How deeply embedded has the deal-of-the-day discounting mentality become in foodservice? Now it’s crossing over into a new realm. Four weeks out from Christmas, a large number of restaurants are offering 20 percent kickbacks to customers who purchase gift cards. Do these operators wind up actually making money?

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Customers who dine at Chipotle Mexican Grill’s fledgling ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen concept in Washington, DC say a lot of the food is too spicy. Chipotle founder Steve Ells says he’s not going to tone those aggressive flavors down. Our visit to ShopHouse makes us think both parties are getting it right.

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Saving local businesses has become something of a battle cry for many Americans. And independent restaurants—especially those that feature locally sourced, sustainable ingredients—stand to benefit from this trend, according to several recent studies.

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