FSR June 2023

On the Rise BY MALINA SEENARINE

Growing a Legacy Brand Inspired by an NFL coaching legend, Shula’s Restaurant Group is

launching its first upscale casual dining experience in the Hall of Fame Village, with plans to expand across the U.S.

WALKING INTO THE recently-opened Don Shula’s American Kitchen in Can

ton, Ohio, guests are met with memorabilia of the Miami Dol phins coaching legend—like an NFL Hall of Fame jacket given to Shula for an undefeated sea son, and a jersey signed by all 51 players of the 1972 Miami Dol phins team. Shula, who is best known for leading his team to the only perfect season in NFL

ESTABLISHED: 1989 FOUNDER: Don Shula HQ: South Florida CUISINE: Steak and American Classics UNIT COUNT: 16

DON SHULA’S AMERICAN KITCHEN SERVES DISHES LIKE ITS 48-HOUR SHORT RIB, PLUS WHITE CHEDDAR AND CORN ENCHILADAS.

who was inducted into the Pro Foot

The 9,400 square-foot restaurant focuses on giving guests a personalized experience. For a more casual outing, the bar features 28 seats where patrons can sit and watch sports on multiple TV screens. The space also has different din ing spaces away from the bar, including an upstairs enclosed area and two pri vate dining areas. With a large selection of menu items compared to a typical steak house, Plott sees Don Shula’s American Kitchen appealing to a wider variety of cus tomers who are looking for an upscale casual experience. Along with serving main dishes like its 48-hour short rib, the restaurant also offers white ched dar and corn enchiladas and an Asian grilled shrimp salad. A dessert menu features treats like the Peanut Butter

history, took home 347 victories over the course of his career, which is in line with his motto: “Strive for perfection, but set tle for excellence.” He took that philoso phy with him during his foray into the restaurant industry in 1989. Established 34 years ago with the launch of Shula’s Steak House, Shula’s Restaurant Group has now created six restaurant brands across 16 locations in the U.S., which span fine dining, upscale casual, and fast-casual: 347 Grille, Shu la’s Bar & Grill, Arizona-based Prime, and Shula Burger, which has nontraditional units in airports and stadiums. This year, the group expanded its portfolio by welcoming the new din ing concept inspired by the NFL coach,

ball Hall of Fame in 1997. Don Shula’s American Kitchen is the first upscale casual dining experience to open in the Hall of Fame Village, a 100-acre sports and entertainment resort destination in Canton developed around the Hall of Fame Museum. Shula Restaurant Group CEO Cody Plott sees Don Shula’s American Kitchen as a “natural fit” for the restaurant group. “We’ve always had upscale casual as the target, and this is just a larger spectrum from that,” he says. “I think what it does instead of a specialty restaurant—which sometimes can be a special-event type restaurant—is that this is much more regulated to people who can make it there two or three times a week.”

SHULA’S RESTAURANT GROUP

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