Vegan ATL

This vegan food truck took Atlanta by storm when it opened in 2018. Pinky Cole has made a name for herself by creating a menu that gained a massive following in the ATL vegan community and is now a staple among vegan restaurants and black-owned restaurants. Her customers rave over the secret seasoning uses in her burgers which creates a Caribbean feel with a southern style twist.

To learn more about Pinky Cole, check out her interview with Forbes!

Slutty Vegan’s menu items are full of originals like their Super Slut, a plant-based patty loaded with guacamole, jalapenos, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and their signature Slut Sauce on a vegan Hawaiian bun.

Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours

Executive Chef Deborah VanTrece is putting her signature stamp on soul food and flavor with an elevated twist. After 25 years of experience, VanTrece opened Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours. It is now ranked highly among Atlanta restaurants and has been featured on the Cooking Channels Late Nite Eats and Genius Kitchen Carnivorous.

They serve a dinner and brunch menu, many highlights, but the specialty cocktails make their restaurant even more special. Their southern martini includes bacon-infused vodka, brown sugar, apple, sage, and Nux Alpina liquor.

Infusion Crab Atlanta

Kimberly Knox opened Infusion Crab ATL to serve up what she calls “soulful seafood”. Centering her business around her and her 2 daughters McKenzie and Madison, they created their business centered around family. The three ladies have gained a large following for their family-oriented business that has a knack for making out of this world seafood entrees.

Switching to a plant-based diet or vegan diet is a huge lifestyle change that alters your eating habits and the way you order out. Dining out with fewer options can be frustrating, but don’t worry, we have your back. There are things you can look for when eating out and ordering off a menu, and we’re here to suggest the best options for you. It’s important to note that getting creative in these instances will be the beginning of you getting more comfortable with your vegan lifestyle. Here are some options that might make things a little easier the next time you dine with friends and family.

When ordering anything as a vegan, we must tell the people who are making our food. It’s obvious, I know, but sometimes you might think something is already vegan when in fact, it could have a broth or a marinade that contains meat or poultry. Places of business want to accommodate all your needs, and they want to create the best experience possible for their customers. Sometimes restaurants even have a vegan menu that’s not on their regular menu, but you won’t know unless you ask.

We often see menus that include the “V” next to the dish description or a leaf icon. That will guide you to your best picks.

Even when the menus aren’t all that vegan-friendly, it’s important to know that most things can be easily made vegetarian/vegan. There is no shame in asking for substitutions, and most of the time, they have options to accommodate you. If you see main dishes that aren’t necessarily vegan, look to the sides. Getting multiple side dishes will still satisfy you as well.

There are tons of great apps and websites to help you find vegan-friendly restaurants near you. This can be great for travel or getting to know your local vegan places.

Ok, so what restaurants have the best vegan options?

Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants

This one may seem obvious, but we don’t see many vegan/vegetarian restaurants, but there are more and more appearing every day the more common veganism has been becoming.

Mexican

With Mexican food, it’s simple to eat vegan and not have to worry too much. You can change many traditional Mexican dishes like tacos, burritos, and fajitas, and there’s always a vegetable option.

Be sure to ask for no sour cream or cheese, and sometimes dishes are made with chicken broth, so ask for substitutions.

Even Mexican starters like salsa, guacamole with tortilla chips are vegan friendly, and veggie bean burritos taste heavenly.

Thai

Vegetable pad thai, veggie rolls, vegetable curry, and styles of rice dishes, Thai food is an excellent choice for vegans alike. These are easy cuisines for any vegan to enjoy, and Thai food has endless green options, tofu, and other plant-based foods.

Just be sure to ask for no egg or fish sauces; most places can use a substitute.

Japanese

It’s surprisingly easy to find plant-based food when ordering Japanese cuisine. You have tons of options like edamame, veggie sushi rolls, fried tofu, vegetable tempura, and seaweed salads. Again, always let the restaurant know your vegan, so they don’t add any eggs, fish sauce, or dried fish flakes commonly used in Asian cuisines.

Chinese

That’s right! You can still enjoy your favorite Chinese food vegan style. Your options include vegetable spring rolls, veggie dumplings, soups, fried rice, and noodles. Chinese food has many options for vegans and plant-based dieters; make sure you let them know not to add in the egg, which is often used in Chinese dishes.

Italian

Classic Italian food is another excellent option for non-meat-eaters and vegans. Italian cuisine includes bruschetta dishes, various salads, grilled artichokes, pasta, vegetable-style pizzas without cheese. When ordering vegan, it’s ok to get creative, and it’s ok to ask for your specific needs to be met.

Make sure when ordering your salad you use dressings with a vinegar base and contain non-dairy options.

You may not order the calamari, but you can always ask for them to fry up some zucchini or see if they have other vegetable replacements.

Greek

Greek food is another excellent option for vegans, with a ton of platters to choose from. It’s often easy to find a Greek restaurant or diner nearby that has all the plant-based ingredients you’re looking for. That includes common Greek dishes like hummus, pita bread, Greek salads, grilled vegetables, and roasted eggplant. The greek food option is one of the healthiest, and most of their dishes provide protein and other nutrients your body loves.

Greek salad is loaded with tomatoes, onions, olives, peppers, and cucumber; don’t forget to ask to hold the feta sprinkled on top. There are even options for different style wraps on the menu that can include vegetables and rice.

BBQ or steak restaurants

Ok, this one sounds a little bizarre, but bbq and steak restaurants often have different vegan options. That is deep-fried pickles, french fries, vegetable chili, sweet potato fries, and even vegetables smothered in bbq sauce.

Be cautious and ask for no cheese or butter often used in these dishes, and batters often contain buttermilk.

American

With traditional American food, you have your selection of vegan picks. The classics include french fries, onion rings, potato wedges, and most of the time, there’s a veggie burger option. There are also tons of sides to choose from, brussel sprouts, steamed spinach, mushrooms, baked potatoes with a little bit of olive oil, YUM!

Middle Eastern

One of the best parts about being vegan is that we get to try new things, and middle eastern restaurants have plenty of vegetable options on their menu. You have your choices of falafels, tahini, rice, pita, couscous, all available options for vegans. It’s often served with yogurt or cheese, so be sure to let them know you can do without.

Ordering out doesn’t have to be a hassle when eating on a vegan diet. You don’t have to go to vegan-only restaurants or miss out on what your friends want to eat.

Learn more about how ChowEasy can help you grow your dine-in business.

If you haven’t heard yet, you might want to jump on this new restaurant trend fast. Well, it’s not quite a trend yet but it’s right at the tipping point. There is a movement to ban plastic straws and replace them with sustainable alternatives.

Don’t believe us? Then consider the fact that Starbucks announced plans to eliminate plastic straws by 2020 and that McDonald’s has already started mobilizing plastic straw alternatives in Europe. Then there is the State of Seattle, which jumped ahead of all of us by banning plastic straws back in July 2018!

As you may know, many restaurant trends involve going green such as using biodegradable packaging. It’s become so widespread that almost any restaurant you visit today will have an eco-friendly take-out box. Just like this, plastic straw alternatives are the next to take over the restaurant industry.

Which Plastic Straw Alternative is Best For Your Restaurant?

It takes a whopping 200 years for plastic straws to decompose and 500 million are thrown out daily. That’s a gazillion straws in the ocean over two lifespans.

Whether you care for the environment or not, eco-friendly alternatives are a trend and adjusting to them can help you win over customers. In addition, these alternatives are reusable and can help you actually save on costs.

So which is the most cost-efficient plastic straw alternative? Let’s take a look.

Paper Straws

Paper straws are a relatively cheap alternative to plastic straws that are quite high in supply. They are great for the environment for their fast decomposition time in the ocean of 2-6 weeks and won’t harm wildlife if ingested.

What about on the business side of things? Well, just like the great contradiction of saving the environment by taking from forests, it’s not so brilliant.

The straws actually get a little soggy and alter the taste of your customer’s drink. For this reason, restaurants that use paper straws usually provide multiple straws for one drink. So although paper straws are cheap, they can add up to a more costly option for you and the change in taste can give customers a bad experience.

Bamboo Straws

The idea of bamboo straws is undoubtly cool and can really add to the aesthetic of an Asian Fusion or Tiki-themed restaurant. In addition to their cool look they are reusable unlike the paper straws.

Being naturally grown and free of preservatives they also offer many attractive natural benefits. These benefits include being naturally anti-microbrial and highly resistant to rotting.

The strength and durability of bamboo also make it great for use with hot beverages. All-in-all they will save you money because they are cheaper than most alternatives and you can reuse them for a long time.

While they do have many great natural benefits, it may not actually be the right fit for your restaurant. Bamboo straws can actually absorb drinks and alter taste. It can even absorb saliva which would pose a health risk. Also, due to having a smaller hole, it is not ideal for thicker drinks like smoothies. So if you serve mostly water and can dedicate time to clean the straws effectively, it might just work out for you.

Pasta Straws

Unlike bamboo straws, pasta straws don’t alter the taste and they are more durable than paper straws because they hold their shape up to 3 hours. Their make up of wheat and water make it an ideal alternative for eco-conscious restaurant goers for it’s 100% biodegradability.

The issue with pasta straws however, is that it could be a health risk for those who are allergic to gluten. This makes it an alternative that can’t be catered to every guest and therefore isn’t the most efficient for your budget. And even though 1 pasta straw lasts as long as 3-5 paper straws, it is still a 1-time use alternative.

So even though it may be a better alternative for the environment, it isn’t outstanding for the bank. The goal is to find the plastic straw alternative that hits the sweet spot of benefiting both the green in the world and in your wallet.

Glass Straws

Glass straws are perhaps the most versatile of them all. They can be made with various colors and withstand both hot and cold beverage temperatures. They also don’t alter taste like paper and bamboo straws do.

All in all, they are a pretty good cost-efficient plastic straw alternative that can save you a lot of money because of their re-usability and easy cleaning. The only real big disadvantage is that, well, they are glass and still breakable. If your kitchen is careful enough, the glass straws may be a great long-term investment.

Metal Straws

There are metal butter knives, forks, spoons, and cups so why couldn’t metal straws be a norm? Obviously the strongest of all the straws mentioned in this post, metal straws are reusable and if needed to be disposed of, the most recycle-friendly.

Metal straws do have some drawbacks however. They are very sensitive to temperature and can become hot or cold with the beverage. Hot beverages in particular could pose burn risks and would be a restaurant liability.

What is the Most Cost-Efficient Plastic Straw Alternative?

The best plastic straw alternative that will save your restaurant the most money varies widely across manufacturers since it is still considered a novelty. Regardless of the price differences, we can conclude that reusable straws will be a better long-term investment than single-use straws.

This leaves glass and metal straws the winners of this plastic straw alternative shootout. Both are highly versatile and reusable but have their own unique disadvantages. Which one do you want to use in your restaurant?

Social media, health trends, and social responsibility are among a few things that millennials value in a restaurant

According to Forbes, “millennials have over $200 billion in buying power and will make up 75% of the workforce by 2025.” This means that millennials are an important target for restaurants and learning how to reach them will be crucial. So how do you attract millennials to your restaurant? With endless dining options available at the fingertips, you need to stand out but also align with their values. Keep reading to learn 7 things you can do to keep them coming back!

Use High Quality Ingredients

Appeal to the health conscious generation by using high quality ingredients

Studies have shown that Millennials are willing to fork over more money for high quality food. Since healthy eating is a trend more than ever before, be sure to use wholesome ingredients for everything. These include organic vegetables and meats that are free of hormones/anti-biotics. It would also help to emphasize phrases like “sourced locally” and “non-GMO” in the menu.

Boost Social Media Presence

Stay engaged and present in your millennial guests’ lives through social media

Since Millenials and Gen Z are tuned into the world of social media, grab their attention there. Your internet presence speaks volumes to these generations. Promote your restaurant and menu in engaging ways like posting a question or a raffle for a free giveaway. Also leave trails in your restaurant that lead to your social media. A couple ideas include inserting hashtags or your social media handle in menus or cups. Finally, update your directory listings and ask guests for 5-star reviews on Yelp and TripAdvisor.

Prep Food For The Gram

Posting food photos on social media is still a trend and shows no signs of dying

You’ve seen it. Pictures of food being posted by the millions. Food pictures are hot content for Instagram and Facebook feeds so why not use this in your favor? First, you’ll want to make sure the presentation of your dishes are worthy of a photo. Then, take a handful of snapshots yourself and experiment with various lighting edits and filters. Don’t be afraid to spend significant time on these. The photo you select needs to be captivating enough to stop people from scrolling. And you have lots of competition.

Build a Brand and Tell a Story

Fatt Matt’s reinforces their brand through merch items and even their very own BBQ sauce

Your restaurant is a brand and should have a compelling story. Make sure your social media, theme colors, and logo all reinforce the story of your brand. Millennials love their brands and aren’t afraid to endorse them through purchased merchandise. Make T-shirts, stickers, and other merchandise to make them a part of the story. You can somewhat easily attract millennials to your restaurant but a cool story will keep them.

Host An Experience

Create an experience to keep them coming back for more

To keep millennials coming back, you have to transcend beyond just providing a great meal. You have to provide an experience. It’s been shown that millennials prefer to live for new and unique experiences. This priority extends to eating out which you can thank the wave of pop-ups, food trucks, and food festivals for. If you don’t know where to start, just put some heart and soul in the atmosphere. You can use ambiance, art displays, music and aesthetic interior design to help create an experience. Additionally, you can keep them coming back through game nights, live music, art shows, and open mic nights. When in comes down to it, you want to envelop them in an immersive world they can’t to return to.

Have A Unique Menu

Millennials like taking risks with bizarre novelty menu items like the donut burger from “Sublime Donut Burger” in Atlanta

As mentioned in the paragraph before, Millennials live for experiences. This means that novel menu items will go a long way with this generation. This generation is the most diverse and open to new cultural cuisines. With that being said, offer something fusion and even quirky. To top it off, give your dishes distinct names that’ll catch their attention. You don’t want to only offer what millions of restaurants can. For instance, offering only pizza in a market where you can get pizza anywhere. This is why many restaurant chains are closing.

Be Socially Responsible

Millennials intentionally endorse restaurants that aim to protect the environment and support social causes

Being a restaurant that demonstrates corporate responsibility will go a long way. With the accessibility of information through the internet, any news of unethical or controversial actions can be found. Studies show that millennials would rather support businesses that do good and have no hesitancy to boycott. Due to this, establishing a good online reputation and supporting a good cause would be key for longevity. To start, you can make it known that you use biodegradable wear and consistency recycle. “Millennials don’t mind spending more money on things that are good for the planet.”

Take Your Restaurant To The Next Level

Going through the list, it can seem like a demanding task to attract millennials to your restaurant. Though it takes a lot to catch the attention of this generation, your restaurant will improve in many ways. Have fun with it while you become more than just a restaurant, but a brand!