2015 Midwest Foodservice Expo
College Management Competition
Procedures and Rules
March 9, 2015
Midwest Foodservice Expo
Wisconsin Center
400 W Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Eligibility
All college students currently enrolled in a program through their college’s hospitality
management program or equivalent are invited/eligible to participate.
Participating teams will consist of two (2) to four (4) team members.
General Disqualifications
1. Teams must arrive at the appointed time to compete or they will be disqualified. The
only exception made will be for travel delays beyond the control of the team. Delays
must be communicated to designated officials prior to arrival.
2. Teams must not receive coaching or any form of communication from anyone during
the competition time or they will be disqualified. There will be no verbal or non-verbal
communication allowed between any spectators, educators, mentors, coaches, or
other competing teams. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Schedules
The competition schedule will be distributed prior to arrival in Milwaukee, once all teams
have been identified. The schedule is subject to change.
Registration
$150 per team if registration is received by January 1, 2015
$200 per team if registration is received after January 1, 2015
Cash Prize & Medals to team members of the top three teams
$300 first place team, $200 second place team & $100 third place team
Trophies to top three winning schools
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2014 Management Competition
Purpose
Participating teams will demonstrate their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice
industry by developing a business proposal for a new restaurant concept. The business
proposal will consist of a defined restaurant concept, supporting menu, and supporting
marketing plan. Teams will prepare a comprehensive written proposal, verbal
presentation and visual display. Their performance during the event will be observed
and rated by judges from the foodservice industry. Participating teams will demonstrate
their ability to work together while developing their business proposal.
Uniform
Each team will be required to dress in formal professional office attire that is consistent
with their restaurant concept.
Written Proposal
1. Each proposal must include a one page letter of intent.
2. Teams must describe the new restaurant concept. The restaurant concept
description must include at least the below information:
a. Type of establishment
b. Meals served (breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.)
c. Hours of operation
d. Sample menu with pricing
e. Location of restaurant (standalone, strip mall, office high rise, etc.)
f. Description of interior and exterior
g. Target market
h. Organizational chart
i. A Friday’s staffing plan for the concept from open to close
j. Any other supporting information
3. Teams must include financial projections. This will entail:
a. Forecasted income statements
b. Balance sheets
c. Cash flow statements
d. Capital expenditure budgets
4. Teams must include an organizational chart listing what positions will be necessary
to staff the restaurant. Each position must include salary ranges.
5. Teams will develop marketing tactics to launch their restaurant concept. For each
marketing tactic, teams must submit a description of the tactic, the goal of the tactic,
and a detailed budget that shows all associated costs. Students are encouraged to
3
6.
7.
8.
9.
use creativity to develop their tactics. For the budget for each tactic, teams must
use local rates and list the rate source.
For the marketing tactics, teams must submit paper-based samples of the tactic.
Examples of acceptable samples could include:
a. Newspaper ad – mockup of ad
b. Radio commercial – script
c. TV commercial – storyboard
d. Public relations campaign – sample press release
e. Promotional giveaway items – photo or mockup of item
f. Email campaign – email text and mockup of accompanying artwork
g. Social Media/applications – sample Facebook or Twitter page, etc.
h. “Deal-of-the-Day” Third Party – explanation and mockup of deal
i. Any other marketing ideas not listed.
All 10 copies of the marketing tactic will be given to event organizers to give to
judges.
To allow the judges adequate time to review your proposal, an electronic draft of the
team’s
written
proposal
must
be
submitted
to
Bryan
Mowry,
bmowry@wirestaurant.org, by February 25, 2015. The draft will not be judged and
you may make changes to your proposal after that time.
One copy of the written proposal submitted will not be returned to the team at the
conclusion of the competition. The remaining written proposals will be available for
pick up after the team’s feedback session. Proposals which are not picked up will be
destroyed.
Verbal Presentation/Questions
1. Using the materials developed for the written proposal, teams will prepare a
maximum 15-minute verbal presentation that will be presented on-site to judges (no
penalty for going under the time allotted).
2. Teams must develop a visual presentation to accompany the verbal component.
The visual presentation may include any embedded video or special effects (sound,
flash, etc.) and use of enhanced technology. Use of video and audio cannot make
up most of the presentation. Please check with event organizers about technology
needs. You may need to supply your own computer to hook up with the lcd projector.
3. The teams should approach the verbal presentation as though they are developers
of the restaurant concept and the judges are potential investors. Teams should
assume the “investors” have not reviewed the written proposal and pull out the
relevant information to be presented in person.
4. Judges will have 15 minutes to ask questions. This can range from specific
questions about the concept to critical thinking questions.
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Visual Display
1. Using the materials developed for the written proposal, teams will build a display to
visually reflect their restaurant concept.
2. Electronic items such as tablets, netbooks, cell phones, smart phones, mp3 players,
stringed lights, and digital picture frames are allowed. They must be battery
powered. Event organizers are not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
3. Visual displays will be available for pick up at the end of the day. Visual displays
which are not picked up will be destroyed.
Team Check-in
1. Teams will be assigned a designated time slot for check-in on Monday, March 9
from 8:00 am to 10:00 am at the Wisconsin Center.
2. At check-in, teams will submit 10 copies of their written proposal
3. Should travel delays arise, and as a result a team is unable to check-in their
materials during the times allotted, the team must contact the WRA EF as soon as
possible by calling Bryan Mowry at 608-206-1662.
Day of Competition
1. Ten minutes prior to their presentation start time, teams will check in at
competition area.
2. There will be 1-point-per-minute penalty if teams exceed the maximum 15-minute
presentation length. If the presentation runs more than 4 minutes over the
maximum time, the team will be disqualified (See Penalties/Disqualifications).
3. After the presentation, judges will have an additional 15 minutes to ask the team
questions about their presentation and overall restaurant concept. Team
members are allowed to consult amongst themselves before answering
each question.
4. The materials must be picked up by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the competition, or
they will be disposed of by Event Organizers.
Penalties/Disqualifications
1. Verbal presentation exceeds maximum allowed time – 1 point per minute
2. Verbal presentation running more than 4 minutes over the maximum allowed time
will be disqualified
Event Personnel
1. Event Organizers (WRA EF staff members)
5
Bryan Mowry
Executive Director
Wisconsin Restaurant Association
2801 Fish Hatchery Rd
Madison, WI 53713
Phone: 608.270.9950
Cell: 608-206-1662
2. Judges from the foodservice industry
Attendees
Mentors, instructors, parents/relatives, employers, etc., are encouraged to attend the
competition and must register for the Midwest Foodservice Expo.
Exhibit A
Sample Management Competition Judging Sheets
Criteria
Letter of Intent & Conclusion
Restaurant Concept
Description of concept
 Type of establishment
 Meals served
 Hours of operation
 Type of cuisine served
 Location of restaurant
 Target market
Interior and décor (does it match concept)
Restaurant diagram/layout
 Flow of space
 Necessary features (bus stations,
host stand, etc.)
Organizational chart
 Does the staffing fit the concept
 All positions accounted for (FOH,
BOH, janitorial, etc.)
 Proper organization chart
 Wages
Budget
Forecasted income statements
Balance sheets
Cash flow statements
Capital expenditure budgets
Menu
Matches restaurant concept & appropriate
menu mix
Max Points
5
Score
10
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
6
Sample of how presented
 Easy to read
 Does type of menu fit concept
Food Costing, menu pricing (sources listed)
Marketing Plan
Matches restaurant concept
Tactic goals
 Will it reach target market
 Tactic budgets
 Samples
Creativity
Verbal Presentation
Organization of presentation
Presentation skills
 Ability to sell concept
 Easy to hear/understand
 Professionalism
Visual Presentation
 Supports/illustrates/complements
verbal presentation
 Neat and readable
 Creative
 Relevancy of material presented
 Reflect the written materials
 Material presented was appropriate
for verbal presentation
Visual Display
Overall appearance of display
Matches restaurant concept
Creativity
Question
Teamwork
Presentation skills
 Ability to sell solution
 Easy to hear/understand
 Professionalism
 Knowledge of industry
Total
3
5
5
7
3
5
15
20
4
4
3
5
40
159
Penalties/Disqualifications
• One point per minute over presentation
• Disqualified if over 4 minutes
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