In today's ultra-competitive restaurant biz, taking a hairbrained, potentially genius idea from concept to reality is extremely risky -- especially when that concept involves attempting to merge two completely separate culinary traditions into a single harmonious menu. And, as diners can attest, sometimes fusion joints end up terrible, but sometimes, just sometimes, they're flat-out amazing.

Don't get it twisted -- I'm not talking Cronuts, here (though they are delicious). A top-notch culinary mash-up consists of thoughtfully composed hybrid dishes that respectfully and creatively draw on modern cooking's global melting pot. And the 10 restaurants on this list represent the next generation of fusion pioneers-turned-household names in the style of Spago's Wolfgang Puck and Nobu's Nobuyuki Matsuhisa.

Mexican-Chinese: Mission Cantina, New York, NY

Korean-Polish: Kimski, Chicago, IL

White Sox fans, rejoice! As of May 2016, historic Southside fixture Maria's Community Bar is now home to Kimski, a casual joint serving up a curious assortment of Korean-Polish hybrids to hungry (and grateful) Chicagoans.

To bring this wacky idea to fruition, the 30-year-old, Polish-run taproom collaborated with chef Won Kim and each item on the shiny new restaurant's menu is specially crafted to honor each culture's distinctive cuisine. Tangy, savory kimchee pierogies rub elbows with potato-scallion quesadillas and thick Polish sausage covered in soju mustard, a sauerkraut-kimchee blend, and scallions, just to name a few. And, of course, everything is meant to be enjoyed in the company of a nice cold beer.

Irish-Eritrean: EireTrea, San Francisco, CA

In France, wine is acceptable pretty much any time of day, everything is made with butter, and food is an important part of the culture. 

So it's only natural that the country has long been a gastronomic powerhouse. France is home to five restaurants topping the World's 50 Best Restaurants list and a whopping 609 Michelin-starred restaurants.

We decided to see what other culinary delights France has to offer by putting together our own catalog of the country's crème de la crème.

Here are 21 restaurants everyone should eat at in France.

Paris: Epicure

The elegant Epicure at the Hôtel Bristol in Paris ranked No. 7 on TripAdvisor's top 10 restaurants in the world. A self-proclaimed "temple of gastronomy" and "defender of French cuisine," the three Michelin-starred restaurant is helmed by chef Eric Frechon, whose signature style is all about "terroir," or evoking a sense of place. This place is none other than France, as dishes from foie gras to smoked oysters in a duck bullion are about as French as it gets. That and and the dress code, which requires men to wear a jacket. 

Learn more about Epicure »

Marseille: Le Petit Nice Passedat

The seafood heavy menu of this three Michelin starred restaurant, Le Petit Nice Passedat, reflects its Mediterranean location in Marseille. The restaurant is famous for its Bouille-Abaisse, three tiers of bouillabaises.

Learn more about Le Petit Nice Passedat »

Paris: Alleno Paris

Alleno Paris, formerly known as the Pavillon Ledoyen, was one of two restaurants to receive a coveted 3rd Michelin star this year, winning over critics with chef Yannick Alléno's extravagant haute cuisine, which also won him three Michelin stars as a chef at Le Meurice. The restaurant is a masterpiece itself — a beautiful, historic pavilion in the Jardins des Champs Elysées.

Learn more about Alleno Paris »

In a city like London, it's easy to be overwhelmed by food choices.

To make sure you never waste a meal in the capital again, we've compiled a list of London's best restaurants, based on Condé Nast Traveler's pick of 207 of the greatest restaurants around the globe, according to a panel of trustworthy experts including chefs, food critics, and renowned travellers.

The list is part of the publication's first Where in the World to Eat Awards, which celebrate restaurants that combine culinary excellence with local know-how.

See London's finest food establishments below.

The River Cafe, London

Known for its terrace on the north bank of the Thames, this iconic Italian restaurant has been in London since 1987 and has had a number of famous chefs at its helm.

Lyle's, London

Chef James Lowe celebrates the English seasons with a set dinner menu of complex dishes, prepared in a minimalistic environment with an open kitchen.

The Clove Club, London

Located in Shoreditch Town Hall, which was built in 1865, The Clove Club claims to serve "an ambitious five course menu and an extended menu, featuring interesting and often overlooked British ingredients and produce"— think Yorkshire Suckling Pig with south Indian Spices.

McDonald's explains why their Chicken McNuggets come in four odd shapes.

Produced by Noah Friedman. Original Reporting by Hayley Peterson.

 Follow BI Video: On Twitter

Join the conversation about this story »

A heavy, preferably carb-filled meal is a must after a fun night partying with friends. And in a city like New York, there's certainly no shortage of places to find a satisfying meal when you're nursing a hangover. 

ChefsFeed is an app that generates dining recommendations from a trustworthy source: the chefs themselves. Star chefs can use the app to recommend their favorite dishes from other restaurants. You can find recommendations for any kind of food you might be in the mood for, whether that's an extensive omakase meal or just a classic cheeseburger. 

We turned to ChefsFeed's guide to hangover meals to find out where top chefs get their comfort food fix in New York City.

SEE ALSO: This dining club treats toddlers to fancy meals at Michelin-starred restaurants — here's what it's like to eat with them

Chef Bryce Shuman, Betony

Pepperoni thin-crust pizza at Luzzo's — 211 1st Avenue, East Village

"This thin crust is awesome. Just get it. The pepperoni is great venture from the traditional Napoletana that I am also crazy about."

Chef Harold Dieterle, formerly of Perilla and Kin Shop

Soup dumplings at Grand Sichuan — various locations in New York City

"Biting into one of these whole dumplings makes for an amazing explosion in your mouth. Warm, comforting, sweet and salty. Make sure you go to the 7th Ave. location."

Chef Alain Allegretti, Beautique

Pho Ga at Thai Son — 89 Baxter Street, Chinatown

"The chicken broth is cooked perfectly, with the noodles and raw veggies getting steamed ever so slightly when they hit the hot broth. It reminds me of home with my mom. This is the perfect hangover food."

Last June, my food-loving mom flew in from North Carolina to spend a weekend in New York City with me.

She was in charge of picking activities; I was in charge of picking food.

June's itinerary must have passed the test because she recently headed back north, for Mother's Day weekend.

I went back to the drawing board, researching restaurants at various price points for us to explore — like before, I wanted to balance out pricier "splurge" spots with affordable places. And of course, I wanted these places to have really good food.

After two calorie-packed weekends, we've now checked off 15 New York restaurants and cafés.

We've savored oats at a tiny oatmeal bar in Greenwich Village and sampled foie gras at a world-renowned restaurant on the Upper East Side. Read on to see what we ate in between.

SEE ALSO: One couple fed themselves for 6 months on less than $200 by eating the food no one else wanted

Dough

Various locations

One of the few requests my mom made was that we get really good donuts somewhere. Naturally, I took her to Dough, which is based out of Brooklyn but opened a location dangerously close to my office in the Flatiron district.

If you're desperate to satisfy a sweet tooth, you can't go wrong with Dough. Bring a friend or two along so you can split a variety ... choosing just one is next to impossible.

Price: $5.50 for two donuts

$ out of $$$$ on Yelp

Frisson Espresso

Hell's Kitchen: 326 W 47th Street

If you find yourself caffeine-deprived in Hell's Kitchen, Frisson Espresso is your spot.

The relatively new coffee shop is charming, with just as charming of a staff — last June when I was living next door, they agreed to deliver my keys to my mom, who arrived at my apartment while I was at work. They also let me pre-pay for a coffee and scone to greet the traveler.

Price: $7.25 for a medium coffee and scone

$ out of $$$$ on Yelp

Levain Bakery

Upper West Side: 167 W 74th Street

If you have a soft spot for sweets, Levain Bakery cookies are a must.

The Upper West Side bakery is renowned for their dense, melt-in-your-mouth treats that more resemble a scone than a cookie.

This place exceeded all of my expectations. We tried the chocolate chip walnut and the oatmeal raisin, and will definitely be returning for the dark chocolate peanut butter chip.

Price: $8 for two cookies

$$ out of $$$$ on Yelp

A Donald Trump presidency poses a major risk to restaurants and retailers, according to Morgan Stanley analysts.

The biggest risk to the industry would be the loss of millions of consumers as a result of Trump's proposed immigration reforms, the analysts wrote in a note published Thursday.

As part of his immigration plan, the Republican presidential candidate has said he would deport millions of undocumented immigrants.

Deporting those immigrants — estimated to include 5 million to 10 million people — would eradicate a vital group of low-end consumers and workers from the country.

"We see Trump's immigration policy as the biggest risk, largely because of the significant impact that deportation could have on consumer demand and labor," the analysts wrote.

Some of Trump's proposed policies, including income tax reductions, could have a positive effect on the economy by putting more money in the pockets of some consumers. His proposed corporate-tax reductions could also benefit restaurants and retailers.

But the analysts said it's unclear whether Trump will be able to implement those policies. Even if he succeeds with implementation, the risks associated with his immigration reforms would cancel out any potential advantages, they wrote.

A Trump presidency, analysts concluded, will result in "likely economic uncertainty."

"The policies proposed by Trump would theoretically support an increase in high-income consumer spending, but elevated economic policy uncertainty, as well as a possible deportation-linked decline in consumer demand and labor under a Trump presidency would counteract the consumer spending benefit from lower taxes," Morgan Stanley US consumer economist Paula Campbell Roberts wrote.

Morgan Stanley identified Jack-in-the-Box, El Pollo Loco, and Wingstop as among the restaurants that would be hurt the most by a Trump presidency.

That's likely why the fast-food industry hasn't given much money to the Trump campaign.

So far this year, the food and beverage industry has donated just $152,000 to Trump's campaign, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Meanwhile, the industry has donated more than $1 million to Hillary Clinton's campaign for president.

SEE ALSO: Lands' End ousts CEO who was reportedly in the office only one week a month

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A Mexican immigrant explains why she supports Trump

We've finally settled into fall and that means a slew of new restaurants in New York City.

Of course, not all restaurants are created equal.

Some restaurants are for Wall Street. And others are bar/restaurant/coffee shops by "Entourage" star Adrian Grenier, where you can eat candied bacon quinoa sushi or a taco churro cannoli.

You can see how there's a difference.

With that in mind Business Insider has put together a list of restaurants to serve the Street.

Some of them are in key locations like midtown Manhattan or the Financial District. Others look perfect for clients or a date night that will make you look in the know when it comes to the city's food scene.

You're welcome in advance.

Empellon Midtown

Wall Street is often an endless parade of dinners and lunches by the office. The office is mostly in midtown, and midtown's food offerings are ... not always the most creative.

Plainly said, if you're not careful you can find yourself eating the same cut of steak three nights a week. After a time, this sounds better than it looks on you.

That is why so many people in New York City are excited that Chef Alex Stupak will be bringing his much-lauded Empellon brand to Midtown.

Stupak is known for high-end, creative Mexican fare, and once told Crain's New York that he approaches his food with a "punk-rock mentality."

That's definitely something midtown could use.

King — 18 King Street

King is one of those restaurants that just happen to be perfectly executed — fresh ingredients, wonderful recipes, and an experienced team.

Chefs Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt are veterans of London's legendary River Cafe, and news that they would be opening their own spot in New York City had this town's foodies talking before the first grill was fired.

The restaurant's menu changes daily (again, this about ingredient sourcing) so the fare is simple, based on cuisine from southern France and northern Italy. 

Augustine —in the Beekman Hotel, 5 Beekman St.

Famed restaurateur Keith McNally is taking his considerable talents downtown to the Financial District, joining in the wave to revamp the neighborhood and covert it from food desert to food Mecca.

You know who Keith McNally is, by the way. He created Balthazar, Minetta Tavern, and Pastis, among other New York City restaurant classics.

Augustine, located in the Beekman Hotel, will be helmed by the chef in charge of McNally's Bowery restaurant, Cherche Midi. Expect big, fancy, French things.

My food-loving mom recently flew in from North Carolina to spend Mother's Day weekend in New York City with me.

We did a lot of exploring — and even more eating.

As a Mother's Day treat, my incredibly generous grandpa, who happens to be a restaurant connoisseur and former food critic, treated us to an experience of of a lifetime: brunch at Chef Daniel Boulud's renowned restaurant, Daniel.

The experience was thrilling, educational, humbling, and at times, confusing (which of the three forks do I use?); the food was beautiful, complex, mouth-watering, and at times, perplexing (do I eat that small appetizer in one bite?); and, yes, the portions were small ... but we were somehow incredibly full afterwards.

Here's a closer look at the two and a half hour marathon meal:

SEE ALSO: I research restaurants at every price point before my mom visits NYC — here are 15 we've gone to so far

SEE ALSO: The 50 best restaurants in America

Daniel is tucked away on the Upper East Side, on 60th street between Park and Madison.

The revolving doors led us to a reception area, where we were greeted by the hostess. She checked our coats (and my mom's suitcase), and despite arriving 15 minutes early, we were escorted to our table immediately.

Instagram Embed:
http://instagram.com/p/BEyC-HJQoVH/embed/
Width: 658px

When we made our reservation, we had the option of sitting in the main dining room (pictured) or the lounge. We went with the smaller lounge area — it seemed like the less intimidating, more casual option at the time — but if we were to do it all over, we'd like to be in the heart of the action.

The biggest fast-food chain in the Philippines is expanding in the US.

Jollibee, known for its "Chickenjoy" fried chicken, sweet spaghetti, and halo-halo iced desserts, is about to open its second location in the Midwest and will soon expand into Florida and New York City. 

The company is mapping out an expansion to other "key cities" soon as well "where there is a good density of Filipinos," Jollibee North America President Jose Maria Minana told Business Insider.

Jollibee currently has 34 locations in the US, primarily located in California. Globally, Jollibee has a total of 1,090 stores. The company's system-wide sales jumped 10.9% last year to $2.9 billion.

The chain — which is like a cross between McDonald's and KFC with a side of spaghetti — has a cult following among Filipinos.

Thousands of people flocked to the opening of Jollibee's first Midwest location in August and waited in lines lasting up to eight hours to get food, Minana said.

"We were really overwhelmed by the reaction," he said. "We expected a line ... but to wait in line for seven or eight hours?"

Weeks after the opening, the lines still stretched out the door and with waits lasting up to two hours, Eater Chicago reports.

On any given weekend day, the Skokie store typically attracts about 5,000 people. Minana said he expects that number to fall once Jollibee opens its second Illinois location this fall. 

Minana attributes the Jollibee obsession to its menu, which is catered to the Filipino palate. 

The "Chickenjoy" fried chicken is the chain's flagship menu item.

It's "crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside," according to a Yelp review."There isn't much seasoning, but Filipinos like to dip their chicken with the gravy and eat it with rice. Hence the gravy for all chicken orders."

The spaghetti is also a favorite item, with sweet sauce, slices of ham and sausage, and ground beef, topped with cheese. 

The chain serves burgers, as well. The "Amazing Aloha" is a hamburger with bacon, lettuce, cheese, and a thick pineapple ring topped with honey mustard sauce.

There's also a "burger steak" served with gravy, mushrooms, and rice; "fiesta noodles" featured noodles in a garlic sauce with sautéed pork, shrimp, parsley flakes, and slices of egg; and corned-beef sandwiches. 

Breakfast consists of beef tenders, sweet pork, corned beef, or pork sausage with rice, egg, and tomatoes.

For dessert, you can order the peach-mango pie, which has a crispy pie shell with warm fruit inside. 

"The peach mango pie was fantastic, it's basically a large egg roll with hot mango peach filing," one Yelp reviewer wrote. 

There's also the halo-halo, which features ube ice cream (named after the sweet purple yam that's used to make it), leche flan (a creamy custard), sweetened condensed milk, and a mix of fruit and jellies under a bed of shaved iced.

SEE ALSO: A grocery chain that's a cross between Kroger and Trader Joe's is descending on the US

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Stop eating yogurt for its probiotics because it's not actually helping

Chipotle is officially adding chorizo, a spicy chicken-and-pork sausage, to its menu.

The new item is rolling out Tuesday at restaurants nationwide, following a limited launch at some restaurants in Ohio, New York City, California, Colorado, and Washington, DC.

The chorizo is made with a blend of pork and white-meat chicken and is seasoned with paprika, toasted cumin, and chipotle peppers.

Restaurants cook the meat by searing it on a hot grill to give it a "perfect char," the company says.

"The reaction to chorizo in the cities that have had it has been overwhelmingly positive, so we're making it available in all of our restaurants across the country," Chipotle CEO Steve Ells said in a statement. "Our chorizo is made with responsibly raised chicken and pork, and provides a delicious new option that fits perfectly with the rest of our menu."

Chipotle executives hinted at adding chorizo earlier this year in a call with analysts. The company is hoping that the new menu addition will draw back its most loyal customers following an E. coli outbreak that sent the company's sales plunging.

"Since we opened the first Chipotle 23 years ago, our menu has changed very little, and our focus has been on constantly improving the quality and taste of the food we serve," Ells said at the time. "While we have never been opposed to changing our menu, we only do so when we think there's an opportunity to add something that is really unique but that fits within our overall menu, and where we can find ingredients that meet our high standards."

A test of chorizo in Kansas City last year was "very, very popular with our loyal customers," Monty Moran, Chipotle co-CEO, said earlier this year.

Chipotle's same-store sales tumbled 23.6% in the second quarter.

The decision to add menu items goes against one of Chipotle's core business strategies.

The company has left its menu virtually unchanged since it was founded more than two decades ago. The only major change in the past 23 years has been the addition of tofu sofritas in 2014.

The chain prides itself on the simplicity of its menu and boasts that customers can create thousands of combinations from the ingredients offered.

"Chipotle restaurants serve only a few things: burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, and salads," the company wrote in its 2014 annual report. "But because customers can choose from four different meats or tofu, two types of beans, and a variety of extras such as salsas, guacamole, cheese, and lettuce, there's enough variety to extend our menu to provide countless choices."

Ells said that the company is being mindful of keeping things simple with the addition of new menu items.

"When we think about adding something to Chipotle, we are very, very mindful of our overall efficiencies in the kitchen, in cooking, in throughout, and in ease of ordering for the customer," Ells said.

SEE ALSO: Former NBA star Ray Allen is opening a fast-food restaurant that's unlike anything on the East Coast

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How to get a ton of food at Chipotle for under $5

A police officer posed as a Burger King employee in Maryland for two months to try to bust up suspected drug dealing at the restaurant.

The operation resulted in two arrests, though it was a relatively small bust: All the officer found after two months on the job were 5 grams of marijuana and two morphine pills, The Frederick News-Post reports.

The officer who went undercover was Nicole Fair, who joined the Thurmont, Maryland, police department in July.

Around the same time, the police department started hearing rumors that people were selling drugs in the parking lot of the local Burger King.

So the department asked Fair — who wasn't well known enough in the community to be recognized — to go undercover.

Fair applied for a job at the Thurmont Burger King with a résumé that excluded her law enforcement experience, according to The News-Post. Burger King hired her in August.

During Fair's tenure at Burger King, two workers sold her drugs: Tommy Lee Miller, 23, of Thurmont, and Jonathan Brook Moser, 28, of Emmitsburg, according to police.

Miller and Moser were arrested in September. Miller was charged with the possession and distribution of marijuana, and Moser was charged with the sale of both marijuana and morphine, according to police.

Possessing under 10 grams of marijuana in Maryland isn't a criminal offense — meaning it doesn't result in an arrest, jail time, or a criminal record. A first offense carries a fine of $100.

The charges, therefore, were a result of the workers selling the drugs to the officer.

Some people have criticized the department for spending so much time on a bust that turned up such a small amount of drugs.

"A complete waste of time and energy," Patricia Edison wrote on Facebook.

"What an insane waste of taxpayer dollars. This police department should just be disbanded," Phil Quinn wrote on Twitter.

But Fair said the undercover work and arrests were "extremely rewarding."

"I was hired to help and protect the community of Thurmont, and that was what I was doing," she told The News-Post. "You hear about all the drug problems we're having here and elsewhere and, whether it's marijuana or something else, we're really feeling the effects of it."

SEE ALSO: An unlikely company is crushing America's biggest clothing stores

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Colonel Sanders’ nephew revealed the family’s secret recipe — here’s how to make KFC’s ‘original' fried chicken

On Friday, September 30, Restaurants Acquisitions, the operator of Black-eyed Pea and Dixie House restaurant chains, converted its Chapter 11 filing to Chapter 7 liquidation. The bankruptcy court order noted the company had shuttered its restaurants and management had resigned.

The day before, Cosi Inc., a fast-casual chain with 1,100 employees filed for bankruptcy. It closed 29 of its 74 company-owned restaurants and laid off 450 people. The 31 independently owned franchise operations continue operating.

Also last week, Logan’s Roadhouse, a casual steakhouse with over 200 locations, closed more than 10 restaurants, on top of the locations it had already closed in August when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Eight restaurant companies representing 12 chains have filed for bankruptcy since December: Restaurants Acquisitions, Cosi, Logan’s Roadhouse, Fox & Hound, Champps, Bailey’s, Old Country Buffet, HomeTown Buffet, Ryan’s, Johnny Carino’s, Quaker Steak & Lube, and Zio’s Italian Kitchen.

Restaurants are precarious creatures. They lease costly space and have to invest in equipment and furnishings. It’s a competitive environment, with high expenses and little pricing power. To expand, they load up on debts. Some, like Cosi, always lose money. Customers are finicky and fickle. When new competitors come along, or when the economy tightens, customers thin out and creditors begin to fret and turn off the money spigot.

Some of that is normal. The restaurants come along, and old ones die.

“But the current wave of bankruptcies is definitely unusual, and rivals the chain bankruptcy wave of 2009 and 2010, when several chains filed for debt protection after sales fell,” writes Jonathan Maze at Nation’s Restaurant News, adding:

In this case, the wave of bankruptcies is largely due to a decline in sales at restaurant chains that is particularly harmful to companies that are already walking a balance-sheet tightrope. The companies that filed for bankruptcy recently were already weak.

Some are repeat offenders, including Buffets LLC (Old Country Buffet, HomeTown Buffet, and Ryan’s) which is now mired in its third bankruptcy. Many of them, battered by declining sales and rising expenses, have been losing money for a long time. But now things are coming to a head.

Restaurant bonds moved into fourth place early this year in Standard & Poor’s Distress Ratio, behind brick-and-mortar retailers and the doom-and-gloom categories of “Energy” and “Metals, Mining, and Steel.”

Other restaurants are trying to hang on by cutting costs and shrinking their footprint, which entails more sales declines, and thus continues the downward spiral.

In August, casual-dining operator Ruby Tuesday announced that – after “a rigorous unit-level analysis of sales, cash flows, and other key performance metrics, as well as site location, market positioning and lease status” – it would sell its headquarters and close 15% of its 624 or so company-owned restaurants by September.

Clinton Coleman, interim CEO of Rave Restaurant Group, which operates Pie Five Pizza Co. and the Pizza Inn buffet brand, put it this way on September 23, after reporting that same-store sales had tumbled in Q4 and that losses had ballooned: “Sales trends in the fourth quarter were very challenging for the Pie Five system, as was the case in much of the fast-casual segment.”

The restaurant industry is not a sideshow. About 14 million people work in it, according to the National Restaurant Association. With $710 billion in annual sales, it’s an important part of consumer spending and accounts for about 4% of GDP. If the industry is having problems, it’s a red flag for the overall economy.

Its difficulties are not limited to just a few beat-up restaurant chains. The National Restaurant Association reported on Friday that its Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) for August fell 1% to 99.6 and is now in contraction mode (below 100 = contraction). It was the worst reading since February 2013.

The RPI’s post-Financial Crisis peak was in the spring and summer 2015, when it dabbled with 103. Its all-time peak, going back to its inception in 2003, was 103.4 in 2004. Its all-time low of 96.5 occurred during the depth of the Financial Crisis.

The index consists of two components:

• The Current Situation Index, which tracks restaurant operators’ reports on same-store sales, customer traffic, hiring, and capital expenditures
• And the Expectations Index which tracks restaurant operators’ six-month outlook, including on the overall economy – more on that in a moment.

The Current Situation Index fell 1.9% in August to 98.6, the lowest since February 2013. Three of its four indicators declined: same-store sales, customer traffic, and labor.

Only 30% of the restaurant operators reported a year-over-year increase in same-store sales. That’s down from 71% in February.

But 53% reported a year-over-year decline in same-store sales. This metric has been deteriorating for months. In February, March, and April, between 19% and 38% of the operators had reported lower same-store sales. Then it ticked up: 42% in May, 43% in June, 45% in July, then jumping to 53% in August.

Operators also reported a net decline in customer traffic: while 21% reported a year-over-year increase, 59% reported a year-over-year decline. August was the fourth months in a row of year-over-year net declines in customer traffic.

And optimism is beginning to wane. The Expectation Index edged down to 100.6: “While the Expectations component of the index remains in expansion territory, it too has trended downward in the past several months.”

And operators are turning gloomy about the overall economy: only 17% expect the economy to improve over the next six months, but 29% expect conditions to worsen:

This represented the 10th consecutive month in which restaurant operators had a net negative outlook for the economy.

Restaurant operators as a group are an optimistic bunch – they have to be, or else they wouldn’t do it. But they also have daily intense contacts with consumers and are thus a leading indicator of the consumer-based economy.

In the beaten-up brick-and-mortar end of the retail industry, the meme has been that Millennials aren’t buying enough goods but like spending money on “experiences” – such as eating out. If that’s true, and not just an excuse by faltering retailers, it appears Millennials are not doing enough of that either anymore. Either way, the restaurant industry has been giving off increasingly loud warning signs about the overall economy, and the state of the consumer.

SEE ALSO: No one is buying Deutsche Bank's 'comfortable' story

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Turns out LA’s shade balls actually worked

Brian Mazza runs the restaurant that serves one of the most unhealthy cheeseburgers in NYC — the mac and cheese burger.

He also works out seven days a week, follows the Paleo diet, and doesn't drink alcohol.

In other words, this guy is the definition of fit.

In fact, he says he's in better shape now, at 31, than he was when he was playing division one soccer in college.

We sat down with Mazza to chat about how he balances his food focused job as the president of Paige Hospitality Group — which includes eight restaurants in the New York City area — with his ultra-healthy lifestyle.

Make sacrifices in order to perform at your best

Mazza started off as a bottle runner at Southampton nightclub Dune when he was 22. He loved it and continued to work his way up in the restaurant business. While he admits to having done his fair share of partying during his early years in the industry, he said he hit a point where he realized he was going to need to give that up in order to perform at his best.

"Within the past two years I've really changed my lifestyle dramatically... I've set myself up for success where I feel like I can operate like a savage 24/7 and not feel fatigued, not feel tired, and constantly want to take on new projects because I know I have the energy and the bandwidth now to do it," he explained.

Prioritize staying in shape

Mazza's workout of choice is Tone House, which he describes as the "hardest workout on the East Coast." He describes it as high intensity training that involves using your own body weight while competing against fellow participants in a "fun, camaraderie environment."

Mazza starts every one of his weekdays with a 7:30 am Tone House class. He also plays soccer two nights a week, and lifts weights at Equinox on the weekend.

Eat right — which is the hardest part

Although Mazza tastes the the food and cocktails at his restaurants to make sure they're up to standards, he doesn't let himself eat full meals or drink whole drinks. He calls himself a very "disciplined human being."

According to Mazza, in order to train and receive the best results, people need to be willing to make a commitment to their bodies and make a drastic change in their lives. He cites the example of cutting sugar out of his own diet.

"I think a lot of people just go to the gym, and then they go out every night and eat late and drink and then wonder why they don't see results. And it's pretty simple. Eating is probably the single most important part about trying to see results and trying to get fit and be healthy."

However, indulge in a cheat meal once in a while

All that isn't to say that Mazza doesn't let himself indulge every once in a while. His go-to cheat food is pasta, specifically bolognese from Pepe Rosso, which he considers the best Italian restaurant in NYC.

If you don't have time for a full workout, do pull ups and push ups

Mazza says pull ups are great because there are so many different variations to do, and it's a move that works out your whole body. Push ups, he explains, are one of the oldest moves out there, and they work everything from your core to your legs to your chest, arms, and shoulders.

Always strive to be the best possible version of yourself

Mazza is a believer in constantly improving himself, and he tries to impart that philosophy onto his coworkers and other people in his life. He realizes that staying fit takes hard work, but he also views working out as one of the few factors in life people can control and that will in turn improve their health.

"This is how I look at it: If you own a Ferrari, you're not going to put the worst type of gas in your car, because then your car won't perform and your car will probably break down. So a lot of people don't understand that, and a lot of people feel insecure about things, and a lot of people don't really want to put the work in to achieve certain goals because it's a ton of hard work."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The world’s largest pyramid is not in Egypt

Sometimes one meal is all it takes to make your vacation one to remember forever. 

From incredibly fresh ceviche in Peru to the modern Spanish cuisine at Girona's award-winning El Celler de Can Roca, we've put together a list of 50 meals you have to try at least once. While some are incredibly memorable restaurants, others are specialty food items you can only get when traveling to a certain place. 

Whether you plan to travel to these destinations or already happen to live there, don't miss out on these mouthwatering foods. 

Talia Avakian, Jennifer Polland, and Melissa Stanger wrote an earlier version of this post. 

SEE ALSO: The best coffee shop in 45 big cities across America

DON'T FORGET: Follow Business Insider's lifestyle page on Facebook!

Try Rome's famed cacio e pepe, a simple pasta with pepper flakes and gooey melted cheese. Anthony Bourdain recommends trying it at Roma Sparita in Trastevere.

Sample Berlin's iconic street food, currywurst, which is a pork sausage that's cut into slices and doused with curry ketchup. Berliners love Konnopke Imbiss, located in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood.

Head to La Banquise in Montreal for a scrumptious plate of poutine: crisp french fries that have been smothered in brown gravy and cheese curds.

Those heading to Wuhan, China, can now experience the country's first fine-dining restaurant inside a retired Boeing 737.

Lily Airways, which opened this weekend, really leans into the aviation theme: staff members are dressed in flight attendant attire and the cockpit is equipped with a flying simulator. What's more, waiters at the restaurant are required to meet hiring standards of Chinese airlines, including having an educational background in aircraft service or hotel management, and participating in regulatory etiquette training.

The owner, inspired by a hotel in Sweden carved from an old airplane, bought the retired aircraft from Indonesian airline, Batavia Airways. The Chinese businessman spent roughly $5.2 million to relocate and convert the plane, splitting it into several parts to transport it by sea from Indonesia to China.

The establishment can accommodate up to 70 guests. The price? Each meal goes for about $30-$45 per person.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The last harvest moon eclipse of the decade has come and gone — here’s what a harvest moon actually is

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: The world’s largest pyramid is not in Egypt

A crisp and dip café is coming to Soho, and it will feature a conveyor belt that brings crisps directly to diners.

Hipchip might sound like the kind of bizarre dream venue that a Willy Wonka played by Gary Lineker would create, but it’s completely real and due to open on Soho’s Old Compton Street later this month.

The café will serve a selection of different dips, including baba ghanoush, katsu curry, Moroccan yoghurt and pickled onion fondue, while a selection of crisps will traverse the restaurant on a conveyor belt — like a cross between the ultimate Lazy Susan and Yo! Sushi.

There will be five colourful different types of crisp, each made from a different heritage potato variety: Highland Burgundy, Salad Blue, Pink Fir Apple, Shetland Black and Red Duke of York.

There will also be ‘pudding’ crisps available, which have been coated in sugar and cinnamon rather than salt. These will be served with dips including rhubarb and custard and salted caramel.

Craft beers and wine will be on offer to help wash down all that salty and sweet crispiness. 

A small box of crisps with two dips will set you back £4.50, a medium box with three dips will cost £6.75, and a large box with six dips will be £11.50.

Visit hipchips.com.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We tried the trendy restaurant that could become the Chipotle of Greek food

McDonald's is hiding its famous mascot, Ronald McDonald, in the midst of a wave of scary clown sightings across the US. 

The company said Tuesday that it's "mindful" of the clown sightings and it's paring back Ronald McDonald's public appearances as a result. 

"McDonald's and franchisees in the local markets are mindful of the current climate around clown sightings in communities and as such are being thoughtful in respect to Ronald McDonald's participation in community events for the time being," McDonald's spokeswoman Terri Hickey told Business Insider.

Ronald McDonald — with his clown-like face paint, red wig, and yellow jumpsuit — has long been the face of McDonald's.

But with a recent rash of disturbing clown sightings across the country, Ronald McDonald’s appropriateness at public events is suddenly being called into question, as the Associated Press first reported.

The creepy sightings began in Greenville, South Carolina, in August, when several children told authorities that a group of clowns offered them money to follow them into the woods. The suspects were never found.

Since then, there have been hundreds of reports of strange clown sightings, some of which have turned violent.

A mother in San Francisco last week claimed she fought off someone dressed as a clown who tried to grab her daughter. In a separate incident last week in New York City, someone dressed as a clown and wielding a knife threatened subway riders and chased a teenage boy off a train. 

SEE ALSO: A police officer posed as a Burger King worker for 2 months to try to bust drug dealers — and people are furious

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We did a blind taste test of fast-food burgers

The bloody, plant-based burger developed by startup Impossible Foods has been backed by Bill Gates and served by David Chang of the Momofuku empire in New York City.

Now, the burger that looks like meat, smells like meat, but isn't really meat, is coming to the West Coast.

Up until now, the burger has only been available at Chang's Nishi restaurant in New York City. On Wednesday, Impossible Foods announced it's teaming up with three award-winning restaurants in California that will begin serving the meatless burger later this week.

Jardinière and Cockscomb in San Francisco and Crossroads Kitchen in Los Angeles will sell the burger first-come, first-serve, starting at $14.

Chefs will prepare the plant-based "meat" in ways they see fit.

Traci Des Jardins, owner of Jardinière and a consulting chef at Impossible Foods, will serve the burger with caramelized onion, avocado, and "special sauce." Earlier this year, the James Beard Award-winning chef prepared the burger for media reviewers.

Chef Tal Ronnen of Crossroads Kitchen previously cofounded a plant-based dairy startup, Kite Hill, alongside Patrick Brown, the CEO of Impossible Foods. His restaurant will serve the burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a custom sauce.

Cockscomb's Chris Cosentino, an ardent meat lover who calls the Impossible Burger a "game changer," will put his own spin on it with a preparation of caramelized onions, lettuce, gruyere, and dijon.

Impossible Foods came onto the food scene in 2015 when Google reportedly made a bid to buy the startup for between $200 and $300 million. The two allegedly couldn't agree on a selling price, but the startup has so far raised $182 million in funding from Swiss venture firm UBS, Gates, Google Ventures, and others.

The Impossible Burger has been years in the making.

The public got its first taste of the meatless burger at Nishi, a restaurant in New York and the newest location in Chef Chang's food empire. The Impossible Burger comes "Nishi-style," on a potato bun with pickles, lettuce, and a slice of American cheese. It sells for $12.

My colleague Kim Renfro tried the menu item at Nishi earlier this year and fell in love. Renfro, a longtime vegetarian, called the meatless burger a "dream come true" and raved about the patty's beefy texture and aroma. She said it was the most realistic meat alternative she's eaten.

I had the chance to try the Impossible Burger at the company's headquarters last week. Though not Chef Chang's preparation, the burger still beat any dry, crumbling veggie burger I've had before.

The patty seared on the grill, leaking blood-red juices just like real beef. The outside crisped and darkened, while the inside stayed pink and slightly rubbery.

While not indistinguishable from cow's meat, in my opinion, the burger piled underneath fresh toppings and a Thousand Island dressing was meaty enough.

At the time of the tasting, Impossible Foods CEO Pat Brown said the company remains several years away from bringing the Impossible Burger to grocery stores, as its competitor Beyond Meat has done. A massive restaurant expansion is in the works for mid-2017, Brown said.

Until then, meat- and animal-lovers alike can try the Impossible Burger and judge its authenticity for themselves by visiting one of the restaurants that serves it.

SEE ALSO: The biggest meat processor in the US is investing in a startup that makes fake meat

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We did a blind taste test of fast-food burgers