Restaurant Trade Area Research

Just a quick post today to note the continued positioning being taken by various fast food restaurants locally - today - as the title suggests - Checkers had a reader board advertising lower evening combo pricing. Excellent idea and could encourage more combos during this higher customer transaction size period/daypart. This joins the limited 1/2 price - daypart pricing by Sonic and Steak And Shake for mid-day drinks.

Lastly for today - thanks for your support in 2009. Here’s some statistics about this website. In 2008 this website had 5,788 unique visitors - in 2009, 18,805 unique visitors (as many as 2,572 in a month). In 2008 this website had @9,300 page views and in 2009, over 28,000 page views.

Much more will be coming soon too - bookmark and return. Oh, and make sure to see in the sidebar an overview of the important posts of 2009.

First, let it be said that my usage of nearly ALL of the restaurants has already assumed the `new normal’ of the Great Recession. Regardless of what cheerleading the media may be doing about the economy - most folks are now cautious on discretionary spending - of which, restaurant visits - even to a degree Fast Food restaurant visits - has been impacted. 

 In alphabetical order:

Arby’s - I `responded’ to the ads for the `Roast Burger’ earlier in the year and was not impressed. I refused to respond to the Marry a Goat `humor’  ad campaign and somewhat like the recent 5.01 combo or pricing (the one cent being for Quality).  That said, generally, I perceive that Arby’s as expensive without having coupons from the coupon mail drop a few times a year. Additionally, they  `streamlined’ their `fries’ - dropping my favorite the Homestyle. How can they NOT promote the Jamoca Shake?

Atlanta Bread Company (ABC) - Remodeled nicely. Upgraded to real plates and silverware. Messy to clean up. Can be crowded and slow service. Female favorite. Good soups and combo prices. Mellow atmosphere.

Burger Inn - Local  legend - all fresh cooked. Great breakfast customer base. Friendly people; newspapers available often. Excellent onion rings. Beefy hamburgers. Male favorite.

Burger King - I like the current billboard promotion about the Double Cheeseburger for a buck, real value - but - haven’t gotten it.  I have ordered the Mini burgers more than once however and view that as an excellent addition. Amazingly, the Woodstock BK got rid of Real Sweet Tea years ago (my assumption is that is still the case) and thereby nearly ended my usage — I can’t stand the fake sweet tea out of a machine. Operations should be aware that changing ICONic drinks can have a big effect. — Finally, where is the KING?

Capt. D’s - Perhaps my favorite FF in Woodstock. Quality, Quick, and Quantity with good value pricing. Covers all reasonable price points including lunch specials and on-going `specialities’ that have all prices. Excellent choice of sides. Funny ads earlier in the year comparing to Red Lobster pricing. Friendly greeting and thanking when exiting. Good inside music.

Checkers - Still a viable concept (double drive thru) - chicken wings were a good addition earlier in year - somehow it fits. Catchy phrase “you gotta eat” recognizable for smaller chain levels of advertising. Covers all price points well with a good mix of products. The Woodstock store does Sunday Pricing - good idea - hasn’t ever motivated me for their `down sized’ versions. Could probably `play-up’ the FUN theme a little bit more.

Chick-Fil-A - Woodstock’s Chick-Fil-A is amazingly busy. Overwhelmingly busy whenever they do a promotion like 2-1 for a chicken sandwich or free food giveaway. Excellent quick service regardless of how long the lines are - especially at the drive-thru. (However, I’ve detected a time or two a usage of `workers in India’ taking my orders — I’m not kidding - and, in this time of underemployment in America - that is NOT right to save a few cents that way.) Real Milk Shakes were genius. Consistent quality. Friendly employees. Clean. ————— All that said, the Woodstock inside service in the sit-down area can be horrid and when is Chick-Fil-A gonna get some normal fries? Also, one takes a chance when getting the baked potato.

Dairy Queen -  The standard in Ice Cream desserts from the drive-thru. Haven’t used but really like the new pricing structure in ads 2/3 3/4 4/5.00 - interesting approach. Unfortunately, for me, the food hasn’t broke thru.

Dunkin Donuts - Right on the Strip - I’ve never used location. Certainly they can advertise donuts and donut prices more.  (IF I knew a quick Donut sweet was 99 cents for example - it would come to mind for `dessert’ or breakfast purchase more often. Never seen a place less concerned with establishing a price point understanding. Just how much does a dozen donuts cost?)

Firehouse Subs - Expensive but Excellent. Can be slow. Friendly employees. TV’s to watch. Good real sweet tea. Small, can be crowded.

Five Guys Hamburgers - Tangential to Woodstock in Sandy Plains area — good operation - waiting for a Woodstock Location (several good places available perhaps too).

IHOP - Expensive, right? What specials?

KFC - Closed but not forgotten. Also was one, like BK, to drop sweet tea for a time.

Krystal’s - Krystal `fix’ a must a few times a year. (Canton Road.) Ad’s featuring Crispy Onions on burger looks very compelling. Wi-Fi add - good idea.

McDonald’s - Woodstocks unit re-designs and updates the interiour often - which is nice. Clean. Service can range from excellent to very poor (weekends). Can often find an AJC or USA today in newspaper bin. Separate kids area - thumbs up. Fries can vary in quality. Best FF fish sandwich.

New China Buffet - Lunch value leader. Good quality food. Friendly employees. Priced by the pound to go. Widest variety of food.

O’Charlies - Stopped going shortly after changed menu restricting Prime Rib to Sundays only.

Panda Express - Have never used. Pass by back of lot 3 times a week on way to Walmart.

Po Folks - AKA Folks —> Expesive for what you get.

Ruby Tuesday’s — How could they get rid of German Potato Salad? (pet peeve). Good miniburgers and platter pricing. Easy to split orders. Great salad bar still.

Sonic - I really like their ad’s inside the car with the main guy and his friend and the main guy and his wife. Classic. Best onion rings in Woodstock at FF. To me, tasteless burgers. Fun to use. Daypart pricing on drinks in the afternoon. Fun music playing.

Steak And Shake -  Best Milkshake in Woodstock. Can be very expensive without coupons and very reasonable with coupons. Great variety of sides. Great music inside.

Subway - Good with pricing with coupons. Good quality. Can be SLOW service. GOOD real sweet tea. Fresh. Daily specials a good way to address pricing. Excellent variety of sandwiches.

Taco Bell - Good cheap price positioning. Good Chalupa’s. Good real sweet tea. Good service speed. Good quality overall.

Wendy’s - Huge variety in quality - excellent one time - poorish the next. What the heck happened to the fries - almost tasteless compared to yesteryear. I’m told good salads. Expensiveish compared to McD’s. Baked potato good price/quality.

Thanks for reading - feel free to comment.

Here’s some links also:

KFC Closes Its Doors to Fight Hunger - http://www.slashfood.com/2009/09/30/kfc-closes-its-doors-to-fight-hunger/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl5|link6|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slashfood.com%2F2009%2F09%2F30%2Fkfc-closes-its-doors-to-fight-hunger%2F Community involvemet matters - look at the results of the survey on this page too.

A Real Whopper? NASCAR’s Stewart to take live polygraph test in ad  - http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/30/a-real-whopper-nascars-stewart-to-take-live-polygraph-test-in//?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl1|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F09%2F30%2Fa-real-whopper-nascars-stewart-to-take-live-polygraph-test-in%2F%2F BK, attention grabber again.

Eat, drink, and spend money: Restaurants ply diners with cheap booze - http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/09/29/eat-drink-and-spend-money-restaurants-ply-diners-with-cheap-b/#continued?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl3|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyfinance.com%2F2009%2F09%2F29%2Feat-drink-and-spend-money-restaurants-ply-diners-with-cheap-b%2F%23continued

The new price of `free’ continues within the fast food category - this week - I’m aware of a dayparted Sonic free Root Beer Float and a free donut at Dunkin Donuts (with purchase) and I’m pretty sure I saw a coupon for an Arby’s `weekparted’ free Kids meal (on weekends with purchase). To be honest, I think there was at least one more.

Well, at least the new FREE involves some targeting. Targeting families to get into a weekend Arby’s visit - good idea. Targeting the sweet tooth by Sonic in the evening (this promo was after 8PM) - creating that `float, at night, in the summer idea - and also making this FREE promotion FREE - good idea. Dunkin Donuts getting some free trial by coffee users - good idea.

Also newsworthy on the `re-pricing’ of fast food restaurant visits is McDonald’s (at least locally) going 1.00 for all sizes of any soft drink (a la carte) (until Sept.30th) - NOT just the sweet tea. Smart - something I suggested all chains should consider in prior posts about how to deal with the `new’ normal in restaurant usage.

And, that new normal continues to make it a rough go as these links indicate:

Fast-Food Chains In For Job-Loss Pain - http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200906031622DOWJONESDJONLINE000812_FORTUNE5.htm

Same store sale figures - Not good news for some - down as much as 8% for Arby’s - Qdoba’s down;  BK, Wendy’s, Jack In The Box slightly up. http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/entry/41524/burger-king-promotes-value/

http://www.rttnews.com/Content/BreakingNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=947907%20&Category=Breaking%20News

Don’t leave before visiting my Squidoo site - where I explain some of the services I offer www.squidoo.com/tradeareasureys - thanks.

Hello, welcome back to the Restaurant Trade Area Research (RTAR) blog - thanks for stopping for a read. And, as you can see by the title of this post — once again in our depressed economy - where the discretionary dollar is scarce - where one restaurant unit after another closes - price points remain criteria number one for most restaurant chains.

Locally in northern Georgia - Mcdonald’s and Steak and Shake have met the Sonic reduced drink prices in the afternoon - Checkers has finally positioned a dollar menu — and as mentioned before Quizno’s `reduced prices’. And, two more restaurants have bitten the dust in the Woodstock Ga. market - Sonny’s BBQ (unbelievably) and the Woodstock Restaurant (daily buffet) - bringing nearly half a dozen closed up restaurants to Woodstock HWY 92 in the last few years.

But, it doesn’t end there - as the casual sit-downs are firing back on the price front with TGIF’s offering a buy one get one — with that being matched by other competitors like O’Charlies. And:

1-Wendy’s —- 3conmics (99cent choices) 2. Free Pancakes at IHOP tomorrow 3. Denny’s recent free grand slam breakfast 4. Steak and Shake’s recent `free combo’s for a year’ giveaway at local Atlanta locations 5. Fazoli’s - BOGO (buy one - get one) 6. Dunkin Donuts 1.99 breakfast combo 7. Starbucks - Breakfast value meal 3.95 — 8. McDonald’s Specials (like 3.33 for a Big Mac Combo) 9. Ruby Tuesday’s combo’s at 5.99 — Likewise Hooters 5.99

Makes one wonder when some chain will be bold enough in the south to make sweet tea a different price 24 hours a day - like 59 cents with any other purchase.

Finally, seems the burger front may be heating up - first Burger King’s mini’s will put pressure on Krystal’s and Roast Burgers at Arby’s - should compel trial. 

Just last month in this post http://restauranttradearearesearch.com/2008/08/02/perfect-demographics-perfect-traffic-counts-closed-restaurant/ I talked about the closing of a Backyard Burgers location at the intersection of Sandy Plains Rd and Hwy 92; and now, sadly - more fast food locations have bitten the dust nearby further `up’ (west) on Hwy 92 nearer to Woodstock.

Both went down about the same time last month - a 15 plus years open KFC; and a Zaxby’s which had been open several years. The KFC was in the midst of many fast food competitors - across the street from McDonald’s and Mrs Winners (Fried Chicken) with Capt’.D’s, Dairy Queen, Burger King and Chick Fil-A within eyesight; in addition to other restaurants within a mile such as Arby’s, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Checkers and several sit downs such as Ruby Tuesday and O’Charley’s, Po Folks and several long time non brand restaurant choices. Yes, this was and is a developed area.

But, things change, - the Walmart across from KFC moved 2 miles up the road a few years ago replaced by a 4 day a week furniture wholesaler. The drugstore within the KFC retail pad went empty last month — the same retail pad saw a long standing BBQ location Slopes fold  about a year ago.

Our family used the KFC about once a month; usually for dinner - nearly always thru the drive-thru. Usually for the `dinners’ for 2.99-3.99 - buy three of those and you really felt like you got a sackful. Somehow, the drive-thru never backed up.

So, now, the nearest KFC is about 3.7 miles away, (this was about 2.1) and on our way back from Atlanta up Hwy 5. So, instead of using that one twice in last 5 years — I’ll probably bump into the once every six month category - and also eat at  Mrs Winners more often. Reverse attrition to the survivors.

I wonder if the KFC on Canton Rd will `market’ to the closed KFC’s trade area - I wonder if they have done any trade area surveys - to know that info?

The Zaxby’s closing was equally as surprising and it also was a place our family went to about once every 6 week or so. It was located about 3 miles from our home and we used it for evening eat-in meals (you only deal with Zaxby’s drive thru once) - it had good quality. It was NOT located in a highly concentrated fast food strip but did have local competitors. Indeed, a new chain Kayson’s, opened and shortly after the Zaxby’s was history.

The point of this posting is that the competitive environment is tough and getting tougher. Knowing your local trade area via real marketing research is not a luxury anymore. Indeed, if you do your whole market with a MarketView — you may know which `available’ fast food locations fit your market development plan without overlapping your own existing stores penetration. You will be able to do your own `attrition’ estimates based on trade areas.

Please visit www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys for more information about how I can help your marketing decisions.

Today’s Restaurant Links

Krystal’s Offers Up `Sonic-like’ Positioning

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1289284.htm  Is this `the idea’ that could make Krystal a player?

`Local Restaurant Dishes Out Manners’

http://www.kcsg.com/news/regional/28032164.html  `The Cell-Phone’ reminder. Quick read. Find out who is using `the reminder’.

`California Moves Closer To NYC-Like Menu Law’

http://www.desertdispatch.com/opinion/state_4250___article.html/mandate_menu.html 

`Fast Food Outlaws’

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/fastfood-outlaws/2008/09/06/1220121599393.html  A less than flattering look at the USA from our friends down-under.

`Changing Lifestyles and Rising Incomes To Affect Restaurant Sales’

http://www.prweb.com/releases/restaurants_pizza/fast_foods_dining/prweb1302024.htm

The above story is about the GLOBAL MARKET and not the changing lifestyles here in America (less eating out, trading down). Nevertheless an in-depth viewpoint to read.

Hello, welcome back - I hope your Labor Day holiday was relaxing - that said, my thoughts go out to previous restaurant clients in Louisiana. Today, I want to spend this paragraph encouraging restaurant owners to `get the big view’ of their real market situation. To understand that NEXT year - with proper information - you can do real local marketing that impacts your units.

How you ask?

By doing my MarketView research for which you can find more info about at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys — or go to the site for contact information for my services. If you call, make sure to ask me about the project I did for a fast food chain last year that involved doing over 10 stores and testing over 12 new site locations within the market - for under 30,000.00.

Now - onward to today’s restaurant links:

When Sonic Comes To Town

http://blogs.wenatcheeworld.com/thay/2008/08/28/sonic-wenatchees-newest-health-food-restaurant/ Just a fun story about a NEW restaurant for this community - Sonic. Covers the insanity of a grand opening, roller-skates, and the dealing with an unfamiliar menu by the consumer. Includes less than glorified pictures of the product served and at 10 bucks nonetheless.

Athens Burgers Opens New Restaurant

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/main.asp?SectionID=28&SubSectionID=58&ArticleID=59128&TM=16382.6 Here’s a newer concept to read about. Interesting combination.

Slow Food Conference

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-slowfood_0901gl.ART0.State.Edition1.4da40ac.html More and more stories emphasis is on going local with sources of products. Love the `meet the fisherman’ concept.

Wendy’s Rolls Out Double-Stack Nationwide at 99 Cents

http://sev.prnewswire.com/food-beverages/20080829/CLF006A29082008-1.html  Also, is giving away thousands of double stacks over the next year too - find out how.

Discount Dining

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/bal-bz.restaurants02sep02,0,3747451.story Covers the story as to how restaurants are responding with lower price points in this economic downturn. Covers the marketing efforts of Boston Market, BJ’s Restaurants and Starbucks to name just a few.

Police Warn about TAKEOVER Robberies

http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=358002&menu_id=1368  Good advice about this growing concern.

Spying On Suburbia - Eating At Arby’s

http://www.richmondchic.com/index.php/mind-body/article/spying-on-suburbia-a-home-like-arbys/268  Strange to interesting perceptions from this blog about Arby’s — 16.00 for two fast food.

Kiss an Attendent at a Fast Food Restaurant

http://www.latimes.com/theguide/music/la-gd-scavenger1-2008sep1,0,5200506.story Wild scavenger hunt includes wild ideas.