What makes a chain? From the NYTimes . . .

Legal Seafood doesn't want to call itself a "chain."

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/busin ... id=2138276

[Robin Garr]

Legal Seafood doesn't want to call itself a "chain."

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/07/busin ... id=2138276

Good article, Andrew, thanks. I read The Times regularly, but I missed that one, and I'm glad you posted it, particularly since this is an ongoing topic here.

I like a lot of what Mr Berkowitz says, and the ads sound awesome. I'm still hard-pressed to say that a group of 35 units, even all company-owned, isn't a chain, though.

But I'd concur that Legal is one of the good chains - like the Carrabba's and Bonefish Grill operations of Outback - where management seems to get it that long-term gains make it worth sacrificing short-term profit in favor of quality. Sometimes ...

I think you headed in the right direction with your comments Robin. Being a chain doesn't necessarily mean that a restaurant has bad food and service in any way as far as I think. Many of them do but that's certainly not something it actually comes with being a chain. As mentioned in the article, group buying power is certainly one of the big benefits of being a chain as his brand recognition! Whether the restaurant is good or not depends on the management, chefs and owners attitude more than anything else!

I'm not sure if I agree with the statement in the article where anything with more than 10 units should be considered a chain. I think that some that are smaller than that should still be considered chains (such as Rafferty's) and I'm sure there are some with more than 10 units that many people don't think or chains. 10 units may be a good starting point to consider calling a group of restaurants a chain however.

I prefer "multi-unit concept." Sounds technical.

I prefer "multi-unit concept." Sounds technical.

That's just the high class PC way of saying Chain!

The industry definition of chain is 8 or more locations in 5 or more states. Like Ronnie, I prefer multi-unit operation because each company operates differently.