Four years ago, the typical Ruby Tuesday had Tiffany lamps and roller skates hanging on the walls and sold lots of burgers and beer. Now, the company is trying to cope with the decline of the "fast casual" dining category by changing its approach.
Ruby Tuesday has upgraded its menu in a bid to break out of a ferocious competition with Applebee's, Chili's and T.G.I. Friday's, with which it is often compared. In Atlanta, where it has about a dozen restaurants, Ruby Tuesday has rolled out or plans to introduce new mahi-mahi, salads, garlic cheese biscuits, steaks and trout.
In the summer of 2008, as the economic downturn crimped the fast casual category, Ruby Tuesday worked on a $100 million project to renovate the interior of its restaurants. It was a risky move, especially given the chain's small size relative to larger competitors Applebee's and Chili's. Then, as now, there is the possibility that any gains will be a zero-sum game, as the crowded category continues to shrink.
But for now, Beall accentuates the positive. He brags about improved glassware, crab cakes made from $16-a-pound jumbo crab meat and the sleek all-black uniforms of the wait staff. (No more jeans, he points out.)
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