Restaurant start-up pitfalls to avoid

Restaurant industry newcomers should look out for common pitfalls when starting up a concept. The brown spirits revival continues, but vodka-based drinks still hold cache with customers. Sweetgreen’s cofounders discuss the growing fast-casual salad chain. Groupon is challenging online restaurant reservation services by adding a bookings feature. And historic New Orleans restaurant Brennan’s closed after a family dispute.

• 7 reasons aspiring restaurateurs get burned. Play it smart and avoid these traps. (Forbes)

• Vodka reigns supreme. Brown spirits are still enjoying a revival in restaurant bars, but don't overlook the renewed potential of vodka-based drinks. (CNBC)

• For Sweetgreen cofounders, business is in the family. Nathaniel Ru, Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman discuss the growing fast-casual salad concept. (The New York Times)

• Groupon adds restaurant bookings. The daily deals site is challenging online reservation services like OpenTable. (Bloomberg)

• Historic New Orleans restaurant Brennan's closes. The restaurant was evicted from the property in a family dispute. (Times-Picayune)