Perkins Heats Up Growth with a Fresh Focus on Innovation

Perkins Restaurant & Bakery is leveraging the equity of its beloved full-service restaurant brand to blaze new trails for growth through innovation. Backed by the leadership of Ascent Hospitality Management, which also owns Huddle House, Perkins has streamlined store-level execution, ramped up marketing and menu development, and gained significant cost efficiencies for franchise operators.

The addition of flexible build-out options and a delivery-forward store design has resulted in a burgeoning restaurant development pipeline by franchise investors eager to grab a slice of the $11 billion bakery segment alone. The design variety of traditional model formats—free-standing, end-caps, travel centers and hotels—allows restaurant owners to thrive in any space while diversifying their portfolios with a concept in the family dining segment. Franchisees can count on access to a strong four daypart investment, with loyal guests turning to the dining favorite for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night fare.

Building on a whirlwind of momentum from a successful test launch of its bakery-only virtual kitchen concept, the leading, full-service family dining chain is rolling out its latest innovation Bakery by Perkins systemwide—with the future in mind.

Bakery by Perkins specializes in the digital ordering and delivery of signature offerings like whole pies, muffins, cookies, and cinnamon rolls, along with an expanded lineup of cakes and individual desserts ready for customers to enjoy.

The new digital channel, which debuted on Door Dash and UberEats, is already paying off with bakery category sales up across all participating test restaurants located throughout Florida and Minnesota. The concept fills a void in the virtual kitchen space that Perkins is primed to capitalize on with more innovation – and just in time for the busy high-volume Holiday Bakeshop season offering a new revenue stream for new and existing franchise owners to tap into.

“There’s tremendous upside in our Bakery platform, and Perkins has runway to grow this category, especially through digital channels,” notes Joe Artime, vice president of marketing at Perkins. “Bakery is an expansive term, but even within the areas in which we have equity with the guest, such as desserts, pastries or breakfast, there is a lot of room for exciting innovation.”

With more than 290+ restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, Perkins has long staked its claim as the quintessential gathering spot for homestyle, comfort classics, and fresh-from-the-oven pies. The virtual bakery storefront essentially builds a new brand from Perkins’ existing fine-tuned menu that aims to capture more late-night treat seekers and deliver Perkins’ innovative fare in the way guests now expect. The move is expected to bolster the chain’s bustling off-premise business built through online ordering, traditional carryout and to-go, and third-party delivery.

“Each of these methods brings incremental orders, and we want to make sure we are delivering a flawless ordering experience on each of these platforms,” Artime told Restaurant Dive.

The virtual concept is just the latest way Perkins has flexed its muscle as a proven brand with a fresh industry take and a reimagined strategy for aggressive expansion.

“With new menu innovations, tech platforms and off-premise optimized prototypes, Perkins offers a strong value proposition to restaurant operators looking to incorporate a thriving full-service restaurant concept into their portfolio,” said Peter Ortiz, chief development officer for the brand. “Our experienced franchise development team offers hands-on support to franchisees from day one, truly integrating them into the Perkins family. We look forward to joining forces with new partners throughout the rest of 2021.”

Ready to partner with a brand recently ranked as one of the nation’s most popular breakfast restaurant chains on the foodie favorite site Mashed? To learn more about franchise opportunities, https://perkinsfranchising.com.

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