No more Cosmic Wings for You! (We are too busy to Serve You.) Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar’s launched Cosmic Wings in February 2021. Delivery was booming, and parent company Dine Brands Global viewed delivery-focused concepts?a big part of its future. At one point, Cosmic Wings was in more than 1,000 Applebee’s, where it made up a small but incremental portion of sales. It is now down to about 670 restaurants, Moralejo said. A second virtual brand that was being tested is also apparently off the table. “We’ve made the decision that the brand and our franchisees are better off if we focus on our core menus, our core equities,” Moralejo said. The strategy contrasts with that of Applebee’s sister brand IHOP, which has two virtual brands and unveiled a third this week. But the two chains are quite different: IHOP is busiest at breakfast and on weekends, and has been using the virtual brands—which focus on quesadillas, grilled cheese and chicken tenders—to boost volume in slower dayparts. #franchisechat #strategy #restaurants #brand
Heikki Lummaa if a restaurant is too busy to deliver, at certain times, will a dynamic pricing strategy work for them? Thanks.
Franchise Growth Strategist | Co-Producer of Franchise Chat & Franchise Connect | Empowering Brands on LinkedIn
1 年From the article: "Meanwhile, there are signs that delivery is slowing, which could spell more problems for virtual brands. At Applebee’s, customers have been shifting from delivery to takeout recently, Moralejo said. And yet the chain has not sworn off virtual brands completely.? “If we find a virtual brand that’s a better fit for the dynamics of the Applebee’s restaurant, we would absolutely consider it again,” Moralejo said. “If there’s a winning strategy out there, bring it to us.”" Joe, type of food makes sense for Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar to try out as pick-up only?