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Joey’s Only® Seafood – Carving
a Niche in the
"Faster-Casual" Market |
By Terrie Hall
Copyright© 2003, all rights reserved
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Fish-Made-Fresh.
These are three words not normally used in the same sentence, especially
in the central part of
the country – until now. Joey’s Only Seafood is a concept
that will shake up the old notion that seafood must be frozen, fried and fatty. With growing emphasis on fish as a healthy dining alternative,
Joey’s Only is finding there is serious interest from middle Americans
for high quality seafood, particularly when served in a welcoming, cozy
atmosphere and at a moderate price. |
That’s
what makes Joey’s
Only Seafood unique, says David Kristal, CEO for Joey’s Only
Franchising USA. “We’re
a full-service restaurant, serving a variety of fresh foods, but we compare
ourselves more to a neighborhood diner than a "Big Box" chain restaurant.
The average time from when a customer orders to the arrival of food
is
only ten
minutes.
It’s
not fast food, it’s fresh food fast, and the speed is a
tremendous convenience to the guests.”
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Joey’s
Only considers itself a family restaurant where a warm welcome and superb
service is part of every dining experience.
The array of seafood choices available include selections such as hand-battered
calamari, crab legs, salmon, shrimp, and Mahi Mahi, all carefully prepared
in a variety of ways. And,
while the dishes are upscale, the prices are not. Because of their facility
design, menu and the quick turnover of diners, Joey’s Only requires
a limited number of employees and can keep prices moderate.
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“This
is the only mid-priced seafood restaurant concept around,” says
Greg Poling, vice-president of market development. “There are
some high end franchises with high prices. There are inexpensive, limited
menu
restaurants
with
mostly breaded and fried foods. But with our high quality, preparation
options and moderately priced menu, we fulfill a market void where
there’s
very little competition.” Besides
seafood, diners will find such tempting menu items as garlic butter sirloin
steak, 48-hour marinated rotisserie chicken,
po-boy sandwiches, and a kids’ menu,
making it a family-friendly place customers will return to again and
again.
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The
Joey’s Only concept began in 1985 in Canada
as a mainly fish and chips restaurant. Created by Joe Klassen to fill
the gap between full-service seafood chains like Red Lobster® and
fast-food chains like Long John Silver’s®, it became
a high-quality, mid-priced, neighborhood restaurant, known for delicious
seafood and
outstanding
customer service. Franchising began in 1992 and there are currently over
100 locations in Canada. Today it is Canada’s largest seafood restaurant
chain.
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In late 2002, the
US development rights were purchased by a group of investors including
the Kristal family, founders of Embers America Family Restaurants. Expanding
on the Canadian concept, the American developers have added some additional
pizzazz.
The menu was diversified and broadened for the American taste, adding
popular items such as crab cakes and jambalaya.
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| Healthier options,
including low fat preparation choices (blackened, Cajun, poached,
sautéed in lemon) were added. Technology is another area that
will enhance the atmosphere of new Joey’s Only restaurants.
Diners will find both real and virtual aquariums – TV’s
playing DVDs of underwater scenes. |
Joey’s
Only USA (headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota) inherited nine restaurants
and has three restaurants under development. They plan to open more
than 150 across the nation in the next three years. Poling says the Minneapolis-St.
Paul area could see as many as 15-20 Joey’s Only restaurants in the next 12 months.
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“For
those interested in buying a restaurant franchise,” says
Poling, “Joey’s Only provides the best opportunity for success.
We lease spaces in high-end, power centers, but require a smaller footprint
than other restaurants, just 2,200 to 2,400 square feet. With a smaller
initial investment, efficient operating costs, and a high demand product,
franchisees can expect an attractive return on their
investment and a product offering that continues to increase in popularity.” This
makes Joey’s
Only particularly attractive to people interested in acquiring multiple
units, with or without hands-on management.
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Building
on their proven track record in Canada and their solid operating system,
Joey’s Only will assist
approved franchisees with site selection, lease negotiation and facility
design, then provide extensive training. Franchisees receive extremely
competitive pricing on the equipment, furniture and fixtures needed
for their restaurants.
On-site help from an operations specialist is provided during the initial
startup, to assist with hiring and training staff and setting up systems.
Marketing support for franchisees consists of guidance and materials,
along with special promotions advice. The goal is to build the foundation
of a long and successful relationship between the corporate office and
the franchisee.
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Quick-casual
restaurant concepts, like Chipotle (Mexican) and Big Bowl (Asian), are
hot properties right now and Joey’s
Only is the only seafood restaurant in a newly-defined faster-casual (fast
full-service) category. So, with virtually little competition, Poling
says Joey’s
Only is poised for an aggressive expansion. Those interested in this
concept should
have business
management, P&L, and foodservice experience. Leadership and supervisory
experience, including hiring and training employees are also helpful. |
| Freshly
made, fast fish and seafood will be a welcome addition to meal options
for the hordes of people looking for something delicious and different.
Getting
a full meal for under $15 will convince them to come back for more. For
more information or to submit a registration form, visit Joey’s
Only Seafood on BISON. |
Our Mission:
To provide
our customers with quality, affordable seafood
and fast, friendly service.
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For franchise information, visit Joey's Only on
BISON.
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Copyright © 2003, all rights reserved. Any reproduction is strictly prohibited.
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