Predicting the future

December 10

The results of my marijuana poll are in. There were 27 responses from 20 people, because I let people pick more than one answer.

Nearly half of people responding to my poll asking how they thought legalizing marijuana would affect restaurants said it would have no affect, presumably based on the assumption that people who want to use marijuana already do.
The next biggest group, 40 percent, thought legal pot would increase restaurant revenues due to customers getting the munchies. The rest of the results are below. If you'd like to see respondents' written comments, click here.

How would legalizing marijuana affect restaurants?

increase revenues due to customers getting the munchies: 8 (40%)

increase the number of back-of-the-house injuries: 3 (15%)

result in chronic absenteeism: 1 (5%)

improve job satisfaction: 4 (20%)

benefit the pot-themed Cheba Hut "Toasted" Sub chain: 3 (15%)

hurt Cheba Hut: 0 (0%)

have no effect: 9 (45 %)

For my next poll (above right), I'm going to ask you to predict what the driving factors will be in foodservice trends in 2010.
As always, feel free to comment below.