According to an article from the Kansas City Business Journal, four Kansas City-area Schlotzsky’s Deli restaurants are showed off their makeovers Tuesday, kicking off a $15 million chain-wide campaign to reimage and remodel the restaurants.
The nationwide “Lotz Better” initiative is expected to affect the entire 350-restaurant U.S. franchise system by the end of the year. It includes a new, vibrant color scheme and a circle theme in keeping with the chain’s signature round sandwiches, as well as playful slogans and contemporary furniture and artwork. The restaurants also changed up the service model so employees hand-deliver food to tables. Three locations — those in Kansas City, Mission and Overland Park — now will sell Cinnabon, as well. One in Olathe will not. “We are honored that Kansas City was chosen as the market to jump-start this exciting initiative,” Mike Fleming, owner of the Schlotzsky’s restaurants in Mission and Kansas City, said in a release. The company already has signed multi-unit deals with new and current franchisees based on the new look and co-branding with Cinnabon, Schlotzsky’s President Kelly Roddy said in the release. The company announced last year that it hopes to add 16 locations in the Kansas City metro area within five years. All new construction will be in keeping with the new image, Roddy said. Schlotzsky’s hopes to nearly double its U.S. locations by 2015 — to between 600 and 700 — and Kansas City is one of the markets that the chain considers to be untapped. To honor the unveiling, local Schlotzsky’s restaurants are offering their signature sandwich, The Original, for $1.99 on Tuesday and holding a drawing for free Schlotzsky’s for a year. Schlotzsky’s, based in Austin, Texas, is owned by Focus Brands Inc., which is the franchisor and operator of more than 3,300 Carvel, Cinnabon, Schlotzsky’s, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Auntie Anne’s locations, and Seattle’s Best Coffee on military bases and in international markets. Read More
