Legendary Year For Bennigan's Is Only The Beginning Of Revolution

DALLAS, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Bennigan's Franchising Company is capping off a year of phenomenal growth and success by launching new domestic and international locations, a new building prototype, new food and beverage menus, new franchise partners and a whole new focus that puts the Legendary brand on the cutting edge of shaping a new casual dining paradigm.

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"The past year is only the beginning of our Legendary comeback," said Paul Mangiamele, Bennigan's President & CEO. "Our return to relevance demonstrates the passion we collectively feel for Bennigan's.  That intense passion has us 'Bleeding Green 25/8' and constantly focused on both our guests and our franchise partners in all of our restaurants around the world. Our Corporate Support Team is the best in the restaurant industry, and none of this would be possible without all of us working together to accomplish our mission."

The 82-unit company saw explosive growth in 2012, with new restaurant openings throughout Texas, as well as internationally in Dubai, El Salvador and Korea.  Bennigan's ends the year with not only four openings in the fourth quarter alone, but also with agreements to develop over 30 new restaurants in 2013 in New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Arkansas, Minnesota, Florida, Tennessee and Michigan, and international openings slated for Mexico, Cyprus and Korea. The company currently has 34 domestic and 48 international locations.

New and existing Bennigan's franchisees are benefitting from the chain's Legendary comeback, which began in May 2011 when Mangiamele joined the company and launched a mission to bring memorable dining experiences to every guest, every meal, every day. The resulting operational and service improvements increased same-store sales at the prototype locations by double digits and introduced a new generation of Bennigan's that speaks to the brand's history and pays respect to its heritage. As same store sales continue to increase and domestic and international growth rockets into new markets, Bennigan's is debuting a new menu and improved prototype that will continue to rekindle the emotional connection to this great brand into the New Year and beyond.

"Our new restaurant design creates a great vibe and energy with a more modern look and feel," said Mangiamele. "The interiors greatly enhance visibility of our back of the house and chef-driven food, allowing it to be the star of the dining room. Our franchisees now have a complete toolbox of many adaptable prototypical elements to fit any real estate."

Bennigan's has also introduced a new iteration of their food menu. Printed front and back, the menu's absence of food photos makes it a visual departure from the typical casual dining chain menu. The sleek design highlights chef-driven flavor profiles and innovative ingredients from the company's new world-class chef of record, Scott Foster, as well as the classic recipes that remain as a steadfast reminder of Bennigan's nostalgic history.

Additionally, in the first quarter of 2013, Bennigan's will launch a dynamic beverage menu in all 34 domestic locations that will capture the ingenuity of the brand and further distinguish them from the competition. The focused yet edgy menu features 14 tempting drinks wrapped around a custom- designed bottle for a hands-on, interactive experience. The Long Ireland Iced Tea, Stout Bloody Mary with Guinness, Irish Kiss and Shamrockin' Sangria take classic cocktails and add a distinctively Irish twist, making the exceptional and innovative drinks uniquely Bennigan's.

"Never in our storied history have so many initiatives been launched that will effect such a dramatic impact on restaurant sales and profits," said Jennifer Gamble, Vice President of Marketing.

Together with software partner MonkeyMedia, Bennigan's is rolling out a powerful back office system to execute local catering operations on a national level. Testing in Chicago has yielded phenomenal results and showed that catering has the potential to become 10-15% of sales.

"Innovation is at the heart of any revolution, and we are most excited about the launch of our single largest initiative in this company's history - catering, which will continue to roll out domestically in 2013," said Mangiamele. "It is an opportunity to take our Irish Hospitality beyond our four walls, create a new sales venue and do something that no one else in casual dining is doing to any scale."

Bennigan's Franchising Company plans to continue its growth momentum into 2013 by offering the new prototype restaurant with a lower cost of entry and smaller format designed to fit different site options from end-caps and in-line spaces to freestanding pad sites. The brand is also introducing a fast-casual, non-traditional model called "Bennigan's on the Fly", which allows for development in airports, hotels, hospitals, cruise ships, universities and other venues.

In true Bennigan's style, this will be a new generation of fast-casual, with a brand ambassador to engage guests in the dining area and Irish Hospitality in evidence at every touch point.

About Bennigan's

Bennigan's is a high-energy neighborhood restaurant and tavern that is redefining casual dining.  With chef-driven food, innovative drinks and warm, friendly Irish Hospitality, this Legendary brand delivers memorable dining experiences to every guest, every meal, every day.  Every member of the team "bleeds green," and the company's revolutionary comeback has introduced a new generation of Bennigan's that speaks to the brand's history and pays respect to its heritage.  An ongoing focus on modern, flexible prototypes, innovative menus and other sales generating initiatives has resulted in explosive growth both domestically and internationally.  For more information, visit www.bennigans.com.

Media Contact:
Amanda DelPrete
Fish Consulting
954-893-9150
[email protected]

SOURCE Bennigan's