November 4, 2005

Florida restaurant chain set to revamp image

Bonita Springs, Fla. - Mel's Diner, affectionately known as "Southwest Florida's kitchen," announces the chain will undergo brand, menu and décor changes in early 2006.  

The Mel's Diner executive management team gathered last week in Naples, Fla. to hammer out the plans for the company's future.  They brought in the nation's largest full-service strategic marketing and public relations firm focused exclusively on the restaurant industry, Quantified Marketing Group, to assist with the transition.  By the end of the planning session, the team had discussed the market evolution trends of "trading up," and envisioned the innovative direction for Mel's.  

Since the chain's inception more than a decade ago, the $25 million-a-year company has succeeded as a mom-and-pop operation, without running things by conventional chain standards.  The management team has cohesively agreed that implementing systematic, operational and conceptual changes will provide the locations with the tools for record-breaking success.

"It is a clear and logical evolution of the concept and brand based on emerging consumer trends and behaviors for Mel's Diner to initiate these transformations," said Chris Karakosta, president and CEO of Mel's Diner.  "We're anxious and excited to get the changes underway."

The initial focus will be to make changes to the menu, which has grown over the years as the concept has expanded.  The company has identified a niche in the market that will align its new concept and food with some of the traditional favorites Mel's became famous for, paring down the menu but embellishing on signature dishes.  The results will favorably position the restaurants as "not your typical diner" in terms of food and décor, but it will still offer the same swift service and relaxed atmosphere.

The process of evolving a brand can prove to be grueling for any organization, but with the collective agreement from Mel's management for a new vision, capital from lease sell backs and significant reinvestment in every area (including management infrastructure, marketing, financial systems, improved training programs, culinary director) things are going smoothly.

Founded by Karakosta in San Carlos, FL in 1989, the restaurant originally set out to mimic the look and feel of Karakosta's first eatery, the Chicago-based family style diner Dimitri's.  Before Mel's, Karakosta owned and operated two other establishments in the southwest Florida area, the upscale steak-and-seafood spot, The Green Onion, and Stevie Tomato's Sports Page, one of the area's first sports bars.  In Mel's, he sought to return to the familiarity and wholesomeness of Dimitri's, while also supplying an environment where his family could spend more time together -- they originally served as his staff in the eatery.

"We offer quality comfort foods for an unbeatable value," says Karakosta.  "That's what we've built our reputation on, and that's what we will continue to concentrate on as we grow and evolve the Mel's Diner concept."

Currently, the chain boasts 10 locations throughout southwest Florida and plans to add two more locations in early 2006. While its reach may be widespread, however, each store continues to pride itself on that same sense of family-friendly service, high value and good home-cooking that made the original location such a success.

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Media Contact:
Ashley H. Hallmark
Quantified Marketing Group
407.936.1010
321.663.1209 c.
ahallmark@quantifiedmarketing.com


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