August 29, 2005

Hurricane Katrina and the Foodservice Industry

Like most people throughout the world, we at FE&S continue to monitor the situation unfolding in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi with a great sense of concern for our colleagues and everyone else in the region.

In an attempt to share information we gather with the industry, the following section features updates about the affect Hurricane Katrina is having on the foodservice community and links to other sites. We will post additional information about individual members of the foodservice community and relief efforts as they become available.

If you have any press releases or other information that you feel is applicable to this area, please contact FE&S Editor Joe Carbonara at 5 or by sending an e-mail to .

Organizations Offer Suggestions on Contributing to Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief
The NRA and Red Cross have teamed up to provide members of the foodservice industry with a series of options on supporting relief efforts associated with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

From donating to the Disaster Relief Fund to implementing customer and employee-driven programs, the two organizations released a number of suggestions that should apply to some businesses in one way or another.

For more information, contact the National Restaurant Association's Community Relations Department at 0 or the Red Cross at 9.

Excell Collecting Donations
Excell Marketing & Procurement Group announced that it is collecting contributions from its dealers and vendors to help employees and owners of Excell dealers affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The group has three members in the New Orleans area: Caire Hotel & Restaurant Supply, Continental Equipment Co. and Conco Foodservice’s New Orleans branch.

Ruth’s Chris Operational Update
Ruth's Chris Steak House announced that the company's Metairie, La. home office support center has been damaged and is without power or communication capability. Effective immediately, the chain will temporarily relocate certain support personnel to a new regional office in Orlando with the intent of resuming essential support services as quickly as possible.

The chain also announced that its two New Orleans-area restaurants are closed and have suffered wind and flood damage but could not estimate a timeframe for resuming operations.

The Company's newest restaurant, located at the Biloxi, Mississippi Hard Rock Hotel & Casino also suffered significant damage, and its previously announced September 1, 2005 opening date will be delayed until 2006. The Company also announced that its Roseville, California restaurant will open as scheduled next week and that other 2005 scheduled openings are expected to proceed as planned.

“As the Gulf Coast region, New Orleans and its residents begin the recovery process, the company is taking steps to resume normalized support services to its restaurants and franchise partners," said Craig Miller, president and CEO of Ruth's Chris Steak House. "Furthermore, because of communications interruptions we have been unable to reach many of our New Orleans-area employees. We pray for them and the safety of their families. We also ask our business partners for patience and understanding as we move quickly to resume normalized support services.

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