LOS ANGELES Ruth’s Chris Steak House Inc., was named MUFSO Operator of the Year at the gala awards banquet concluding the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators conference here this month. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Miller was selected by operator-readers of Nation’s Restaurant News from among this year’s six Golden Chain Award winners, who were chosen by NRN’s editors. Along with Miller, this year’s Golden Chain honorees were Paul Clayton, chief executive of Jamba Juice; Gerard T. Gabrys, president and chief executive of Guest Services Inc.; Linda A. Lang, chairman and chief executive of Jack in the Box Inc.; Zach McLeroy, chief executive and chairman of Zaxby’s Chicken Restaurants; and Nick Vojnovic, president of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Also honored during the MUFSO banquet was this year’s Pioneer Award winner, Golden Corral founder James Maynard. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Miller said receiving the Operator of the Year Award was the highlight of his career. But he was quick to credit the entire Ruth’s Chris team and said he is dedicated to carrying on the legacy of the 109-unit chain’s late founder, Ruth Fertel. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
“I don’t think about it as an individual award at all, but instead this is possible because of what we’ve all been able to do with Ruth’s legacy on how you treat people,” he said. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
When Miller joined Ruth’s Chris in 2004, he brought with him more than 40 years of full-service experience, including a stint at what is now Darden Restaurants Inc., parent of Red Lobster and Olive Garden. He later held a high-level post at Pizzeria Uno. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Miller, a Vietnam veteran and former chairman of the National Restaurant Association, said he started in the industry as a 13-year-old dishwasher at a neigh-bor’s restaurant simply because he needed a job. To this day he thinks a profession in the industry is one of the noblest a person can have. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
“People in this industry are dedicated everyday to serving good food and making people happy,” he said. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
His mentors are many, Miller said, noting that he had the opportunity over the years to work with several people he admired and learned from. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
“They draw from the dedicated staff of the restaurant I first worked with back in 1963 to Joe Lee at Darden, to Ramon Gallardo at Casa Gallardo, and Aaron Spencer, my partner and friend for 17 years at Uno,” he said. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
He added that through his experience at the NRA he has been able to learn from some of the best and most dedicated in the industry, including Joe Fassler, Ted Balestreri, and Bill Regas. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Randy Schoch, a longtime Ruth’s Chris franchisee whose Desert Island Restaurants operates five units in Hawaii, said it came as no surprise to him that Miller took home the award. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
“Craig has shown tremendous industry leadership with his tenure at the NRA and at the other restaurant companies he has been involved in,” Schoch said. “He also got the company through the horrendous experience of Hurricane Katrina.” —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Ruth’s Chris was based in Metairie, La., near New Orleans, at the time the hurricane hit. Miller and his executive team decided to relocate headquarters to Heathrow, Fla., just outside of Orlando. He said he chose that location because it’s a growing and vibrant business-friendly community that “just happens to be the hospitality capital of the world.” —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Schoch said Miller has been instrumental in Ruth’s Chris’ rapid growth after some stagnant years, including a strong push to go international. He noted that Ruth’s Chris is in the process of opening a unit in Tokyo, which would be the chain’s 12th international location. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Ruth’s Chris’ corporate revenues last year were $271.5 million, and the chain’s U.S. systemwide sales were $461 million. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Miller said the challenges in the industry are the same for everyone: “What all restaurateurs understand is it is all about the team effort and the hospitality created one dining experience at a time. Each experience stands on its own.” —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
When asked what advice he has for someone wishing to rise in the foodservice ranks, he said that one must find something he or she loves to do and get involved, be willing to take risks and change. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
“Status quo in our business and in one’s career means you are moving backwards,” he said. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Miller said he and his team are committed “to building the finest upscale-dining company in the world.” He noted that two of the biggest challenges facing Ruth’s Chris are government mandates and economic pressures. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
As with other operators in the industry, those challenges are being reflected in financial reports. For the second quarter ended July 1, Ruth’s Chris said its diverse customer base was exposing it to the same macroeconomic pressures afflicting other restaurateurs. Same-store sales for the quarter fell 0.4 percent, prompting the company to reduce its annual outlook for the second time this year. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
Despite the dip in same-store sales, Ruth’s Chris reported an 11.8-percent jump in second-quarter net income to $5.4 million on revenues that rose 29.5 percent to $78.4 million, driven by new store openings. Miller noted at the time that the company’s steps to leverage overhead and operating expenses would, as traffic rebounds, help it deliver a long-term earnings growth rate of between 17 percent and 20 percent. He also said he is confident the company can ultimately get to at least 250 domestic and 50 to 100 international locations. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of
The NRN-produced MUFSO conference drew more than 1,000 attendees this year to the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel. —Craig S. Miller, chairman, president and chief executive of