Despite the economic crunch, restaurant operators put their creative minds to work in 2009 and discovered new ways to reach discerning consumers. While the economy put a damper on same-store sales and unit growth, it didn’t break fast casual operators’ sprits.
Here’s a look at the top five best (and one worst) things about 2009.
1. Fro-yo frenzy
Red Mango and Pinkberry exploded onto the dining scene in 2008, and further capitalized on consumers’ fro-yo frenzy in 2009. In addition to Red Mango and Pinkberry, brands such as FreshBerry, U-Swirl and Spoon Me opened units across the U.S. and even into Canada during the year. Read on…