RISE - Menu Monitor

Menu Positioning |
Bennigan's Grill & Tavern casual-dining menu features starters, soups, salads, Tavernburgers, steaks, ribs, chicken, seafood,
sandwiches, desserts and beverages for lunch and dinner. The restaurant specializes in hamburgers including ½-lb versions
and sandwiches ranging from the classic American Burger to Buffalo and Bayou Chicken, Turkey O’Toole, the Reuben and the
County Cork Club sandwiches, with the traditional burger served with endless seasoned fries. Recently, the 10-oz. top sirloin
steak and all burgers were upgraded to 100% Angus beef. Popular menu items include steaks like the Fire-Grilled 8-oz. Angus
Sirloin and Guinness Glazed Angus Sirloin, Asiago chicken pasta and fajitas. Appetizers include Buffalo wings, crab cakes,
broccoli bites, fajita chicken quesadillas, and Southwest Egg Rolls. Bennigan's "Mix & Match" menu allows guests to order two
or three items on the menu for one price. Mix & Match menu items include entrees, such as Southwest Fajitas and “Oh, Baby”
Back Ribs; appetizers, such as Buffalo Wings, Bacon & Cheese Potato Skins and Ultimate Nachos; and desserts, such as
Brownie Bottom Pie and Crème Brulee Cheesecake. Another promotion, “Good & Evil,” asks customers to choose between
the indulgent Monte Cristo or the healthier Kilkenny’s Country Chicken Salad, each priced at $4.99. Recently, Bennigan's Grill
& Tavern began a systemwide revamp of its bar design, menu and promotions. A newly developed 17-page menu is now
offered, featuring over 30 different cocktails and an increased selection of beers, wines and nonalcoholic beverages. The
chain's partnership with Guinness has led to the creation of the new Bennigan's Guinness Grill menu, available nationwide,
and featuring items like the Guinness Maximus (Guinness glazed popcorn shrimp, boneless chicken wings, and beer battered
onion rings) and the Full Guinness (featuring an 8-ounce Angus Sirloin, grilled chicken breast, and lightly-fried shrimp) The
menu also offers Guinness glazes on appetizers, such as Boneless Chicken Wings and Popcorn Shrimp. The Time Crunch
Lunch program is offered seven days a week, and guarantees meal delivery in 15 minutes after order. Kids menu available.
Menu prices range from $2.29–$17.49. Checks average $12.75.
Expansion Plans |
Metromedia Restaurant Group regrouped its 321 Bennigan’s units and 62 Steak and Ale outlets under the newly created
Metromedia Casual Dining division. The existing Metromedia Family Steakhouse will oversee the Ponderosa and Bonanza
restaurants. (NRN Daily NewsFax 11/21/06)
Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern opened its first restaurant in Lenox, MA, on January 23. The unit is modeled after a New Englandstyle
barn to match the design of the city. (Company Release 1/23/07)
Bennigan’s SPORT has expanded into the Chicago area. The new Merrillville, IN, location is the second unit of Metromedia
Restaurant Group’s new sports-bar concept. The restaurant, operated by franchisee Larry Briski, was converted from an
existing Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern. Features of the new Bennigan’s SPORT include free WiFi, 28 plasma TVs and Chicagoarea
sports-themed décor. In addition to serving Bennigan’s traditional menu, the restaurant will also serve brick-oven pizzas
and Irish fare, such as the Irish Banger Dog and Irish Ale Queso. Future expansion plans for the concept have not been
disclosed. (Businesswire.com 11/27/07)
Promotion Plans |
Bennigan’s Grill and Tavern will try to market its zero-trans-fat menu items as a differentiating advantage when the new menu
is introduced in April. The company switched to a trans-fat-free oil in 2005. (NRN Daily NewsFax 1/15/07)
Bennigan’s launched its $3.99 Burger Wednesday offer to promote its new Guinness Glazed Bacon Cheeseburger. The
cheeseburger is brushed with Guinness Stout Glaze, fire-grilled and topped with bacon, Cheddar cheese, fried onions, lettuce,
tomato and pickles. (Company Website 10/9/07)
Menu Development |
Bar food is being revamped into more sophisticated offerings at many restaurants. Recently, T.G.I. Friday’s added a variety of
new offerings, including fried green beans served with a wasabi-cucumber dipping sauce ($4 with the purchase of a main
course). Bennigan’s locations have launched Bar Bites, a tapas-style menu, with offerings such as fried calamari with bits of
fried jalapeño and fried onion, Buffalo shrimp and Southwest Chicken Taquitos. Rathbun restaurant in Atlanta serves a jumbo
lump crab cake and garlic custard tart with Creole mustard and tomato-cayenne jam ($7.95). At Arcadia in the Marriot Hotel in
San Jose, CA, guests can dine on a lobster corn dog with mustard crème fraîche ($12) and black truffle popcorn with chives
($9). At the Key Bar in Austin, TX, patrons can add mini popsicles as a garnish to drink for $1. The popsicles are prepared with
lemon juice and orange juice and frozen in old-fashioned ice cube trays. (Nation’s Restaurant News 10/09/06 p25)
Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern will only use 100% Angus Beef for its burgers and steaks, effective January 8. The company is also
introducing its Chipotle Burger and its Burger Bites. The Chipotle Burger features avocado, Chipotle glazed onions, Cheddar
cheese and bacon. The Burger Bites are four mini burgers with American cheese. (NRN Daily NewsFax 1/8/07)
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