Success in the restaurant industry has always required a complex alchemy of creativity, business acumen and plain old luck.
Now, in a world turned upside down by coronavirus, that’s truer than ever.
The quick pivots and outside-the-box thinking once reserved for edgy startups have become non-negotiables for businesses of all sizes.
At Nation’s Restaurant News, highlighting innovative thinking and creative solutions has always been part of our mission, in good times and bad. That’s why we are once again presenting our annual class of Breakout Brands, small restaurant chains with big growth potential.
While these five concepts were selected by the editors of Nation’s Restaurant News before the coronavirus pandemic rippled through the industry, the spirit they represent is as relevant as ever.
In this report, you'll meet Black Seed Bagels, a New York chain looking to elevate the bakery experience; Emmy Squared, a Detroit-style pizza joint introducing East Coasters to a new type of pie; Go Get Em Tiger, a quirky third-wave coffee shop; MUTT Canine Cantina, a restaurant-dog park hybrid; and Yardbird, an elevated take on Southern comfort food classics.
They all have fewer than 10 units now, but plan to expand. They are ones to watch – and to learn from.
Meet this year’s Breakout Brands.