Casual-dining chains ramp up discount deals and giveaways
BY ALAN J. LIDDLE
Reluctance among consumers to spend and aggressive competitors are forcing casual-dining operators to be anything but casual in managing their businesses.
As a group, for their latest completed fiscal years, the 36
casual-dining chains in the Nation’s Restaurant News Second 100 saw a 5.18-percent decrease in aggregate U.S. systemwide sales, to $10.01 billion. That compares with
growth of 1. 51 percent in the preceding year. Individually,
just one in three had year-over-year growth in their actual
or estimated domestic top lines.
The total number of restaurants fielded by Second 100
casual-dining chains at the end of the latest year dropped
5. 44 percent, to 3,425 units, from 3,622 locations in the
preceding year.
Much of that erosion in aggregate latest-year sales and
unit counts stems from the closures of 200 stores within the
255-unit Bennigan’s Irish American Grill & Tavern chain
after its parent, S&A Restaurant Corp., filed for Chapter 7
bankruptcy in July 2008. Those closures contributed to a
$283 million decrease in Bennigan’s estimated latest-year
U.S. sales.
Reports by publicly traded firms underscore that things
have gotten tougher for many casual-dining chains in
recent months.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 65
CASUAL CHAINS RANKED BY U.S. SYSTEMWIDE SALES
LATEST- PREC.-YEAR YEAR
RANK RANK CHAIN
FISCAL
YEAR-END
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
2 Uno Chicago Grill/Pizzeria Uno Sept. ’08
4 Mimi’s Cafe April ’09
3 On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina June ’09
5 Bonefish Grill Dec. ’08
11 BJ’s Rest. & Brewery/Brewhse/Pizza & Grill Dec. ’08
7 Maggiano's Little Italy June ’09
1 Bennigan's Irish Amer. Grill & Tavern Dec. ’08
9 Fuddruckers Sept. ’08
10 Morton’s, The Steakhouse Dec. '08
16 McCormick & Schmick’s Dec. ’08
6 Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Dec. ’08
13 Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub Dec. ’08
15 Claim Jumper Dec. ’08
14 Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery Dec. ’08
8 Johnny Carino’s Italian/Carino’s Italian Grill June ’09
12 Joe’s Crab Shack Dec. ’08
17 Dave & Buster’s Jan. ’09
18 Chevys Fresh Mex Dec. ’08
20 Houlihan’s Sept. ’08
19 Houston’s Dec. ’08
21 Benihana of Tokyo March ’09
23 Capital Grille Dec. ’08
25 Max & Erma’s Oct. ’08
27 Rainforest Cafe Dec. ’08
31 Old Chicago Dec. ’08
23 Champps Americana June ’09
22 Buca di Beppo Dec. ’08
30 Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria Dec. ’08
33 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Family Sports Pub Dec. ’08
29 Fleming’s Prime Steakhse & Wine Bars Dec. ’08
28 El Torito Dec. ’08
32 Legal Sea Foods Dec. ’08
34 Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill May ’09
36 Elephant Bar Restaurant Dec. ’08
26 Black Angus Steakhouse Dec. ’08
35 Hard Rock Cafe Dec. ’08
TOTALS:
*Actual results, estimates or projections
U.S. SYSTEMWIDE FOODSERVICE SALES*
(BY FISCAL YEAR, IN MILLIONS)
LATEST PRECEDING PRIOR
$431.1
419.0
412.0
400.0
376.5
364.0
360.0
336.9
328.5
325.0
314.5
299.5
299.0
285.0
284.9
281.2
273.2
271.5
268.9
249.8
241.0
239.0
232.5
231.5
230.1
230.0
223.1
220.9
217.1
216.0
212.2
200.0
190.4
185.0
181.0
180.0
$10,010.3
$448.6
411.0
430.0
390.0
318.7
377.0
643.0
342.0
327.0
290.0
387.0
311.3
294.0
304.0
361.1
315.0
280.6
272.7
260.3
264.0
247.0
240.0
235.0
226.5
217.1
240.0
245.6
219.2
202.9
221.0
221.4
215.0
200.0
182.0
230.0
187.3
$10,557.3
$442.6
370.0
418.0
327.0
241.5
351.0
656.1
340.0
297.0
260.0
449.0
311.9
274.0
315.0
372.0
360.0
269.0
288.6
251.7
271.9
233.0
213.0
231.0
228.5
192.1
245.0
253.8
218.8
181.0
188.0
214.7
202.0
340.0
168.0
245.0
180.0
$10,400.2
Source: NRN research
CASUAL CHAINS RANKED BY GROWTH IN U.S. SYSTEMWIDE SALES
(Year-to-year percentage change)
LATEST- PREC.-YEAR YEAR
RANK RANK
CHAIN
FISCAL
YEAR
END
LATEST*
VS.
PRECEDING
PRECEDING*
VS.
PRIOR
1 BJ’s Rest.& Brewery/Brewhouse/Pizza & Grill Dec. ’08
2 McCormick & Schmick’s Dec. ’08
3 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Family Sports Pub Dec. ’08
4 Old Chicago Dec. ’08
5 Houlihan’s Sept. ’08
6 Bonefish Grill Dec. ’08
7 Rainforest Cafe Dec. ’08
8 Mimi’s Cafe April ’09
9 Claim Jumper Dec. ’08
10 Elephant Bar Restaurant Dec. ’08
11 Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria Dec. ’08
12 Morton’s, The Steakhouse Dec. ’08
13 Capital Grille Dec. ’08
14 Chevys Fresh Mex Dec. ’08
15 Max & Erma’s Oct. ’08
16 Fuddruckers Sept. ’08
17 Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bars Dec. ’08
18 Benihana of Tokyo March ’09
19 Dave & Buster’s Jan. ’09
20 Maggiano’s Little Italy June ’09
21 Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub Dec. ’08
22 Hard Rock Cafe Dec. ’08
22 Uno Chicago Grill/Pizzeria Uno Sept. ’08
24 El Torito Dec. ’08
25 Champps Americana June ’09
26 On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina June ’09
27 Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill May ’09
28 Houston’s Dec. ’08
29 Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery Dec. ’08
30 Legal Sea Foods Dec. ’08
31 Buca di Beppo Dec. ’08
32 Joe’s Crab Shack Dec. ’08
33 Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Dec. ’08
34 Johnny Carino’s Italian/Carino’s Italian Grill June ’09
35 Black Angus Steakhouse Dec. ’08
36 Bennigan’s Irish American Grill & Tavern Dec. ’08
AVERAGE:
*Actual results, estimates or projections
1
7
6
4
17
2
25
8
12
10
23
9
5
32
20
22
3
14
15
11
24
16
21
18
27
19
36
28
31
13
30
34
35
29
33
26
18.14% 31.97%
12.07 11. 54
7.00 12. 10
5. 99 13.01
3. 30 3. 42
2. 56 19. 27
2. 21 -0.88
1. 95 11.08
1. 70 7. 30
1. 65 8. 33
0.78 0.18
0.46 10. 10
-0.42 12. 68
-0.44 - 5. 51
- 1.06 1. 73
- 1. 49 0.59
- 2. 26 17.55
- 2. 43 6.01
- 2. 64 4. 31
- 3. 45 7. 41
- 3. 79 -0.19
- 3. 90 4.06
- 3. 90 1. 36
- 4. 16 3. 12
- 4. 17 - 2.04
- 4. 19 2. 87
- 4. 80 - 41. 18
- 5. 38 - 2. 89
- 6. 25 - 3. 49
- 6. 98 6. 44
- 9. 16 - 3. 23
- 10. 73 - 12. 50
- 18. 73 - 13. 81
- 21. 10 - 2. 93
- 21. 30 - 6. 12
- 44.01 - 2.00
- 3.58% 2.77%
Source: NRN research
CASUAL CHAINS RANKED BY NUMBER OF U.S. UNITS
LATEST- PREC.-YEAR YEAR
RANK RANK CHAIN
FISCAL
YEAR- YEAR-END NUMBER OF UNITS*
END LATEST PRECEDING PRIOR
1 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Family Sports Pub Dec. ’08
2 Fuddruckers Sept. ’08
3 Uno Chicago Grill/Pizzeria Uno Sept. ’08
4 On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina June ’09
5 Bonefish Grill Dec. ’08
6 Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Dec. ’08
7 Mimi’s Cafe April ’09
8 Johnny Carino’s Italian/Carino’s Italian Grill June ’09
9 Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery Dec. ’08
10 Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub Dec. ’08
11 Joe’s Crab Shack Dec. ’08
12 Max & Erma’s Oct. ’08
13 Houlihan’s Sept. ’08
14 Old Chicago Dec. ’08
15 Chevys Fresh Mex Dec. ’08
16 Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria Dec. ’08
17 Buca di Beppo Dec. ’08
18 BJ’s Rest. & Brewery/Brewhse/Pizza & Grill Dec. ’08
19 El Torito Dec. ’08
20 Benihana of Tokyo March ’09
21 McCormick & Schmick’s Dec. ’08
22 Morton’s, The Steakhouse Dec. ’08
23 Black Angus Steakhouse Dec. ’08
24 Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill May ’09
25 Champps Americana June ’09
26 Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bars Dec. ’08
27 Bennigan’s Irish American Grill & Tavern Dec. ’08
28 Dave & Buster’s Jan. ’09
29 Elephant Bar Restaurant Dec. ’08
30 Claim Jumper Dec. ’08
31 Hard Rock Cafe Dec. ’08
31 Maggiano’s Little Italy June ’09
33 Capital Grille Dec. ’08
34 Legal Sea Foods Dec. ’08
35 Houston’s Dec. ’08
36 Rainforest Cafe Dec. ’08
TOTALS:
*Actual results, estimates or projections
2
3
4
6
8
5
10
7
9
12
11
13
16
15
14
16
18
24
20
23
25
22
19
21
26
27
1
28
29
29
31
32
34
33
35
36
266
234
191
152
149
145
144
136
131
116
113
107
100
99
95
94
88
83
80
77
76
74
69
68
62
61
55
51
48
46
44
44
37
32
30
28
3,425
239 213
230 226
201 202
165 158
140 119
195 223
132 115
159 162
134 137
115 114
120 120
103 99
92 92
95 87
97 102
92 92
90 93
69 56
79 78
70 69
65 54
72 68
82 84
73 73
60 61
54 45
255 265
47 45
44 41
44 40
43 43
42 41
32 27
36 34
30 32
26 26
3,622 3,536
Source: NRN research
CASUAL CHAINS RANKED BY GROWTH IN NUMBER OF U.S. UNITS
(Year-to-year percentage change)
1 1 BJ’s Rest. & Brewery/Brewhouse/Pizza & Grill Dec. ’08
2 2 McCormick & Schmick’s Dec. ’08
3 4 Capital Grille Dec. ’08
4 3 Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bars Dec. ’08
5 7 Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Family Sports Pub Dec. ’08
6 18 Benihana of Tokyo March ’09
7 6 Mimi’s Cafe April ’09
7 10 Elephant Bar Restaurant Dec. ’08
9 21 Houlihan’s Sept. ’08
10 13 Dave & Buster’s Jan. ’09
11 21 Rainforest Cafe Dec. ’08
12 5 Bonefish Grill Dec. ’08
13 16 Maggiano’s Little Italy June ’09
14 8 Claim Jumper Dec. ’08
15 9 Old Chicago Dec. ’08
16 15 Max & Erma’s Oct. ’08
17 28 Champps Americana June ’09
18 11 Morton’s, The Steakhouse Dec. ’08
19 21 Hard Rock Cafe Dec. ’08
20 21 Bertucci’s Brick Oven Pizzeria Dec. ’08
21 17 Fuddruckers Sept. ’08
22 19 El Torito Dec. ’08
23 20 Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub Dec. ’08
24 35 Houston’s Dec. ’08
25 34 Chevys Fresh Mex Dec. ’08
26 32 Buca di Beppo Dec. ’08
27 30 Marie Callender’s Restaurant & Bakery Dec. ’08
28 27 Uno Chicago Grill/Pizzeria Uno Sept. ’08
29 21 Joe’s Crab Shack Dec. ’08
30 21 Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill May ’09
31 14 On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina June ’09
32 11 Legal Sea Foods Dec. ’08
33 29 Johnny Carino’s Italian/Carino’s Italian Grill June ’09
34 31 Black Angus Steakhouse Dec. ’08
35 36 Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon Dec. ’08
36 33 Bennigan’s Irish American Grill & Tavern Dec. ’08
AVERAGE:
LATEST- PREC.- FISCAL
YEAR YEAR YEAR-RANK RANK CHAIN END
20.29% 23.21%
16. 92 20. 37
15. 63 18. 52
12. 96 20.00
11. 30 12. 21
10.00 1. 45
9.09 14. 78
9.09 7. 32
8. 70 0.00
8. 51 4. 44
7. 69 0.00
6. 43 17. 65
4. 76 2. 44
4.55 10.00
4. 21 9. 20
3. 88 4.04
3. 33 - 1. 64
2. 78 5. 88
2. 33 0.00
2. 17 0.00
1. 74 1. 77
1. 27 1. 28
0.87 0.88
0.00 - 6. 25
- 2.06 - 4. 90
- 2. 22 - 3. 23
- 2. 24 - 2. 19
- 4. 98 -0.50
- 5. 83 0.00
- 6. 85 0.00
- 7. 88 4. 43
- 11. 11 5. 88
- 14. 47 - 1. 85
- 15. 85 - 2. 38
- 25. 64 - 12. 56
- 78. 43 - 3. 77
-0.25% 4.07%
LATEST* PRECEDING*
VS. VS.
PRECEDING PRIOR
*Actual results, estimates or projections
Source: NRN research
