Associations/Groups/Magazines

Welcome to Associations/Groups/Magazines for the Restaurant Owner or Manager

Some of the restaurant associations we like and have joined may also help you in your own business as the owner or manager. Check them out and decide if they would be good additions to your networking and marketing plan. We also include magazines we love that will help you while we're not here! Use your own time wisely, continue to read and learn and you'll have a successful restaurant.

In no particular order here's our list of best restaurant associations to join and best restaurant magazine subscriptions for success and we'll try to keep it updated with more information as we sort through all our current or past subscriptions. Please let us know in the comments area where you are located, any general vacinity is fine and we'll try to search information for you. Here's our list:

Associations to Join:

1) In the USA, each state should have it's own Restaurant Association. We belong to ours and by doing so, the benefits include Serv Safe Food Safety Certification discounted materials and certifications, discounted health benefits to you and your employees, free webinars to help you in operating your business, manufacturer's rebate program so that you can earn money back on your purchases. You'll also receive free quarterly publications of newsworthy items about the restaurant industry, trade shows and charity events in your area, chapter events and they also offer a legal assistance hotline.
     Fees for your restaurant association in your state are usually based on your yearly sales and should only cost you around $200-$300 per year.

2) National Restaurant Association - Join the NRA for many of the same benefits as your local or state organizations and this group also lobbies the government on your behalf.

3) State Tavern Association - this group is one to join if you own a bar and you will be up to date on all the new regulations so you stay in code, avoid trouble with your state laws and you'll run a profitable restaurant.

4) AAA - Automobile Association of America - The AAA Tourbook doesn't just add your business to it's list of restaurants, you need to join. You must apply first by contacting AAA and they'll send you an application for your details of what kind of restaurant you are ie.Italian, Mexican, Sandwich shop, Spanish, Fine Dining, etc, type of menu, parking arrangements, cost and they provide a rating for you. Oh, and I'm pretty sure they send someone to dine in your place for a review.
     We were the first AAA 3Diamond restaurant in our area (to be a 4 rated we would have needed tablecloths which we choose not to use - the tables we have are art!) and they sent us a plaque to hang outside our building and a certificate for the wall.  The yearly cost to join AAA is $250. Travelers use the AAA Tour guide so this is a good listing to be included in. If you're not in America, join the travel association for your area.

5) American Culinary Federation - helps more for your cooks and chefs to help them maintain food costs, improve buying power, gives menu ideas, lots of articles and information for restaurants.

6) Join your local Chamber of Commerce - to get to know the leaders in your community and help your networking circle of other business owners. 

Best Magazine Subscriptions for your Restaurant:

We love these magazines for so many great articles, interviews with other successful restauranteurs, menu ideas, recipes for cocktails and new liquor on the market plus ideas on how to sell or upsell them, new mixers, setting up networking meetings and so much more. Get inspired every month!

     

** Success Magazine - one of my all time favorite magazine subscriptions for ideas and encouragement to maintain and grow in the restaurant business.

1) Bartender Magazine

2) Bar and Beverage Business - 

3) Independent Restauranteur -

4) Food Network Magazine - 

5) Restaurant Business -

6) Restaurant Hospitality -

7) Restaurant Startup and Growth -

8) Entrepreneur Magazine - 

9) Corporate Meetings and Incentives -

10) Food and Wine Magazine - 

Hope this helps you find the Associations/Groups/Magazines for your restaurant to continue learning and becoming a profitable business. Do you use any of these already? Let us know what you think below!

Cheers!