Outback is Out-front with Virtual Chicken

 

Restaurants are manufacturing facilities with a service component that is the most inviting within the manufacturing sector. If success leaves clues and it does Bloomin’ Brands is expanding its restaurant brands reach leveraging its excess manufacturing capacity to sell more fresh food in more locations according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.

Bloomin Brands has been an inclusive grocerant niche participant for over 10 years constantly developing multichannel messaging, that is interactive and participatory. Brand managers have rolled out private label wine, clothing, and takeout menus extending each brands reach.

Now, Bloomin Brands is expanding a virtual chicken brand and taking its Aussie Grill virtual as well. Having already partnered with Uber Eats and DoorDash, on top of its own fleet of drivers, edifying the technology and physical plant to quickly shift to more off-premise business, they once again solidify its industry leading position.

Michael Stutts, the company’s chief customer officer when speaking on its multi-channel approach “We were very heartened to see that our investments had paid off,” Yes, the pandemic has move forward the growth strategy that Bloomin’ had laid out, and now that vision has become a reality.

Leveraging it manufacturing infrastructure virtual concepts can become stand-alone brands that it can run out of existing Outback and Carrabba’s kitchens for takeout and delivery only.  That is a success clue that others chain restaurants will quickly pick-up on and try to duplicate according to Johnson.

The first virtual venture is Tender Shack, which offers chicken tenders, fries and cookies exclusively through DoorDash. Bloomin’ had been kicking the idea around pre-pandemic, but fast-tracked it amid the crisis: From kickoff to first tenders sold, Tender Shack was developed in 49 days, according to Stutts.  

Now get this, after a test of the virtual concept last fall, Tender Shack is now in more than 200 locations and exceeding expectations. Once again we arrive at operational efficiencies the graduate school mantra, from 2000 – 2015.

What does this mean, it means that food marketers will become the most important aggregator of consumer data points driving service, menus, and distribution with relevance. How is your brand positioning your infrastructure and marketing assets to garner incremental business?

For international corporate presentations, regional chain presentations, educational forums, or keynotes contact: Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions.  His extensive experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator, consultant, brand / product positioning expert and public speaking will leave success clues for all. For more information visit GrocerantGuru.com, FoodserviceSolutions.US or call 1-253-759-7869

Eating-In while Eating-Out Outback-Carrabba’s Takeout Option

Our Grocerant Guru® was the first to say “Many legacy restaurant chain Boomer CEO’s are in a quagmire of stewardship. Unwilling to dramatically redesign; concept footprint, menu items, or points of distribution they are saddled with “canned” concepts once suited for the golden age of the restaurant industry not for today’s consumer”.  That was back in 2014 but there has been some movement we are pleased to say.

The executive team at Bloomin’ Brands understands that consumers are dynamic not static at the team at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® continually reminds us.  Now the team at Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba’s Italian Grill recently opened a co-branded takeout-only location in Hollywood, Florida.

Tagged as an “express” unit the Bloomin’ Brands executives clearly understand the undercurrents that are driving the ‘path to purchase’ for meals at home that is portability.  As regular readers of this blog know Steven Johnson our Grocerant Guru® was the first to identified, quantify, and qualify portability as a key driver of grocerant niche growth.

CEO Liz Smith stated “Off-premise represents a significant and incremental structural tailwind for the industry,” … takeout and delivery orders could reach 25 percent of total sales.”  The team at Foodservice Solutions® agrees if they integrate the brand message of both brands into the brand promise with customer relevant attributes.

Regular readers of this blog know that Steven Johnson Foodservice Solutions® Grocerant Guru® was also first to identify, quantify, and quality the 65 Inch HDTV Syndrome back in 2012 that tracked customer migration from restaurants and Eating-Out to restaurant food for Eating-In. Today according to the MillerPulse index, casual-dining traffic has been down for all but four months dating back to at least 2012.

The team at Foodservice Solutions® would like to ask; are you Looking A Customer Ahead?  Are your customer counts increasing? Could outside-eyes help you drive top line sales and bottom-line profits? Success does leave clues and within the grocerant niche space no one can duplicate our success record.  For more contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit or website at: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us

Bloomin’ Brands Vs McDonald’s a Takeout or Knockout

We knew that Bloomin’ Brands was late to embrace Foodservice Solutions® Five P’s of Food Marketing particularly portability.  In an Omni-channel retail world companies must understand that consumers are dynamic not static. Many chain restaurant were slow to embrace takeout, delivery, and multi-avenues of new non-traditional distribution and Bloomin’ brands was one of them. If not takeout or delivery what?

In 2015, 11% of digital business professionals used or piloted in Augmented-Reality for brands which is the step before virtual reality.  It looks as if mobile consumer engaged augmented-reality (AR) might just become a key driver in the redevelopment and rescue of the full service restaurant sector according to our own Grocerant Guru®.  

While AR isn’t a standalone strategy it may become a tool to both elevate and educate today’s mobile retail foodservice customers on the attributes of full service restaurants creating a platform for discovery, trial then adoption.  Don’t get us wrong delivery was a foundational step in customer relevance and is required today.  However Delivery / Takeout / To-Go was yesterday’s tactic and it’s not today’s a relevant strategy today.

 

What is the team at Bloomin’ Brands looking at as the next step to invigorate brand engagement too garner positive customer counts or simply putting butts is the seats? In short being 15 years late to a takeout party is a tactic of yesterday not a strategy for tomorrow according to the team at Tacoma, WA Foodservice Solutions®

Bloomin' CEO Liz Smith stated that Off-premise dining, represents the "first tailwind in some time" in the challenged casual dining segment.  Many regular readers of this blog think that it is odd that both Outback and McDonalds strategy for success is basically the same.  We agree.  

There is not a retail foodservice consultancy that understands Share of Stomach   better than the team at Foodservice Solutions®.  Takeout, ToGo, and TakeAway companies abound, they can edify your sales, but do they edify your brand invitation enough to drive differentiation.  

Brand relevance today requires an invitation filled simultaneously with information, discovery, and enjoyment . Augmented-reality enhances the brand story with customer relevance.  Augmented-reality just might become the ticket to fill every seat in your restaurant while edifying your brand along the way. Complemented with consumer interactive participatory point of purchase all retailers can cultivate brand differentiation will driving top-line sales and bottom-line profits. 

Grocerant niche non-traditional fresh food retailers have garnered many restaurant customers integrating Foodservice Solutions® Five P’s of Food Marketing.  While many chain restaurants continue to do what they have always done and are doing it the same way.  Playing catch-up is should not be celebrated or considered innovative. 

When McDonald’s and Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill are singing the same song to investors including Wall Street Analyst , foodservice trade magazines, and industry publications use bold headlines touting a path to success.  The team at Foodservice Solutions® cautions you to ask yourself is adoption of a15 year old movement positive news? Is it brand edifying?  Or is it simply smoke to buy time? 

Are you looking a customer ahead?  Do you have a positive, relevant, growth strategy? Do your tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may the clue you need to propel your continued success.