Introduction
The steakhouse industry is one of the most competitive in the restaurant business. As such, steakhouse chains are constantly looking for ways to stay ahead of the competition and keep their customers coming back. This year, steakhouse chains are making some major changes to their menus, services, and operations in order to stay competitive. From offering more plant-based options to embracing technology, here are seven major changes steakhouse chains are making this year.
7 Major Changes Steakhouse Chains Are Making This Year
Steakhouse chains are making some major changes this year to keep up with the ever-evolving restaurant industry. From new menu items to updated dining experiences, here are seven of the biggest changes steakhouse chains are making in 2021.
1. Offering More Plant-Based Options
Steakhouses are now offering more plant-based options to cater to the growing number of vegetarians and vegans. From vegan burgers to plant-based steaks, these restaurants are making sure that everyone can enjoy a delicious meal.
2. Introducing New Menu Items
Steakhouses are introducing new menu items to keep up with the latest food trends. From steak tacos to steak sandwiches, these restaurants are offering something for everyone.
3. Enhancing the Dining Experience
Steakhouses are now offering a more immersive dining experience. From live music to interactive tables, these restaurants are making sure that customers have an enjoyable time.
4. Offering Delivery and Takeout
Steakhouses are now offering delivery and takeout options to make it easier for customers to enjoy their favorite dishes. From online ordering to curbside pickup, these restaurants are making sure that customers can enjoy their meals without having to leave the house.
5. Introducing Online Reservations
Steakhouses are now offering online reservations to make it easier for customers to book a table. From mobile apps to websites, these restaurants are making sure that customers can easily make a reservation.
6. Offering Special Deals and Discounts
Steakhouses are now offering special deals and discounts to attract more customers. From happy hour specials to loyalty programs, these restaurants are making sure that customers can enjoy their meals at a discounted price.
7. Utilizing Technology
Steakhouses are now utilizing technology to make the dining experience more efficient. From digital menus to contactless payment, these restaurants are making sure that customers can enjoy a seamless experience.
These are just some of the major changes steakhouse chains are making this year. From new menu items to enhanced dining experiences, these restaurants are making sure that customers can enjoy a delicious meal in a safe and enjoyable environment.
Steakhouses are a popular draw for people, especially for special occasions. Over the next few months, you can expect to see several changes coming to some of the biggest steakhouse chains in America, and we’re pleased to report that most of these changes are to the benefit of the customer. That’s welcome news at a time when most recent changes at restaurants have involved inflation-related price increases and shrinking portions.
Ironically, if you do want to see where prices have jumped the most, skip the steakhouse and head to a fast-food spot instead. For now, here are some of the changes headed your way at your friendly neighborhood chophouse.
Texas Roadhouse is on the road to becoming the largest casual dining chain in America. Not just the largest steakhouse, mind you, but the largest restaurant chain in the casual sector writ large, per Restaurant Business, in terms of sales volume. Plus, the chain just keeps expanding.
As of late 2022, Texas Roadhouse was planning to expand from a 600-plus location footprint up to a 900-unit spread within a decade or so. “If we continue to do it right and all the world works with us, we think that we can get to that number,” the CEO of the chain’s parent company, Jerry Morgan, said during a recent earnings call.
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Since the middle of 2022, Longhorn Steakhouse has been on a slow but steady mission to change the portion size of many of the steaks on its menu. But it’s not shrinking the sizes of the cuts as a cynical diner might expect—in fact, Longhorn has been offering larger steaks without increasing prices.
Per Ricardo Cardenas, CEO of parent company Darden, who spoke during an analyst call last year, the chain, Longhorn “has made significant investments over the past few years in the quality of [the] food… [and] increased the size of most of their steaks.”
At Outback Steakhouse, the days of a waiter scratching down your order of a Bloomin’ Onion, Cheese Fries, a steak cooked medium, and a very large beer will soon be over. Per Restaurant Business, the chain is going high-tech when it comes to ordering: servers will soon be equipped with tablets that let them enter orders right into the system from the diner’s table will speed up service and reduce errors.
With delivery and takeout still a booming part of the restaurant business even as the pandemic passes, Outback Steakhouse simply doesn’t need restaurants as big as the traditional footprint. Per Yahoo! Finance, future Outback Locations will be notably smaller than most extant units, with the average new restaurant being 5,000 square feet compared to the 6,000 square foot average of the past.
Like so many chains have had to in recent years, Black Angus has recently raised its menu prices, albeit only by a modest 3%, per Restaurant Business. In a bid to keep on offering customers an overall good deal, however, the chain has also added a number of “bundled” meals wherein for one price, a diner gets a multiple-course (and multi-drink) meal that would cost notably more were all the menu items ordered separately. “These bundled experiences raise the average check for the restaurants but at the same time, the guest gets better value,” said Deborah Shapiro, VP of growth for Black Angus.
A restaurant is pretty dependent on the actual hardware doing the cooking, and the better that hardware—the actual grills, ovens, and griddles—the better profits stand to be. Thus, Outback is looking to improve the overall productivity of its kitchens by upgrading all of the chain’s ovens and grills, per Restaurant Business.
The upgraded equipment will not only allow for faster cooking but for more precision, as well. “I just want to underscore once again that we’ll go long-term with greater service levels and more accurate cooking that especially the grills provide,” said the company’s CEO Dave Deno during a recent talk with analysts.
Not all the news is great, we’re sorry to say. And when it comes to Logan’s Roadhouse, the news of the moment is that prices have gone up some. And while an approximate 4.1% price hike isn’t ruthless, it is more than we’ve seen with other chains, like the aforementioned 3% hike at Black Angus.
Steven John