Case Study Fatburger North America, Santa Monica, Calif
Case Study: Fatburger North America, Santa Monica, Calif.
Published on Wednesday, 01 February 2012
Written by Lisa White, Contributing Editor
When the first Fatburger opened in Los Angeles back in 1952, it was a local hamburger joint with a diner motif. Today, there are more than 100 locations in California and Nevada, with sites planned for South Korea, Dubai, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
Energy and overall efficiency are important attributes that Fatburger executives weigh when purchasing foodservice equipment. The chain feels these attributes should go hand in hand instead of being mutually exclusive.And the innovative restaurant chain knows it can't rest on its laurels, which is why Fatburger updated its front and back of house and its menu. The net result is more streamlined operations that allow Fatburger to better navigate the economic currents of the day. "We are a quick-casual burger restaurant designed around the localities we're in," says James Newell, vice president of operations. "Our original concept was a hamburger stand, but we've recently moved away from that to a more upscale design."
As if competing in the burger segment isn't tough enough, in the past two years, Fatburger bounced back from bankruptcy protection to achieve double-digit growth. Along with consistency and order accuracy, one of the largest components to its success has been maintaining service time. The chain restricts wait times to between six and eight minutes. "When everything is made to order, service times are crucial," Newell says.
It hasn't been an easy road. Customers have become more discerning in this segment, as evidenced by the boutique burger menu additions at McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's. Yet Fatburger does not look to its competitors when adding menu items, because the goal is not to become a "me too" operation.
Fatburger has stayed in the game by updating its menu with more topping choices for its ½-, 1/3- and 1½-pound burgers, in addition to a turkey and
Published on Wednesday, 01 February 2012
Written by Lisa White, Contributing Editor
When the first Fatburger opened in Los Angeles back in 1952, it was a local hamburger joint with a diner motif. Today, there are more than 100 locations in California and Nevada, with sites planned for South Korea, Dubai, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
Energy and overall efficiency are important attributes that Fatburger executives weigh when purchasing foodservice equipment. The chain feels these attributes should go hand in hand instead of being mutually exclusive.And the innovative restaurant chain knows it can't rest on its laurels, which is why Fatburger updated its front and back of house and its menu. The net result is more streamlined operations that allow Fatburger to better navigate the economic currents of the day. "We are a quick-casual burger restaurant designed around the localities we're in," says James Newell, vice president of operations. "Our original concept was a hamburger stand, but we've recently moved away from that to a more upscale design."
As if competing in the burger segment isn't tough enough, in the past two years, Fatburger bounced back from bankruptcy protection to achieve double-digit growth. Along with consistency and order accuracy, one of the largest components to its success has been maintaining service time. The chain restricts wait times to between six and eight minutes. "When everything is made to order, service times are crucial," Newell says.
It hasn't been an easy road. Customers have become more discerning in this segment, as evidenced by the boutique burger menu additions at McDonald's, Burger King and Wendy's. Yet Fatburger does not look to its competitors when adding menu items, because the goal is not to become a "me too" operation.
Fatburger has stayed in the game by updating its menu with more topping choices for its ½-, 1/3- and 1½-pound burgers, in addition to a turkey and