DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.comhttp://o.aolcdn.com/os/df/2013/img/2-dailyfinance_logo_m.pngDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Faster food: A pro's 10 best tips for quick, quality restaurant servicehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/11/09/faster-food-a-pros-10-best-tips-for-quick-quality-restaurant/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/11/09/faster-food-a-pros-10-best-tips-for-quick-quality-restaurant/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/11/09/faster-food-a-pros-10-best-tips-for-quick-quality-restaurant/#commentsFiled under: ,

I enjoy eating as much as the next guy, and while going out to eat is a popular American pastime, waiting for your waiter to show up is not. Or the host. Or the food.

Waiting, waiting, waiting: It doesn't make sense to me. So while I've seen plenty of tips to have a cheap restaurant experience when eating out, this article focuses on saving time. By employing a few simple strategies, you can easily reduce the time you spend waiting during your dining experience. And since we all have those occasions where time rivals the food as a priority, here are my 10 tips for getting in and out of a restaurant fast.

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]]>aaaEntertainmentBooksGrouponMoney CrashersrestauranttipwaiterDavid BakkeTue, 09 Nov 2010 08:00:00 ESTFor less than $10, top 10 meals for your moneyhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/28/for-less-than-10-top-10-meals-for-your-money/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/28/for-less-than-10-top-10-meals-for-your-money/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/10/28/for-less-than-10-top-10-meals-for-your-money/#commentsFiled under: ,

These days, you can go just about anywhere for a cheap lunch. Taco Bell has their 79-89-99 cents menu; Burger King and McDonald's have similar values. But the real questions is "How much quality do you get for your loose change?"

There's nothing wrong with bean burritos from Taco Bell. In fact, they were a big part of my diet back in my college days. But now that I'm a little older, I want more culinary bang for my buck. So I set out to find the 10 best meals for less than $10. But before I began, I put some parameters into my search that should help you replicate my results.

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]]>Atlanta Bread Companycalifornia pizza kitchenChick-fil-AchilisdennysfuddruckersLonghorn SteakhouseOutback Steakhouseruby tuesdaytgifridaysDavid BakkeThu, 28 Oct 2010 07:00:00 ESTWhat it's like to work at Carrabba's Italian Grill -- an insider's accounthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/30/what-its-like-to-work-at-carrabbas-italian-grill-an-insider/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/30/what-its-like-to-work-at-carrabbas-italian-grill-an-insider/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/30/what-its-like-to-work-at-carrabbas-italian-grill-an-insider/#commentsFiled under:

(Editor's note: The following story is an account by a former Carrabba's employee who no longer has ties to the company. One WalletPop editor who recently dined at a Michigan location of this national chain will attest to the veracity of this insider glimpse, given the exceptional experience he and his family had there.)

Can you imagine throwing out four or five pieces of lasagna cooked just a few hours ago? Can you imagine doing it every single day? How about having to work in a kitchen at 8 a.m. every morning for a restaurant that's only open for dinner?

I went through all of these different scenarios and more during the five years I worked for Carrabba's Italian Grill as a manager. There, I learned more about food and the commitment to excellence than I did at any other point in my nearly 20 years in the restaurant business.

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]]>David BakkeThu, 30 Sep 2010 07:30:00 ESTTop 5 food mark-ups where restaurants make huge profitshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/08/top-5-food-mark-ups-where-restaurants-make-huge-profits/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/08/top-5-food-mark-ups-where-restaurants-make-huge-profits/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/08/top-5-food-mark-ups-where-restaurants-make-huge-profits/#commentsFiled under: ,

Have you ever wondered why sometimes your server looks slightly annoyed when you tell them you're having water with your meal? Or that she is more worried about the level in your wine glass than you? Or why many restaurants went to free re-fills on soda a few years back without batting an eye?

There are logical answers to all of these questions, centered on one thing and one thing only: money. As you might expect, restaurants do not make the same amount from every single item they sell. Some items boast huge profit margins -- so logically, they will try to lure you to order the ones that rake in the most cash.

What follows is my list of the top "money makers" in the restaurant industry -- good information that might shed light on a few things the next time you dine out. The list provides a neat insider's view into how restaurants are run; for more applicable ways to save money, check out these other tips to save money while eating out, as well as great restaurant discount resources such as the Entertainment Book.

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]]>David BakkeEntertainment booksMoney Crasherspastapizzaresaturantrestaurantssoft drinkswineDavid BakkeWed, 08 Sep 2010 07:00:00 ESTSave dough when dining out: Top 10 ways to cut your restaurant billhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/01/save-dough-when-dining-out-top-10-ways-to-cut-your-restaurant-b/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/01/save-dough-when-dining-out-top-10-ways-to-cut-your-restaurant-b/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/09/01/save-dough-when-dining-out-top-10-ways-to-cut-your-restaurant-b/#commentsFiled under: ,

Save dough when dining out: Top 10 ways to cut your restaurant billWhenever I dine out, I always strive to keep the bill under $20 per person, tip included. Of course, it all depends on the quality, décor and type of restaurant, but for most middle-of-the-road type establishments, getting out with a bill of under $40 for two is quite an accomplishment -- and thoroughly doable.

Almost all restaurants keep track of a server's PPA, which stands for Per Person Average. It's just what it sounds like. Servers get ranked according to how much they can squeeze out of each customer. Their tip depends on their PPA and a restaurant's overall sales depend on servers' PPAs. The servers at the bottom of this list get an earful as to why they're not selling more side salads, alcohol, desserts and the like.

Therefore, it's a battle between me and my server -- and to the victor goes the moolah. As much as my waiter tempts me to go for all the "add-ons," I in turn fight to keep the tab down. Below are some wise ways to keep that bill in check, and those bills in your wallet.

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]]>gift cardsLonghorn Steakhouseoutbackrestaurantstippingtipping etiquettetipsDavid BakkeWed, 01 Sep 2010 07:45:00 ESTAn insider's guide to five sneaky restaurant cheatshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/20/an-insiders-guide-to-five-sneaky-restaurant-cheats-tricks/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/20/an-insiders-guide-to-five-sneaky-restaurant-cheats-tricks/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/08/20/an-insiders-guide-to-five-sneaky-restaurant-cheats-tricks/#commentsFiled under:

An insider's guide to five sneaky restaurant cheatsEditor's Note: This is a new column on the restaurant industry by David Bakke, who is a columnist with MoneyCrashers.com.

So, will cooks really spit in your food if you send it back to the kitchen? Have servers ever dropped a little liquid ex-lax in the drink of a not-so-friendly customer? Are you constantly worried about whether you are following the tipping etiquette guidelines because you think things like this might happen to you?

I worked in the restaurant industry for a long time and have an insider's knowledge about what really goes on behind the scenes. While I've never witnessed anything extreme, the typical restaurant kitchen is very high-paced with a lot of pressure and stress. These conditions can lead to the staff to take a shortcut or two along the way.

Here is a list of some of the cheats and tricks I've seen happen in restaurants that you may (or may not) want to know about:

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]]>restaurantrestaurant city tricksrestaurant trickssneaky restaurant tricksDavid BakkeFri, 20 Aug 2010 08:30:00 EST