When everyone’s giving away food that’s remarkably similar in the first place, service becomes the real way of differentiating restaurant chains that compete at a given price level. That underappreciated fact was underscored today by coverage of how both Boston Market and Chili’s are trying to shake off their lethargy.
A USA Today story revealed that Boston Market is moving toward the classic fast-casual model by testing table delivery. Guests place their order, take their seat, and wait for the food to be brought to their table.
CEO Lane Cardwell also noted that the concept will strive to be more of a true market, vis-à-vis Eatzi’s and the gourmet food shops that inspired both it and Boston Market.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal ran a super-premium story on how Chili’s is hoping to get its pizzazz back. Last week the chain started serving a different sort of burger, made from chuck and formed by hand to retain more of the meat’s juices, the article noted.
It also reported that the recipe for its Baby Back Ribs has been rewritten. The ribs are now smoked for a longer stretch, using pecan instead of mesquite to impart more flavor.
Service enhancements are also part of the revitalization effort. The story noted that restaurant-level employees were required to partake of a distance-learning program on service. Among the upshots is a requirement that servers now look all guests in the eye and cite new features of the menu.
Showing posts with label ribs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ribs. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
More news (and specifics) from BK
Burger King’s new Steakhouse XT (for “extra thick”) burger will be introduced region by region beginning this month, Burger King CEO John Chidsey said yesterday during a conference call with financial analysts. He also revealed that a multi-market test of ribs is about to commence.
Both items are prepared on BK’s new batch broiler, which apparently eliminates the necessity to cook one item at a time on the chain’s signature flame broiler. Because the traditional flame broiler has only one conveyor-belt track, each item gets the same cooking treatment. The new broiler has several tracks, with variable speeds, enabling some items, like a thicker burger or ribs, to get more cook time.
The batch broiler is currently in about 62% of the chain’s North American units, Chidsey said. The new equipment, he noted, also uses less electricity and gas.
When the new broilers were unveiled in 2007, executives said the devices use about half the energy of the equipment they replace. That yielded savings quantified back then at $600 per store per year. Presumably that payback is even higher today, given how energy prices have changed in two years.
In addition, technology experts have talked about a new generation of BK kitchen equipment that gives off less heat than what it would replace. With less ambient heat coming from the kitchen, a unit’s air conditioning system doesn’t have to chug as hard to maintain a comfortable temperature, yielding additional efficiencies. It’s unclear if the new batch broiler is among that batch of heat-retaining apparatus to which the experts were referring.
In trying to sweet-talk investors, Chidsey also disclosed that at least 20% of North American BK restaurants, or roughly 200 units, would be open 24/7 by the summer.
But the most astounding revelation was his off-hand remark about Flame, the Whopper-inspired cologne that was initially offered around the year-end holidays. It sold out within three days, Chidsey said.
Both items are prepared on BK’s new batch broiler, which apparently eliminates the necessity to cook one item at a time on the chain’s signature flame broiler. Because the traditional flame broiler has only one conveyor-belt track, each item gets the same cooking treatment. The new broiler has several tracks, with variable speeds, enabling some items, like a thicker burger or ribs, to get more cook time.
The batch broiler is currently in about 62% of the chain’s North American units, Chidsey said. The new equipment, he noted, also uses less electricity and gas.
When the new broilers were unveiled in 2007, executives said the devices use about half the energy of the equipment they replace. That yielded savings quantified back then at $600 per store per year. Presumably that payback is even higher today, given how energy prices have changed in two years.
In addition, technology experts have talked about a new generation of BK kitchen equipment that gives off less heat than what it would replace. With less ambient heat coming from the kitchen, a unit’s air conditioning system doesn’t have to chug as hard to maintain a comfortable temperature, yielding additional efficiencies. It’s unclear if the new batch broiler is among that batch of heat-retaining apparatus to which the experts were referring.
In trying to sweet-talk investors, Chidsey also disclosed that at least 20% of North American BK restaurants, or roughly 200 units, would be open 24/7 by the summer.
But the most astounding revelation was his off-hand remark about Flame, the Whopper-inspired cologne that was initially offered around the year-end holidays. It sold out within three days, Chidsey said.
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