Baton Rouge Restaurants

[dan326]

Wow, things are really starting to move fast!

 

Whats wrong with Walk Ons?

[Antrell Williams]

Don't be too alarmed, unfortunately it's nothing that is new to the world. They treat their employees like little worker ants, at least some of them. Kitchen staff, at the Burbank location in my experience, aren't allowed any kind of break or risk being fired.

 

They have good food though.

[itsjustme3]

Don't be too alarmed, unfortunately it's nothing that is new to the world. They treat their employees like little worker ants, at least some of them. Kitchen staff, at the Burbank location in my experience, aren't allowed any kind of break or risk being fired.

They have good food though.

I know for a fact that is wrong. Not only illegal (if it were true) but wrong.

[dan326]

Yeah, that's sounds illegal.

[Antrell Williams]

I know for a fact that is wrong. Not only illegal (if it were true) but wrong.

My last day there I worked 14 hours without a break, no food, no cigarette break. It may not happen anymore (this was years ago), but it did and I won't support them.

[itsjustme3]

My last day there I worked 14 hours without a break, no food, no cigarette break. It may not happen anymore (this was years ago), but it did and I won't support them.

Sorry. Don't buy it.

[Antrell Williams]

Sorry. Don't buy it.

Haha. I'm not selling you anything. I'm simply telling you what happened.

 

This happens all over the country, every single day, in every city.

[richyb83]

Sorry to hear that Antrell....

 

 

 

[Antrell Williams]

Sorry to hear that Antrell....

 

 

No problem, Richy.

 

Wow! The investment downtown is happening too fast. I haven't even gotten a chance to see the Cane's.

[Mr. Burnham]

No problem, Richy.

 

Wow! The investment downtown is happening too fast. I haven't even gotten a chance to see the Cane's.

Hopefully not too, too fast.

[dan326]

I know, it really is building momentum!!

[richyb83]

2014 brought surge of activity in BR restaurant industry

 

If activity in the local restaurant industry is any indication of the Capital Region’s economic well-being, 2014 will go down as a year of impressive growth and prosperity. Nearly two dozen restaurants opened or expanded during the past 12 months, and several more have announced plans to open in 2015.

 

http://www.businessreport.com/article/2014-brought-surge-activity-br-restaurant-industry

[dan326]

From Businessreport.com:

Seafood and BBQ restaurant, seafood market planned on Government in Mid City

After operating a catering business in Baton Rouge for the past 12 years, Elvondae “Von” Raybon is working to bring a new restaurant and seafood market called Pit-N-Peel to Mid City.

“I think this area right here needs a place like this that they can call home,” says Raybon, who is leasing a long-vacant building at 2101 Government St. and adding a kitchen to the space, which was previously home to a clothing store. “Places like Sammy’s and Mike Anderson’s have been institutions in their areas for years, and I’m just trying to do the same for this neighborhood and make my mark.”

Raybon will add a roughly 700-square-foot kitchen to the 2,100-square-foot building. He hopes to complete the renovation in time to open on Mother’s Day, which is May 10. The menu will feature seafood and barbeque, Raybon says, and he envisions a seafood market with a wide variety of offerings.

“We’re looking at doing salmon, tuna, speckled trout and maybe some flounder, on top of catfish and shrimp; possibly oysters,” Raybon says. “Pretty much all of the Louisiana seafood you’d expect. That’s my angle: to carry all Louisiana seafood and also Louisiana-made products.”

Raybon is not seeking a liquor license at this time, saying he wants to strictly focus on the food to launch of his restaurant. He says the eatery will provide seating for 40 to 50 inside, with room for an additional 15 to 20 outside.

“I’m hoping for a lot of walk-up and bike-up business,” he says. “They way they’re redoing Government Street along that stretch, I’m tailoring my business to that idea and design.”

[dan326]

Captain D’s planning to set sail in Baton Rouge market

Steve Sanoski

August 3, 2015

 

Fast-casual seafood restaurant Captain D’s has plans to enter the Baton Rouge market, with hopes of establishing its first location here over the next year or so.

Michael Arrowsmith, chief development officer for the Nashville-based chain, says the company is currently searching “for some good quality sites” for the first Captain D’s restaurant in Baton Rouge, but declines to elaborate on specific areas being scouted.

“We hope to have the first site under contract in the next three to four months, and we would hope to be building the first restaurant in the next six to nine months,” he says, “and then we’ll go from there.”

The restaurant’s long-term goal is open as many as 10 to 15 restaurants in the greater Baton Rouge area, Arrowsmith says.

“And I think that’s a conservative number, actually,” he adds.

While the company plans to open corporate-owned restaurants here initially, Arrowsmith says, it’s also recruiting local franchisees to meet its growth goals. The interest in the Baton Rouge market comes as the company has experienced several years of steady growth. There are currently seven Captain D’s restaurants in Louisiana; the closest one to Baton Rouge is in Covington. Other restaurants are located in Alexandria, Leesville, Monroe, Ruston and Shreveport.

“We’re in a tremendous growth phase right now,” he says. “I would say that from a corporate perspective, Baton Rouge is the focus right now, but we think Louisiana is a fantastic state for our brand. We look at it as being a big area for Captain D’s down the road, so we’re looking in all areas of Louisiana.”

As reported earlier this year by QSR magazine, a trade publication for the quick service restaurant industry, Captain D’s reached a record-breaking average unit volume and a fourth-quarter same-store sales increase of 5.7% at the end of 2014. Continuing a three-year momentum, Captain D’s closed 2014 by reporting a 4.1% system-wide same-store sales increase for the year.

Arrowsmith says customers in the Baton Rouge area, which at one time was home to Captain D’s restaurants in Baker and Denham Springs, have also been asking for the chain to return to the area.

“One thing we do is listen to our customers, and when we hear from a lot of customers in a geographic area asking for the brand—as we have in the Baton Rouge area—we know that’s a good sign,” he says.

______________________________________________________________________________________

They must have done really bad befor because they didn't mention the one on Greenwell Springs by Airline.

Edited August 4, 2015 by dan326

[dan326]

Checkers looking to re-enter Baton Rouge market after long absence

Steve Sanoski {sodEmoji.|} @SteveSanoski

July 20, 2015

 

Undeterred by the rise in popularity of gourmet hamburger joints that have popped up across area in recent years, fast-food chain Checkers thinks there’s plenty of room for one more burger option in Baton Rouge.

It has been nearly two decades since Checkers, which also operates the Rally’s chain, has had a presence in Baton Rouge. It previously operated here under the Rally’s flag. Now it’s looking to bring the brand back, this time as Checkers, and it has a pretty ambitious growth plan.

“We think we’ll be able to open 10 to 15 restaurants in the Baton Rouge market,” says Jennifer Durham, vice president of franchise development.

As for the timeframe of establishing that many restaurants here, Durham says it depends on how many franchisees it can line up—and how ambitious they are. No company-owned restaurants are planned here, she says, and currently one Checkers franchisee in Lake Charles is looking at options in Baton Rouge.

“My expectation is that either through an existing franchisee or recruitment of new ones, hopefully we will have our first restaurant open in Baton Rouge by sometime next year,” Durham says. “It typically takes about 12 months to go from franchise approval to getting a restaurant open.”

Full story : https://www.businessreport.com/article/checkers-looking-re-enter-baton-rouge-market-long-absence
__________________________________________________________________________

They don't need to come here. Their fries are so good, I don't think I'll be able to control myself!

[Antrell Williams]

Wasn't there a Captain D's across from The Superstore?

[richyb83]

There is no shortage of burger joints in BR!!  Five Guys at Towne Center is hard to beat...including their fries! I'll have to check out Rally's!  10 to 15 new locations??

How is Moo Burger? And how is Burger Smith?? Anybody had those?

Not sure Antrell...

Edited August 5, 2015 by richyb83

[dan326]

I haven't had any of those either. The burger place before Mugshots was really good. Mugshots was ok too, but there quality really fell off the years before they closed.

Yeah the one across from the Superstore was the Greenwell Springs one I was refering to.

[greg225]

Happy to see both restaurants come back to the area.

[dan326]

Neat story. The owner did his research.  I'd read somewhere that Middle Eastern countries may not like certain western ways but they love American food. I also read in the Islamic deutercanon it was said an angel won't enter a house with a dog and that one would lose good grace points have keeping one. Combine their presence associated with the food and it could have be been disastrous.

 

www.225batonrouge.com/food/first-o

 

First overseas Raising Cane’s locations adapts to the Middle East culture

 

As 225 Dine reports, Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves partnered with M. H. Alshaya Co.—the company that brought brands like H&M, Williams-Sonoma and Starbucks to the global scale—to open the first international Cane’s location in September and the restaurant has already started to build a loyal customer base in Kuwait City.

Of course, plenty of research and adjustments went into adapting our hometown brand to the Middle East. Graves and his team focused on making the classic Cane’s menu halal-friendly—meaning that every part of the food’s ingredients, preparation, storage and service must be in accordance with Islamic law. The attention to detail has paid off, judging from the warm reception from Kuwait’s heavily Muslim population.

Maybe the most noticeable difference at the Kuwait restaurant is the absence of the chicken joint’s namesake and mascot, Raising Cane the yellow labrador. Because of high rates of rabies and stigma surrounding pet dogs in the Muslim faith, dogs aren’t quite as universally popular in Kuwait as they are in the States. Raising Cane doesn’t appear in any signage or merchandise for the Kuwait store.

[Mr. Burnham]

Neat story. The owner did his research.  I'd read somewhere that Middle Eastern countries may not like certain western ways but they love American food. I also read in the Islamic deutercanon it was said an angel won't enter a house with a dog and that one would lose good grace points have keeping one. Combine their presence associated with the food and it could have be been disastrous.

 

www.225batonrouge.com/food/first-o

 

First overseas Raising Cane’s locations adapts to the Middle East culture

 

As 225 Dine reports, Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves partnered with M. H. Alshaya Co.—the company that brought brands like H&M, Williams-Sonoma and Starbucks to the global scale—to open the first international Cane’s location in September and the restaurant has already started to build a loyal customer base in Kuwait City.

Of course, plenty of research and adjustments went into adapting our hometown brand to the Middle East. Graves and his team focused on making the classic Cane’s menu halal-friendly—meaning that every part of the food’s ingredients, preparation, storage and service must be in accordance with Islamic law. The attention to detail has paid off, judging from the warm reception from Kuwait’s heavily Muslim population.

Maybe the most noticeable difference at the Kuwait restaurant is the absence of the chicken joint’s namesake and mascot, Raising Cane the yellow labrador. Because of high rates of rabies and stigma surrounding pet dogs in the Muslim faith, dogs aren’t quite as universally popular in Kuwait as they are in the States. Raising Cane doesn’t appear in any signage or merchandise for the Kuwait store.

Well this story had unique timing...#vivelaparis

[byrde]

On 8/4/2015, 11:22:17, richyb83 said:

There is no shortage of burger joints in BR!!  Five Guys at Towne Center is hard to beat...including their fries! I'll have to check out Rally's!  10 to 15 new locations??

How is Moo Burger? And how is Burger Smith?? Anybody had those?

Not sure Antrell...

Burgersmith is very good! Best burger in town IMO. 

[richyb83]

^ Yeah Eric..they are hard to beat!

Phil’s Oyster Bar set to re-open in Southdowns Shopping Center

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/15334059-106/phils-oyster-bar-set-to-re-open-in-southdowns-shopping-center

 

[cajun]

The few times I've eaten at Phil's after they moved to their College location was a pretty terrible experience.    I hope the brand is not beyond repair in Baton Rouge.   I remember their old Gov street location, and that is the yardstick any restaurant with that name will be measured against by Baton Rouge diners.  

That location on Concord lacked visibility, and the building seemed to be more appropriate for a professional office than a restaurant.   They were open there for years before I even knew....and I actually lived in the area in those days.   I'm not sure that moving to Southdowns shopping center will remedy that.   The may actually be better off back on Government street or even downtown somewhere although the rates for space downtown is no longer all that affordable.   

I've actually been through this process with some friends of mine that have two great restaurants.    Baton Rouge's best, most visible retail space is very expensive. If you can't take the risk of making that big of an investment for the best space (or even building your own building), your options are limited to 2nd or 3rd tier shopping centers with poor visibility, limited parking, or weird layouts.

Edited April 4, 2016 by cajun

[dan326]

Dairy Queen looks for 80 Louisiana locations; five in Baton Rouge, 15 in New Orleans

Dairy Queen plans to add 70 to 80 new Louisiana locations over the next 10 years, with up to five in the Baton Rouge area and more than 15 in New Orleans.

For example, at one point the South Sherwood Forest Boulevard store clocked some of the highest sales numbers in chain history, Kerr said.

Based on those estimates, the Louisiana spending could be anywhere from $56 million to $144 million if the chain reaches its goals.

Dairy Queen is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. There are more than 6,700 stores worldwide, with 36 in Louisiana.

http://theadvocate.com/news/business/15702263-123/dairy-queen-looks-for-80-louisiana-locations-five-in-baton-rouge-15-in-new-orleans

Edited May 10, 2016 by dan326