Examiner.com:
In this case, we are not writing about Mayor Nagin’s homicidal maniac brand but the traditional brand of great food and great restaurants.
We all know how great New Orleans restaurants are. We know the success of at least one company that took the New Orleans brand national, Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Emeril has leveraged his New Orleans success into a national personal brand and Emeril restaurants across the country.
Now comes a report that the Camellia Grill has translated well into the Destin, FL market. Not only is the Camellia Grill there but it is joined by the Acme Oyster House, Commanders Palace, and Pat O’Brien’s. As a favorite vacation stop for Orleanians and other from south Louisiana, Destin was a natural place for these restaurants to expand.
Why have these restaurants not leveraged their reputations into more markets across the country? Why have they not duplicated Ruth’s Chris’ success in franchising their brands into more markets? I am sure there are a number of reasons but there are always barriers to business expansion. There may be food freshness issues. Could Acme get fresh oysters if they opened in Chicago? I suspect they could but there would be a price. Could Commanders translate its brand into the Houston market. I am sure it could with all of the expatriate Orleanians there. Likewise Commanders could probably work in the Dallas and Austin markets. More.