COLUMBUS Ohio Bob Evans Farms Inc. reported that year-over-year same-store sales for the four weeks ended Aug. 24 rose 4.3 percent at its namesake restaurants, but fell 1.9 percent at its Mimi’s Cafe chain.
Average menu prices for the month increased 2.6 percent at Bob Evans Restaurants and jumped about 3.9 percent at Mimi’s locations, signifying positive traffic at the Bob Evans chain but negative guest counts at Mimi’s.
Steve Davis, chairman and chief executive for the parent company, blamed the sales slowdown at Mimi’s partly on “the continued challenging industry environment in the casual-dining sector, as well as general pressures on consumer spending.” He added that the company is “putting in place programs to help rejuvenate same-store sales at Mimi’s in the months ahead.” He did not elaborate on those plans.
Bob Evans owns and operates about 579 Bob Evans Restaurants in 18 states and about 116 Mimi’s Cafes in 20 states. Same-store sales results are based on the 541 Bob Evans locations and 92 Mimi’s Cafes open the full 12 months in both fiscal 2006 and 2007.