Financing

Is casual dining coming back?

This week’s episode of RB's podcast, "A Deeper Dive," explores whether chains such as Applebee’s and BJ’s can sustain their momentum.
Photograph: Shutterstock

A Deeper Dive

Some traditional casual-dining chains have had a good run recently, including BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse (same-store sales up 6.9%) and Applebee’s (same-store sales up 7.7%). But is it sustainable?

In this week’s edition of Restaurant Business' podcast, "A Deeper Dive," Executive Editor Jonathan Maze and Editor-at-Large Peter Romeo discuss the future of casual dining and why some chains have done so well.

While chains such as Applebee’s, Chili’s, BJ’s and Olive Garden have done well, others such as Red Robin and Chuy’s continue to struggle. And overall traffic in the sector has continued to decline this year.

The podcast explores the impact of takeout and delivery on the sector, as well as the impact of store closures and bankruptcies.

Please have a listen.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Podcast transcript: Virtual Dining Brands co-founder Robbie Earl

A Deeper Dive: What is the future of digital-only concepts? Earl discusses their work to ensure quality and why focusing on restaurant delivery works.

Financing

In the fast-casual sector, Chipotle laps Panera Bread

The Bottom Line: The two fast-casual restaurant pioneers have diverged over the past five years, as the burrito chain has thrived while Panera hit a wall. Here's why.

Financing

In Red Lobster, a symbol of the challenges with casual dining

The Bottom Line: Consumers have shifted dining toward convenience or occasions, and that has created havoc for full-service restaurant chains. How can these companies get customers back?

Trending

More from our partners