Houlihan’s, Cheesecake Factory ...............
Houlihan’s, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen and BJ’s Going Tapas Style with Smaller Portions
The recession may be over, but Americans are still entrenched in the eating-cheaper-at-home mentality. So while the restaurant and eating-out industry is continuing to take a knock with a dip in business, eveyone’s trying to come up with the next big idea. But casual-dining restaurants like Houlihan’s, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen and BJ’s are thinking small – they’re offering their diners smaller tapas-like sharable items at cheaper prices.
The big idea behind the small plates is to attract so-called “social minded Millenials” who share everything from their Facebook and MySpace pages, to their tweets and now a plate of food.
“This is how the next generation is eating,” says Bob Hartnett, the chief executive at Houlihan’s. “And we’re in the business of giving people what they want. If we don’t give it to them, they’ll find someone else who will.”
These small plates are even being marketed differently with separate menus. Houlihan are offering 23 small-plate items like $3 Truckstop Fries in chipotle cheese sauce, $3.50 mini-burgers and $10 grilled 4-ounce filet mignon with Parmesan garlic sauce. A year ago, Cheesecake Factory have rolled out items that cost between $3.95 to $6.95 as a way to get guests to try new tastes at cheaper prices. Last month California Pizza Kitchen introduced small craving items at $4.99 to their menus and offer appetizers for up to $10. And this month, BJ’s added six “snacks and small bites” at $2.95 to $3.95 to their menus.
