A Baton Rouge, La.-based sports bar chain has quietly become one of the most exciting brands to watch in the restaurant industry.
Founded in 2003 by former Louisiana State University basketball walk-on Brandon Landry, and with backing from former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux has steadily grown to 75 locations in 13 states, with the system doing $5 million in average unit volume.
Now 2023 is expected to be a banner year for Walk-On’s. The brand is expected to open 15 franchise locations this year in the Southeast and Midwest, and it’s evolving its operations to further capitalize on the momentum.
Walk-On’s CEO Scott Taylor credits the company’s growth so far to its people-first mentality. Still, Taylor said Walk-On’s is exploring tech innovation and operational efficiencies to best set franchisees up for success. He joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to discuss Walk-On’s growth and how it’s trying to balance that people-forward mentality with innovation in areas like technology.
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
- Restaurant people are underdogs
- Technology should enhance the guest experience first and foremost, while efficiency is a great byproduct
- Loyalty is about emotion
- Franchising is the perfect model to scale culture
- If you put people first, everything else will follow
- If you invest enough into your culture, it should transfer to your digital experience too
- Your menu is how you make money, so don’t cut any corners
- Don’t innovate for innovation’s sake
Contact Sam Oches at [email protected].