Could this move make the mallpad strip even more competitive - especially for the `leaving Walmart’ drive thru traffic? - http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201007160959dowjonesdjonline000442&title=mcdonalds-plans-upgrades-to-wal-mart-based-restaurants
Starbucks Will Win the Wi-Fi War - http://www.pcworld.com/article/203304/starbucks_will_win_the_wifi_war.html
Or, will they?
Winners of the various categories are:
Healthy Food - Subway - Mega Chain; Jason’s Deli - Large Chain
Coffee - Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds
Best Burger - Five Guys, In-N-Out Burger, Wendy’s
Best Fries - McDonald’s, In-N-Out Burger, Five Guys
Best Milkshake - Dairy Queen
Best Value - McDonald’s, Panera Bread
Best Drive-Thru - McDonalds
Most Popular - Subway
More details at this link - http://www.restaurantnews.com/zagat-fast-food-survey-rates-136-major-dining-chains-from-breakfast-to-burgers-dessert-to-drive-thrus/
I live only about 2.5 miles from a Stevi B’s - it’s pretty good pizza - that said, when it opened our family used to use it 3-6 tmes a year - but, it’s been 3-4 years since our last use. That said, free food can indeed bring in the old users (now nonusers) - and, IF they give that pizza to the customers as they leave - they may indeed stimulate some `take out’ business in the future. (Especially if the pizza re-heats well.) http://www.restaurantnewsrelease.com/stevi-bs-pizza-celebrates-second-annual-free-pizza-day-on-august-19/852283/ Free Food - Part of the New Normal.
(Finally) Blimpie Introduces New Lighter Stuff Menu - The Lighter Stuff menu is comprised of six deliciously healthy items, all less than 400 calories and six grams of fat. - with a celebrity endorser and all - http://www.restaurantnews.com/blimpie-introduces-new-lighter-stuff-menu/ - Just how many years ago was Jared?
“It’s Bo Time” - http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/19/1572009/bojangles-fries-up-new-ad-slogan.html - Will Bojangles new slogan live up to the impressive KFC `So Good’? Are you motivated?
Arby’s goes interactive to introduce a new 1.00 sandwich - New Web App Morphs Your Photo Into “Arby’s Junior” Character - http://www.restaurantnewsrelease.com/become-an-arbys-junior/852235/ will cutesy work? That said, the description of the sandwich sounds like a taste treat for one dollar: the Jr. Deluxe features oven-roasted, thinly sliced roast beef, topped with crisp, fresh lettuce, ripe tomato and mayo on a toasted sesame seed bun.
And, why not try the new media when - Starbucks Tops 10 Million Facebook Fans - http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=132008
In the new normal - everyone is tired of the endless `marketing’ and pitching of products that do not live up to expectations - especially visually. But now, Domino’s Pizza has gone the extra step in advertising their product - showing THE REAL THING. Honesty, a worthwhile, unique attribute in advertising and enough to make this stand out - http://www.restaurantnews.com/dominos-puts-authentic-food-photography-in-marketing-picture/
Starbucks - FREE WI-FI - and more coming - Later this fall, Starbucks plans to introduce the Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo!. This new online experience, currently planned for U.S. company-operated stores, will offer customers free, unrestricted access to a collection of paid sites and services, exclusive content and previews, free downloads and local community news. - http://www.restaurantnews.com/starbucks-turns-on-free-wi-fi-for-customers-july-1st/
Being connected - Being Real - in the new normal.
Leave it to McDonald’s to uniquely position `nutrious’ Oatmeal - no FF competition, targets Starbucks success with it - and appeals even to the sit-down `greasy spoon’ users. http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/05/13/mcdonalds-adds-oatmeal-to-the-menu-as-breakfast-wars-heat-up/ Another great move by McDonald’s.
Here’s some one and one research I did last year about restaurants - http://videosq.com/Tara-35-44-Top-Of-Mind-Restaurant-Research__EtVziTDuZOY.html - you can see the other five by going to YouTube and entering `top of mind restaurant’ in the search browser.
In other news - Subway To Everyone Else: Stop Selling ‘Footlong’ Sandwiches - http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/05/subway_to_everyone_you_cant_se.html
thanks for your visit today.
As I mentioned in one of my first blog posts in this blog - http://restauranttradearearesearch.com/2008/08/17/mcdonalds-perception-change/ – competitors better realize the time is now if not last week to fear the FF giant. Talk about having all the right tools, and understanding that research, and understanding a customer base - it will only get tougher if you do not have the arches in front of your store. What are YOU doing about understanding your customer base?
Anyway - this `new idea’ is to make McDonald’s more `leisurely’ — absolutely could work too IMO. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0413-mcdonalds-makeover–20100412,0,2749029.story
In other news - Colonel Punishment - The significance of the KFC Double Down - the takeaway from this post is that it all ISN’T price price price in 2010 as the manner to create a buzz. That said, this product has already been panned. http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/15/news/companies/kfc_double_down.fortune/index.htm
And, Firehouse Subs grabs some good PR with this Firehouse Subs Launches “Chip In” Program - http://restaurantnews.com/firehouse-subs-launches-chip-in-program/
Thanks for visiting today - in the sidebar you can see the most important posts of 2008 and 2009 - I exclude ones with links and just put the ones with `my articles’ - so give it a look. 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.
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.
Of course, one of the main reasons to do on-site research at your restaurant is when you decide to build a new unit in your same market. Obviously, you don’t want to build a new location in a likely spot that is within your existing stores main trade area. This is when you need to conduct a Trade Area Survey at your restaurant that includes a `cannibalization question’ for your customer base.
The exact wording of the cannibalization question is of vital importance to the accuracy of the data your interviewer will gather (or is this going to be YOU speaking with your customers). Since I have written questionnaires that were used in 100’s of cannibalization studies - I know that answer for you. You can find more at www.squidoo.com/tradeareasurveys .
Today’s Link
Starbucks Introduces New Drinks
New `food’ choices (or a new menu) are real reasons for returning to a restaurant - another reason to introduce a new product is to jump on a trend or stifle a competitor. Seems to fit with the `new’ Starbucks of 2008.
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