Main Course

Personalizing the Dining Experience Through Music

personalizing the dining experience

When people go to a restaurant, personalizing the dining experience is a critical factor in making an impact that keeps customers returning. What better way to capitalize on that experience than through music? In recent years, the restaurant industry has seen a significant shift towards personalizing the dining experience for guests. As the industry…

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Latest

Food & Beverage
Jewish Culinary Traditions Keep Culture Alive Through Food and Storytelling

In recent years, there’s been a vibrant resurgence in celebrating and preserving cultural heritage. As the world becomes more interconnected, there’s a wonderful opportunity to share and relish the diverse traditions that make each culture unique. One such tradition is the rich tapestry of Jewish culinary traditions, which, much like the Rosh Hashanah celebrations,…

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Food & Beverage
Creating Generational Wealth: Untapping the Potential of Franchising

Creating generational wealth is a goal for many, yet it seems increasingly unobtainable in recent years. One path still open to make those goals a reality is in the world of franchising. Contrary to expectations, the pandemic did not deter individuals from seeing the potential of owning and operating a restaurant franchise. The desire…

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Food & Beverage
A Look at the American Classic, The Cheesesteak, with Pat’s King of Steaks’ Frank E. Olivieri

The Main Course host, Barbara Castiglia, sat down with Frank E. Olivieri, the owner of the iconic Pat’s King of Steaks in Philadelphia. Olivieri serves up the rich history of the cheesesteak, emphasizing the importance of fresh ingredients and the unique taste of their signature cheese. He also shares personal anecdotes from his early…

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Food & Beverage
With Sophisticated Restaurant Scams Plaguing the Industry, Can Businesses Stop the Deception?

Barbara Castiglia   The restaurant industry, already grappling with the challenges of the pandemic, now faces another menace: sophisticated restaurant scams. As eateries worldwide strive to recover, many of them fall prey to scammers. QR codes, which gained popularity in restaurants during the pandemic, are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. The National Restaurant Association puts restaurant losses…

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Food & Beverage
The Essential Elements of Restaurant Design

On The Main Course, hosted by Barbara Castiglia, Ray Chung, the Director of Design at The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry, delves into the intricate art of restaurant design. From the importance of lighting and acoustics to the essence of storytelling in creating an ambiance, Chung emphasizes the need for a holistic approach. Drawing…

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Articles
Atomic Wings Aims to Spice up Franchise Operations in the Competitive Wing Space

As dining preferences shift towards healthier options, the restaurant industry is evolving to keep pace, particularly in franchise operations. Quality can sometimes fall by the wayside in a food culture dominated by convenience and speed. However, restaurant franchises realize that the key to customer loyalty and long-term success lies in maintaining quality while expanding…

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HR
HR at a Crossroads: Navigating Culture, AI, and the Future of Work
January 13, 2026

The modern workplace is at a crossroads, shaped by the rapid rise of AI, shifting cultural expectations, and increasing pressure on leaders to balance efficiency with humanity. Organizations are being forced to make intentional choices about how they operate, how they lead, and how they invest in their people — choices that will define…

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Trades
From Hands-On to High-Tech: How Innovation Is Transforming the Next Generation of Trades Talent
January 13, 2026

The skilled trades are facing a turning point. With a rapidly retiring workforce and an ever-growing demand for infrastructure, HVAC, and electrical expertise, the U.S. is experiencing a talent gap that’s becoming impossible to ignore. Looking ahead to 2026, industry analysts anticipate the construction sector will need to recruit nearly half a million new workers,…

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continuing education
Career-Connected Continuing Ed: How Upright Education Helps Colleges Upskill Adult Learners in Digital Skills
January 12, 2026

Higher education is undergoing a quiet shift. While undergraduate enrollments remain in long-term decline, continuing education has emerged as one of the sector’s fastest-growing segments, expanding at more than 11% annually. At the same time, rapid advances in AI, data, and cybersecurity are reshaping nearly every job category, forcing institutions to rethink how quickly…

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Dr. G. Duncan Finlay
The Legacy of Dr. G. Duncan Finlay – Episode 6
January 9, 2026

The Rothman Index, developed by Dr. Michael Rothman and his brother Steven, is a pioneering patient acuity score designed to help clinicians recognize patient deterioration earlier and more clearly. Presented as an easily understood, color-coded graph that updates in real time, the Index displays upward and downward trends in patient condition at a glance—transforming…

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Other Main Course
Digital Restaurants: What Tech Will Help Restaurants Moving Forward?
July 28, 2023

Digital Restaurants aren’t literally digital. Technology hasn’t evolved to the point where digital food is a thing. And if it were a thing, are people ready to eat it? Probably not. But whether it’s a QSR with online ordering apps, a popular sit-down restaurant chain using online ordering and delivery, or even the favorite…

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Customer Experience was Changed by the Pandemic, But Technology Came in to Revitalize It
July 14, 2023

The world was forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the customer experience industry, especially in the restaurant sector, has faced unprecedented challenges and transformation. The role of technology has been amplified, not only as a survival tool during a time of social distancing and lockdowns, but also as a driving force for long-term,…

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Beverage Only Concepts is Taking Over the Food Industry as the Brewing New Trend Becomes Center Stage For Consumers
July 7, 2023

As trends shift and evolve in the food industry, a notable new phenomenon has taken center stage: beverage only concepts. Over the past few years, we have witnessed an explosion in the number of businesses that focus solely on drinks, offering everything from coffee to milkshakes and now, iced tea. This intriguing move away…

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Restaurant Insurance is More Necessary Than Ever as Some Owners Overlook Coverage Due to Complexities
June 30, 2023

There is no industry that is immune to surprises and shocks. However, the restaurant industry has been facing its own unique blend of challenges recently, forcing owners to question the adequacy of their restaurant insurance coverage. For many, insurance is perceived as a necessary yet complicated evil, something begrudgingly purchased and then promptly forgotten,…

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The Journey of Fig & Olive Proves Restaurant Expansion is Possible in 2023
June 23, 2023

Restaurant expansion in 2023? While that may sound hard to believe, the restaurant industry has seen a 4.9% increase in sales in 2023. While increased prices due to inflation may be driving some of those increases, indicators show now is the best time since the pandemic’s beginning to consider a restaurant expansion. But what…

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The Main Course: The Power of Restaurant Narrative in Staffing
June 2, 2023

Not every restaurant makes an effort to fully integrate its customer into the experience of eating and enjoying their food. But for those looking for a unique dining experience, plenty of such establishments present unique restaurant narratives. What sort of restaurants emphasize storytelling in their dining, and how do they handle staffing? On this episode…

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The Main Course: Franchising 2.0 with Don Kwon
May 26, 2023

Franchising is a common part of the restaurant business, as it allows more people to access the establishment worldwide. Some restaurants stay in specific markets while others grow to become part of a landscape featuring other ubiquitous household names. But franchising is not always easy; it takes careful planning and work. What do some restaurants…

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Gamification and Rewards: Engage with Your Customers to Better Retain Them
May 19, 2023

Starbucks®, Chick-fil-A®, McDonald’s®…these are some of the most popular restaurant industry apps used and downloaded today. To put it into perspective, the Starbucks® app has 17 million users, and almost one in every five of their sales dollars comes directly from the app. These restaurants don’t have elevated app statuses for no reason—it’s because…

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Digital Dining Experience: When Kiosk and Pay at Table Technologies Transform the Customer Experience
May 12, 2023

Two words that should be synonymous? Restaurants and technology. Let’s face it, technology is here to stay, especially in restaurants. Not only can it help with staff shortages, but leveraging technology in the restaurant industry can help transform the customer experience. How? On the latest episode of The Main Course with Barbara Castiglia, EVP…

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