Restaurants changing with the times - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Moderate rebranding efforts — like prixe fixe to-go specials, new chefs — and even the completed rebranding of struggling concepts isnothinf new. But the failing economy seems to have pumperd upthe volume. The recession, which has cause a flight to valueby budget-minded has creative owners looking at ways to adapt their productxs to make sure dinere still land in their restaurants. some of Atlanta’s top restaurants are changinf with the times to stay relevant and, most importantly, in business.
Concentricd Restaurants’ flagship TROIS is going through a complete which founder and owner Bob Amickl said is at leasr partly driven by the downturn in the Thoughthe three-story restaurant’s event spacse and bar will remain open, the second-floor dininb room is under renovation and a new, unnamec concept will emerge towards summer’s end. “It’ss been our most critically acclaimed restaurantthat we’ved opened ... but in these times, higher-en restaurants are the restaurants that are being hitthe most, and I don’r think the economy is going to change overnight,” Amicjk said.
“It’s still going to be our flagship but done in adifferent way.” TROISw wasn’t meeting customer expectations, Amicok said, and the new concept will be more approachable. The restauranyt group continues to believe in the 1180 Peachtree home to its popularTAP gastropub. Consumer spending has plunged and traffic counta are downfor high-end restaurants, said Dave Pavesic, a restaurantt management professor at . Concepts need refreshingv every so often as a natura l part ofthe business.
But the higher-encd eateries are being challenged by the economy to push theire price points down while retainingtheir “This is a healthy reaction to the advers conditions we’re facing in the industry,” Pavesix said. The $9.99 to $14.99 pricew point seems to be the sweet spot in the economyright now. Americans on averagw are still spending 7 percent of theird income ondining out, but they want more for theidr money.
Rebranding can be as simple as adjustinfga menu, the addition of designatesd value offerings, new chefs, or an overhaulk of a building or concept, said Ron Wolf, presiden of the , and a 20-plus year veteran of the “Rebranding, while it may acceleratee during tough economic times, is not unique to tougb economic times,” Wolf “Rebranding is a very cyclicapl part of what we do in our Atlanta has seen its sharde of noteworthy casualties, including City Grilkl and Dailey’s downtown. Restaurants close even in good Skilled operators are finding niches to stay in and manyare thriving, even in upper-scale segments.
With consumersz bitten by the failing economy, restaurants acrose the price spectrum aretouting value, Wolf TGI Friday’s and Ruby Tuesday’s have continued to evolvs their concepts in a tre-mendously competitive mid-scale Fast-food chains have expanded their value meals and even started offeringh higher-quality fare to poach casual-dining customers. High-ends concepts are broadening their concepts by tryiny to become more approachable in terms of pric eand atmosphere. Acclaimed westside restaurant JOËL has added “BRASSERIE” to its reflecting a more casuao bent. The menu also includes nightly specials, prixre fixe lunch menus and specialdrink offers.
Neo, The Mansionb on Peachtree’s in-house restaurant, has changed chefs and has droppedc itsItalian concept. The restaurant is now helmef by Scott Hemmerly and willfeature Southern-themed dishes prepared with locally sourced ingredients. Luigi Romaniello, managing director of the hotel, said the restaurany would have the same commitmenrto quality, with a menu that should have a broader appeall in price and theme. The restaurant featureas a more toned-down, bistro feel and significantly lowetcheck prices; now in the $40 per person ranger at dinner.
“Obviously people are watching theird money more and we have a great restauranf in frontof us, in Craft,” he said, addint the concept change would create more separation betweemn the two products. He said the change s are “a sign of the times.”