# data[].attributes.body
A prospective college student can some of tuition costs by going abroad to study. One great place is Germany because at most of their universities, you only have to pay about $200 per semester, and their classes are taught in English. Another benefit to university in Germany is that the degree is transferable to the United States.

# data[].attributes.body
Articles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
CLOSE

Aldi and Kroger are recalling four types of apples due to concerns about possible listeria contamination.

The Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples were sold in Aldi stores in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and North Carolina, starting on Dec. 13, and through the grocery delivery service Instacart in the Atlanta area.

Large and lunchbox-size Fujis and lunchbox-sized Galas sold at Kroger stores between Dec. 12 and Tuesday are also affected.

Listeria monocytogenes may cause serious or fatal infections in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems as well as miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In healthy people, listeria can cause high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

More: Why you love Honeycrisp apples, hate Red Delicious and know their names

More: Baby milk maker orders global recall over salmonella fears

More: Veggies yanked at some top supermarkets over safety concern

No illnesses have been reported, the FDA said.

The recalled apple are:

Aldi Fuji apples, 3 lb. bag, UPC 033383087139

Aldi Gala apples, 3 lb. bag, UPC 033383086897

Aldi Golden Delicious apples, 3 lb. bag, UPC 033383081175

Aldi Honeycrisp apples, 2 lb. bag, UPC 079954000015

Aldi Honeycrisp apples, unpackaged, PLU sticker 3283

Kroger large Fuji apples, PLU sticker 4131

Kroger lunch box Fuji apples, PLU sticker 4132

Kroger lunchbox Gala apples, PLU sticker 4129

Both retailers are advising people who bought these apples to throw them away or return them for full refunds.

The problem stemmed from Jack Brown Produce of Sparta, Mich., who flagged a produce processed and shipped by one of its suppliers, Nyblad Orchards, between Dec. 11-16 after routine sampling found listeria, according to Jack Brown Produce. The company sells or distributes the fruit under the brand name Apple Ridge.

"Jack Brown Produce, Inc. has ceased the distribution of any further products processed at Nyblad Orchards, as the FDA and the company continue their investigation as to what caused the problem," Jack Brown Produce said in a statement.

CLOSE

Anyone with questions about the recall may call Jack Brown Produce at 616-887-9568 weekdays 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

"Aldi takes the safety and integrity of the products it sells seriously," the company said. "Aldi sincerely regrets any inconvenience and concern this voluntary recall may cause."
Follow USA TODAY reporter Zlati Meyer on Twitter: @ZlatiMeyer
Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2BeYamo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Aldi, Kroger recall apples due to possible listeria contamination

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CLOSE Aldi and Kroger are recalling four types of apples due to concerns about possible listeria contamination. The Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp apples were sold in Aldi stores in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and North Carolina, starting on Dec. 13, and through the grocery delivery service Instacart in the Atlanta area.

# data[].attributes.body
Articles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
STAUNTON - Five area Rite Aid pharmacies will be making the switch over to Walgreens in the coming months.

Walgreens will take over 1,932 Rite Aid stores and three distribution centers at a value of nearly $4.4 billion.

The changeover could come as soon as the spring of 2018, but could take as long as a couple of years.

Originally, Walgreens sought a takeover of Rite Aid in October 2015, but the deal was downsized in June to include Walgreens buying 2,186 stores and three distribution centers totaling $5.2 billion.

The following stores would have been acquired:

101 Rosser Ave., Waynesboro

1500 W. Beverly St., Staunton

465 Lee Hwy, Verona

2596 Tinkling Spring Rd., Stuarts Draft

501 N. Coalter St., Staunton

Stores in the area should be transitioning over to Walgreens in the coming months, according to Jim Cohn, spokesman for Walgreens. Those employed at Rite Aids currently will be given the option to become Walgreens employees.

Walgreens will be taking over area Rite Aid stores and pharmacies. (Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

"Essentially, the process of transitioning Rite Aid stores into Walgreens includes two key phases: transfer of ownership and converting the stores to the Walgreens brand," he said. "After the 1,932 stores are acquired, stores are planned to be converted to the Walgreens brand in phases over time."

Since the area's Rite Aids have been acquired, customers will be seeing some minor changes, but slowly.

"Upon transfer of ownership, these locations are now Walgreens-owned Rite Aid stores, which includes a Walgreens pharmacy," Cohn said. "For now, the front of the store will continue normal business operations under the Rite Aid brand."

Customers also shouldn't see a major change in terms of insurance - Walgreens accepts most insurance plans, Cohn said.

"Overall, the vast majority of patients will continue to have coverage as a result of this transition," he said.

Walgreens employs nearly 400,000 people and has more than 13,200 stores in 11 countries with over 390 distribution centers, a release said.

With the acquisition, the company will save more than $300 million in the next four years after the initial closing, the release said.

"This is a significant moment for our company, and we are excited about the opportunities this agreement will deliver for our customers and patients, employees and investors," said Walgreens Boots Alliance Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Stefano Pessina in a release.

"Combining Walgreens retail pharmacy network with a strong portfolio of Rite Aid locations is expected to help us achieve enhanced, sustainable growth while enabling us to broaden our reach and provide greater access to convenient, affordable care in more local neighborhoods across the U.S.," Pessina said in a release. "We are confident in the path ahead and look forward to working together to shape the future of health care and deliver on the full potential these stores bring to our network."

More: Look inside the Bagby house in Staunton - House tour

More: Former Lee teacher Ned Bonfoey dies
Follow Laura Peters @peterslaura and @peterpants. You can reach her at lpeters@newsleader.com or 213-9125.
Read or Share this story: https://stnva.nl/2BM7OR0

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
STAUNTON - Five area Rite Aid pharmacies will be making the switch over to Walgreens in the coming months. Walgreens will take over 1,932 Rite Aid stores and three distribution centers at a value of nearly $4.4 billion. The changeover could come as soon as the spring of 2018, but could take as long as a couple of years.

# data[].attributes.body
Kroger is better for short term investment because Rite Aid does not pay a dividend and you can make more money at Kroger.

# data[].attributes.body
Two Publicly Traded Companies
One is Kroger. Their net earnings were $397,000,000. Their identical supermarket growth in 2017 was 1.1% and an incremental $111 million contribution to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan. They make $0.44 per diluted share.
The other is Rite Aid. Rite Aid does not pay a dividend and they do not plan on paying one in the foreseeable future. They also do not have a dividend reinvestment program for new investors. Their fiscal period ends March 3rd, 2018.

# data[].attributes.body
Investment Strategy
Besides stock, an investment strategy is corporate bonds. An investor can buy a corporate bond at face value(value listed on bond when issued)and they will receive an annual interest rate. Then, on the maturity date, the investor will collect the principal amount of the bond as well as the final interest.

# data[].attributes.body
3 Investment Concepts
1. Capital gain/loss
2. Risk
3. Profit

# data[].attributes.body
Video Explanation
This videos applies to our business because it provides us with simple statistics which can help improve our restaurant.

# data[].attributes.body
Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What makes the restaurant industry so interesting?
It's always changing.
To kick off the release of our 2017 Restaurant Technology Industry Report - complete with insight from our most extensive research to date - we wanted to share out some of the must-know restaurant industry statistics owners and managers need to know going into 2018.

See some of Toast's newest 2017 restaurant technology statistics in the video below!

Read on for restaurant statistics compiled from reports, studies, and articles across the internet, including our new report.

Want more restaurant statistics?

General Restaurant Statistics

1. Annual sales in the restaurant industry are $799 billion. (Source)

2. There are 14.7 million employees in the restaurant industry.(Source)

3. There are more than 1 million restaurant locations in the U.S. (Source)

4. There will be 16.3 million jobs in the restaurant industry by 2017. (Source)

5. In 2017, restaurant sales will be the greatest in the state of Florida (6.2%) and the lowest in the state of North Dakota (2.4%). (Source)

Restaurant Economy Statistics

1. Gas prices have steadily declined post-hurricanes from $2.67 to $2.49, meaning more consumers may be more likely to drive out to dine. (Source)

2. Although wholesale food prices were on the rise this year, they will be lower in 2018 than in 2015. (Source)

Restaurant Employment Statistics

1. 36% of restaurant operators name staffing as their biggest challenge to success, 20% say the biggest challenge is retaining customers, and 15% say it's high operating/food costs. (Source)

2. Roughly three in 10 restaurateurs have job openings they find difficult to fill, signaling a significant hiring crisis in restaurants. (Source)

3. Hurricanes Irma and Harvey contributed to a loss of 105,000foodservice jobs in September 2017. (Source)

4. Prior to these natural disasters, the industry wasadding 24,000 foodservice jobs per month on average in the 12 preceding months.(Source)

Restaurant Management Statistics

1. 78% of restaurateurs check their sales data & metrics daily - a 70% increase from 2015.(Source)

2. When it comes to social media, restaurants are most likely to use Facebook (92% of restaurants) and least likely to use Snapchat (16% of restaurants).(Source)

Restaurant Sales Statistics

1. QSR and fast-casual restaurant sales are projected to reach $233.7 billionthis year. (Source)

2. QSR sales will see a nominal growth of 5.3% in 2017. (Source)

3. FSR sales will see a nominal growth of 3.5% in 2017. (Source)

4. Snack and alcoholic beverage bars will see a nominal growth of 6% in sales this year. (Source)

Restaurant Consumer Statistics

1. Pent-up demand for restaurants remains high, with 39% of adults not eating on premises at restaurants as often as they would like. (Source)

2. Diners prioritize delicious food when choosing a restaurant to visit, followed by quality of service. (Source)

3. 51% of diners go out to eat more than once a week. (Source)

4. When placing an online order, a patron is more likely to use a restaurant's website than a third-party site like EAT24. (Source)

Restaurant Technology Statistics

1. 73% of diners agree that restaurant technology improves their guest experience. (Source)

2. 95% of restaurateurs agree that restaurant technology improves their business efficiency. (Source)

3. The most important technology feature for guests are online reservations, free wifi, and online ordering. (Source)

4. The top features restaurateurs are looking for in a . restaurant POS upgrade are ( ease of use, depth of reporting, and inventory reporting Source)

5. 61% of diners agree that server handheld tablets improve their guest experience. (Source)

Restaurant Payment Statistics

1. When a restaurant kiosk has been available, 65% have used a kiosk, with 55% saying they use it "sometimes" and 10% saying they use it "every time." 35% have opted out from using it. (Source)

2. When paying for a high-ticket item (e.g. fancy dinner), 90% of guests pay with their card. (Source)

3. Millennials are most likely to use their card in any situation when paying for food. Even for low-ticket items, 69% of millennials will use their card. (Source)

4. 58% of dinerssometimes or always use mobile pay at a restaurant. (Source)

5. Only 22% of restaurants offer mobile pay or payment through an app. (Source)

6. Only 1 in 20 diners use mobile pay as their default payment method. (Source)

7. 49% of millennials prefer digital restaurant receipts to printed paper ones. (Source)

Restaurant Food Statistics

1. 70% of diners say they are more likely to choose a restaurant that offers healthy menu options. (Source)

2. Future trends (predicted for the year 2020) will include local sourcing, fresh produce, healthy eating, and an emphasis on authentic items. (Source)

3. The top three food trends at full service restaurants are . new cuts of meat, street food-inspired dishes, and(Source) healthy kids' meals

Last updated 10/30/17.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
50+ Restaurant Industry Statistics for Restaurant Owners in 2017

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What makes the restaurant industry so interesting? It's always changing. To kick off the release of our 2017 Restaurant Technology Industry Report - complete with insight from our most extensive research to date - we wanted to share out some of the must-know restaurant industry statistics owners and managers need to know going into 2018.

# data[].attributes.body
Business Plan
Our business is "Big Mouth Grill", where we sell all sorts of burgers. We plan on renting a facility, which should be around $10,000. Our profit margin should eventually reach about 4%. As a 100-seat restaurant, we should pull in about $6,000 dollars in revenue. Our profit would be 4% of that, so $240. We plan to bring new goods to the consumers as a way to bring attention to the restaurant. We plan to advertise on billboards, but not too much. One small billboard can cost between $300 and $800 dollars.

# data[].attributes.body
Explain Concepts
1. Advertising helped our company a lot with getting the word of our business out. Advertising helps to introduce a new good or service, and it explains the features of that good or service. For our company, we thought billboards would be a good way to advertise. A small billboard in Stockton costs $300-$800, which is well within our budget.

2. Partnership is a key business concept. The partnership that is best suited for our business is a general partnership because each partner is responsible for day to day activities. Each partner has liability as owners.

3. Budgeting is a huge concept because as a business, you cannot spend too much money. it is important to make a profit. Our budget would have to be no less than $400,000; however, we most likely wouldn't use up the whole budget because we want to save. Rent for our restaurant will range from $10,000 to $12,000. The most expensive part of the restaurant would be construction of a kitchen. If we managed to rent a facility that already had a kitchen, we would avoid spending anywhere between $250,000 to $300,000. Tables and furniture could come out to $40,000. Food and bar equipment, ect. could come out to $88,000. Marketing is going to be around $30,000 at most. If we keep advertising to a minimum, we avoid paying $6,000 dollars.

# data[].attributes.body
3 Business/Economics Concepts
1. Advertising
2. Partnership
3. Budgeting