Checkers Drive-In Restaurants is revving up its menu innovation engine to drive customers through the door and keep them coming back despite the stalled economy.
The Tampa, Fla.-based company, which owns or franchises 836 Checkers and Rally’s double drive-thru units, has over the past 12 months seen sales increases at stores merchandising new products ranging from a Philly Cheese Steak Burger to chicken wings. The wings will be rolled out to the entire system by May 25.
The company says it has generated sales gains of 24 percent at its company stores. At the same time, the chains’ average per-person check for those customers who purchase wings has risen to $8.10. Checkers’ average per-person check without wings is $5.30.
The company credits those sales gains to its decision to expand the chains’ taste profiles and extend operating hours.
“In the last six weeks, more than 30 percent of our company restaurants have set record sales weeks,” says Terri Snyder, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Checkers. “At a time when the category is suffering, this idea of relevancy and innovation has taken our business to a whole new level.”
The bone-in wings come with a choice of five sauces: “Medium Buffalo,” honey-barbecue, “Asian Kick,” “Angry Buffalo” and garlic-Parmesan. The wings are cooked to order and available in five-, 10-, 20- and 40-piece quantities. Prices, which may vary by restaurants, range from $3.99 for five to $21.99 for 40.
“We did a lot of consumer work, and what they told us was that it had to be healthful and it couldn’t be a quick-service wing,” Snyder says. “It had to be big, juicy and flavorful with distinctive sauces.”
In the recession, quick-service chains have a chance to steal market share from casual-dining concepts if they offer a good alternative.
“When we think about innovation in the burger category, Philly cheese steaks offer a unique flavor not usually in the category,” Snyder says. “They are not core to the segment. But if you understand our brand and our customer base, they make sense.”
BONUS POINT “The Checkers-Rally’s move to broaden into wings and other sandwiches is successful because most people are occasion-driven, but if there’s the occasion for something quick and inexpensive at the drive-thru window, people will buy more products.”—Chris Tripoli, owner, A’La Carte Consulting, Houston
In addition to the new-product rollouts, company-owned stores are now open until 1 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on the weekends. The company operates 20 24-hour restaurants.
As a result, Checkers is finding that its best markets “are those that are doing both wings and late night,” Snyder says. “We were late to late night. We really started exploring that opportunity in the last 18 months.” — [email protected]