Hot Concepts 2017: Bubba’s 33

Bubba’s 33

Bubba’s 33 makes its intentions clear from the get-go by identifying itself as a sports restaurant, not a sports bar. The concept was created in 2013 by Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor.

According to the Bubba’s 33 website, Taylor earned the honorific of “bubba,” which is often used in the South to address a brother, for his “people-first mentality.”

Bubba’s 33

Bubba’s 33 caters to a range of customer needs by dividing restaurants into two sections. One part is dedicated to family dining, and the other is geared towards a bar crowd.

Bubba’s 33

Food and drink variety is key in appealing to these groups. For instance, Bubba’s 33 combines multiple burger combos with pizza selections to offer what it calls “the best of both worlds.”

Bubba’s 33

The bestselling menu item is Bubba’s Bacon Burger, featuring a patty consisting of 33-percent bacon. And to please the bar crowd, Bubba’s 33 pairs several signature burgers with an expansive beer list, totaling 40 brews and 18 beers on draft.

Bubba’s 33

Each location is outfitted with more than 60 high-definition televisions that play sports or music videos to create an immersive entertainment experience.

Bubba’s 33

Growth is already in the works. Parent company Texas Roadhouse Inc. said it plans to add approximately four new Bubba’s 33 locations before the end of the year. Two new units opened in the second quarter.

Bubba’s 33

Going forward, Bubba’s 33 restaurants will have a smaller square footage than original locations in an effort to boost profitability, the company said in March.

Bubba’s 33

“I would see us accelerate the number of Bubba’s," Texas Roadhouse president Scott Colosi said during an earnings call. "There’s a long runway for it. We just have to keep sharpening our pencils on the box economics.”