Between 1997 and 2007, the number of children in the U.S. with food allergies rose an astonishing 18%. The number seeking hospital treatment for food allergies has tripled since 1993. Clearly, something is going on here.

There are several theories about the rise in allergic conditions. The Hygiene Hypothesis is currently one of the most popular. It is based on the premise that children today have a tendency to develop many more allergies because they are being raised in much more sterile environments, compared to conditions several years ago. Further, the Hypothesis claims that children raised in cleaner environments don’t develop the same immune system strength, which puts them more at risk when it comes to foods, dust and mold. Though there are several studies that support this supposition, there is still not enough evidence to confirm the findings.

I find it surprising that today, the only real treatment for food allergies is to avoid them. This can be rather difficult when it comes to ingredients that are commonly found in a variety of foods, like wheat or corn. Parents have got to have the tools needed to make it easier to read labels and must feel comfortable quizzing knowledgeable restaurant personnel before ordering for their kids. As labeling continues to increase, this becomes much easier for the parents.

Until we know without a doubt what accounts for the increase in incidences, parents must handle this issue at they see fit and the food industry must continue to develop in their ability to deliver awareness to the consumer. 

In a number of blogs on the QSR site, we as contributors have discussed the QSR world today. We've often touched on the topics of improving the industry, evolving with our ever changing world, and having the foresight needed to stay at the top of the cut-throat food industry.

Glen Bell definitely had the ability to think outside the bun. Starting out selling hot dogs and hamburgers, it wasn't long before Bell had the vision of diversifying product options and the idea of selling tacos in a quick-service establishment. After experimenting with ways to quickly fry taco shells he was able to start selling his first $.19 tacos from a side window at his hot dog joint. Soon taco sales took off and in 1956 at the age of 28, Bell and his partners owned 3 Taco Tia locations.

By 1962 Bell sold his Taco Tia locations and had branched out his own, opening his first Taco Bell. And the rest, as they say, is history. Though Bell sold his 868 locations to PepsiCo in 1975, he remained a major shareholder and was responsible for some of Taco Bell's major decision making. It was Glen Bell, after all, who started the value initiative that so many of us rely on at qsrs today. He also instituted "free refills" for customers who eat in. He was a pioneer in the food industry, and was responsible for bringing Mexican fare to mainstream America. He was a major player in paving the way for food industry owners today.

In 1993 we spoke with Taco Bell founder Glen Bell about how he got his start in the quick-service industry and how he grew his namesake chain of Mexican restaurants. Mr. Bell was very gracious with his time, and with the news of his death earlier this week, we felt it appropriate to remember him by reproducing in this space the article we wrote nearly 20 years ago.

Unless you have influence with the cook in your house or unless you do the cooking yourself, food customized to your particular dietary needs combined with your taste preferences is probably a bit of a stretch. However, with supermarkets and restaurants adapting to our dietary needs, this is becoming easier than ever.

For example, McDonald's addition of special coffees to their offerings is intended to capture a group of customers who want some customization in their menus. Another example, the Coca-Cola Freestyle soda dispenser. Additionally, whole lines of sugar-free, low-carb, low-sodium, and low-fat versions of many foods have become much more prevalent. The produce section of the supermarket has evolved immensely. Consumers can purchase customized salads and vegetables. Gone are the days of having to buy a head of lettuce, whole carrots, croutons, and cheese, chop them at home and create your own salad. Now, we can buy salads that are already packaged, customized specifically to our tastes, and extremely easy to prepare.

At an FIA food industry symposium: Connecting the Resources: Authenticity, Mass Customization, and Revenue, attendees examined mass customization and its impact on the food industry. By customizing foods to meet certain needs and wants, the food industry has the capability to create a unique consumer experience while adding value to their brand.

The small but growing pizza chain, Naked Pizza, is fighting back against New York City's recent salt crack down by taking to its blog. The company, which has investors like Mark Cuban looking to expand the brand, doesn't hold back and presents a pretty eloquent argument.

Read the post in its entirety here.

Here's a piece of the post:

"Until we come to the grips with the terrible connection between processed carbohydrates and elevated levels of insulin that are 'almost always' associated with Syndrome X disease - and this includes hypertension - we will only continue to suffer - both our health and the taste of our food."

Over the past several weeks, I've noticed that service personnel in stores and restaurants (QSRs and FSRs alike) seem to be nicer and more helpful than usual. Enough so that I'm beginning to wonder if there hasn't been a shift in the attitudes of those working in customer service roles.

This change in behavior has really got me thinking. Is this shift a sign of the times? Are people so happy to have a job, that they'll do whatever it takes to stay employed, including stepping outside their comfort zone to be helpful?

And conversely, prior to the recession was there less concern over whether a customer was happy and spending money because sale or no sale, employees knew at the end of the day they were collecting a paycheck regardless? Maybe customer service personnel had become entirely too complacent perceiving there was no real threat of job loss.

 
Given the initial upswing in our economy, and if my "theory" proves to be true, are we being set up for another customer service let down? I think I'll be bracing for the worst (i.e. back to the customer service status quo of mediocrity) and hoping for the best (recession induced customer service excellence persists). 

Has anyone else noticed this shift particularly in the food industry? What can we as managers do to keep this positive customer service momentum going? The graphic above lists a few classic suggestions to get you thinking... 

Let's face it. Cooking is not what it used to be. It hasn't been too many years since this was totally a woman's province. A red-blooded man would not confess that he cooked even if he did-and few of them did. But like so many things in our world, there has been a complete turnaround in the gender approach to cooking. Many men take great pride in their culinary expertise and show it off at the drop of a hat. It's not uncommon for a couple-man and wife or significant other-to share food preparation duties.

Oh, sure! We've always known about the famous male chefs in some of the best-known upscale restaurants in the country. Even so, it didn't begin to catch on with "regular" men for many years. For one thing, most girls absorbed cooking skills from their mothers, helping in the kitchen when they were growing up. In fact, one of the reasons many men have become so accomplished and creative as cooks is because they weren't forced to do it, like their mothers and sisters were.

When children see their fathers cooking, they are naturally curious and want to follow suit. Also, mothers can encourage them to cook while they are growing up, both the boys and the girls. Children have always played cooking, and there are many reasons for teaching your children to cook:

• It helps them learn about nutrition and eating the right foods
• It will boost their self esteem. Turning out something that tastes good and everyone enjoys is an ego booster!
• It will bring families together. You may need to be a little more patient and take a little longer getting a meal on the table, but it's worth it.
• They will be more likely to eat it if they make it.
• Just think about all the lessons in science, math, language and other things they learn in the kitchen working with food.
• They learn many life skills.
• They make a contribution to the family.
• They work as part of a team.

If a couple can enjoy cooking together, they probably have a pretty solid marriage.  Some couple even remodel their kitchens to that each cook has a side of his or her own. Entertaining guests when both have been involved in the preparation and the hosting adds a dimension to the couple's lives. Try it! You might like it!

Today's release of security footage from an Kansas City, Missouri, McDonald's restaurant reminds us all how crucial good staff training and security are to any quick-serve establishment.

After being unhappy with her hamburger order, the unidentified woman in the video above was offered a new order but demanded a refund instead. From that point, the footage speaks for itself. The customer became irate, destroying POS stations and throwing water dispensers and wet floor signs across the counter at crewmembers. Unfortunately, she fled the scene before authorities arrived.

The Dec. 27 freak out racked up $1,500 in damages, reports say. But luckily no one was hurt. The crew did its job, the security cameras were rolling and others will learn how vital a prepared crew and a working security system really are.

This incident follows the arrest of an Ohio woman after she punched the drive-thru window at another McDonald's when she was told the restaurant was out of chicken nuggets.

Yes, these incidents are bizarre, but what are you doing to prepare your crew just in case?

When I read Blair's blog about Subway's Jared and her comparison to Christine from Taco BelI, I couldn't help but think about all of the different ways our society is working to try to help us make the right choices when it comes to selecting healthy foods. We've even got color coding in our grocery stores.

The University of Michigan recently released the results from a study that indicated that color-coded labels on supermarket shelves helps shoppers take home healthier foods. This study came out of the University's Heart Care program and fitness division. The American Dietetic Association even published the results.

In the study, supermarkets used green to indicate "best choice" and yellow to indicate "acceptable choice". The labeling was based on total fat, saturated fat, fiber, cholesterol, and sodium content. 56% of those who knew about the program reported using it to guide their choices. Many who used the program said that the color coding system was much clearer than labels on packages and that they were more likely to pay attention to a color system than to read the specifics on each label. Though food labeling seems pretty complicated at the moment, with the food industry's support, the development of a scheme that is universal and helpful is just around the corner.

Perhaps the colors used for traffic signals could be a starting point, since they are widely understood and will be a natural when it comes to interpretation by the public. Whatever they choose, it's great to see QSRs and grocery stores alike implementing strategies that make it easier to make the right choices.