Sponsored By

Restaurants 'fit in'Restaurants 'fit in'

Chains tweak unit layouts to continue growing in tough real estate market

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

June 25, 2012

7 Min Read
Nation's Restaurant News logo in a gray background | Nation's Restaurant News

By Ron Ruggless


Flexible restaurant designs are giving operators an advantage when faced with a real estate market that offers fewer pristine rectangles available for developing and growing concepts.


Chains like Subway, McAlister’s Deli, La Madeleine Country French Café and The Greene Turtle are getting a leg up on the competition by equipping themselves with several different designs that can adapt to atypically shaped footprints or spaces previously occupied by other retail tenants.


Frank Paci, president and chief executive of Ridgeland, Miss.-based McAlister’s Deli, said one of the challenges for growth today is a concept’s ability to find locations in a real estate market that has less virgin space because of new-construction cutback...

Create a free account or login

This content is available for registered users

Already Subscribed?

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.