Izzy Kharasch
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Why do we have bad times at restaurants?Jan 14, 2026 8:40 am - I have written many articles critical of restaurant owners and staff. It is important to understand that things happen, and it’s not always the restaurants’ fault.
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Restaurants must adapt to boomers’ needs and preferencesDec 31, 2025 10:11 am - Restaurants are always changing. New concepts come and go, trends shift, prices climb, portions grow — and then shrink again. But for those of us who are baby boomers, these aren’t the changes we’re thinking about.
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Captive consumers are paying way too muchNov 26, 2025 7:34 am - Even though their leases require airport businesses to charge prices that are competitive with downtown Chicago, it sure doesn’t seem that way. I took the time to look at many items for sale at an airport, and the typical markup is 100% to 300% over industry standards.
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Opening a restaurant is a scary business: real-life horror storiesOct 22, 2025 10:12 am - If you want some real Halloween thrills and chills, try opening a new restaurant. Here are some real-life horror stories from Izzy Kharasch’s life as a restaurant whisperer.
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Calling all seniors: Restaurants can use your helpSep 24, 2025 8:41 am - I always encourage seniors to consider working in restaurants as a fun full-time or part-time job. Why? Because seniors are spectacular role models for today’s employees.
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It’s a good time to be a restaurant consumerSep 03, 2025 10:42 am - 2025 is a little more than halfway done, and already we are seeing the best year in restaurant sales in the last five. Sales this year are above where they were at the same time in 2024.
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Bussers are the unsung heroes of restaurant industryJul 23, 2025 9:03 am - What do Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Chris Rock, Johnny Depp, Langston Hughes, Kathy Griffin, Dick Cavett, Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh have in common, besides their fame and notoriety? They were all bussers in restaurants before they became famous.
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How AI can enhance your dining experienceJun 24, 2025 5:08 pm - The restaurant and hospitality industry is quickly incorporating AI technology. What does it mean for you, the consumer?
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Music adds to dining experience and makes the spending easierJun 16, 2025 6:44 am - When it comes to music in restaurants, most guests don’t give it much thought … or at least they don’t think they do. Music done well in restaurants makes all the difference in how long you will stay, what kind of a time you will have and, most important to the restaurant, how much money you will spend.
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Restaurants are a business, just not YOUR businessMay 07, 2025 8:34 am - As long as I have been in the hospitality industry, I have never understood the guest who comes to a restaurant and then insists on ordering an item that’s not on the menu.