QSR August 2022

QSR 50

vice division. Meanwhile Smith previously worked as COO of Taziki’s, overseeing in restaurant technology, training, supply chain and purchasing and store support VGCOU ǭ The chain finished 2021 with 659 res taurants, down 22 units from the year before. It earned $1.07 million in AUV and OKNNKQP KP 7 5 U[UVGOYKFG UCNGU ǭ

48 Baskin-Robbins

FRANCHISE/ LICENSE UNITS

COMPANY UNITS

PER UNIT

AVERAGE SALES

IN UNITS FROM 2020

(THOUSANDS) 2021

2021

2021

2021

TOTAL UNITS

TOTAL CHANGE

$ 1,161

100

1

101

17

$ 1,813

25

17

42

-7

50 White Castle

$ 1,102

68

7

75

5

In the spring, the classic ice cream chain announced a refreshed brand image, including an update to the logo, packaging, and employee uniforms. The movement came with a new tagline that encourages customers to “Seize the Yay.” To celebrate the rebrand, Baskin-Robbins launched branded merchandise for the first time in its 77-year-old history and developed three new ice cream flavors, including Non-Dairy Mint Chocochunk, Ube Coco nut Swirl, and Totally Unwrapped (peanut butter and chocolate packed with fudge EQXGTGF RTGV\GNU ǭ Baskin’s same-store sales grew 9.9 per cent year-over-year and lifted 13.6 percent on a two-year basis. The chain opened a net of 102 stores in 2021, pushing it to more VJCP WPKVU KP VJG 7 5 ǭ 49 Moe’s Southwest Grill Moe’s spent the first half of 2022 improv ing its leadership team. In March, Tory Bartlett was named chief brand officer after leading Schlotzsky’s to a record growth year in 2021. A month later, the fast casual revealed the hiring of Annica Conrad as vice president of marketing and /KMG 5OKVJ CU XKEG RTGUKFGPV QH QRGTCVKQPU ǭ Conrad joined Moe’s from FAT Brands, where she served as CMO of the quick-ser

$ 866

88

1

89

5

The legacy chain honored its 100th birth day in May last year with the opening of its largest location—4,567 square feet—in Orlando. It was the first time White Cas tle has been in Florida since 1968. In 12 months since that debut, the restaurant

$ 1,219

47

9

56

6

$ 1,653

49

2

51

13

$ 958

60

7

67

-5

$ 4,400

0

26

26

17

$ 2,300

0

25

25

1

$ 1,093

85

1

86

3

$ 454

130

11

141

17

$ 774

30

29

59

2

$ 575

78

1

79

0

became the top-performer among the brand’s more than 350 restaurants and sold OKNNKQP UNKFGTU ǭ In 2022, White Castle had even more reasons to celebrate. In late April, the com pany announced The Original Slider and Cheese Slider surpassed $28 billion in sales. That includes 22 billion sliders sold in restaurants and another 6 billion sold VJTQWIJ VJG EQORCP[ũU TGVCKN FKXKUKQP ǭ Additionally, the brand rolled out its first menu innovation in years with the 1921 Slider, which includes a 100 percent beef patty topped with cheddar cheese, grilled caramelized onions, a slice of Roma tomato, lettuce, and pickles. The product is inspired by White Castle’s first slider when it opened more than 100 years ago. More recently, White Castle began to lean back into its late-night prowess with a merchandise and packaging lineup. q

$ 985

36

9

45

1

$ 988

37

0

37

6

$ 1,001

34

0

34

4

$ 989

0

38

38

8

$ 1,271

24

0

24

1

$ 1,400

4

12

16

3

$ 1,051

18

0

18

6

$ 216

55

3

58

8

$ 720

20

0

20

0

$ 1,500

0

8

8

-2

$ 1,053

6

3

9

1

Danny Klein is Food News Media’s editorial director. Contact him at danny@QSRmagazine.com . Ben Coley is Food News Media’s content editor. He can be reached at ben@QSRmagazine.com . BASKIN-ROBBINS, MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL, WHITE CASTLE

$ 1,204

0

7

7

2

www.qsrmagazine.com | QSR | AUGUST 2022

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