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The Incredible Life Story of the World’s Most Successful Restaurateur Will Whet Your Appetite for Inspiration and Success
Known as “the Steven Spielberg of the restaurant industry,” Phil Romano has achieved a higher rate of success than any other restaurateur in history. During the past 40 years, he has launched more than 25 dining concepts and amassed a restaurant empire valued in excess of $10 billion.
More than 10 million customers a year in 48 states and 8 foreign countries visit a Phil Romano eatery, no doubt many back for seconds. In Food for Thought: How the Creator of Fuddrucker’s, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, and eatZi’s Built a $10 Billion Empire One Concept at a Time, Romano shares his recipe for success.
From dreaming up an original concept all the way to reaping a jaw-dropping return on investment, Romano reveals the distinctive process and “operational-integrity creed” he follows to create a winning eatery, including:
•How to achieve the entrepreneurial mindset and recognize opportunity when it crosses your path •“Service is primary. Profit is secondary” •Getting out of the “dining business” and into the “eating business” •How to recognize a great idea in a world of mediocre ones •Utilizing a network approach to management; i.e. “Nobody works for me, they work with me” •“Difference and points of difference are what makes success, not just brilliance” Written with candor and spiced with humor, Food for Thought provides a fascinating look at the hits and misses of Romano’s remarkable career. Whether you’re a novice entrepreneur or seasoned pro, it’s sure to help you cook up your own ideas and strategies for success in any industry.
| 1 | Early days | 1 |
| 2 | Business beginnings - getting out of the box | 7 |
| 3 | Now I'm cooking | 15 |
| 4 | The life and times of Romano's 300 | 21 |
| 5 | Tweaking the menus | 35 |
| 6 | Texas on the front burner | 43 |
| 7 | The name that hamburgers made | 51 |
| 8 | Opening a vein and striking an artery | 73 |
| 9 | Failures and disappointments (Part I) | 81 |
| 10 | Philville's famous grill - I called it Macaroni | 89 |
| 11 | A setback, a revelation, and a catalyst | 105 |
| 12 | More great things from the springs | 111 |
| 13 | Putting the eat in Skaneateles (a tale of two angels) | 125 |
| 14 | The food store that ate Dallas and Atlanta and Chicago and... | 133 |
| 15 | Failures and disappointments (Part II) | 149 |
| 16 | A steakhouse for Sam | 157 |
| 17 | Feeding a need - hunger busters hits the streets | 169 |
| 18 | Il Mulino - New York's finest heads West | 179 |
| 19 | Conceiving at 65 | 185 |
| App. A | More food for thought - Phil your plate | 191 |
| App. B | Phil Romano's food concepts | 197 |
Anonymous
Posted June 7, 2006
Philip J. Romano is 'an idea man at heart.' The innovative restaurateur launched multiple successful U.S. franchises, including Fuddruckers and Romano's Macaroni Grill. He discovered that people would pay for his concepts, so he kept thinking and opening new restaurants. In this chatty, inside-flavored autobiography, he shares his creative processes and the principles that guide his business decisions. He knows the hot dinner business cold, and doesn't mind saying so. We dish up this light, entertaining read to those who are interested in entrepreneurial success stories or to anyone who wants an insider's view of the restaurant business.
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Overview
The Incredible Life Story of the World’s Most Successful Restaurateur Will Whet Your Appetite for Inspiration and Success
Known as “the Steven Spielberg of the restaurant industry,” Phil Romano has achieved a higher rate of success than any other restaurateur in history. During the past 40 years, he has launched more than 25 dining concepts and amassed a restaurant empire valued in excess of $10 billion.
More than 10 million customers a year in...