Some Theaters enter competitve restaurant business

Dinner and a movie used to be a big attraction for restaurants wanting to

feed off the traffic from theaters. However, more and more theater chains

are combining dinner with the movie experience. The latest is Gold Class

Cinemas from the west coast that just opened in Fairview, TX just outside

Dallas. Movie tickets are $17.50 for members enjoying huge individual

reclining lounge chairs in a smaller home theater experience. Waiters

serve up $16 artisan pizza or farfalle pasta for $14 while you enjoy first

run movies. The developer boasts the increase sales to your restaurant

by locating next to the theater. but is anyone really going to be looking to

eat after that experience. Gold Class is run by restaurant people not

theater people so you know they intend to push their menu and drinks

during the movie. Movie Tavern and Studio Movie Grill sell movie tickets

at the market rate with a lower price points on their food. They all want to

take away dining dollars from your restaurant. Right now cinema eatery chains

only account for 1% of all movie screens, but this is a growing trend.

Theaters like Cinemark and AMC are still great draws for your restaurant

dinner and weekend business. The movie business is still strong. Make sure

you are not competing with the dinner movie theaters.

Franchising for fast casual restaurants starting to pick up steam. Many
groups seeing big opportunities to grow in the Texas market as well
as many cities across the country. For example Schlotzsky's coming
out with new prototype with "Lotz better" design. Opening first one
in Dallas/Carrollton in August. Adding more colorful upscale interior
and branding the logo. Qdoba signing up large franchise groups to
expand in major markets in Texas like Dallas and Houston with
thier new prototype. Smashburger and Mooyah Burger gaining
momentum as they open up units with strong sales volume as they
offer a better alternative to fast food burgers.