Chain aims to ‘further serve guests’ during morning daypart, president and COO says
La Madeleine Country French Café rolled out breakfast to its restaurants this month and began introducing free WiFi access in units.
The 60-unit Dallas-based casual-dining chain has expanded its breakfast menu in the process. Some of the new items will be offered at the brand’s first licensed non-traditional unit set to open Saturday in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Ariz.
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Phil Costner, La Madeleine’s president and chief operating officer, said breakfast and WiFi will help the concept “further serve our guests as a place where they can gather for a morning business meeting or catch up on emails over breakfast before heading to the office.” The company plans for WiFi access to be available without time restrictions in all cafés by the end of the year.
The new breakfast menu items, which will debut in the Atlanta market next week, are:
• Parisien Eggs Benedict: Two poached eggs on a croissant with ham and bacon, topped with classic hollandaise sauce
• Country French Hash and Eggs: Two eggs any style atop sausage and potatoes, with a croissant
• Breakfast Sampler: Mini pastry with a choice of any two oatmeal, strawberries Romanoff, fruit salad, yogurt parfait or muesli with strawberries
Guests also can customize egg dishes with a choice of egg whites and the style of preparation.
In addition to the new unit opening in Phoenix, La Madeleine has partnered with HMSHost to open additional cafés within Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas Love Field Airport, and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
“Our cafés offer a unique choice within airports,” Costner said. The new Phoenix airport café is licensed and locally operated by Grand Isle Yogurt and is one of 20 new restaurants slated to open in terminal four.
La Madeleine is a division of Le Duff America, whose parent Groupe Le Duff is headquartered in Rennes, France. Le Duff also operates more than 300 Bruegger’s Bakeries in North America. La Madeleine has restaurants in Georgia; Louisiana; Maryland; Oklahoma; Texas; Virginia; and Washington, D.C.
La Madeleine, which recently shifted its fiscal year to end to December from June, estimated sales for the 12 months ended in June 2011 at $121 million and anticipates calendar year 2012 sales of $132 million, according to Nation’s Restaurant News’ Top 200 census.
Alan J. Liddle contributed to this report.
Contact Ron Ruggless at ronald.ruggless@penton.com.
Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless
