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Title: Olive Garden, Applebee's struggle to stay relevant as consumers change dining habits
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URL Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/mich ... consumer-tastes-203955971.html
Published: Jan 29, 2014
Author: .
Post Date: 2014-01-29 20:32:12 by christine
Keywords: None
Views: 284
Comments: 24
Casual dining is in some serious trouble. Americans have been told for decades, in cheery voiceovers, that inexpensive sit-down meals at national chains meant “Eating good in the neighborhood,” where “It’s always Friday.” Every mall or major intersection was given a Chili’s, an Olive Garden or an Applebee’s – sometimes all three. Yet the casual-dining industry has largely worn out its welcome. Customer traffic to these restaurants has declined in nine of the past 13 years, according to retail-research firm Black Box Intelligence. Even as the U.S. economy began healing and consumer spending recovered, beginning in 2010, same-store sales were stagnant, based on Black Box estimates. In December, industry-wide sales at restaurants open at least a year slid by 2%, even as the unemployment rate hit a five-year low and the stock market hit all-time highs. For sure, harsh weather didn’t help, but that can’t account for tepid nationwide results. As the chart below makes clear, even some of the biggest, most familiar chains have struggled for years to draw diners and spur consistent gains in sales. The chains have been caught in a self-perpetuating cycle of “value menu” discounting to draw consumers with plenty of cheap eating-out or food-delivery options. While the companies all talk about trying to increase the “average ticket” size, overall price increases for Darden Restaurants Inc.’s (DRI) Olive Garden and Red Lobster, and Brinker International Inc.’s (EAT) Chili’s chains was just 1.4% in the year ended Nov. 30 – well below the 2.1% inflation rate for all restaurant meals.
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#1. To: christine (#0)
Michelle Obama's message to eat food that comes out of the ground or grows on trees - like what's served at Subway - wins the day!
Many, many families do not have the jack to go out and pay even ten bones/plate of food. End of story. “The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
Lack of money, which is why I have to eat dirt and chew gravel to ease the hunger pains.
"Have Brain, Will Travel
Gourmet turtle chow, bon apetit!
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
I think it's just that their food sucks and their portions are toddler size. If any of them offered a real man sized steak I'd be there all the time.
#2. To: christine (#0)
#3. To: Lod (#2)
#4. To: Turtle (#3)
#5. To: All (#4)
#6. To: christine (#0)
Make awkward sexual advances, not war.
Black Denim Jackets and Vests
#7. To: christine (#0)
I bet consumer tipping habits are changing.
Republicans prefer white genocide to paying taxes or paying more for strawberries.
Democrats prefer white genocide to seeing anyone get ahead.
As the party of principle, Libertarians support white genocide because they oppose zoning.
#8. To: christine (#0)
I have a radical concept... HOnest service for honest money No gimicks, no deals, No jingles , no flair , no bullshit. Just fair value and fair service and fair love.... BWWAAAAAAAHHHH Way too radical nobody would ever go to my restaurant.
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Suspect all media / resist bad propaganda/Learn NLP everyday everyway ;) If you don't control your mind someone else will.
#9. To: Prefrontal Vortex (#7)
They are.... The lousy people are tipping less and the good people .. they do their best to tip more... Lots more lousy people out there than good people. I try to tip well.... If it is bad service I may tip even better. My pastor was talking about this the other week.. how someone giving you bad service may be having a bad day and the right and polite thing to do to help would be to give more, not less. ... He went on to say that the girl cried her eyes and was having a super bad time... He tipped her well... We should all tipp well. I bet consumer tipping habits are changing.
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Suspect all media / resist bad propaganda/Learn NLP everyday everyway ;) If you don't control your mind someone else will.
#10. To: titorite, diners, 4 (#9)
TIPS = To Insure Prompt Service Does the wait-staff of America today know this acronym?
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#11. To: christine (#0)
I don't get chili's. I went there once and ordered a bowl of chili. I got a bowl of tomato flavored soup with some little chunks of ground meat floating around. There were NO BEANS whatsoever!!! How can you call something "Chili" without beans???, and then name a whole restaurant chain after such a travesty???
#12. To: strepsiptera (#11)
Never, ever, go out for a bowl of chili for cryin' out loud.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#13. To: strepsiptera (#11)
You can't order a real bowl of chili, the only good chili comes from your stovetop.
-Alex Kurtagic
#14. To: X-15, strepsiptera, chili fans, 4 (#13)
I'd buy a can of Wolf's brand before going to a restaurant and ordering chili.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#15. To: strepsiptera (#11)
Texas chili doesn't even have beans. It's got chunks of meat, not ground beef.
To question is to value the ideal of truth more highly than the loyalties to nation, religion, race, or ideology.
#16. To: christine, X-15, 4 (#15)
That's why we make our own chili at home, as we wish it to be, beans or no beans, it's up to us.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#17. To: christine (#15)
Thats stew, not chili. Texas chili doesn't even have beans. It's got chunks of meat, not ground beef.
#18. To: Cynicom, chili freaks, 4 (#17)
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#19. To: All (#18)
Clearly, this guy is a sissy bachelor - what a hoot.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#20. To: Lod (#18)
Thanks for the recipe lesson. I might try it at home one day.
#21. To: Lod (#18)
Hmmm. He didn't add habanero peppers, jalapeno peppers, a green bell pepper, a chopped red onion. I add two cans of Rotel Chili Fixings. I use masa, not flour. I don't add oregano or garlic. His chili was incomplete, IMO..... It's a timeless argument as to what constitutes "real chili".
-Alex Kurtagic
#22. To: X-15 (#21)
As you said, if you want chili, cook it on your own stove-top. It may be the most personal of all entrees.
“The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~ H. L. Mencken
#23. To: Lod (#22)
I like Jim's Frontier chili and eggs....yum.
To question is to value the ideal of truth more highly than the loyalties to nation, religion, race, or ideology.
#24. To: Lod (#14)
I like Wolf's chili, have two cans of it in the pantry (and it does have beans in it, to me it ain't chili without beans). I'd buy a can of Wolf's brand before going to a restaurant and ordering chili.
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
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