Old Country Buffet® CEO Anthony Wedo Unveils Brand Reinvention With "Make It Right" Guarantee

MINNEAPOLIS, April 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthony Wedo, the CEO for Old Country Buffet^® and parent company Ovation Brands, is taking to the airwaves to personally guarantee a great visit for guests at any of the 12 family style buffet restaurants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. A new ad campaign featuring Wedo as the face and voice of Old Country Buffet is currently airing on television and radio stations.  A market-wide re-grand opening celebration is planned for Saturday, April 26 at all of the restaurants.

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"We have taken the best of sit-down restaurants and paired it with an all you care to eat environment.  There is simply no better value out there for families," Wedo said.  "We have also totally changed the way in which we present our food and have rolled out 85 new recipes.  We are offering far more individual servings and have been able to amp up the flavor profile of our offerings."

In addition to the meal enhancements, guests will also notice a new décor package, brighter lighting, family-style game rooms and new front-of-house hospitality managers dedicated to delivering a great meal experience.  Wedo calls the changes critical to creating "food theater" and an elevated dine out experience.

New promise, new restaurants

As the home to the parent company's Restaurant Support Center and more than 125 corporate employees, the Minneapolis restaurants will also feature new technology improvements not available anywhere else in the system. 

The TV and radio ads highlight fresh new menu items including handmade Asiago ravioli and individual chicken pot pies that are available exclusively in test stores. In addition to these entrees, desserts are also available in individualized plating, including cakes, cobblers and pudding. These menu selections are part of the culinary initiative coined "Food 2.1," which elevates the presentation of menu items by offering them in individualized portions.

"Offering freshly made meals in individual portions at a buffet restaurant is a game changer," said Wedo. "We are proud to be leading the way in creating a new category of dining we call 'New Family-Style Dining.'"

"We are so confident that the experience we offer is so different that I can make this guarantee.  Our employees are committed to delivering on the promise.  If we don't meet our guests' expectations, we will make it right.  Few organizations are willing to make this type of commitment," he said.

Re-concepting also features updates for the employees, who now sport new uniforms and all undergo training with a special focus on hospitality.  "The employees are the ones who make it happen, and I believe we have some of the best in the business right here in this market," Wedo added.

For more information about Old Country Buffet, including locations, visit www.OldCountryBuffet.com.

About Ovation® Brands

Ovation® Brands currently operates 337 restaurants in 35 states, comprised of 328 steak-buffet restaurants and nine Tahoe Joe's Famous Steakhouse restaurants. The restaurants are principally operated under the Old Country Buffet®, HomeTown® Buffet and Ryan's® brands. Ovation employs over 17,000 team members and serves approximately 100 million customers annually. Corporate headquarters are based in Greer, SC with a Corporate Support Center located in Eagan, MN. For more information, visit www.OvationBrands.com.

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SOURCE Ovation Brands