[2008admin]

Has anyone created a listing of restaurants that have been approved for corporate entertaining? Recent visitors were taken to dinner at a local restaurant that was great for the locals but not a great place to impress some very important visitors. My CEO asked me to create a new list of restaurants as a guideline for future events.
Has anyone done this before? If so, is it better to group by price, style or does anyone have other suggestions?

[Jackeline]

I've never had to make a list before for we usually go to or order from the same restaurant. Keeping to one restaurant, especially if you take a new group/vistor, you can impress them with your knowlege of the menu and service.

However, I think the best route would be catergorizing restaurants by style:

FORMAL
Restaurants where you have to wear a suit and tie. Not sure what type of restaurants you have in your city.

SEM-FORMAL/SEMI-CASUAL
Restaurants where it's a mixture of casual and "formal" like PF Changs Macaroni Grill (not sure if your familiar with these)


CASUAL
These types of restaurants should well familiar with all types of people; therefore, all types of people will be there too. Anything less then this style of restaurant would be too formal.
Chili's
Applebee's

[2008admin]

Thanks Jackeline! I am in a suburb of Dallas with alot of choices. Our corporate 'favorite' restaurant has changed owners and is not the same atmosphere now. We have all of the typical national chains. I really appreciate the input. Thank you.

[JudyM]

Because I've been working temp last couple of years, I keep an excel spreadsheet that goes with me wherever I go. My orginal is on my home computer and when I have a job, I'll email it to me so I have it handy. Or I guess I could put it on Google Docs.
I not only keep restaurant information on it but all kinds of stuff that I had to use at work to setup somthing. I put on it airlines, airports, parks, hotels, convention centers, restaurants, party rentals, transportaion, etc (address, phone #, contacts, comments, and other info needed)
In the restaurants I also make a column if it has private dining, etc) My list is very long so I put a filter on it. So when someone comes and says for example, I need to find a restaurant in San Franciso that holds 20 people in a private dining area). I pull up my list, filter on restaurants and private dining. It's worked for me, and I always update when if someone recommends a new spot or add comments if got a lot of complaints at that restaurant or catering so I know not to use that one again.

[Robin Holtson]

OpenTable.com is a great website loaded with information about restaurants and you can make the reservation online. Also, the Zagat restaurant guide is packed with details.

[2008admin]

Thanks for the info! I'll check it out.

[2008admin]

Great idea! I love my spreadsheets - now another reason to create another a bigger and better one.