Category: Food for Thought

A Look Back at 2024…

At JGL, we like to look back at the end of each year and take a moment to highlight everything that our small, but mighty team has accomplished. See below for some of this year’s company highlights: In 2024, JGL has… Completed more than 75 projects Conducted client site visits in 4 different states on […]

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JGL Takes Portland, Maine!

In early November, the JGL team got together for our 2024 Annual Retreat in Portland, Maine. The retreat is a special time for us to share industry observations, brainstorm on how to best serve our clients and bond over delicious food, cocktails and shopping! Tracy selects locations that provide a calm and reflective energy, and […]

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The Harrowing Tale of the Failed (Self-Managed) RFP Process

Once upon a time, there was a cultural institution in a major metropolitan city.  This institution had everything; robust daily attendance, a lovely café, beautiful event spaces, international recognition, phenomenal collections and a major expansion on the horizon that included a full-service restaurant! It seemed that nothing could go wrong. Until one day, it was […]

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Earned Income + Membership Benefits = The Perfect Fit!

Many of our cultural clients use their food services and retail stores to increase the value of their membership benefits. Standard discounts in the café, restaurant, or shop are terrific benefits, and many clients report high utilization. Here are six ways to supercharge those benefits. Of course, this takes excellent communication and coordination with your […]

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Meal Plans 101

Meal plans are synonymous with higher-ed dining; they are the fundamental building blocks of most dining programs and are extremely impactful to the student experience. While we all understand the purpose of a meal plan, many don’t understand the purpose of meal plan structures. Is a block plan better than a meals-per-week (MPW) plan? When […]

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The Power of the KPI!

KPI’s or Key Performance Indicators are incredibly powerful tools for measuring an operator’s success within a subsidized environment. KPI’s are most often included in management contracts that include a risk/reward component. We love KPI’s, but they are only effective if they are measurable! The first step in creating powerful KPI’s is defining what is most […]

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Ten Tips for Managing a Food Services RFP for Your College or University

The spring semester is over, and you can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Or can you? Your food service contract expires next June or July. You have time – right?  You do, but getting organized now will set the stage for a successful process. JGL manages 25 plus food service RFP’s annually across several […]

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The Art of Balance: Food Service Operations and Mission-Related Activities at Museums

Museums are not just repositories of art and artifacts; they are cultural hubs that serve as platforms for education, exploration, and community engagement. Balancing food service operations with the mission driven activities of a museum is a delicate art that requires careful planning and execution. In this blog, we’ll explore strategies for achieving this balance […]

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JGL Annual Retreat 2023

On November 6, 2023, the JGL Team met in Philadelphia for the 2nd Annual JGL Retreat! The formula for the few days together is simple; eat some delicious food, talk about industry trends, develop new ways to do more for our clients and most importantly, have fun! 2023 did not disappoint! Here’s a look at […]

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2023 in Review

At JGL, we like to look back at the end of each year and take a moment to highlight everything that our small, but mighty team has accomplished. See below for some of this year’s company highlights: In 2023, JGL has… Completed more than 50 projects Set two new company records: Highest number of RFP’s […]

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