MORRISONS': A FAMILIAR NAME TO MILLIONS OF DINERS

Morrison Cafeteria had been in existence more than three decades before it tried its culinary hand with a contract food service job for "The Greatest Show on Earth" in 1951.

That started something new for Morrison Restaurants Inc., headquartered in Mobile, Ala.

A year later, in 1952, Morrison's took on its first school food service contract, with Loyola University. Then, followed Mound Park Hospital, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Morrison's Hospitality Group now has more than 475 food service contracts with business and industry (B&I) and educational institutions. The company has another 400 food service accounts in its health care division.

The latest Morrison food service account is Southeast Missouri State University at Cape Girardeau, where the university's Board of Regents agreed to a three-year, $6 million contract last week.

Morrison's replaces ServiceMaster, the university's food service since 1986. ServiceMaster and Marriott were among companies vying for the new contract.

"We're pleased to see that the university has taken on a food service that will not compete with area food establishments," said Ollie Miller, chairman of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, during the chamber's monthly First Friday Coffee meeting last week. "We compliment the university on its choice."

Some chamber members had expressed concern recently that the university would use name-brand -- Burger King, McDonald's, Pizza Hut -- fast-food restaurants on campus, which would be in direct competition with local restaurants.

Morrison's food service division is a growing one.

Before splitting the health service into a separate operation last year, the hospitality group had more than 875 accounts. With more than half of these divided into the health division last year, the hospitality group is still looking at some big-business figures: 208 accounts in business dining, 185 accounts in education, 36 classified under catering and other ventures, and 55 non-traditional grocery retail accounts.

Although the B&I presents a larger monetary market, the hospitality group is putting emphasis on the B.C.O.C -- that is, the Big Contract on Campuses -- seeking a 15 to 18 percent increase each year.

"Education is a primary target," said a spokesman of the firm. "We're going after midsized universities, both public and private."

The hospitality group's philosophy is to "under promise and over deliver."

"We've gone from a cafeteria-contract mentality to one of a retail mind-set," said a leader in the hospitality group. "Our strategy is to sell quality and value, offering more at less cost."

One of the B&I clients of Morrison's is the Saturn auto plant in Spring Hill, Tenn.

The Saturn account is a good example of Morrison's willingness to customize services to meet client needs, added the spokesman. "We got involved early with Saturn, serving 4,000 meals a day out of a 40-foot trailer, to construction workers." Morrison's then became involved with the team designing the dining room, and now no one walks more than 40 yards for a meal.

So, what is Morrison's?

The company opened its first cafeteria in September of 1920 at Mobile, Ala.

Today, Morrison's Restaurants Inc. has three operating groups. They are:

-- The Hospitality Group, founded in 1951, a national leader in contract restaurant and food service management that provides dining service to education communities, health care facilities and business and industry.

-- The Ruby Tuesday Group, founded in 1972, now featuring more than 275 casual, full-service, restaurants.

-- The family Dining Group, founded in 1920, with 147 Morrison's Cafeterias and a dozen Fresh Cooking food-court units.

There's something about coconut oil that makes popcorn taste good.

That's the consensus of many theater goers, but the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group that like to criticize American eating habits, says the taste may not override the fact that a medium bag of theater popcorn contains more than twice as much saturated fat as a Big Mac meal, including a large order of fries.

About 70 percent of U.S. movie theaters use the highly saturated coconut oil, including Wehrenberg Theatres which has a four-theater facility in West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau.

Kerasotes Theatres, headquartered at Springfield, which operates six theaters in Cape Girardeau -- five in Town Plaza Shopping Center and one on Broadway -- already uses a low cholesterol cooking oil, "Poppin' Light," for its popcorn, noted John Miller, from the Kerasotes headquarters.

"We used to use canola oil," said John Louis, executive president of the St. Louis-based Wehrenberg firm. "We switched to coconut oil about two years ago because of the better taste."

With all the latest hype about coconut oil, theater chains throughout the country are looking into other options.

"Popcorn popped in canola oil doesn't have the traditional popcorn smell or taste," said Lewis. "We're listening to our customers. If they want a change to canola oil, we'll consider it. We may offer patrons a choice. At this point, we really haven't determined what action we will take."

Lewis says the health risk of an occasional bag of popcorn in a theater is not a big threat. "We'd like to think that people go to the theater every week, but surveys indicate the average person goes to the movies only five or six times a year, added Lewis.

Two major theater chains -- AMC Entertainment Inc., the nation's third-largest chain, based in Kansas City, Mo., and United Artists -- announced last week they would revert all their theaters to canola oil, which has low saturated fat content.

Roller skating, a popular pastime in this area more than a decade ago, will be the featured entertainment in a complex planned for Cape Girardeau this year.

Cape Family Entertainment Inc. recently announced plans for a facility, which will include a 12,000-square-foot roller skating floor (75 feet by 160 feet), a miniature golf course and batting cages.

"Our first emphasis is the skating rink," said a spokesman of the business late last week. "The mini-golf course and batting cages will be added after we open the rink."

The new building will be constructed on a two-acre site in the 600 block of Commercial Street.

Developers of the project are Greg Crow & Associates of St. Louis, which has developed several skating rink projects; William H. Kuss of K & K Development Co.; and Thomas L. Meyer of Thomas L. Meyer Realty Co.

Cape Girardeau has been without a skating rink since Kingsway Skateland closed on South Kingshighway more than a decade ago.

"The Skateland rink was too small," said a spokesman of the new corporation. "We feel there is plenty of skating interest in the area."

You've see the signs along interstate highways: "Throwed Rolls, Lambert's Cafe, Sikeston."

"Throwed rolls" and hog jowls from Lambert's are among items that will appear on the menu of the annual "Taste of the South" charity ball to be held in Washington, D.C., this weekend.

"Throwed rolls are a legend in Missouri," said Missouri chairman Lisa Ridgeway, a Washington attorney from Camdenton, Mo. "We're pleased to have Lambert's represented at the Missouri Table. We'll be proud to show them off to the folks in Washington."

Taste of the South, one of the most popular charity balls in the nation's capital, started in 1983 when a group of homesick Southerners gathered to dance, raise money for a southern charity, and, most importantly, eat lots of southern food.

Taste of the South will be held Saturday at the National Building Museum.

Last year, more than 2,000 people jammed into the museum to sample such southern delicacies as cornmeal-fried alligator tail from Florida, crawfish jambalaya from Louisiana, Beaufort stew from South Carolina, and blackened catfish from Alabama.

More than $80,000 was raised, with proceeds benefiting a Habitat for Humanity project in Branson, Mo. This year's charity funds are scheduled for the Tutwiler Clinic in Tutwiler, Miss.

Ultimate Automotive, a new business which provides air-conditioning, radiator and other mechanical/tuneup services for vehicles, has opened at 1634 N. Kingshighway.

The business, a part of JFL Enterprises, is open from 8 a.m to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Hal Furlong, one of the JFL partners who will operate the business, has more than 20 years experience in auto repair work.

Dan Reynolds, who has 17 years experience, has been named head technician.

Holman Guttering and Siding opened recently at 965 W. Jackson Blvd. in Jackson.

The new business specializes in seamless guttering, aluminum and vinyl siding, and insulation.

William "Bill" Holman, who has eight years of experience in guttering and siding work, is owner of the new business. Employees are Kevin Holman and Allen Null.

Holman is a graduate of the Missouri School For the Deaf at Fulton.

LaCroix Pet Hospital has opened in a new location.

The pet facility, previously located at 2008 N. Kingshighway, is now at 2984 County Road 620.

"We're near the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri," said Rose Nanney, a technician at the hospital.

Gwenn Freitag, who has been a practicing veterinarian in this area for 12 years, is owner of the animal hospital.

The new structure has 3,700 square feet, with 10 inside kennels and five outside kennels.

The facility offers full pet care, including dental, surgery and X-ray, as well as boarding of pets.

The outdoor "Farmer's Market" started in Cape Girardeau last week.

The weekly event will be held each Thursday at the Plaza Galleria parking lot, 2001 Independence, from 3-7 p.m.

The first market featured radishes, onions, cucumbers and assorted greens. Also available were bedding plants.

Dr. Michael J. Jessup has opened a private practice at 300 S. Mount Auburn Road.

He was previously affiliated with OB-GYN Associates at 55 Doctors' Park.

BOAT NOTES:

The President Casino on The Admiral is recalling 300 laid-off workers and contacting an additional 500 prospective employees in preparation for a June 1 opening.

"The President is looking forward to opening at the St. Louis riverfront," said Denise Blakney, director of human resources for the President.

The Admiral will offer 70 blackjack tables and 30 poker tables.

The President Casino on The Admiral is owned and operated by President Riverboat Casinos Inc. of Sat. Louis.

Four riverboat casinos will open operations within the next month. Joining the President will be casino operations at Kansas City, St. Joseph and St. Charles.