Growing Concepts
Concepts that have grown by at least 5% (if less than 50 units).
Brooklyn Center, MN-based CARIBOU COFFEE (founded 1992; NASDAQ: CBOU) has increased by 64 units, from 537 to 601 (12% growth) and entered into OK, Lebanon and Turkey. These quick serve coffee shops are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner hours, with a $2-$6 per person price range. Units have limited seating and offer catering and drive-thru services. Trading areas are AL, CO, DC, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, PA, SD, VA, WI, Asia, and the Middle East.
Menlo Park, CA-based APPLEWOOD PIZZA has increased by 1 unit, from 2 to 3 (50% growth). This is a family/casual Italian and pizza concept, open for lunch and dinner. Per person check average is $6-$12 and beer and wine are served. Seating is for about 80. Catering, delivery, and online ordering options are available. All locations are in CA.
Boyne City, MI-based B C PIZZA (founded 1988) has increased by 1 unit, from 31 to 32 (3% growth) and entered into FL. This is a quick serve pizzeria, open for lunch and dinner, with a $3-$8 per person price range. Units have limited seating. Catering service is available. All stores are franchised and trade in FL, GA and MI.
SHEETZ based in Altoona, PA (founded 1952) has increased by 22 units, from 408 to 430 (5% growth). These are take-out sandwich/deli shops open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Locations are in convenience stores. Trading areas are MD, NC, OH, PA, VA and WV.
TACO BOY based in Grand Rapids, MI has increased by 1 unit from 4 to 5 (25% growth). These are mostly take-out restaurants with seating for around 20. Meal periods are lunch and dinner. Per person check average is around $2-$6. Drive-thru services are available. All locations are in MI.
Emerging and Re-emerging Concepts
Concepts with 20 units or less who grew by at least 2 units.
Fort Wayne, IN-based EDDIE MERLOT’S has increased by 2 units, from 5 to 7 (40% growth) and entered into IL and KY. This is an upscale steakhouse concept, open for dinner only. Per person check average is $15-$50+. The restaurants have full bar and seating for about 150. Catering and banquet services are available. Trading areas are IL, IN, KY, and OH.
Sandy, UT-based BEANS & BREWS COFFEE HOUSE (founded 1993) has increased by 3 units, from 20 to 23 (15% growth). This is a quick serve coffee shop, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Per person price range is $2-$6, with limited seating. The stores offer online ordering and drive-thru. All locations are in UT. Franchise opportunities are now available.
Belmont, NC-based BRIXX WOOD FIRED PIZZA (founded 1998) has increased by 2 units, from 19 to 21 (11% growth). These are family/casual pizzeria restaurants, open for lunch and dinner. Per person check average is $6-$12 and beer and wine are served. Seating is for about 250. Catering service is available. Trading areas are NC, SC, TN, and VA.
WINGS ETC based in Fort Wayne, IN (founded 1994) has increased by 2 units, from 20 to 22 (10% growth). These are family/casual restaurants with seating for around 150. Meal periods are lunch and dinner. Per person check average is around $6-$12. The concept offers catering and patio seating. Locations are more than 70% franchised and are in IL, IN and MI.
Repeat Growers
Concepts previously written about in the past 18 months.
Philadelphia, PA-based STARR RESTAURANT GROUP (founded 1995) has increased by 5 units, from 23 to 28 (22% growth), with the addition of new concepts called: Frankford Hall, Il Pittore, Route 6, Caffe Storico, and Rat’s Restaurant. Other concepts include: Alma De Cuba (1), Barclay Prime (1), Buddakan (3), Butcher & Singer (1), Continental (3), El Rey (1), El Vez (1), Granite Hill (1), Jones (1), Makoto (1), Morimoto (2), Parc (1), Pizzeria Stella (1), Pod (1), Square Burger (1), Steak 954 (1), Talula’s Garden (1), and The Dandelion (1). These are upscale restaurants, serving multiple cuisine types. Meal periods are lunch and dinner, with a $15-$50+ per person check average. The restaurants have full bar and average seating for about 150. Catering and private party services are available. Trading areas are FL, NJ, NY, and PA. We last featured this company on 5/10/11 (21% growth).
FIREHOUSE SUBS based in Jacksonville, FL (founded 1994) has increased by 20 units, from 506 to 526 (4% growth). These are quick serve sandwich shops with seating for around 20. Meal periods are lunch and dinner. Per person check average is around $3-$8. Catering is offered. Locations are more than 90% franchised and are in AL, AR, AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NM, NV, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA and WV. We last featured this concept on 8/30/11 (6% growth) and on 2/21/12 (11% growth).
About RestaurantChains.net
The RestaurantChains.net directory was launched in 2004 and currently covers more than 4,300 multi-unit restaurant companies, supplying headquarters contact information and company attributes in more than 100 different criteria. Foodservicereport.com, a sister publication, is a database that covers more than 750,000 restaurants in the US. Subscribers can receive regular reports on new store openings or pre-defined lists based on hand-picked criteria such as cuisine, type, style, or geographic region.
For more information, please contact Keith Gellman at keith@foodservicereport.com.
