Restaurant Trade Area Research

The upscaling of the non-tipping restaurant segment continues - http://www.restaurantnews.com/boston-market-completes-nationwide-upgrades-in-400-restaurants/ - highlights include:

Addition of Dining Room Ambassadors – Guests will notice a higher level of service designed to make the dining experience more pleasurable in this fast-casual concept

MUCH more at the link of the upgrades:

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Oldie but goodie link - Zagat Fast Food Survey Rates 136 Major Dining Chains From Breakfast to Burgers, Dessert to Drive-Thrus - http://www.restaurantnews.com/zagat-fast-food-survey-rates-136-major-dining-chains-from-breakfast-to-burgers-dessert-to-drive-thrus/

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Meanwhile… How Lunchtime Is Turning Into Snack Time  - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703720004575477652910948336.html?mod=googlenews_wsj – smaller portion options to fit snack movement. And, White Castle Inducts Its Most Dedicated Fans Into Cravers Hall of Fame - http://www.restaurantnews.com/white-castle-inducts-its-most-dedicated-fans-into-cravers-hall-of-fame/ - in some cases the super user is priceless. Brand loyalty. And, in UPSCALE locations - perhaps this benefit is worthwhile in today’s new normal of competition - Restaurants Now Realizing That the iPad Makes Life Easier - http://www.switched.com/2011/01/04/restaurants-ipad-makes-life-easier/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-w%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk2%7C193449

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Some year to year sales numbers - Chick-Fil-A, 2010 up nearly 6% same store - http://www.restaurantnews.com/chick-fil-a-continues-sales-growth-momentum-in-2010/ - Jack-In-The-Box, up 1.1% first quarter compared to year ago - http://www.restaurantnews.com/jack-in-the-box-inc-reports-first-quarter-fy-2011-earnings-updates-guidance-for-fy-2011/

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Thanks for visiting. Dig deeper for much more.

It seems that many fast food restaurants have too narrow a target demographic and don’t spread out their age targeting on television commercials as they should - including a direct targeting of the customer aged 18-24  (Krystal being an exception.) - especially considering how hard it is to get the 18-24 age group to actually USE a FF coupon. Indeed, I’ve done research where less than 2% of the age group used coupons while upwards of 30% in other older age brackets was the case. So, the question is how to motivate usage within the young 18-24 year old cell.

Answer. VISUALLY target them with `frequency club’ bounceback card/coupon - make sure the dated card only involves a reasonable frequency level like I’ve described in my recent posts. (For example, 2 visits in 2 months - with a discount for each of those purchases.) So, if the young person KNOWS that the next two times they use your restaurant they get 20% off (or similar) the total bill - anytime in the next two months — that will be much more likely to influence a spontaneous purchase with the brand — versus a 1% chance of usage of a coupon in the paper or mailbox mailing.

Restaurant links for today:

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/11/11/subway-wants-your-breakfast-business/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl8|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F11%2F11%2Fsubway-wants-your-breakfast-business%2F Subway moves into the breakfast daypart. Can Subway bakery or Atlanta Bread Company positioning be far away?

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/10/29/chinese-chickens-which-fast-food-chain-may-serve-you-this-scary/?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl3|link4|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F10%2F29%2Fchinese-chickens-which-fast-food-chain-may-serve-you-this-scary%2F - Chinese chicken: Which fast food chain may serve you this scary import?

www.RestaurantNews.com BTW, you can see my ad at this website - which has lots of interesting content too.

My research at fast food restaurants has shown that it takes a `certain’ level - generally - for customers to say `I use this restaurant/brand the MOST’. And, even in the new normal of the Great Recession, that level is around once a week usage. Only about 1 in 5 customers don’t offer a FF restaurant they use most often when asked. A loyalty - often felt with justification and pride almost. “they are the friendliest here” “they know me here” “this is super convenient for me”.

Sometimes, operators need to literally `look’ for ways to develop that special relationship with their customer base. And, once again, ways exist around the margin to create that `special user’ - to develop a loyalty. And, here’s just one example (I have more) - let’s say your restaurant is one of those that likes to advertise or position later summer hours - how about a special `bounceback loyalty card’ that is ONLY given to customers AFTER 10 and for use ONLY after 10? The night-owl club. 20% all summer for those `special folks’ who visit after ten.

Occupying that special place for customers - generating loyalty - almost a must in today’s competitive environment.

Restaurant Links for today:

Wingstop Reaches 25 Consecutive Quarters of Positive Comp Sales - http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS111102+12-Oct-2009+BW20091012

Darden net income up, sales down in 1Q -http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2009/09/28/daily24.html Including Red Lobster off by nearly 8%.

Food Fight: Franchisees Caught in the Middle - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125492481356270841.html Important read of three minutes.

UPDATE 1-Ruby Tuesday posts higher profit - http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN0739123320091007 However, sales were off 3%.

Sales meetings at YOUR store? It’s working for Panera Bread
http://www.nrn.com/landingPage.aspxmenu_id=1416&coll_id=554&id=374238#ixzz0Tp32Jvc2