βurgerβusiness

The list of major burger-restaurant that don’t advertise on TV is short. It used to include Ted’s Montana Grill, the 44-unit, Atlanta-based casual-dining concept but the chain, which opened its first restaurant in 2002, now has filmed its first TV spot for use in selected markets. The 30-second spot mixes a bit of cowboy swagger, [...]

Ruby Tuesday has taken off its ill-fitting suit, put its jeans back on and is ordering a cold one and a burger. James J. “JJ” Buettgen, named president-CEO of Maryville, Tenn.-based Ruby Tuesday last November, told analysts he is continuing to dismantle the efforts by his predecessor—Founder Sandy Beall, who retired after 40 years at [...]

Once again the restaurant industry’s spending for advertising has outpaced the average for all U.S. business. According to data from Kantar Media, restaurants spent $6.185 billion on advertising in 2012, a 4% increase from the $5.912 billion spent the previous year. Total ad advertising for all categories rose just 3% to $87.502 billion in 2012, [...]

“It’s the bacon, baby!” will be Wendy’s new mantra in a campaign with high-decibel announcer loudmouth Dick Vitale touting the double-patty Baconator burger. The campaign begins Feb. 25, but you won’t see it unless you live in one of seven Northeast cities (including New York City, Boston and Philadelphia) where spots will air. Vitale appears [...]

In the U.S., McDonald’s “What We’re Made Of” food-quality campaign includes TV spots introducing its suppliers, such as potato grower Frank Martinez and cattle rancher Steve Foglesong. But in Australia McDonald’s is using a variety of high-tech tools to go even deeper with its food sourcing/quality message, allowing diners to track the ingredients in the [...]

Sonic Drive-In says it is shifting its media-buying strategy to give its brand—now operating in 43 states—a more national profile. And while “non-TV” media spending will be slashed to 7% of its budget, compared with 17% in 2012, the Oklahoma City-based chain says that represents primarily a minimizing of outdoor advertising not digital spending (although, [...]

The restaurant industry’s advertising spending ballooned by 12.1% during the third quarter while total U.S. ad spending for all products and services rose just 7.1%, according to data from Kantar Media in New York City. For full-year 2011, restaurant ad spending rose by only 4.4%. The increase in restaurant ad spending is especially surprising considering [...]

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers is rethinking its full-service restaurant model top to bottom—from name to service style to menu—as it also expands its fast-casual concept, Red Robin Burger Works. Red Robin reported its Q3 results today, which include a 3.4% increase in total revenues and a 1.1% increase in same-store sales for company units. More [...]

[Wisconsin? Well, maybe later. BK has brought back the California Whopper but just in 4 West Coast states. Read details here. It's trying out the King Deals discount program in San Diego. Read here.] Burger King is heading north for the winter. The chain that created the Carolina BBQ Whopper and Texas BBQ Whopper for [...]

Arby’s perpetual quest for the right way to explain itself to fast-food customers continues as the chain this week introduces its latest ad slogan: “Slicing Up Freshness.” This successor to the previous attempt, “Good Mood Food,” comes with a not-new-but-modified logo that simply lowercases the “A” in Arby’s. With the recent “Good Mood Food” and [...]

While overall U.S. advertising expenditures increased just 0.9% in 2012′s second quarter, the restaurant industry showed surprising strength, posting a 2.1% gain, compared with the April-June 2011 quarter. “Ad spending growth sputtered during the second quarter and was unable to sustain its early year momentum. The advertising market is mirroring the tepid, slow-growth performance of [...]

Some clever people work for burger joints, and not all of them are in the kitchen. As burger-centric restaurants have become more sophisticated, the look and feel have followed suit. Names have become more playful. And logos have become more stylish, more memorable. A good logo should say more than “We serve burgers.” It should [...]

Adopting a marketing presence to match its national brand stature, Smashburger this month has launched a broadcast/digital ad campaign along with its new logo and tagline that all focus on its “smashing” identity. “Smashed fresh. Served delicious” is the tagline used with the logo and in a series of 60-second radio spots. The spots introduce [...]

McDonald’s has promised that its menu at the London Olympics will be world-class and now, roughly two weeks before the Games begin, the offerings are coming clear. Two new LTOs joined McDonald’s UK menu this week and apparently will be among choices athletes and visitors at the chain’s four Olympic venue restaurants can enjoy. One [...]

Craig Bahner may only have started as Wendy’s chief marketing officer in April, but he’s already weighing significant changes to strengthen the brand. Speaking to analysts at Wendy’s Investors Day program on June 28, Bahner outlined plans to accelerate new-menu-product development, revise its 99¢ value menu into a two-tier pricing structure, increase its use of [...]