A new business?

DeepChicago said:

A restaurant buddy and I have been discussing opening a new restaurant that plays off two highly successful concepts. Read a bit and tell me what you think.

A lot of this I think may depend on your market at first, as everything typically does. This is a cross between a Qdoba/Chipolte and one of the many low cost, quick carryout mexican breakfast burrito joints you see all over the place. You know the ones. Some have a drive through, but the burriotos all look the same-tin foil wrapped for quick morning eats on the go. For my Denver Bear Brothers: Think Santiagos.

Now, the problem I have with the kind described above it that they are small and loaded with sodium. Not healthy in the least. Now why do peeps like Qdoba and Chipolte? Still quick, but perceived healthier than Wendys, etc. What is the two were somehow combined?

Imagine a small restaurant with a burrito line similar to a Qdoba/Chipolte that's only open from 6:00 A.M. to 1:00 or 2:00. People who like the quick, casual convenience of a burrito in the afternoon for lunch, or need those early morning calories on their commute, come in and see this:

1. Choose your tortilla: Regular, Low-Fat, Whole Wheat, Gluten Free.
2. Choose your eggs: Regular, egg whites only, egg beaters, cage free and organic available.
3. Choose your meat: Ground turkey, chorizo, free range chicken, angus ground beef, tofu.
4. Choose your starch: Breakfast potatoes, sweet potato hash, brown rice.
5. Toppings include: Spinach, onion, kale, mushrooms, pico de gallo, tomatoes, jalapenos, sauteed bell peppers or raw, cheese, sour cream, guac, salsa-different temps, etc.

Just an idea on some of the toppings, but you get the point. This is where the suburban Mom will want to bring her kids because of the healthy options. This is where the person who likes this style of food will come for a better selection at breakfast with healthier options if they want them.

Charge Qboda/Chipolte burrito prices if not more because of the premium ingredients and tortillas.

Thoughts?

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WCL said:

Qdoba does exactly what you're talking about at some locations. Already started rolling it out.

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HeHateMe said:

Do they offer Angus beef doe?

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DeepChicago said:

Qdoba has done it in one location in Denver and it's a watered down version of their dinner/lunch. No "healthy" options. I'm talking about going all the way with the healthy stuff.

HHM, no offense taken, man, it's all good. Lot's of super healthy conscious people in Denver we think would flip over this. Just rolling the idea around in our heads.

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WCL said:

I can't speak to their preferred breed of cattle.

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HeHateMe said:

Cool.

Another thing I'm thinking is food cost/waste cost. I'd consider pairing down the ingredients and concentrating on what you can do best and cheapest while maintaining a high quality. Sure it's fewer options, but it's what respected chefs get away with and it minimizes operating losses. To mix things up, offer weekly/monthly specials on things not on your standard menu that you can get for cheap. It adds credence value to the "locally sourced" marketing angle because frankly a lot of things aren't neccessarily sustainable locally.

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HeHateMe said:

Sorry it's one of my pet peeves that Angus is used to denote premium beef. Most beef this day is Angus because they are hardy, not because their meat is particularly exceptional. Factory feed lot beef imported from Canada is Angus and it's shit.

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DeepChicago said:

Aside from the eggs, proteins and starches, everything else is minimum prep. Not too worried. Only worried about not having enough "Good for you" items.

Beginning with specials is the first way to doom yourself into always having to offer a special, or reduced priced meal. A special can come later. People need to be hooked on the concept and food first. The goal is to make price

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WCL said:

HHM, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he means special in terms of a rotating, seasonal spot in the menu.

Example: A taco place that has four mainstays and two seasonal spots that get changed a few times throughout the year. The price wouldn't be lowered on those items.

It keeps the menu (and inventory) small while offering variety to your customers. It can also create a sense of urgency (think of all the pumpkin spice stuff that people offer in the fall).

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botfly10 said:

If you can make people feel good about eating fast food, you could probably make a lot of money.

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BNB said:

If you really wanted to go all out on the healthy foods, you'd offer pasture raised chickens and pastured eggs along with grass fed [and finished] beef. "free range" and "cage free" is just a marketing tactic. Those chickens aren't really healthier or treated better. Plus, they're more than likely fed GMO corn/soy, which a lot of people are trying to avoid these days. Same with grass fed beef. A lot of those cows were fed grass, but then they switched them over to a grain [again, most likely GMO] diet to fatten them up before killing them.

Of course, this would be more expensive and people would wind up paying more than they'd like for fast food, which would be bad for business.

I do like where your head's at though.

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The Apostate said:

Sounds interesting, but keep in mind what a restauranteur friend likes to say: Do you know the best way to make a small fortune in the restaurant business? Start with a large fortune.

On a serious note the ROI on restaurants is typically very small, according the NRA (no, not that one. The National Restaurant Association) even a successful fast casual business runs profits,at best, in the 3-4% range. Are you really sure you want to invest the kind of effort required for such a small return?

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