News

Rapids would like to congratulate Joe Schmitt, President of Rapids, for being named the 2018 Top Achiever - Dealer by Foodservice Equipment & Supplies.

This year, the family we had the pleasure of helping consisted of two veteran parents, Fatema and Scott, and their three children, all under the age of 12. Their story is heart wrenching. It starts with Fatema, who was raised in Lebanon until she was in her teens, at which point she ran away rather than be married off to a high-ranking Hezbollah official.

A company would be nothing without loyal customers. To showour appreciation for everything you do for us, we are giving away FREE knife sharpeners with a purchase of $100 or more in honor of Father’s Day.

Feb 20th is "Love Your Pet Day." Rapids decided this would be a great time to introduce you to some of the Rapids pets and their humans, along with some great recipes for pet treats. These recipes will make it easy to spoil your pets, just like we do. They are family after all. Just make certain that if you cook for your pet and your goal is to completely take them off a commercial food, you need to do so with recipes that completely address your pet's nutritional needs while staying away from foods that can harm them. There is an actual science to it. If you are interested in cooking scientifically-balanced, healthy meals for your pets, you can verify the integrity of your recipes at the website Balance It.

CFSP is a professional certification specific to the foodservice industry. This certification was created in 1987, and is a vital credential for foodservice professionals. The training ensures that these individuals are more knowledgeable and qualified than others in the industry, allowing their organizations to compete more effectively and provide superior service.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, followed almost immediately by holiday parties and Christmas, there’s no time like the present to make certain you have the necessary equipment, flatware, and dinnerware in stock so that your service, table, or buffet line runs smoothly. Holiday parties and dinners mean more people, which in turn means more tableware is needed, along with more flatware, more seating, and more table space.

In the early hours of July 23^rd, 2014, a passerby noticed smoke and flames coming from the Chrome Horse Saloon & Slop House, a restaurant housed in the over 100-year-old ZCBJ building in downtown Cedar Rapids. The fire department responded quickly, but it was too late. Due to the intensity of the fire, by the time it was extinguished the building had suffered large amounts of smoke and fire damage, making it uninhabitable. The cause of the fire: spontaneous combustion of the restaurant’s greasy rags and towels in the middle of the night.

Since 2006, the number of women-owned restaurants has increased by 40%, compared to a 12% growth in overall restaurant business during that same period. In other words, restaurants owned by women grew at a rate three-times faster than the industry as a whole. The restaurant industry is a place where women have a relatively clear path to success. Inspirational stories abound of women starting at the bottom and moving quickly into management and ownership positions.