QSR March 2023

FA B I O V I V I A N I

ref lected in the menu. In addition to gastropub staples like burgers and wings, the selection includes Italian favorites, such as Fabio’s Meatballs, the Tuscan Chicken Sandwich, as well as globally inspired fare, like the Aztec Burger, Coconut Curry Chili, and Wonton Tuna Tacos. The menu is chef-inspired but still approachable, Viviani says, which presents the brand as an especially desirable tenant for land lords, even those in high-end shopping centers. Chuck Lager’s marriage of familiar and less known, American and international, approachable and elevated, is also a natural byproduct of the partnership at its base. Viviani teamed up with Colby Restaurant Group to bring the brand to life. Where Viviani brings a culinary perspective and experience tak ing restaurants from idea to reality, Craig and Michael Colby bring franchise expertise; the pair are Red Robin and Walk-On’s operators. Chuck Lager has seven units on tap for 2023, which would push the 4-year-old brand into the double digits by year-end. And after the pandemic forced many restau rants to shutter their doors, the real estate market is looking favorable for restaurants like it that can adapt to fit a variety of spaces. “There’s a lot of land [up] for grabs, especially post-pandemic when unfortunately a lot of res taurants went out of business,” Viviani says. “For Chuck Lager, it’s very easy to convert a second generation space because there is minimal kitchen requirement to develop menus and we have engi neered the way of doing it that doesn’t require a lot of construction.” And though Chuck Lager and JARS are just getting started with their expansion plans, Viv iani sees their long-term viability as a given. In addition to their franchising allure, the pair were also built with future consumers in mind. “I appeal to the next 30 years of diners. And that’s exactly what Chuck Lager does, and that’s exactly what JARS does. [They] are catering to the next 30 years worth of educated food crowd,” he says. “If you think about it, the American chain restaurant hasn’t really changed much in the last 15 years. The big players are the same, usual sus pects, and they’re getting obsolete.” Indeed, many of these legacy chains are aging right alongside their most frequent customers and failing to bring in the next generation. Viviani says millennials and even younger din ers are more knowledgeable about food than his

parents will ever be. “If I take my mom and dad to Macaroni Grill, they’re going to be thrilled. The alfredo sauce, inf inite bread, plain salad, and good, but over cooked, pasta—my dad is all about it,” he says. “But if I take my cousins to it, they’re going to be like, ‘Fabio, what are we doing here? Why don’t we go to the local, new, up-and-coming, Insta grammable, chef-driven shop?’” Viviani’s solution? Create concepts, like Chuck Lager and JARS, that will attract the young, dig itally dialed-in foodies but also appeal to older generations through a fresh take on classic dishes. CREATING THE ROPES When Viviani talks about Chuck Lager and JARS, it’s easy to forget that, as of the end of 2022, the former only had four units and the latter zero. He speaks with such enthusiasm and authority that a listener can’t help but visualize the real ity he’s painting. “Take a note, and then you can check your note in five years: JARS will be the biggest dessert [quick serve] in the United States within the next five to seven years. Mark my words on it,” he says. While such a statement could be dismissed as little more than a sales pitch from an especially charismatic businessman, Viviani’s track record speaks for itself. He’s not one to brag, but he also won’t down play his or his team’s many successes. Over the past 15 years, he’s built an expansive portfolio—one he expects to double in girth over the next few years. His restaurants also weathered the pandemic without a single one permanently shuttering. He hopes this resume will serve as yet another incentive for prospective operators. The restaurant industry is never without risks, but as Viviani said earlier, it’s all a matter of bet ting on the right horse. And while his opinion may be biased, Chuck Lager and JARS are the two he’d bet on. “With all due respect to a lot of franchise groups out there, I’m not a career changer. I’m not a former lawyer who got into baking and now has a dessert company,” he adds. “We are a hospitality development company. So every possible downfall of the industry, we are ahead of the game. We don’t have to learn the systems; we don’t have to learn the ropes—we’re creating the ropes.” 

“ We don’t have to learn the systems; we don’t have to learn the ropes—we’re creating the ropes.”

FABIO VIVIANI HOSPITALITY (3), HEADSHOT: JOHN R. BOEHM

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INDUSTRY-WIDE ISSUE

MARCH 2023