The restaurant industry is at a crossroads, facing extraordinary challenges to its business model. With all segments of the industry still reeling from an unprecedented economic decline not seen since the Great Depression, the industry is struggling not only from an economic attack affecting its customers directly, but from a barrage of other interest groups including governmental agencies and plaintiff lawyers. Whether the headline-grabbing “issue du jour” has been menu labeling, banning fois gras, letter-graded health inspections, or service charges and tips, all have had a deleterious effect on the bottom line and viability of operators across the industry, from the smallest coffee shop owner to the largest of the quick-service franchise operators.