So Prototypical

A flurry of unit redesigns hints at top chains’ dissatisfaction with their positioning with consumers.

By Kate Leahy, Associate Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 7/1/2007

Plastic seats and fluorescent lights are passé when it comes to chain-restaurant prototypes. As consumers demand more upscale dining experiences, companies are rethinking just about every aspect of their restaurants’ design, and upgrades are taking the form of everything from natural fabrics at the table to smaller, more efficient kitchens.

It’s a wise thing to do, says Dennis Lombardi, executive vice president of foodservice strategies for Dublin, Ohio-based design firm WD Partners. "Prototypes are the lifeblood that keeps the brand alive and viable," he says.

Several national chains are showing off their viability, from Culver City, Calif.-based Sizzler, which is testing a new format offering table service and a full bar, to Oak Brook, Ill.-based McDonald’s, which continues to augment the Golden Arches with natural tones and trash receptacles that talk.

Updating a brand’s personality isn’t new; what is different is the frequency with which chains rethink their looks. "There’s a rule of thumb that you need to remodel every seven years," says Ron Petty, president of development for Nashville-based Sagittarius Brands, which oversees Del Taco and Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen. "But I think the consumer is growing more sophisticated at a faster rate than our capital budget generally allows."

What’s certain is that consumer tastes have traveled upmarket.

"The typical dining experience with plastic benches has been elevated," says Bob Welty, WD Partners’ creative director. "It’s forcing everyone to upscale every aspect of their brand."

New prototypes illustrate the competitive climate of the industry and how operators are looking to thse designs to refine their brand message. Says John Grady, president of Woburn, Mass.-based Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub: "We aren’t the shiny penny on the street anymore. We need to keep providing our guests compelling reasons to visit Ninety Nine. It’s not décor; it’s the whole package."

Clay Dover, executive vice president and chief concept officer for Plano, Texas-based Metromedia Restaurant Group’s casual-dining division, cites competition as well as pressure that upscale casual- dining chains and fast-casual chains have placed on QSR and casual dining as reasons for the redesign trend.

"You really need to do something that stands out," Dover says. "Chain restaurants can have that processed look and feel, and we’re trying to break that."

There’s another factor too. As restaurant companies direct their resources toward increasing sales at existing stores rather than building new ones, restaurant redesigns emphasize space and energy efficiency. Kitchens shrink as floor plans make better use of space. And successful prototypes depend on being able to retrofit an existing model with a new design.

There is a silver lining to the cost of implementation. With smarter design that allows for fewer staff members, smaller kitchens and more-efficient seating, and with the installation of energy-efficient appliances and heating/ventilation/air-conditioning systems, it actually can be less expensive in the long run to build and operate new prototypes.

Miami-based Benihana has enjoyed these benefits since rolling out a new prototype last year. Out went clutter and in came bold reds and greens with stainless- steel and stone accents and varied seating choices. "The building costs less to build; the square footage decreased by 1,000 square feet; and the units had double-digit growth in volume," Lombardi says.

Now that’s called looking good.

First Watch

After numerous years of scattered expansion plans, disparate prototypes and a handful of very different logos, Bradenton, Fla.-based First Watch is clarifying its brand message.

The biggest change for the breakfast-and-lunch-focused chain was a design that emphasizes daytime dining. Dark greens and woods were swapped out in favor of a light color palette with pale oak, brighter colors and windows that take advantage of morning and noon light. The daily-specials board over the hostess stand was made into a design focal point.

There were smaller changes as well, including stainless-steel coffee carafes for every table. The refined look of the prototype, partnered with cohesive logos and systemwide initiatives, has placed First Watch in a solid position for growth. “With breakfast taking on more importance in the consumer psyche, we wanted to make sure we were positioned in a modern way,” says Chief Marketing Officer Chris Tomasso.

Bennigan’s Sport

Plano, Texas-based Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern is trying out a new approach to its Irish American pub heritage. Bennigan’s Sport, the new prototype from Metromedia Restaurant Group, opened in Addison, Texas, on the site of an existing Bennigan’s. The restaurant lost its partitions and hostess stand but gained an open feel with a central, u-shaped bar. Booths are limited to the restaurant’s perimeter.

With 20 beers on tap, 25 plasma televisions, video games and overstuffed leather couches, the company is shooting for a 60% male, 40% female customer mix. Clay Dover, executive vice president and chief concept officer for Metromedia’s casual-dining division, predicts that beverage sales will climb from the 20% of sales typical of most Bennigan’s restaurants to 30% at Bennigan’s Sport.

“It’s a natural evolution of our brand,” Dover notes. “Dining is dramatically different than it was 10 years ago. We have to be flexible to address that.”

Damon’s Grill

The new prototype for Columbus, Ohio-based Damon’s Grill is designed to position the chain as more than simply a sports bar. That concept, Damon’s found, was a turnoff to female consumers, especially as a lunch choice. Further, it cast the brand too narrowly as a “special sports event” destination for males, according to a company spokesman. The new positioning statement—“Great Food. Game Day and Every Day”—emphasizes that food is first by design.

The prototype building has larger windows that let in more light. New technology made this atmosphere-brightening change possible: The sports-bar prototype featured large-screen projection televisions, but new flat-screen plasma televisions don’t require low light levels for best viewing.

The new layout is less compartmentalized too. The old prototype called for dining room, bar and “Clubhouse” sections. The revised layout features an expanded bar with adjoining dining areas. Panel televisions are still visible from any table in the restaurant, but speakers no longer are affixed to every table and booth. Wireless tabletop speakers will be available for those who request them. Construction on the first new-prototype building is scheduled to begin later this year in Columbus.