Fazoli’s rolls out premium pastas, salads and dessertsFazoli’s rolls out premium pastas, salads and desserts

Bret Thorn

LEXINGTON Ky. Fazoli’s, a 260-unit quick-service Italian chain, said Friday it has launched systemwide a line of premium pastas, salads and desserts, as part of an effort it started in February to upgrade its offerings.

In test markets, the new desserts resulted in an increase in sales of about one percentage point, or about 30 percent, according to Fazoli’s chief executive Carl Howard. The premium pastas account for about 6 percent of sales and result in a 5-cent increase in checks, 4 cents in profit and a slight reduction in food cost, he said.

In February the company introduced 11 baked-pasta items and its first sandwiches. The introductions ranged in price from $5.49 to $6.49, making them premium items for the chain, which has an average check of $5.75.

Howard said those two lines together now account for about 30 percent of sales, and he expects sales of baked pasta to go up after the summer, when the weather cools.

He said the company now is working with Culinary Edge, a consulting company, on upgrading its pizza. The chain, which traditionally has focused on pasta, currently offers pizza by the slice, mostly for the kids’ menu.

Fazoli’s also plans to test family meals for home meal replacement priced from $14.99 to $24.99 for four to six people, starting on June 15. If successful, the offering will be rolled out this fall.

Also in the works is an upgrade of the kids’ menu, which would include adding mini-baked pasta and entrées such as chicken breast to its current offerings of spaghetti and pizza.

“I don’t think we’re taking full advantage of our opportunities with that menu,” Howard said.

The new pastas, which start at $5.49, are tortellini and sun-dried tomato rustico with artichoke hearts and basil pesto, and grilled chicken piccata on linguine with creamy marinara sauce, capers, broccoli and a lemon wedge.

The new salads are cranberry and walnut chicken salad over mixed greens with gorgonzola cheese and red wine vinaigrette; Antipasto salad of mixed greens topped with salami, ham, provolone, grape tomatoes, black olives and pepperoni with Italian dressing; chicken caprese, which is mixed greens with sliced grilled chicken, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette and basil pesto; crispy chicken BLT with creamy Parmesan peppercorn ranch dressing; grilled chicken on mixed greens with artichoke hearts, red bell peppers and lemon-basil vinaigrette; and a side Italian salad with mixed lettuce, carrots, black olives, pepperoncini, salami and Parmesan cheese. They also start at $5.49.

Four desserts have been added, too: New York style cheesecake with strawberry topping; chocolate chip cannoli; chocolate layer cake; and a choco-lato mousse, which is a cross between mousse and pudding.

Fazoli’s operates in 28 states. About half of its units are company owned, the rest are franchised. The company was bought by Sun Capital in 2006.

Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected].