HTM 340 Introduction to Restaurant Management
Spring 2014
Professor:
Mark R. Testa, Ph. D.
mtesta@mail.sdsu.edu
Wed 4:00-5:50, Lab Mon 4:00-6:40
PSFA 300
Office Hours:
PSFA 443
Tuesday-10:00- 11:00 & Thursday- 10:00- 11:00 or by appointment
Course Description
This course is designed to equip the student with a solid understanding of the principles
and practices that govern successful operations in the restaurant industry. Students will
be exposed to each of the major functional areas within the business along with handson experience in crafting a brand position, designing a menu, and developing a new
restaurant concept from scratch – and then presenting a business plan for that concept
in their final case project.
This course is a hybrid course utilizing both online and live classroom learning.In
addition, lab time is made avialable for course projects and experiences.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:





1. Understand the relationship between customer preferences, concept
development, and profitability in the restaurant industry.
2. Apply theories and principles related to successful management of food and
beverage operations in restaurants.
3. Analyze and adapt restaurant systems to deliver effective and profit-making
services.
4. Examine and understand “real world” problems and solutions for current
operational challenges in the restaurant industry.
5. Understand how to control food, beverage, and labor costs in food and beverage
operations.
Competencies
HTM 340 provides students opportunities to develop the following competencies of the
HTM Kaleidoscope Competency Model:
Business Savvy
Planning
Numberwise
People Savvy
Interpersonal Communication
Networked
Self Savvy
Professionalism
Time Management
Resources
There will be no specific textbook required for this course. During the semester, articles
and/or papers bearing on industry issues related to the course content may be
distributed to students for reading, analysis and potential oral reports. The following list
are some sources you will use over the semester:
Nation’s Restaurnat News
Stuff4restaurnats Blog
FohBoh Restaurant Network
NY Times Wed Food Section
Restaurant Startup & Growth
NY Restaurant Insider
Restaurant.com
QSR
Restaurant Hospitality
FoodService Director
Hospitality Design
Joe Dunbar Food Cost Blog
Industry
http://www.nrn.com
http://stuff4restaurants.com/blog2/?cat=24
http://fohboh.com/main/
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/dining/index.html
http://www.rsgmag.com/
http://www.nyrestaurantinsider.com/
http://press.restaurant.com/
http://www.qsrmagazine.com/
http://restaurant-hospitality.com/ (Please suscribe)
http://www.foodservicedirector.com/
http://www.hospitalitydesign.com
http://www.foodcostwiz.com/
Food Arts Magazine
Fine Cooking
Fresh Cup Magazine
Saveur Magazine
Gourmet Magazine
Specialty Food
Food & Wine Magazine
Modern Baking
Culinary Trends Magazine
Food/Culinary
http://www.foodarts.com/
http://www.finecooking.com/
http://www.freshcup.com/
http://www.saveur.com/
http://www.gourmet.com/
http://www.specialtyfood.com/
http://www.foodandwine.com/
http://modern-baking.com/
http://www.culinarytrends.net/
**Subscibe to R&H Newsletters Eat Beat & What’s Hot. If you are interested in the
others, select those as well: https://pentonsub.halldata.com/site/PEN003917RDnl/init.do
Blackboard
Computer-based learning, using Blackboard, will be a part of the class. All students
should get a Blackboard account and visit the HTM 340 course site every Monday and
Wednesday before class. Visit http://courses.sdsu.edu. Students will obtain weekly
announcements, download materials, and turn in online assignments here.
Structure and Assessment
In addition to reading the required materials, students are required to actively participate
in a variety of activities designed to practice their self savvy competencies. In addition,
students must satisfactorily complete their portfolio as a condition of graduation.
Contribution
20%
Brag Book
30%
GM Interview
15%
HTM 340
Final
Pitch
15%
Exams
20%
Brag Book
30% of the final class grade will be based upon the development of collection of articles,
web sites, blogs, videos, etc. that provide the pathway for the creating and managing
the student’s dream restaurant. Our focus will be to compile information from the web,
local restaurants, personal expereince, etc. and create a resouce for planning your own
restaurant operation.
Exams
20% of the student’s grade for the class will be based upon his/her performance on the
exams which are cumulative.
GM Interview
Each student will be responsbile for conducting and indepth interview with a local
restaurant GM. You will be asked to use your network to identify a potential candidate.
To go above and beyond, students can interview an assitant manager and comapre the
findings of the interviews.
Final Pitch
15% of the student’s grade will come from a final presenation given which summarizes
the brag book and related materials.
Contriubtion
20% of the final grade will be based on other in-class discussions and activities.
Appropriate participation includes preparation, engagement in class discussions,
sharing personal experiences and treating guest lecturers with attention and respect.
Punctuality and attendance will also count as well. One way to ensure contribution is
to read the short articles posted on BB each week.
Grading
Evaluation
Brag Book
Exams
GM Interview
Final Pitch
Lectures and Class Discussions
94 and above
90-93
87-89
84-86
80-83
A
AB+
B
B-
Weight
30%
20%
15%
15%
20%
77-79
74-76
70-73
60-69
Below 60
C+
C
CD
F
Academic Integrity
The faculty and staff demand the highest levels of academic and professional integrity
in all work at San Diego State University and especially in the HTM program. Positive
leadership cannot exist without integrity and your actions determine your level of
integrity. Plagiarism, cheating on exams or any other type of academic dishonesty, will
be referred directly to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for disciplinary
action.
.
Optional Industry Experiences
You will have opportunities throughout the semester to get involved in the industry. San
Diego professionals in the HTM industry are solidly behind the HTM degree program
and will offer job shadows, training sessions, meetings, and other mentor opportunities
throughout the semester. Students are encouraged to make contacts early, learn about
the tremendous array of opportunities in the field, and engage themselves in practical
experiences to complement the classroom experiences.
As part of this opportunity, we will have guest lecturers from the Hospitality Industry – or
other fields of endeavor – built into the semester’s program. You are encouraged to
prepare ahead of time for any such occasions and be ready to take advantage of the
opportunity to ask questions and to interact with these guests.
Meeting Standards

To receive full credit for assignments, they must be submitted on time in a complete
and error-free fashion (e.g. typos). All assignments are due at the beginning of
class on the due date specified in the attached course outline.

I will be available to discuss papers and presentations with you before they are due.
I can be used as a “sounding board” for your ideas and outlines and, as time allows,
I will be happy to read rough drafts and make suggestions.

All papers and presentations will be graded based on content (how deeply you have
thought about the topic, integration of your experiences with course concepts,
communication of insights, accuracy of concept application, etc.) and presentation
(organization, grammar, spelling, style, etc.). Remember, you will be evaluated on
both what you say and how you say it

Please inform me if any special circumstances arise for you during the semester.
That is, if you are having difficulty in class due to extenuating outside circumstances,
please talk to me as soon as possible so we can minimize the effects of these
circumstances.
Remember, HTM is all about exceeding expectations!
Week
Day
Date
Topic
1
W
1/22
Introduction & Course Overview
Webquest overview
1
M
1/27
LAB: Restaurant Challenges
Exercise
1
W
1/29
Complete Restaurant Challenges
Exercise
Read Syllabus Thoroughly
Explore resource publications
Secure GM/M interviews
Video Assignment and Summary
Read: How Not to Fail at Running a
Restaurant
Video Assignment and Summary
Read: Trend articles
2
M
2/3
LAB: Complete GM/M interview
Read: Why Restaurants Fail CHQ
Post challenges summary to
discussion board by 4:00.
Read and comment on at least 2
other posts.
Challenges Debrief
Industry Overview Concept, Menu,
Market Location
Reading & Assignments Due
2
W
2/5
Turn in GM interview
3
M
2/10
LAB
1. Webquest- Hot Concept Trends
3
W
2/12
Concept Development
Concepts Webquest Sharing &
Grading
Look at: http://nrn.com/breakout-brands-2013
4
M
2/17
LAB
2. Webquest- Hot Menu Trends
4
W
2/19
Menu Development
5
M
2/24
LAB
5
W
2/26
P&L Overview
Menu Trends Webquest Sharing &
Grading
Share Your Concepts
3. Webquest- Managing a
Restaurant P&L
P&L Webquest Sharing & Grading
6
M
3/3
LAB
6
W
3/5
Restaurant Operations Overview
Application Module Overview
7
M
3/10
LAB
7
W
3/12
Food Ops: Purchasing
Purchasing Forum
8
M
3/17
LAB
8
W
3/19
Food Ops: Receiving & Storage
Receiving & Storage Forum
4. Webquest – Flow of Product/
Operations
Operations Webquest Sharing &
Grading
5. Webquest- Food Purchasing
Purchasing Site Visit/Application
Module
Purchasing Webquest Sharing &
Grading
6. Webquest- Receiving &
Storage Control
Receiving & Storage Site
Visit/Application Module
Receiving Webquest Sharing &
Grading
9
M
3/24
LAB
9
W
3/26
Food Ops: Issuing, Prep &
Production Forum
7. Webquest- Food Issuing, Prep
& Production
Issuing, Prep & Production Site
Visit/Application Module
I P & P Webquest Sharing &
Grading
Midterm Exam
SPRING BREAK
10
M
4/7
LAB
8. Webquest Beverage
Operations
Beverage Operations Site Visit
Beverage Webquest Sharing &
Grading
10
W
4/9
Beverage Operations Overview &
Forum
11
M
4/14
LAB
11
W
4/16
Dining Room Management Overview
(Speaker)
12
M
4/21
LAB
10. Webquest- Restaurant
Technology (Identify Companies)
12
W
4/23
Restaurant Technology Presentation
(Speaker)
Technology Webquest Sharing &
Grading
13
M
4/28
LAB
13
W
4/30
Modern Day Restaurant Marketing
(Speaker)
11. Webquest- Restaurant
Marketing & Social Media
Project Synthesis
Technology Webquest Sharing &
Grading
14
M
5/5
LAB
Project Synthesis
14
W
5/7
Project Presentations
Final exam
9. Dining Room Management
Webquest
Webquest Sharing & Grading