5. Curbs on customization
The GRLC was truly a global conference, with restaurant operations assessing opportunities on all continents, including North America. Several chains born overseas shared their strategies for cracking the U.S. market, and one, Operation: Falafel, proudly announced it wasn’t going to blindly follow every convention embraced there. Customization, for instance.
CEO Kazem Abu Ghazaleh explained that any number of concepts already in the States are specializing in falafel and Mediterranean food. Virtually all, he said, allow guests to customize their orders by adding ingredients and toppings. “You add 22, 23 toppings, what you end up with is not Middle Eastern food,” Ghazaleh said. He suggested the brand will give patrons an authentic alternative—but possibly fewer choices.