Is Noise A Marker Of A Trendy Restaurant And More News

The Daily Meal brings you the biggest news in the food world.

Why Is $10 the Minimum Credit Card Charge?: Ever wonder why most restaurants ask for a $10 minimum for credit cards? Consumerist breaks down the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Protection Act, which makes the minimum charge legal. [Consumerist]

Noise Might Be the Next Big Thing for Restaurants: The hushed, prissy vibes of fine dining are now being replaced with open kitchens, hard surfaces, and a jumble of conversations mixed into one, especially at A-Frame, one of Los Angeles' loudest restaurants, with a noise level as high as a lawn mower. [MSNBC]

World's Largest Candy Cane: Geneva chefs have created a 51-foot candy cane with 900 pounds of sugar, using a blowtorch to piece all the sugar parts together. [World Record Academy]

Cory Booker Continues Food Stamp Challenge: As the Newark, N.J., mayor continues his journey, eating off $30 a week, critics claim that Booker is misrepresenting the food stamp program, saying the stamps are meant to supplement whatever income Americans on food stamps may have. [HuffPo]

Tech Gadgets at Restaurants: Restaurants are adding on mobile ordering, iPad order kiosks, Facebook ordering, and games for while you wait, replacing coloring book menus and crayons. Look at us, reminiscing about the old times. [Forbes]