“Offering freshly made meals in individual portions at a buffet restaurant is a game changer,” said Wedo. 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. In addition to these entrees, desserts are also available in individualized plating, including cakes, cobblers and pudding. 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. Wedo calls the changes critical to creating “food theater” and an elevated dine out experience.Īs 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. 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. We are offering far more individual servings and have been able to amp up the flavor profile of our offerings.” ![]() “We have also totally changed the way in which we present our food and have rolled out 85 new recipes. There is simply no better value out there for families,” Wedo said. “We have taken the best of sit-down restaurants and paired it with an all you care to eat environment. A market-wide re-grand opening celebration was held Saturday, April 26 at all of the restaurants. A new ad campaign featuring Wedo as the face and voice of Old Country Buffet is currently airing on television and radio stations. Minneapolis, MN ( ) 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. Ovation Brands operates 333 steak-buffet restaurants and nine locations of Tahoe Joe’s.New Ad Campaign Highlights Food, Décor and Service Changes However, the company ended fiscal 2013 with positive momentum, registering positive same-store sales in the third and fourth quarters. The company emerged from bankruptcy in June 2012 with $50 million in exit financing and 398 company-owned restaurants, a number that periodically decreased further throughout this year. The company, which then was based in Eagan, Minn., had 494 restaurants in 38 states and closed 81 stores as part of the reorganization. ![]() was at the time of its January 2012 filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Ovation Brands is a leaner organization than its forerunner Buffets Inc. “This company is about reinventing the guest experience, whether in the buffet space, the polished-casual concept or anywhere else we choose to expand,” Wedo said. Wedo added that the name change to Ovation Brands would allow for the development of restaurant brands beyond the five buffet concepts that account for the vast majority of the company’s 342 locations in 35 states. The market has experienced a “significant double-digit increase” in same-store sales, Ovation said. The company supported the “Main Street” rebranding in Denver with a “Make It Right” advertising campaign, which featured Wedo pledging the brand’s commitment to quality food and service. All seven Country Buffet restaurants in the Denver market have completed the reimaging initiative, and Minneapolis is the next market to adopt it. Several major initiatives are underway at Ovation, including the “Main Street” reimaging effort that incorporates a contemporary food court design, modern décor and a new hospitality training program for the company’s waitstaff. The name Ovation Brands represents a call to action for all our teammates and guests: Our goal is to ensure that each and every day our six brands are worthy of applause.” “We are passionate about building a new operating culture across all of our brands. ![]() as chief executive last December, said in a statement. “We are a different company now we are foundationally about continuous innovation,” Anthony Wedo, who joined Buffets Inc. The parent company of the HomeTown Buffet, Old Country Buffet, Country Buffet, Ryan’s and Fire Mountain buffet chains and the Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse casual-dining brand made the name change to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary and mark a new phase in its post-turnaround plans. has rebranded itself as Ovation Brands Inc., unveiling the new name and logo at its Greer, S.C., headquarters this week. Steve’s breakdown: There are a lot of moving parts here but one thing is for sure, this turnaround is going to produce new business opportunities.Īnd not for nothin’, the new corporate line is “The Brands our Guests Love to Love”.
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