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When we began planning this issue, we had a hard time getting our heads around the idea of assembling stories and topics that don't necessarily rely on restaurant-chain operators. So we suspect some of our readers might have the same trouble.

Sometimes restaurant concepts (and magazines, too, frankly) get into a rut of stealing good ideas only from their direct competition, and perhaps restaurants in other segments. (The same is true with stealing employees, which is another bad habit that will have to be addressed another day.)

Chain Leader has tried to avoid the same kinds of ruts, especially with our electronic products. The new “On the Spot” feature on chainleader.com was inspired by Rate My Space on HGTV. Our version lets visitors discuss television commercials and other chain videos, rather than dining rooms and bedrooms. We had to borrow another idea to make it happen: We copied the setup from our sister publication, Design News, which runs a similar function on new gadgets.

When our former publisher, Ray Herrmann, had the idea for Chain Leader LIVE, he was at the supermarket checkout. He had recently seen a production of “The Lion King” and was impressed by how the cartoon movie was interpreted by live performers. Waiting with his groceries, he saw Oprah Winfrey's magazine, which was new at the time. He thought, if they can bring a cartoon to life, and Oprah can turn a TV show into a magazine, why can't we turn our magazine into a show, and bring it to life?

This issue looks at a lot of stealable ideas from other industries, such as hotel technology worth checking out, convenience-store beverage ideas to “pour” over and consumer-goods trends to consider repackaging. In some instances, we let the experts from outside the restaurant industry do the talking. In other stories, we highlight restaurant chains that are inspired by some of these ideas.

Our cover is a good example: Former consumer-health-products manager Matt Matros has borrowed some insight from his past experience and created budding chain Protein Bar.

You know how the interbreeding of animals makes them susceptible to certain illnesses? If restaurant chains don't bring fresh ideas and perspectives from outside, they will suffer from their own unhealthy symptoms.