The Voice

Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: Diversions

Media Credit: Chris Asadian Big Ten Burrito has found an innovative way to advertise. For $2 per head people can ride around town in the 'BTB Party Bus,' a vegetable-oil-powered van that allows its passengers to drink alcohol on the way to their destination. To learn more about the party bus and the people that ride it, see page B8.

The sputtering economy is taking its toll on Ann Arbor restaurants.

"People are trading down," said Rojer Hewlitt, an owner of the Red Hawk Bar and Grill and Zanzibar on State Street, explaining that diners in great numbers are ordering cheaper menu items.

Kevin Gudejko, director of Mainstreet Ventures (MSV) restaurant group, sees the same thing, noting that guests are splitting entrees and ordering fewer drinks and foregoing that second glass of wine. He adds that these trends are also found at their restaurants in other parts of the country.

Restaurants nourish our stomachs and help relieve stress from long days at work. Dining out has become a part of our normal lifestyle, yet restaurants must always be ready to adjust to changes in consumer behavior.

And in these challenging times, the restaurateur must be part social psychologist and part salesman in addition to providing a great food service.

Perception is crucial. Consumers flock to institutions that are known to provide good quality and value. Most restaurant owners and managers understand this as the defining principle of the service industry.

Maintaining the integrity of quality products and delivering great customer service are what Gudejko identifies as top priorities. His eateries make a conscious effort to use suppliers that they can trust.

"We do not purchase Chinese products because we believe that there are too many food security risks involved," Gudejko said.

Recently, Gratzi, one of the Mainstreet Ventures restaurants on South Main Street, notified its staff about a salmonella outbreak for pistachios. The nuts, used most often for desserts, were disposed of at all MSV venues.

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