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Sara Rush Wirth

Articles by
Sara Rush Wirth

Page 34

Concept to Scout: Ten 50 BBQ

For his latest venture (and first fast casual), Chili’s founder Larry Lavine converted a clothing store into the 13,000-square-foot Ten 50 BBQ, which has been serving central Texas-style barbecue in an indoor-outdoor setup since August.

Michelin stars don’t match millennial eaters

Chicago’s 2015 Michelin rating came out recently, and while there were a few surprise starrings and snubs, the biggest shock was that two of the 24 restaurants on the list—L2O and Takashi—won’t be around past this year.

Beverage

Self-serve suds

Beer, wine and even cocktails have been a point of differentiation for fast casuals, but as far as consumers are concerned, there’s still room to grow.

Frictionless service for millennials at S&M

It’s got a provocative name, a provocative menu and yet it’s the service style that’s catching some attention at the new S&M Sausage and Meat.

Quiz: 10 chains rocking modern mission statements

No longer are restaurant mission statements all about the menu. Today, they’re more likely to focus on the overall experience an operation is hoping to provide, conveyed in a short, compact statement rather than a lengthy, clunky paragraph. Experts say the modern mission statement should be just broad enough to allow for expansion and fundamental changes to a concept without any growth-hindering contradictions.

Technology

Tablets go back

Much of the public buzz around tablets refers to front-of-house applications, whether in the hands of a server taking orders or atop a table, loaded with games and self-ordering capabilities for guests.

Steal this idea: feed the force

The guest list at the launch for Umami Burger’s Chicago unit had the typical folks: bigwigs, friends, the media. Also invited to sample the menu on the house: two uniformed police officers. Why? Brand advocacy. Local police are visible, influential community leaders, says Umami CEO Paul Clayton. Plus, it can’t hurt to have the law looking out for the place.

Consumer Trends

Stat of the month: women & alcohol

Thirty percent of women spent more on alcohol in bars and restaurants last year, compared to 19 percent of the general population. And many are looking to operators for guidance, a prime marketing opportunity.

Crafting the perfect mission statement

Old Chicago looked to iconic brands such as Panera Bread, gathering inspiration from the simplicity of its vision. Here are three tips for modernizing your mission statements.

Food

Finding an artisanal supplier before demand is a definite

How do you line up enough of an artisan supply? One approach: order enough.

LYFE bedfellows plot careful growth

When Carlisle Corp. was introduced to the LYFE Kitchen fast-casual concept earlier this year, the Memphis-based real estate company was merely looking for another restaurant growth vehicle (it’s already a 77-unit Wendy’s franchisee). What developed instead was a shared-services agreement that aligned the strengths of the operations into a fast-growth venture. LYFE would provide the means to ride many of the emerging trends in the business, while Carlisle would lend its expertise on real estate, acquisitions and general-and-administrative efficiencies.

4 lessons from an arcade bar

A first glance at Headquarters Beercade reveals an obvious attention to the games in relation to the overall design, layout and even the menu.

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