The restaurant business changed drastically in 2020,
and the eateries that survived the pandemic are still adjusting to the
new landscape. Here's how some of the biggest steakhouse chains in the U.S. plan to thrive.
It will soon be even easier to find a Texas Roadhouse wherever you go. When 2023 began,
there were 652 Texas Roadhouse locations, and they were in every state except Hawaii,
as well as 10 other countries across the world. But the chain's owners want
to expand considerably, with a goal of about 900 total restaurants. Of course,
opening almost 250 new restaurants won't happen overnight. There are only about 30
new restaurants slated to open in 2023, so it'll be a few more years before they get to their goal.
As of early 2023, the casual dining chain with the most locations in the U.S. is Applebee's,
with just under 1,600. Texas Roadhouse won't get near that number, but it aims to have as
many locations as Olive Garden, which had 897 locations in early 2023. According to Statista,
Olive Garden has the fourth-most U.S. locations among casual dining chains.
To get to 900 locations, Texas Roadhouse will need to start moving into even smaller cities
than before, and it's already had some success doing so. Texas Roadhouse has been trying out
cities with as few as 40,000 inhabitants lately, and those locations are reportedly doing well.
The Covid-19 pandemic changed how diners like to eat their steak,
with more preferring to take it home than before. With only 71% of Outback Steakhouse's sales now
coming from dine-in customers, it made sense for the chain to try a new, optimized design
that accommodates more delivery and catering options. Its new restaurants will decrease
from about 6,000 to 5,000 square feet, and some of the larger existing restaurants, like the
9,000-square-foot Outback in Old Bridge, New Jersey, will be demolished to build a smaller one.
"So I've, uh, been designing Outback Steakhouses."
"Congrats."
"Yeah, lots of, lots of Outbacks!"
New and updated locations will feature a colorful, Aussie-inspired graffiti mural
and a Southern Cross constellation chandelier. Even with a 70% smaller bar that now hugs the
wall and fewer tables for four, the smaller space will accommodate the same number of customers,
187. The chain tried the concept out in three restaurants in 2022, and the redesign worked
in each location. It'll use the design at 75 to 100 new restaurants in 2023 and beyond.
Changes are coming to the back of the house, too, with new tech and kitchen
equipment to make employees more productive. If everything goes to plan, that'll mean millions
of dollars in savings. Plus, customers will ideally get their steaks in half the time,
which keeps the kitchen from backing up and keeps customers moving through the
dining room faster. By the end of 2022, the new kitchen equipment was available
in about 35% of Outback's locations, but the chain will continue rolling it out to others
in 2023. Servers will also be equipped with handheld tech to assist with orders.
The phenomenon of "shrinkflation" — higher prices for smaller portions — has been
everywhere from grocery store shelves to restaurants over the last couple years.
With more people eating at home and making dining out a special occasion,
LongHorn Steakhouse has started serving larger steaks to make customers feel like they're getting
their money's worth. LongHorn says customers will ultimately get more food for their money in 2023.
That said, LongHorn no longer offers its gargantuan 30-ounce
steak. In 2012, the chain offered a 30-ounce steak for $39.99 with two sides and two salads,
intended to feed two people. Currently, the biggest steak available at LongHorn is a
22-ounce porterhouse. That steak currently costs just over $30, and only comes with one side and
one salad. But for about $8 more, you can add an extra side and salad for a second person. The cost
of the 22-ouncer with extra sides in 2023 would have been equivalent to $29.67 in 2012 prices.
After making all the adjustments for inflation and the sizes of the steaks,
the porterhouse ends up actually being a better deal than the 30-ouncer. So
the company isn't making empty promises about its food value.
Ruth's Chris Steak House is another chain aiming to make a tech and design overhaul. They've
already added new tech to make getting your order more efficient, and in 2023,
they're tweaking restaurant designs, the serving experience, and the menu.
As an experiment, the company redesigned its Winter Park, Florida, restaurant in 2022 with
a new bar and more outdoor seating. The redesign was an immediate hit and helped the restaurant
make roughly 35% more money than usual in the final two months of the year. With those results,
the chain has decided to remodel 10 more of its 154 restaurants in a similar way in 2023.
Servers will also have new training and wear new uniforms. Regular diners may notice a few
changes in the way servers set the table and the servingware they use. As for the menu,
the chain hopes to entice more customers with a broader range of prices and more ordering options.
Despite having locations around the world, Texas de Brazil was only in 21 states before 2023. The
restaurant plans three new locations over the course of the year: its second Michigan location,
its first South Carolina location, and its first Arkansas location.
The Arkansas location will be in the Pinnacle Hills Promenade outdoor shopping center in the
city of Rogers, in the northwest part of the state. That region is home to the University
of Arkansas and various industries like Walmart and Tyson Food. The tightly-connected area is
also projected to double in population and hit a million people over the next couple of decades.
The South Carolina location will be in Greenville's Haywood Mall,
the state's biggest shopping destination. Greenville's metro area is home to over
half a million people and continues growing.
Fogo de Chão Brazilian steakhouses are slowly spreading across the U.S. with
locations now in 24 states. Many of its locations are in California and Texas,
but new restaurants are popping up elsewhere. The chain has already secured plans to open 12
more locations in the U.S. and Mexico in 2023, with more to come. Fogo de Chão is
mainly looking for locations able to draw in customers from nearby retail shops and
hotels. All the new restaurants will feature the chain's new warm design, with some adding enclosed
outdoor eating spaces or a Next Level Lounge for relaxation, extra seating, and special events.
"We've evolved from a small restaurant in
the countryside of southern Brazil to a category leader."
Four of the new locations will be in California, bringing the number in the state to 12. A new
Miami-area opening will bring the number of Florida restaurants to six. Maryland
will get its third location, which will be in National Harbor. Two new spots in New Jersey
will bring the restaurant count there up to three. Rhode Island will be getting its first
Fogo de Chão in Providence. A new North Irving location will become Texas' ninth
restaurant. And a Lynnwood addition will bring the total in Washington up to two.
As food prices have risen, Black Angus Steakhouse has been busy wrestling with
how pricing will affect its profits. The chain found it absolutely necessary to raise prices
by 3 to 6% in 2022, depending on location. Other steakhouses raised prices even more,
but Black Angus was worried about chasing off its core customers. The chain's solution is to create
a menu in 2023 devoted to "Experiences," which cost between $33 and $46 per person.
These Experiences include an alcohol-paired three-course meal, a classic steak dinner for two,
or meat and alcohol "flights." With the Wine Pairing and Whiskeys of the World Pairing dinners,
you get a different wine or whiskey with each course. The meal starts with a meaty appetizer,
ramps up with a filet mignon and sides, and finishes with a dessert. The New York Steak
Flavor Flight and Seafood Flight contain three steak or seafood dishes accompanied by three
well-paired wines. The Cowboy Cut Prime Rib Dinner for Two offers several dishes to share:
an appetizer and a choice of soup or salad, a 1.5-pound prime rib and two sides,
and a shared dessert. More adventurous diners might opt for the Chef's Secret Menu,
which most likely will include a mystery appetizer, main course, and dessert.
The robot revolution has arrived, and it's at Golden Corral. But perhaps surprisingly,
the chain's employees don't hate their new silicon-based co-workers. When WMTV interviewed
waitress Ashley Mullins in Beckley, West Virginia, about the new robots, she kind words.
"They're awesome. They actually help us to save steps and energy throughout the
day and give us more time to be with our customers and talk with them."
The robots can take customers to their seats and sing "Happy Birthday." Guests can also load up the
robot with dishes to take back to the dishwashing stations. According to WMTV, employees who wash
dishes can now schedule more hours since the bots are faster and more efficient at clearing tables.
As of March 2023, only two Golden Corral locations are using the "bus
boy bots," but with their success so far, we wouldn't be surprised if more Golden Corrals
and other buffet-style restaurants start bringing in more very soon.
Steak and Ale is making a comeback. It's been 15 years since the chain suddenly closed following a
surprise bankruptcy in 2008, but Legendary Restaurant Brands acquired the brand in
a package deal with Bennigan's in 2015. While Bennigan's has remained in operation all along,
Steak and Ale fans have anxiously awaited word that it, too, would reopen.
Mashed recently talked with Paul Mangiamele, chairman and CEO of Legendary. He said that
everything is still on track for Steak and Ale to open its first new restaurant
in 2023 in Burnsville, Minnesota, about 16 miles south of Minneapolis.
The new restaurants will all feel similar to the old restaurants. You can also still
expect the famous salad bar experience and many old favorites from the original menu,
like the Kensington Club and Hawaiian Chicken. However, there will be some changes. For example,
diners can visit a prime rib carving station, order craft beers,
and experience a more fusion-based menu. The new locations will also be about three-fifths of the
original size, with some ghost kitchen versions popping up on delivery apps.
Sizzler first started making design changes in 2010. Dark wood and earth tones set the mood,
and locations suddenly had a 20% jump in sales after the new design. Now,
the chain is back at it again. This time, the new design will combine its classic
steakhouse look with modern elements for the 2020s. The idea is to make
the restaurant appeal to customers of all ages, not just the older steakhouse set.
"I'm sure you've learned your lesson. Now, let's go to the Sizzler!"
The restaurant will ramp up its cozy feel with new woodless fireplaces,
and while its colors will remain warm, the overall effect will be more vibrant and contemporary. For
environmental sustainability and to continue with its goal to eliminate carbon emissions,
the new design also includes recycled wood on various surfaces. Some of the
current furniture will remain where possible, while the chain will also add some tables with
larger seating capacities. The salad bar has been streamlined with a sleeker look, with planters
above it. Plus, the redesign accommodates the growing delivery and pickup business.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlie Palmer Steak has been working toward improved employee
happiness and has focused more on providing food for corporate events and encouraging
visitors for happy hour. They've also tried to adjust to the fact that the average customer in
2023 has become more health-conscious and often has a budget to maintain.
With those considerations in mind, the restaurant has started to offer more
non-steak options. Some non-steak menu options include robust salads, burgers,
roasted or grilled chicken, vegetable dishes, macaroni and cheese, potato dishes,
and seafood. The seafood options include dishes that are just as refined as a black
Angus ribeye. If you can't decide what you want, the restaurant also offers a Family Style Dinner
for groups of eight or more. For just under $100 each, everyone can share a variety of starters,
sides, entrees, and desserts to get a taste of all the best menu items.