Looking Strategically to the Future of Restaurants: Casual Dining or Fast Casual?

Abstract

The partners of Clean Eating stood outside of their newly launched restaurant, gazing upon the long line of guests waiting to enter the newest fast casual restaurant concept to open for business in Jacksonville, FL. The concept had generated a great deal of media “buzz” due to its core competency of sourcing and serving all natural and fresh ingredients. The partners’ first concept, Fresh Mexican, a casual dining restaurant, had been a successful venture for 20 plus years. Fresh Mexican had sustained year to year growth and had been consistently profitable. The focus of the case centered on the owners’ strategic and financial analysis as well as leadership process in determining the future direction of their company. Should the partners expand their successful full service restaurant concept or continue the development and growth of their new fast casual restaurant concept? Students will explore the robust entrepreneurial, strategic, and financial constructs typically faced by growing enterprises. The case is appropriate for both undergraduate and graduate level courses in entrepreneurship and strategy. The situations described in the case were based on actual events. The names of the restaurants, parties involved, and location have been altered to preserve anonymity.