Bigger, better bars could be one solution for casual-dining’s sales woes. Recent remodels at BJ’s Restaurants include a brighter, more contemporary bar with a 130-inch TV. Though the upgrade is expensive—from $400,000 to $700,000—it pays off quickly: The new bars have generated thousands of dollars in added weekly sales and better profits, CEO Greg Levin said last summer. The bars performed so well that the chain began doing them in more locations than it had originally planned.
- 50 Great Ideas 2024
- Late-night minigolf
- A sustainable straw springs from tequila making
- Robot phone orders
- Listen to loyal fans
- The welcome drink
- Picturing an attractive culture
- Follow the football
- Make AI your hyperactive labor screener
- Robot woks rock
- Can I have your number?
- Subsidized childcare to cure callouts
- Going after groups
- Over-the-counter ice
- Climate proof your greens
- A smart bet
- Keep hot sauce from walking away
- Tales of the tats
- Spin those albums
- The Apple-style menu event
- Let ChatGPT be your HR department
- Phishing test
- The delayed BOGO
- Say goodbye to guest checkout
- Dinner as decor
- Coasters send a signal--discreetly
- Hive seating
- Off-leash dog restaurants
- Putting waste to work
- The BeerBoard
- Upcycling waste into ice cream flavors
- Repurposing ingredients
- Big Chicken takes off into space
- Punching down-market
- Housemade 'Cheese-Its' become menu star
- $2 shake toppings
- Pancakes transform to tacos
- Go for gold
- N/A pairings for omakase
- Fewer drink sizes
- Size does matter in recruitment
- Because travel is good for the soul
- Looking more broadly for childcare solutions
- A CEO without a home perch
- Find people where they are
- Coming through for couriers
- Two-tops with phone privileges
- Another kind of digestion
- Sunglasses with dinner
- Raise the bar
- Dry age fish like steak