Disappearance Turns Grand Gourmet Tour Into Manhunt

Joe Bastianich book 'Restaurant Man' comes out this week

(NEWSER) - Welcome to the world of New York restaurants, where Wise Guys drop "hundies," Bill Clinton always gets a table, and the maitre d' is usually on the take. Long-time restaurateur Joe Bastianich—co-owner of dining hotspots like Babbo, Lupa, and Eataly—dishes on the biz in a potty-mouthed tell-all coming out this week, the New York Post reports. Among the hard-to-digest details from Restaurant Man: More»

But those salads still aren't good for you, says blogger

(NEWSER) - Burger King overhauled its menu this week and is selling smoothies, wraps, and new salads as part of a push to woo women and families. The makeover comes after Burger King dropped to third place in the fast-food rivalry last year, trailing McDonald's and—for the first time ever—Wendy's, reports the Wall Street Journal . "I think all of the players are looking at ways they can compete more effectively with McDonald's," says an analyst. More»

Restaurants increasingly training waiters to 'read' tables

(NEWSER) - Gone are the days of, "Hi, my name is Tom and I'll be your server tonight." Restaurants are increasingly moving toward a less scripted approach, teaching waiters how to "read" tables and subtly mold their service to fit each individual group. The Wall Street Journal offers a rundown of the new trend, and offers some hints as to what message you could be sending your waiter:

• If you're chatting with your friends: The waiter may worry about interrupting you, and could try refilling your water glasses or placing his hand on the table to get your attention without seeming pushy. He may also assume you're there for a good time, and thus push more offers of drinks or dessert.
• If you're dressed nicely and eating early: The waiter may assume you're headed to a show, and speed up his service or bring the check with the meal as a result.

Grant Central Pizza in Georgia asks parents to take tots outside

(NEWSER) - Do you like listening to screaming children while you eat? No? Well, Grant Central Pizza feels your pain. The Atlanta-area restaurant has added a new message to its menu: "We respectfully ask that parents tend to their crying tots outside." Grant Central's co-owner Donnie Parmer tells Fox 5 that the restaurant is still family-friendly, but that Yelp reviewers have complained about crying and unsupervised kids. More»

Police believe results will narrow search for Sarah Yarborough's killer

(NEWSER) - In December, stumped Washington state authorities sent a DNA sample from an unsolved 1991 murder to a forensic consultant in California—and though she didn't return with a match to the murderer himself, she did figure out who his 17th-century ancestors were. The DNA profile closely matched the family of Robert Fuller, whose relatives came to America on the Mayflower; the consultant found the connection by looking at genetic profiles donated by people tracing their genealogy. Of course, Fuller—who lived in Salem, Mass., beginning in 1630—probably has thousands of descendants, but detectives are optimistic that the results will help narrow their search. More»