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Turning Point wants to shake up the casual-dining breakfast categoryTurning Point wants to shake up the casual-dining breakfast category

The New Jersey-based breakfast concept does not want to be pigeon-holed into the ‘family pancake deals’ or ‘boozy brunch’ categories

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

February 14, 2022

Turning Point — a 21-unit, Eatontown, New Jersey-based casual-dining concept — wants to shake up the breakfast and brunch category. The company announced franchising in January and has already signed its first franchised location in Pennsylvania, with more on the way, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic region of the country.

Turning Point CEO Kirk Ruoff believes that the breakfast and brunch categories can be about more than just smiley-face pancakes or — on the other side of the spectrum — boozy brunches with bottomless mimosas.

“Our menu is very approachable across all generations, and we have some locations that are doing mimosas, but we're not going to let you sit there and get drunk on Sunday,” Ruoff told Nation’s Restaurant News. “We have a nice healthy kids menu and we have some value drivers on our menu for older folks they just want their eggs over easy and potatoes.”

But Ruoff said that besides offering kid and older adult-friendly classics and some brunch cocktails, Turning Point’s distinguishing factor is its “elevated fare” or lobster eggs benedict and bacon-wrapped Granny Smith apples (known as bacon lollipops) as shareable items.

Moving forward, Ruoff said that Turning Point hopes to add both franchise and corporate locations and will be selective with the type of franchisees the brand will be open to, including single-store owners. Ruoff believes the concept will appeal to potential owners because of the easy hours. Since Turning Point is not open for dinner, owners and workers “can be home in time to have dinner with their family and tuck their kids in at night.”

Although Turning Point will be mainly focusing on the Mid-Atlantic region, Ruoff said thinks the concept would also do well in Florida and the Carolinas, as well as New England, and expand smartly without “crashing and burning.”

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine.

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events.

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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