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Restaurant Concepts Not In Market


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I tried to search for this topic but didn't find anything.  Are there any restaurant brands or concepts that have not been brought to the Central Arkansas market that you would like to see?

I'll start off.  I very much wish that we had a Buca di Beppo in our market.  It's a family style italian restaurant that's very popular in other markets like Nashville and Dallas.  I'm not sure if Memphis has one or not.  Why Red Robin has not made it to the Central Arkansas market I still don't understand.  

Anyone else's thoughts I would love to hear and have everyone chime in.

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I was in Russellville this weekend and noticed that the building for Steak N Shake is nearly complete.  I didn't realize they were building there.  

Here's my list:

Sit down restaurants

  1. Maggiano's (It's the only Brinker restaurant we don't have and I like it better than Buca.  No there is not one in Memphis)
  2. Legal Sea Foods (Hey, one can dream!)
  3. Carrabba's
  4. Yard House 
  5. Capital Grille

Fast food/fast casual

  1. Taco Cabana (All but one are in Texas.  If Oklahoma can have one, why can't we?!)
  2. Whataburger (It's coming!  Sometime but not soon enough!)
  3. Jack In The Box
  4. In N Out
  5. Del Taco
  6. Krystal

 

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Here's my list:

Sit down restaurants

  1. Maggiano's (It's the only Brinker restaurant we don't have and I like it better than Buca.  No there is not one in Memphis)
  2. Legal Sea Foods (Hey, one can dream!)
  3. Carrabba's
  4. Yard House 
  5. Capital Grille

Fast food/fast casual

  1. Taco Cabana (All but one are in Texas.  If Oklahoma can have one, why can't we?!)
  2. Whataburger (It's coming!  Sometime but not soon enough!)
  3. Jack In The Box
  4. In N Out
  5. Del Taco
  6. Krystal

 

I like this list.  I would add Shake Shack, I thought the food was great the few times I've had it.  Although it seems to be mostly on the east coast and some select other cities around the US.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Cheesecake factory brought to the market either, maybe one day.

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I was in Russellville this weekend and noticed that the building for Steak N Shake is nearly complete.  I didn't realize they were building there.  

Here's my list:

Sit down restaurants

  1. Maggiano's (It's the only Brinker restaurant we don't have and I like it better than Buca.  No there is not one in Memphis)
  2. Legal Sea Foods (Hey, one can dream!)
  3. Carrabba's
  4. Yard House 
  5. Capital Grille

Fast food/fast casual

  1. Taco Cabana (All but one are in Texas.  If Oklahoma can have one, why can't we?!)
  2. Whataburger (It's coming!  Sometime but not soon enough!)
  3. Jack In The Box
  4. In N Out
  5. Del Taco
  6. Krystal

 

I second the Maggiano's.  Carrabba's looked at our market and liked it.  Last thing I heard was that they were looking at Park Avenue but couldn't get a deal done there.  We once had Whataburger, Jackin In The Box and Krystal in our market but they all went out for some reason.  But this was also 20 years ago.  Jack In The Box could return.  Several interested parties have checked into Krystal and they are not interested in opening locations in Arkansas for whatever reason.  I'm encouraged by Johnny Rockets being added to the Outlet Mall.  I wish there were some other good restaurants going out there besides yet another Chinese buffet.  What a waste.  

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I would like to see a 24 hour diner located in downtown LR, something along the lines of City Diner in Metairie, LA. Although Memphis is a bbq city a long time hamburger restaurant there would be welcome. I'm speaking of Huey's. At one time they looked at LR as a location and maybe they should look again.  I call it a hamburger restaurant because I'm hooked on their Original Huey Burger.  One final pick would be Portillo's Hot Dogs out of Chicago.

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I would like to see a 24 hour diner located in downtown LR, something along the lines of City Diner in Metairie, LA. Although Memphis is a bbq city a long time hamburger restaurant there would be welcome. I'm speaking of Huey's. At one time they looked at LR as a location and maybe they should look again.  I call it a hamburger restaurant because I'm hooked on their Original Huey Burger.  One final pick would be Portillo's Hot Dogs out of Chicago.

I like this idea for Downtown. I end up at Dugans often after no one is open. Portillos is great too. Giordano's would be great too but I'm not sure if that will ever come out of Chicago. I'm very fond of Twisted Root Burger out of Dallas. They would be a great addition but we already have a few better burger places. 

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A downtown diner would be great.  I know we have enough Waffle Houses but a Waffle House, an IHOP, or something like a 24-hour Steak N Shake, Whataburger or Taco Cabana downtown would be good.  

I try to avoid chains although  a Perkins would work but I would like to see Yellow Rocket try their hand with a diner concept.

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Pappadeaux's

Now that's what I would like to see! It  is much better than Joe's Crab Shack and Red Lobster. How about Cheesecake Factory? Another restaurant chain that I would like to see would be a Hard Rock Cafe in the River Market district. They do have some locations in markets smaller than Little Rock such as Key West, FL.

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Now that's what I would like to see! It  is much better than Joe's Crab Shack and Red Lobster. How about Cheesecake Factory? Another restaurant chain that I would like to see would be a Hard Rock Cafe in the River Market district. They do have some locations in markets smaller than Little Rock such as Key West, FL.

Not a fan of Hard Rock. Ate at the one in Nassau, Bahamas  last month and it wasn't any better than the others I have tried. The reason I ate at this one was because nothing else was open at the time. There was a great Greek restaurant there however where I had lunch.

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I do think Pappadeaux's would be a home run.  Not sure about Hard Rock although I am not sure when they would ever get here.  I know they require a certain "tourist oriented" environment like Key West.  I like the Maggiano's idea more and more.  

 

What about Cheesecake Factory?

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I'd love to have a Cheesecake Factory in town.  There's probably been a dozen hard efforts to try to bring them here but they've always dismissed us because of our size.  

 

 

They have locations in Little Rock sized cities like Des Moines and Boise. I think they will eventually come to Arkansas if there's a right development as well as population requirements surrounding the development. Memphis (whose population is larger than Des Moines and Boise ID) just got one after years of requests for the company to open one there. 

 

 

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They have locations in Little Rock sized cities like Des Moines and Boise. I think they will eventually come to Arkansas if there's a right development as well as population requirements surrounding the development. Memphis (whose population is larger than Des Moines and Boise ID) just got one after years of requests for the company to open one there. 

 

 

These things have just about as much to do with the RIGHT development as they do the market.  Des Moines's MSA isn't even quite as large as Little Rock's but the Jordan Creek Town Center was such a pivotal, singular development 10 years ago that it was unquestionably the place to locate all stores/concepts.  This is the OPPOSITE of what happened in Little Rock the past ten years, with 3-4 medium sized projects, all of which had their merit but NONE of which were the unquestionable place to locate.

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These things have just about as much to do with the RIGHT development as they do the market.  Des Moines's MSA isn't even quite as large as Little Rock's but the Jordan Creek Town Center was such a pivotal, singular development 10 years ago that it was unquestionably the place to locate all stores/concepts.  This is the OPPOSITE of what happened in Little Rock the past ten years, with 3-4 medium sized projects, all of which had their merit but NONE of which were the unquestionable place to locate.

I agree with you on this.  The Outlet Mall going in is probably as close to a serious destination location as has been developed in the past 15 years IMO.  I feel like there's often such strong opposition to anything that has come close to the "unquestionable place to locate" as you stated.  Everyone wants to have their say that they stand in the way of real progress.  Then we always get this watered down BS version of what really should have been.  I feel like Park Avenue and Shackleford Crossing are good examples of that.  But I guess it takes going out in the middle of nowhere to get the outlet mall done.  There's some rumors of a Cheesecake Factory on a different thread.  I very much hope that it happens since Dave and Buster's is happening.  

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I agree with you on this.  The Outlet Mall going in is probably as close to a serious destination location as has been developed in the past 15 years IMO.  I feel like there's often such strong opposition to anything that has come close to the "unquestionable place to locate" as you stated.  Everyone wants to have their say that they stand in the way of real progress.  Then we always get this watered down BS version of what really should have been.  I feel like Park Avenue and Shackleford Crossing are good examples of that.  But I guess it takes going out in the middle of nowhere to get the outlet mall done.  There's some rumors of a Cheesecake Factory on a different thread.  I very much hope that it happens since Dave and Buster's is happening.  

 

Maybe it will go near the Outlet Mall.

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Being familiar with Cheesecake Factory, I highly doubt that they would open near an outlet mall.  Midtowne/Park Ave. would be the best bet for securing one.  Most tend to be located near a mall and/or a major thoroughfare (such as University Ave.).  I heard rumors about a possible Promenade opening but I am very skeptical...

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Being familiar with Cheesecake Factory, I highly doubt that they would open near an outlet mall.  Midtowne/Park Ave. would be the best bet for securing one.  Most tend to be located near a mall and/or a major thoroughfare (such as University Ave.).  I heard rumors about a possible Promenade opening but I am very skeptical...

They have few locations at Outlet Malls throughout the U.S. such as the Las Vegas Premium Outlets and Sawgrass Mills even though those outlet malls are in a larger scale. Promenade at Chenal tried to lure one in the past, however, the population surrounding the development was lacking at the time  and they back out. Cheesecake Factory likes to locate in heavy traffic areas such as the Wolfcahse Galleria mall in Memphis, TN or the Summit in Birmingham, AL. MCCain Malll, Park Plaza Mall, or the Gateway Towne Center will have the potential of luring one in Arkansas due to their close proximity to major highways.

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