NEWS DIGESTS
Brinker International Inc.
lays off 155 employees
DALLAS — Brinker International
Inc., parent to the Chili’s Grill &
Bar casual-dining chain, laid off
about 155 workers earlier this
month, including 55 positions
from the corporate office
here and another 100
from the field. Brinker
officials noted that the
company has 8,500
full- and part-time positions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and about
1,000 employees at the restaurant support center. Brinker employs about 100,000 worldwide.
The layoffs came after the company said late last month that it
would be closing an additional 35
restaurants by mid-March. In December it also completed the sale
of a majority interest in its Romano’s Macaroni Grill chain, and
the company has been re-franchis-ing a number of restaurants during the past year. Brinker closed
47 restaurants, including 26 Macaroni Grills, during its latest December-ended quarter.
Restaurants Unlimited
chief Stoddard resigns
SEATTLE — Steve Stoddard, chief
executive of Restaurants Unlimited
Inc., said he is stepping down after
11 years at the helm of the Seattle-based multiconcept operator. Stoddard, who joined the company in
1982, said he would stay until June
21, which officials said would be
enough time to find a replacement.
The voluntary decision to leave
RUI was based on the “
unprecedented economic crisis,” and “differ-
ing views” about the future direction of the company with private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners,
which bought RUI in 2007, said
RUI spokesman John Bottum.
Most recently during Stoddard’s
tenure, RUI in late 2007 acquired
Portland, Ore.-based Pacific Coast
Restaurants Inc., which included
27 restaurants such as the nine-unit Stanford’s chain, and the Newport Bay and Manzana brands. RUI
now owns 58 restaurants in 13
states under 17 concepts, including
Kincaid's, Palomino and Pizzeria
Fondi. The company reported
$250 million in sales in 2008.
BK big on small with
sandwich ‘Shots’ items
MIAMI — Burger King became the
latest restaurant chain to think
small, pairing its already tested
BK Burger Shots sliders with
three new bite-size sandwiches
called BK Breakfast Shots. The
Burger Shots, which had been in
test in several markets, are available in a two-pack for $1.39 or a
six-pack for $4.09. They each feature a flame-broiled burger topped
with mustard, ketchup and two
pickles in a bun without sesame
seeds. The Breakfast Shots feature either ham, bacon or sausage
with egg, a smoky cheese sauce
and American cheese served on a
bun. They are $1.49 for a two pack
or $2.89 for a four pack. Burger
King Corp. operates or franchises
more than 11,600 restaurants.
CONSUMER SCORECARD
Diners defecting to major chain restaurants
percent of traffic distribution
MAJOR
CHAINS
51%
53% 55% 56% 57% 57% 58%
SMALL
CHAINS
14%
14%
13% 13%
13% 13% 13%
INDEPENDENTS
35%
33% 32% 31% 30% 30% 29%
YEAR
ENDED
9-02
YEAR
ENDED
9-03
YEAR
ENDED
9-04
YEAR
ENDED
9-05
YEAR
ENDED
9-06
YEAR
ENDED
9-07
YEAR
ENDED
9-08
2. 16.09
■ NEWS
4
Rethink fast: Restaurateurs respond to recession with concept
overhauls
Texas Roadhouse mogul carves new niche at ski-lodge concept
Ore. hospital prescribes program for training staff to serve
multicultural clientele
37
KFC’s new ads spotlight freshness, ‘Feast’ promo
44
Brand leaders: Innovation crucial to keeping concepts hot
■ DEPARTMENTS
9 FINANCE
Dealboard; Same-Store Sales Trends; NRN’s Financial Scorecard
12 NEW-MEDIA MARKETING
Carvel dishes about Fudgie’s big mobile adventure
14 HUMAN RESOURCES
Williams reflects on 45-year career at Lawry’s
16 CONSUMER TRENDS
During ‘diet season’ diners seek healthful, value-oriented fare
23 NRN EDITORIAL
Generous restaurants offer guests chance to take a break,
enjoy a little hospitality in difficult times
24 OPINION
Menu labeling robs us of rationalizations
27 CULINARY CURRENTS
Hand-held breakfast foods; Joël Robuchon; social networking;
old-fashioned bartender manuals; Asiatique, Louisville, Ky.;
What’s Hot in Indianapolis; and more
56 SUPPLIER NEWS
‘Eggscellent Chefs’ program whips up innovative ideas for
breakfast foods
66 END QUOTES
Having Words With: Monty Moran, co-chief executive, Chipotle
12
Fudgie’s mobile adventure
27
Hand-held breakfast
■ FEATURES
39 SEGMENT STUDY: CASUAL DINING
Dinnerhouses don’t wait around for the rebound: Not content to
watch guests defect to competitors, casual brands get serious
about recruiting talent and take advantage of plummeting costs
■ ALSO THIS WEEK
18 Regional Growth Chains 60 Product Showcase
20 Community Matters 64 Advertiser Index
30 Calendar of Events 65 Chain and Company Index
44
Keeping concepts hot
2002, 2004,
2006 &
2008
Jesse H.
Neal
Award
winner
Go to NRN.COM for more news, more trends & more analysis
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