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Bryan Shepherd

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Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Bryan Shepherd » Sat Nov 19, 2016 12:16 am

I noticed a few weeks ago that Applebee's on Hurstbourne Ln had abruptly closed down. Anyone know the lowdown? Never been a fan but had to occasionally go with the fam. The late night 2-1 beers and 1/2 off apps were always cool though.
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Robin Garr

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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Robin Garr » Sat Nov 19, 2016 8:25 am

In general, there's been talk in the industry about the "family casual" niche collapsing, but I haven't followed the conversation, and I don't know if it applies to Applebee's.

Not much help, am I? :oops:
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Bryan Shepherd » Sat Nov 19, 2016 11:17 am

I also noticed that Ruby Tuesday's in Clarksville, IN closed shop a few months back. This is another place that seemed to do just enough business to remain open, but it looks like they didn't make the cut when corporate closed under performing stores.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Jay M. » Sat Nov 19, 2016 12:00 pm

Robin Garr wrote:..."family casual" niche collapsing

Folks dining out less often or are the dining dollars going elsewhere (like locals?)??
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Ellen P » Sat Nov 19, 2016 1:18 pm

family member manages about 50 casual dining restaurants and it's true, they aren't doing well. The quality fast food segment - sorry, forgot the industry name for it - Panera, Blaze, Qdoba, etc. - is where people are dining out or at least to carry out. Holiday Manor Kroger took notice with their food court?

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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Ellen P » Sat Nov 19, 2016 1:21 pm

Another note. The owners (or at maybe previous owners of the local Applebees weren't 'great' owners. One story had them telling area managers to contact all managers on vacation and tell them to return. Their vacations were no longer Saturday through Sunday of the following week as Mon.-Fri. white collar jobs were but 7 days, 1 weekend.

Sent a lot of mail with postage due.

Hired a helicopter to brush away snow so their private party wouldn't be impacted - that didn't happen in the Ville. (Might give Papa John ideas:-)

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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Mark R. » Sat Nov 19, 2016 2:41 pm

Ellen P wrote: The quality fast food segment - sorry, forgot the industry name for it - Panera, Blaze, Qdoba, etc. - is where people are dining out or at least to carry out.

That segment is called Fast Casual and according to a couple of articles I read it's the fastest-growing segment in the food industry.

Along the lines of this thread, I'm surprised the Applebee's in Middletown and the O'Charley's that spring Hearst both have enclosed too, there's very few cars in the parking lots when we go by.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Robin Garr » Sat Nov 19, 2016 4:05 pm

Jay M. wrote:
Robin Garr wrote:..."family casual" niche collapsing

Folks dining out less often or are the dining dollars going elsewhere (like locals?)??

I'm not sure, Jay. I've seen a couple of articles in trade publications. Let me dig around, and if I can find a link to a good explanatory piece, I'll post it.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by RonnieD » Sat Nov 19, 2016 6:38 pm

When I got out of the Gumbo game, the general sense was that "casual dining" was a lumbering dinosaur and that "fast casual was peaking and about to hit critical mass. I haven't noticed as much new growth in the fast casual sector as we were seeing 5-7 years ago.

Ruby Tuesdays had just undergone a major rebranding about 5 years ago and it looked promising, but I don't think it helped them turn the corner. I have no doubt that Applebee's/O'Charley's/Chili's are weeding each other out in markets across the country.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Mark R. » Sat Nov 19, 2016 8:42 pm

RonnieD wrote: I haven't noticed as much new growth in the fast casual sector as we were seeing 5-7 years ago.

it seems likely that a lot of growth in that sector in Louisville recently, Panda Express, Noodles, Zeggz, Blaze, Joellas, Yankee Noodle, a couple of Greek places and I'm sure I'm missing a few more.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Robin Garr » Sat Nov 19, 2016 10:25 pm

RonnieD wrote:When I got out of the Gumbo game, the general sense was that "casual dining" was a lumbering dinosaur and that "fast casual was peaking and about to hit critical mass. I haven't noticed as much new growth in the fast casual sector as we were seeing 5-7 years ago.

Ruby Tuesdays had just undergone a major rebranding about 5 years ago and it looked promising, but I don't think it helped them turn the corner. I have no doubt that Applebee's/O'Charley's/Chili's are weeding each other out in markets across the country.

Just to clarify and make sure we're talking about the same thing, Ronnie, "fast casual" defines the fast growing niche where you go through a line and order coming in, then take a table and wait for your food, while "casual dining" or "family casual" is the Applebee's/O'Charley's/Beef O'Brady's niche, where you get table service like a fancy restaurant, but it's run on a corporate model and targeted for a lower price point. When you think about it, that's not all that sustainable a model.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Eric Hall » Sun Nov 20, 2016 12:44 am

Fast casual might not be growing in larger markets like they did 5-7 years back but they are popping up quite often in smaller markets that used to be all fast food and family casual. Qdoba and Panera seem to be leading the charge in this area.

Tired concepts if you live in an urban area but refreshingly different in small markets.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by Richard S. » Sun Nov 20, 2016 3:36 pm

Still, try getting into a Cheddar's or Aspen Creek on a Friday or Saturday night. I think a lot of these concepts, other than those two, just got greedy and are pricing themselves out off business. My first job in high school was bussing tables at Danner's, which morphed into Shoney's. In those days it was one of the few places where my family could afford to eat. I go to a Shoney's about once a year just to remind myself why we don't go there anymore. My wife and I are lucky to get out for less than $40 vs. the $20 or so we might spend at Panera. The two of us could probably eat at Cheddar's for $30, including a 20% tip.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by RonnieD » Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:15 pm

Robin, those are the definitions I am working under. And, everyone else is right, smaller markets are getting the trickle down on the fast casual market, but it's still nothing like it was. And I'm looking more at the major players and up-and-comers than I am local guys like YKN, with only a handful of locales.
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Re: Applebee's-Hurstbourne Ln

by James Natsis » Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:55 pm

I had an Applebee's gift card that sat around in the kitchen for years. I finally used it about 2 years ago with my youngest son. We went to the Hurstburne location mentioned above. It was aweful! I just gave the waitress the remaining 10 dollars or so for a tip since I knew I would not use the remainder of the card otherwise. She felt bad that I didn't like the meal and that I was giving her so much money for a tip. I was glad to at least generate some positive karma from such a negative experience.

As for the industry, each concept, franchise, and location has its own story. Many national casual dining places have been around in the same location for several decades. If anyone wants to put their money in a high-flyer fast casual just keep in mind Chipotles' woes.......also, Aspen Creek was mentioned above. They only have 8 locations according to their website. It doesn't quite fit in these categories.
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