FSR June 2023

The pandemic did little to curb innovation at the classic chain. In fact, it did the opposite. BY DANNY KLEIN BRINGS THE Firebirds HEAT

FIREBIRDS WOOD FIRED GRILL CEO Steve Kislow wouldn’t exactly refer to the pandemic as a “good thing” for restaurants. Most full-service brands shed 90-plus percent of their business within literal hours. But the afterglow proved a lot different than the aftershock. “The disrup tion and the change in consumer behav ior that happened as a result allowed us to shine,” Kislow says, speaking from the 23-year old chain’s new Charlotte, North Carolina, head quarters. ¶ The Firebirds leaping from COVID’s crater is healthier, stronger, and with loftier average-unit volumes than ever. The reality is, Kislow says, it’s simply a different brand than it was in 2019. Just look around HQ. x

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FSRMAGAZINE.COM

JUNE 2023