With Buffets, Inc. coming out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this past summer, they have announced the hiring of a new chief executive, Anthony Weedo. Buffets, Inc. is the parent company of Old Country Buffet, Ryan's, Hometown Buffet, and Fire Mountain. Mr. Weedo replaces CEO R. Michael Andrews. I am told by a reliable source that we should recall Mr. Andrews as the executive that gave himself and other execs at Buffets, Inc. bonuses while the company was actively closing restaurants across the country without notice and without any exit benefits to restaurant employees or managers. This was the "Good morning, you are all fired. Go home." episodes that took place across OCBs and Ryans this past year.
Mr Weedo comes from corporations involved in the finances of restaurants and the mergers and acquisition of restaurant - not someone who knows restaurants from the inside. He has given an exclusive interview to Nations Restaurant News and is quoted as saying ""Stay tuned. We have a story here that will unfold in the next six
to 12 months as we reinvite old guests back and bring in new guests. The
company's spent a long time going through a painful process, and I want
to lead them to a victory, which could include some new portfolio
growth down the road." He is calling his mission "Plan to Win". With Weedo is a new leadership team at Buffet's Inc. He wants to look at recipes and the menu. (Which may or may not be a good thing.) He likes the new Mongolian Grill concept that they have recently introduced to the restaurants and also the steak. (I will be writing an article in the near future about the Mongolian Grill - so far it is far from appetizing. As to the steak - the steak is good but no one at the restaurants know how to cook it so that you get a steak you can actually chew and bite through.) He has commented that other than an occasional store closure, there will not be the wholesale closings that we have seen in the recent past.
I wish Mr. Weedo all of the best. Perhaps he should look at OCB and Ryan's before the downfall. Bring back some of the things that people loved to go to those buffets for. Perhaps he should look more closely at what made Ryan's so much better than OCB before OCB took them over and instread of putting OCB food into Ryan's, put Ryan's food and methods of grill to order into OCBs. Time will only tell,
If you would like to read the Buffet's Inc. press release about the change in administration, it is linked here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
There are many reports from those who provide various services to 'restaurants' such as this group would NEVER EVER actually contemplate having a meal in such a 'restaurant'. Knowing from first hand experience, it is most appreciated when a person who ACTUALLY KNOWS, advises, "stay away..."
I wish he would visit the champaighn ill ryans the dish washers are the hardest worked and unappreciated......no management who cares I wish the true story would come out you dropped your employees ins because you were not up to standards after taking our money no raises no incentives but you give money away and houses and cars.. wherrrrr is the appreciation to
Post a Comment