DALLAS, Nov. 27, 2012
/PRNewswire/ -- Bennigan's Franchising Company is capping off
a year of phenomenal growth and success by launching new domestic
and international locations, a new building prototype, new food and
beverage menus, new franchise partners and a whole new focus that
puts the Legendary brand on the cutting edge of shaping a new
casual dining paradigm.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120117/NY36739LOGO
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"The past year is only the beginning of our Legendary comeback,"
said Paul Mangiamele, Bennigan's
President & CEO. "Our return to relevance demonstrates the
passion we collectively feel for Bennigan's. That intense
passion has us 'Bleeding Green 25/8' and constantly focused on both
our guests and our franchise partners in all of our restaurants
around the world. Our Corporate Support Team is the best in the
restaurant industry, and none of this would be possible without all
of us working together to accomplish our mission."
The 82-unit company saw explosive growth in 2012, with new
restaurant openings throughout Texas, as well as internationally in
Dubai, El Salvador and Korea. Bennigan's ends
the year with not only four openings in the fourth quarter alone,
but also with agreements to develop over 30 new restaurants in 2013
in New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Arkansas, Minnesota, Florida, Tennessee and Michigan, and international openings slated
for Mexico, Cyprus and Korea. The company currently has 34
domestic and 48 international locations.
New and existing Bennigan's franchisees are benefitting from the
chain's Legendary comeback, which began in May 2011 when Mangiamele joined the company and
launched a mission to bring memorable dining experiences to every
guest, every meal, every day. The resulting operational and service
improvements increased same-store sales at the prototype locations
by double digits and introduced a new generation of Bennigan's that
speaks to the brand's history and pays respect to its heritage. As
same store sales continue to increase and domestic and
international growth rockets into new markets, Bennigan's is
debuting a new menu and improved prototype that will continue to
rekindle the emotional connection to this great brand into the New
Year and beyond.
"Our new restaurant design creates a great vibe and energy with
a more modern look and feel," said Mangiamele. "The interiors
greatly enhance visibility of our back of the house and chef-driven
food, allowing it to be the star of the dining room. Our
franchisees now have a complete toolbox of many adaptable
prototypical elements to fit any real estate."
Bennigan's has also introduced a new iteration of their food
menu. Printed front and back, the menu's absence of food photos
makes it a visual departure from the typical casual dining chain
menu. The sleek design highlights chef-driven flavor profiles and
innovative ingredients from the company's new world-class chef of
record, Scott Foster, as well as the
classic recipes that remain as a steadfast reminder of Bennigan's
nostalgic history.
Additionally, in the first quarter of 2013, Bennigan's will
launch a dynamic beverage menu in all 34 domestic locations that
will capture the ingenuity of the brand and further distinguish
them from the competition. The focused yet edgy menu features 14
tempting drinks wrapped around a custom- designed bottle for a
hands-on, interactive experience. The Long Ireland Iced Tea, Stout
Bloody Mary with Guinness, Irish
Kiss and Shamrockin' Sangria take classic cocktails and add
a distinctively Irish twist, making the exceptional and innovative
drinks uniquely Bennigan's.
"Never in our storied history have so many initiatives been
launched that will effect such a dramatic impact on restaurant
sales and profits," said Jennifer
Gamble, Vice President of Marketing.
Together with software partner MonkeyMedia, Bennigan's is
rolling out a powerful back office system to execute local catering
operations on a national level. Testing in Chicago has yielded phenomenal results and
showed that catering has the potential to become 10-15% of
sales.
"Innovation is at the heart of any revolution, and we are most
excited about the launch of our single largest initiative in this
company's history - catering, which will continue to roll out
domestically in 2013," said Mangiamele. "It is an opportunity to
take our Irish Hospitality beyond our four walls, create a new
sales venue and do something that no one else in casual dining is
doing to any scale."
Bennigan's Franchising Company plans to continue its growth
momentum into 2013 by offering the new prototype restaurant with a
lower cost of entry and smaller format designed to fit different
site options from end-caps and in-line spaces to freestanding pad
sites. The brand is also introducing a fast-casual, non-traditional
model called "Bennigan's on the Fly", which allows for development
in airports, hotels, hospitals, cruise ships, universities and
other venues.
In true Bennigan's style, this will be a new generation of
fast-casual, with a brand ambassador to engage guests in the dining
area and Irish Hospitality in evidence at every touch point.
About Bennigan's
Bennigan's is a high-energy
neighborhood restaurant and tavern that is redefining casual
dining. With chef-driven food, innovative drinks and warm,
friendly Irish Hospitality, this Legendary brand delivers memorable
dining experiences to every guest, every meal, every day.
Every member of the team "bleeds green," and the company's
revolutionary comeback has introduced a new generation of
Bennigan's that speaks to the brand's history and pays respect to
its heritage. An ongoing focus on modern, flexible
prototypes, innovative menus and other sales generating initiatives
has resulted in explosive growth both domestically and
internationally. For more information, visit
www.bennigans.com.
Media Contact:
Amanda
DelPrete
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
adelprete@fish-consulting.com
SOURCE Bennigan's