Casual dining is a crowded sector in the American food scene. Casual full-service chains must constantly think of innovative ways to make themselves stand out from the competition. Applebee\u2019s Senior Vice-President of Operations Sanjiv Rasdan has a great piece out in FSR Magazine where he discusses how Applebee\u2019s tries to maintain a unique identity in the casual dining sector.<\/p>\n
Of course, the number one concern for any restaurant business is food. At Applebee\u2019s the focus is on maintaining the quality of the chain\u2019s core bar-and-grill menu while expanding that brand in ways that respond to customer demands. Last year, that meant introducing a healthy \u2018Pub Diet\u2019 menu and a new premium burger option.<\/p>\n
The next key component of a successful food business is delivering a quality experience and environment to diners. This is especially important for a casual dining chain like Applebee\u2019s that is competing with other restaurants serving bar-and-grill food. This year, Applebee\u2019s big initiative on this front is a bar revitalization project. The chain is focusing on making its drink options more modern and training its bar staff to provide a more polished experience.<\/p>\n
No matter how successful your restaurant is right now, if you don\u2019t innovate you\u2019ll soon be dead in the water. Applebee\u2019s is a great example of a company updating itself within the parameters of its established brand to ensure its continued success.<\/p>\n