#here's how the applebees campaign can still win!

[the-greatest-magic-of-all]

Since Kipperlily and the Ratgrinders are all about the letter of the law and not the spirit of it... Does Aguefort have any rules saying that ONLY students could vote in the student election?

Because if not, the Kristen's bits about campaigning at the Steel Mill and Middle School might actually win her the election.

[dimension20pcbracket]

round 2 stats

while we wait out a week of voting to see who will be advancing to round 4, here's some numerical neatness from round 2!

total votes: all together, the 27 polls of round 2 received a total of 16,454 votes. hot damn!

largest percentage of votes: we didn't see quite as many astronomical defeats as we did in round 1, with only one PC winning more than 90% of the votes in any one poll (unsurprising, the choices get tougher every round!), but there were still some pretty large disparities to be seen.

Riz Gukgak (90.8%) - still only the third most brutal beatdown in the competition so far!

Big Barry Syx (79%)

Adaine Abernant and Sofia Lee (77.2% each)

Kristen Applebees (75.3%)

Thorn Vale (72.5%)

as noted in the round 1 roundup, the slimmest margin of victory went to Rue once again. as of right now, one day into their round 3 poll, Rue is beating Riva with their largest margin yet (4%), but it's still anyone's game!

polls with the most votes: the most voted-on poll in all of round 1 was the contentious Lapin v Pinocchio, so how do we keep that energy going? twice as much Zac Oyama.

Gorgug Thistlespring v Ricky Matsui (987 votes)

Sam Nightingale v Tula (769 votes)

Hunch Curio v Kristen Applebees (746 votes)

Evan Kelmp v Fabian Seacaster (727 votes)

K.P. Hobb v Kingston Brown (721 votes)

polls with the least votes:

Maggie v Thorn Vale (440 votes)

Cody Walsh v Jet Rocks (472)

Chirp Featherfowl v Liam Wilhelmina (480 votes)

Daniel Fucks v Sofia Lee // Bob Gainglynn v Rosamund du Prix (491 votes each)

Big Barry Syx v Twyla (520 votes)

as the pool shrinks, so the disparity between the most and least voted-on polls. in round 1 there was a very tidy difference of almost exactly 300 votes between the fifth most popular and fifth least popular polls; as you can see, in this round the difference has shrunk to 201.

winning PCs with the most individual votes:

Gorgug Thistlespring (601 votes)

Riz Gukgak (591 votes)

Kristen Applebees (562 votes)

Fabian Seacaster (482 votes)

Kingston Brown (454 votes)

the Bad Kids may be having a rough time in Junior Year, but they obliterated round one. and congrats to Kingston also, I guess he's an honorary Bad Kid now.

winning PCs with the least individual votes:

Jet Rocks (249 votes)

Chirp Featherfowl (254 votes)

Antiope Jones (292 votes)

Viola (305 votes)

Rosamund du Prix (307 votes)

not play favorites but... please. please Antiope Jones pull through I believe in you.

campaign stats:

the most to least successful campaigns, by % of characters that won their round 2 polls:

Fantasy High: 100% (6/6)

A Starstruck Odyssey: 100% (5/5)

Burrow's End: 100% 4/4

Neverafter: 75% (3/4)*

A Court of Fey and Flowers: 60% (3/5)

The Unsleeping City: 42.9% (3/7)

The Seven: 25% (1/4)

Mentopolis: 25% (1/4)

A Crown of Candy: 16.7% (1/6)

Coffin Run: 0% (0/1)

Dungeons and Drag Queens: 0% (0/1)

The Ravening War: 0% (0/1)

Escape from the Bloodkeep: 0% (0/1)

Pirates of Leviathan: 0% (0/1)

Misfits & Magic: 0% (0/4)

MisMag suffered by far the most drastic drop in success, plummetting from a 100% success rate that saw all 4 PCs winning their round 1 polls to a slaughter that knocked them all out of round 2. most other campaigns also had downward surges as the odds of any one character advancing got slimmer, although Burrow's End and Starstruck each managed to see all remaining PCs push through. surprising no one, Fantasy High is the only campaign with the entire cast still intact... although that looks like to change after round 3 👀

*Neverafter: while Gerard lost his poll against Rue, he was passed on by virtue of being the most successful losing character for the sake of keeping the pool even for round 3, meaning that Neverafter passed on 100% of its remaining characters by technicality.

[grigori77]

Critical Role, Campaign 3 Episode 55

I WILL get a,look at Midst eventually, guys, I promise ...

Creator Clash! Yes! I saw it! It was crazy! Marisha you rule, it doesn't matter if you didn't win, you were still awesome anyway and we're all SO PROUD of you!

And then there's Ashley, once again making us wonder just how secretly kinky she really is ... O.O

So yeah, are we FINALLY back with the endangered trio? PLEASE?!!! Aaaaaah, bollocks ...

Never mind, I'm really getting to like Deanna and FRIDA anyway, so ...

So IS IT a real marriage, or just like a symbolic thing. Oh boy ... the "banged it out" conversation ... yeah ...

Ah yes. Planerider Ryn ... yeah ... we can hope. It's really all we CAN DO right now, clearly.

Oh yeah! The wounded girl! Nice to see her up. Oh wow, Deanna! Wow! That's so sweet of her.

Yeah, I did wonder if Chetney was gonna raise eyebrows. 27! Nice Deception, Imogen! Even if it wasn't REALLY Deception. Well ... okay, he did rip them off, but still ...

Yes, good point, Chet ... no sticky fingers, Fearne!

Sponsorship ... oh boy.

Fancy dude! Who was that? Hmmm ... history check? Nope ... oh gods, here we go, Fearne being Fearne ... Lord Desavon Kevash? Hmmm ... oh boy, and he is just SMITTEN ...

Dear gods that is an abysmal joke ... clearly the guy has a very rudimentary sense of humour. Oh here we go ... 26? Fuck ... Nice, beard ring. Cool.

The King and Queen! Oooooh ...

Dwarf Queen is a CUTIE, I like her already. Elf King is ... interesting. Like elves tend to be, I guess ... and also old. REALLY REALLY OLD ...

Oh yes! A favour! Nice ... just what they need ...

Royal Insight Check? WHISPERS!!! YAY!!! Now ASHLEY'S doing the WizzKids plug ...

I'm sorry, WHAT?!!! Is FRIDA making s move in Letters?

Oh boy, a bull ... interesting choice, Chet. Glad it works, at least.

Ooooooh, backstory for magic bull statue! Nice ... oh, so it WAS a kind of protector? Cool. Wait ... MORE?!!! Intriguing ... oh, corrupted forest? Hmmm ...

Deanna: "So you know about the Applebee's Soulcycle?" Wow ... everybody starts laughing ... Travis: "Long may it reign." Matt: "Sorry, you just Bluescreened me for a second ..."

Crap ... so teleportation is ... OFF?!!! Crap ...

Yeah, Chet, ASK!!! ASK!!!

Wow ... okay, just giving it ALL away ... here we go ...

Sam: "Is the Queen checking Chetney out?" Travis: "Well some things you don't NEED to check."

30 on an Insight check? Fearne, HOW?!!! Holy fuck ...

Oh yeah, BOONS ...

Drixlix! Yes, FUCK that guy ... screw him ... sell him down the river. Yes! Give them the evidence! FIST PUMP!!!

Ah, Ludinus, here we go ... oh SHIIIIIIIIT! Wow ... oh, that is DARK ... oh, so the god hatred was ALWAYS there, was it? Great ...

MORE BACKSTORY!!! SWEET!!!

Oh shit ... Ruidus AGAIN!!!

Aramond Turestral ... hmmm ... sounds like a bad man already ... oh boy, is this a quest setup for later? Lovely ... in a really foreboding way ...

Wait ... Chetney's just ... fuck, is getting right? HAS Ludinus done this before?

Oh fuck ... the Solstice is STILL HAPPENING?!!! Shiiiiiiiiiiiit ... yeah, the Tethered Moon is a REAL THING then ... fuck ...

Yes, the temples ... oh yeah, the Changebringer maybe, get FCG there ...

Oh so they ARE going to go to Molaesmyr ... okay ...

Yay! Another MAP! Sweet ... cool ... oh ... nuts, no map? Bummer ...

Awwwww ... lost love ... sweet gay memories for the Elf King ...

Crap ... Shadycreek Run ... lovely ...

Aww, bless ... LITERALLY. Deanna blesses the Royals ...

Ooooh ... fancy armour! Sweeeeeeet ...

Whoa! FREE TAILORING!!! AWESOME!!!

So what's the plan? Shopping? Stuff? Lore hunting? Tailors?

Wow ... is Deanna JEALOUS of the vibing between FCG and FRIDA?

The Duskmaven? Hmmmm ...

Whoa, here we go, is Aabria gonna be able to capitalise on Calamity insider knowledge?

It's official. FRIDA is crushing hard on FCG ... and Deanna's trying to be supportive? They're so sweet ... awwwwwwwwwwaw ...

Deanna: "We only get the one life. Unless you're ME." XD

And she's still so protective of them ... :3

Okay, split up time ... allowed for shopping, that's not a problem.

The Vellum Steeple. Here we go.

Okay, what was Sam's flask nonsense this time, I didn't get a good enough look at it, that wax a VERY quick flash ...

An Elven mile Troy Baker? Hmmmm ...

Kinash Serovoldin? Okay ... sounds more like an elvish Brad Pitt to me, remember when he was in Legends of the Fall? A bit like that ...

Deanna: "Are they weak to anything? Other than gruff charm, I mean."

XD I'm loving it, Deanna is totally crushing HARD on Kinash. Aabria: "That's it, I'm out!" Travis: "Are you horny on main right now?"

AABRIA gets a Whispers ... oh cool, beanie plug! So cute ...

Nuts ... the Ludinus dossier is THIN ... not good ... The Eve of Crimson Midnight? Hmmmm ... oh, Ludinus, you SNEAKY FUCK ... evil dude ... Gildhollow Tower ... okay ...

Matt really is setting Ludinus up as a total Exandrian Palpatine, isn't he?

Meanwhile, at Jaquoby's ...

Oh yeah, this us totally a tech head's workshop all the way ... meanwhile the flirting begins ... :3

Wow, FRIDA is SO BAD at this ... oh boy ... and the FCG backstory is SUCH a mess in context ... wow ... "killed the Pussy" ... yikes ...

Holy fuck! THE KISS!!! THE KISS!!! AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! OH MY GODS!!!

Matt: "THERE'S NO TONGUE!!!"

Jaquoby Macyl ... oh, I like him immediately.

Wow, he is LITERALLY giving FCG a mangled kettle to eat instead of a cup of tea. XD

Suspension ... FCG: "If it gets uncomfortable then I can hold FRIDA's hand." AWWWWWWWW!!!

So cool ... FCG is armouring up! Sweet!

"Faithful Care Giver" ... oh yeah! :3 that is ADORABLE!!! Everybody's losing it with cuteness and so am I ...

Time for a break!

Gathering at Catlyn's ... but first a heart-to-heart between Imogen and Chetney ... hmmmm ...

Heavy stuff ... oh boy ... Insight versus Deception ... a draw? ROLLIES!!! Wow ... Imogen OWNED that one ...

Payphone cable ... oh yes, blast from the past indeed ... many Millennials and later may not get that reference ... I am SO OLD ...

WTF just happened?

FCG: "I feel like I'm gonna be a little bit stealthier. By one point." XD

A chocolate box assortment of exotic scrap metals ... I love it!

Aha! Temple if the Dawnfather! Cool!

Aabria saying "Bless you!" to Sam when he sneezes makes an interesting change to Ashley telling him to "Stop it!" XD

So other priests and clerics are CUT OFFfrom their deities? Hmmmmm ... so Deanna's one of the lucky few ... that's so worrying.

Catlyn's Clothier? Sounds fancy ...

Oooooh, snobbery ... and THAT puts you in your PLACE, little miss arrogant! XD Nice one.

Deanna is apparently BLACKING OUT through sheer excitement at the fashion possibilities ...

Chetney wants a VELVET TRACKSUIT?!!! Oh gods ... and the eternal question as posed by the Incredible Hulk, how to deal with the SUDDEN SIZE CHANGES!!!

Imogen is going practical but also totally BADASS ... essentially she wants Arctic Dark Phoenix vibes ...

FCG's all shiny now ... they want a dark blue duster coat? Cool ...

Deanna is build like a Pixar mom ... "dumptruck ass"? XD ...

Whoa ... just FIXED FRIDA's coat on the spot?

And Fearne is just GOING OFF totally ... ooh, corset ... poofy sleeves ... lots of leg ... and she's getting Deanna to knit her something ... yup, cleavage, business as usual for Fearne ... "Go to town!" Yes indeed ...

Deanna: "Can I have BIGGER UGGS?"

Oh, the little embroidered bull for everybody is such a sweet idea ...

Oh yes, get something for Laudna too! Perfect ...

Fearne wants something from the Willow TV show's wardrobe, apparently ... :3

Oh, so the bots are making it official, but not mzking a big deal out of it ... I love it ...

Chetney's tracksuit STRETCHES ... AND it has a custom hole on thd butt for when he grows his tail? Dear gods ...

Eisselcross? Oh, Deanna and FRIDA backstory ...

Stick together, guys! All together in the morning ... off to Molaesmyr ...

And now they're all shitfaced on champers ... XD

Oh, Fearne is TOTALLY doing crimes ... no, she's SPECIFICALLY going go the Temple of the Wildmother! Cool ...

Genuinely enchanted little place ... cute little statue too ...

Fearne tries praying to the Wildmother ... and she is REALLY BAD AT IT, too. Ye gods ...

Perception check? Hmmm ... 23? Okay ... nothing ... oof ... probably not a good sign ...

Wow ... Fearne wants Chetney to make a move on Deanna ... and now he's going dien a really erotic memory lane ...

Oh, so FEARNE is gonna make a move instead? Blimey ...

Ah, so it's just a girl's night slumber party? That's fine ...

Aabria: "Laura Bailey!" Travis: "No chill!" XD

Schrodinger's Tongue? Matt is hating it and I love it ...

Oh boy ... they are so cute and a little NAUGHTY too ... they are playing the others SO BAD with all these noises ... oh ... gods ... what? The wheel? Where the fuck is this GOING?!!! Aabria: "What is the MOISTURE?!!!" LOL

Morning hangover? Not with Lesser Restoration ...

Weavepiercer Gloves? Ooooooooh ...

Ah yes, Clmponrnt shopping, always important for mages ...

The Matron of Ravens' Temple ... and it's closed? Not a good sign ...

Goat shopping time, then ...

Whoa ... BIG goats ... cute, too, apparently.

Deanna gets a sweet and chubby one ... Gerry? Yup ...

Of course Chetney has to get the BIGGEST one. Wow ... like SUPER RIPPED ... bulldog walk? XD He is perfect. Musky. Yes. Of course he is.

FCG gas chosen a PRETTY one ... Fabio? SNORT ... of course ...

Imogen gets the veteran ... Bell? Cute ...

FRIDA picks the "Shaggy" (as in Scooby Doo) of thd herd ... Patchwork? Awwww ...

Fearne just wants z literal wooly SPHERE ... red panda coat? Awww ... Dornie Boy! Cute ...

Off towards the Savalirwood, then ... and that's it for tonight! Okay then ...

Nice place to stop.

But I really do hope we FINALLY get back to the lost trio next week! Seriously, guys! Please ...

[flipfundingstuff]

2020 Forecast for Restaurants: 5 Trends to Watch

The days when restaurants could get by doing the bare minimum—offering big plates of mediocre food at reasonable prices—are gone. Consumers expect a lot more from today’s restaurateurs, from ethically-sourced ingredients to hand-crafted meals to experiential dining.

While today’s social media-saturated environment can make the restaurant industry hyper-competitive, it can also make it more rewarding. If small business owners stay on top of what consumers want, they can go from one food truck to viral nationwide chain in no time. Here are the top restaurant trends to watch for in 2020.

1. Increased Labor Costs

From line cooks to hosts and servers, the restaurant industry relies heavily on minimum wage employees. At least 7 states have already passed laws to phase in a $15 minimum wage as early as 2020. The Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025, passed in the House but died in the Senate. However, future attempts are certainly possible after the 2020 elections.

Either way, historic lows in unemployment mean that low-skill employees have more negotiating power than ever, and business owners need to compete for the best workers by offering higher wages and better benefits. All of which means that business owners in the restaurant industry should prepare to deal with higher labor costs in 2020.

2. Ethically-Guided Food Choices

The 2010s were a decade of increasing consciousness surrounding what we eat, and business owners can expect this ethically-driven attitude toward food choices to come to a head in 2020. Slapping an ‘organic’ label on the chicken is no longer good enough. Consumers are worried about a wide array of issues, from pesticides, hormones, and environmentally harmful crops to cultural appropriation to labor rights for agricultural workers.

While veganism is increasingly popular, “flexitarians,” or plant-based diets that include the occasional animal product, are also on the rise. Offering vegan and vegetarian menus is no longer relegated to niche businesses—they’re a must for restaurants that want to compete in today’s market.

3. Quality, Health-Oriented Ingredients without the Steep Price

In addition to ethical concerns, consumers are also increasingly health- and wellness-oriented. They want to see fresh, natural, additive-free ingredients and more plant-based options. However, weight loss is no longer the main focus—overall wellness is. This shift has triggered the rise of trendy superfoods and herbs and spices with niche health and wellness benefits. From kale and pomegranate to moringa and turmeric, these fads are constantly changing. Restaurant owners shouldn’t feel like they need to drastically change their menu every month to keep up, but offering seasonal specials is a great way to incorporate the latest ingredient craze.

Consumers are also more interested in consuming food that uses high-quality ingredients. Artisan cheeses, hand-crafted meats, and super fresh produce will continue to attract diners in 2020. That being said, today’s consumers are also more wallet-conscious than they were a few years ago, spending less now even as their incomes are increasing. Food brands that can strike a balance between quality and affordability will come out on top.

4. Localization, Specialization, and Ambiance Are Key

Casual dining chains like Applebee’s, TGI Fridays, and Ruby Tuesday suffered in recent years. Their reputation for serving big portions of high-calorie, low-quality food is certainly part of the story, but there are a few other factors at play.

Low wages and busy schedules aren’t one of those factors. Millennials love eating out—they value restaurant spending more than any other generation. What they don’t love are chains, which is great news for small businesses. They’re not big on the idea of big chains that do a little bit of everything, offering quantity and variety over quality. Instead, they prefer specialization. Rather than eating at a restaurant that has tacos, pad thai, and burgers all on the same menu, they like to go to an authentic Mexican spot for tacos, a Thai restaurant for their curry needs, and a burger joint for a big, greasy bacon cheeseburger.

Finally, there’s nothing millennials love more than a good atmosphere—something that chains like Applebee’s and Ruby Tuesday objectively fail at providing. When they dine out, younger generations want an experience. If there’s no experience to be had, diners might as well just order delivery from their phones. From themed restaurants to Instagram-worthy design to live music, there are plenty of ways to push your restaurant beyond the pragmatic to offer diners something memorable.

5. Fast Food with Personality

The death of casual dining chains doesn’t mean that consumers are done with fast food. On the contrary, fast food offers convenience, and convenience is still king. Today’s consumers are still willing to put aside preferences for local businesses and health-conscious foods in the name of convenience. The buzz surrounding chains like Taco Bell, Shake Shack, Chipotle, and Popeye’s, all of which have a cult-like following on social media, is evidence. The main thing that differentiates successful fast food from chains that are shutting their doors is that they engage with their customers.

Showcasing local ingredients and businesses in your cuisine is one way to give each location its own personality and engage with the local community. Even fast-food restaurants can do this. Shake Shack, for example, tends to offer specialty “concretes,” a frozen custard treat, featuring local ingredients. Their Istanbul location features pistachio concretes, while the Atlanta Shake Shack has a s’mores concrete that incorporates dark chocolate chunks from famous Atlanta chocolatier Cacao Atlanta.

Taco Bell is a prime example of how chain restaurants can build a brand around a magnetic personality, all the way down to their “think outside the bun” slogan. They used their “4th meal” (the meal between dinner and breakfast) campaign to win over younger generations as the place to chow down after a fun night out. Then, they took that a step further by opening Taco Bell Cantinas in select cities, which offer custom menus, shareable appetizers, and alcoholic beverages. Most recently, Taco Bell opened a pop-up resort in Palm Springs called The Bell Palm Springs – A Taco Bell Hotel & Resort. Reservations sold out within minutes.

Trends can feel fickle sometimes, but restaurant owners would be amiss to ignore them altogether. Listen to your customers, and they’ll reward you.

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