Saturday, October 18, 2014

Slow Saturday Special: Picking Up Some Popeyes For Lunch

I will be back after I eat:

"Popeyes eyes 30 new stores in Boston area" by Taryn Luna | Globe Correspondent   October 17, 2014

Bostonians will soon have a lot more places to buy southern fried chicken — or at least the fast-food version.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is looking for franchisees to open 15 to 20 new stores in the Boston area in five years and 30 total over the next decade. 

Louisiana fast is how long it takes for the runs to hit.

The Atlanta company currently serves its spicy chicken, jambalaya, red beans and rice at eight fast-food restaurants in the state.

“Boston is a prime market for further expansion of the Popeyes footprint,” said Greg Vojnovic, Popeyes chief development officer, in a statement.

The company said it is “poised to rapidly expand domestically” with sales at a 10-year high.

Founded in 1972, Popeyes claims to be the world’s second largest quick-service chicken concept by locations with 2,262 restaurants worldwide.

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Just avoid the shrimp.

Look what came with the bill:

"Diners asked to donate to homeless" by Katie Johnston | Globe Staff   October 18, 2014

Diners in Boston will soon have more to ponder than how much to tip their servers when the bill arrives at the table this holiday season. Starting next month, patrons at more than 20 area restaurants will also be given the option to donate a dollar or two to help the homeless.

Not that I am against the homeless, but I resent the extortion.

Related: The $olution to Bo$ton's Hou$ing Problem 

The Long Island coverage sure was short.

Similar to charity efforts that allow shoppers to make donations at checkout, the new restaurant initiative is designed to give people an effortless way to give to those in need.

Ask the 1%, dammit.

“If you make the act of giving or volunteering easy, people will do it,” said Kevin McCall, vice chairman of the board at Hearth, the Boston nonprofit devoted to reducing homelessness among the elderly that spearheaded the restaurant campaign. “You’d be amazed how much people want to be involved in the community, so you have to get rid of some of those barriers.”

Is it really that hard to help?

Related: "nonprofits provide new ways for corporations and individuals to influence" 

As if they didn't have enough.

McCall modeled the program, called Hearth Shares, on London’s StreetSmart, a group that has raised more than $11 million for the homeless since 1998.

How many houses would that buy?

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The plan is to run the campaign every holiday season, said McCall, who is also president of Paradigm, the commercial real estate investment and operating firm.

Unlike StreetSmart, which automatically adds a one-pound donation unless diners opt out, Hearth Shares will ask diners to designate the amount they want to contribute, post-tax, and have it added to their bills. The hope, McCall said, is that the act of thinking about donating will encourage patrons to give more.

Looks like picking your pocket to me. Must be the banking bu$ine$$ model being applied.

Chris Douglass, the chef-owner of Ashmont Grill and Tavolo in Dorchester, is among the chefs participating in Hearth Shares. Restaurateurs are constantly hit up to donate food and gift certificates, as well their time and talent to cook for charity events, he said, but this effort will be easier, requiring little more than training staff on how to present the program and process the contributions.

“This is a great opportunity for the guest to participate and not have it all be on the restaurant,” Douglass said.

The Citizens Bank Foundation is underwriting the program. All donations collected from diners will go to Hearth Inc. and Friends of Boston Homeless.

Why am I not surprised? It's an agenda-pushing banker's mouthpiece, after all.

In the coming years, as organizers ask more restaurants to participate, donations could be spread out to other nonprofits helping the homeless.

“If you can do something that aggregates small acts of kindness,” McCall said, “you can actually do something significant.”

Very $mall.

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My advice to you? 

Buy your food at Walmart and make your meal at home.