Between dining-room closures, supply-chain disruptions and labor shortages, full-service restaurants have been riding a roller-coaster the past few years. And while sales at casual and upscale brands have largely stabilized since the disaster that was 2020, full-service concepts are far from business as usual.
A big reason why is that customer expectations for their dine-out experiences have completely changed. That’s according to Josh Kern, interim CEO at SPB Hospitality, parent company to iconic casual brands like Logan’s Roadhouse, Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom and Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery and upscale concepts like J. Alexander’s and Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill.
Kern joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to discuss the challenges of the past couple of years for full-service brands and how they’ve changed the full-service experience. And after a year where labor and supply chain dominated the attention of restaurant operators, he shares his predictions for what will do so in 2023.
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
- Convenience-driven concepts will be hot acquisition targets
- What people are looking for in their restaurant experiences is changing
- Full-service brands are not known to be nimble — but they need to be now
- 2023 will be all about simplicity and getting back to your roots
- Customers want to feel like they’re at home
Contact Sam Oches at [email protected].