The Closing Bell: Bar Vetti owner has appetite for more; 21c and Humana honored; RiverRidge takes shape; Kroger shares spike; and more
By Staff | Posted on October 13, 2017Welcome to The Closing Bell. This is your last stop for biz scoops and big news before the weekend — a roundup of stories that can’t wait till Monday. HiCotton Hospitality has eye on further expansion Earlier this week, Insider reported that the restaurant...
Here’s how to contribute to the eclipse’s expected $694 million in workplace productivity losses
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on August 18, 2017When workers stop to look up into the sky for the solar eclipse on Monday, they are expected to collectively cost their employers $694 million in workplace productivity, according to a recently released report from Challenger, Gray and Christmas. That number is based on...
Texas Roadhouse analyst raises concerns about labor impact on sales
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on August 1, 2017Despite reporting positive sales for the first half of 2017, one analyst says Louisville-based Texas Roadhouse could start to see sales slip as the cost of labor continues to rise. The steakhouse chain reported Monday that its net income increased 12 percent, to $37.6...
The Top 5 most-read restaurant articles of 2016
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on December 26, 2016Louisville’s restaurant industry continued to flourish in 2016, with new concepts opening and existing ones expanding. However, that meant competition for the almighty dollar and for quality employees, too, forcing some restaurants to close. Mainly, readers wanted to know which establishments were opening and closing....
Texas Roadhouse raising menu prices to offset rising labor costs
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on November 2, 2016Texas Roadhouse continues to be an outlier among sit-down restaurants. While others are struggling with declining sales or slow growth, Texas Roadhouse continues to report solid same-store sales numbers. Sales at company-owned Texas Roadhouses and at domestic franchisee-owned locations open for at least a year rose...
Texas Roadhouse unveils new Bubba’s 33 concept in Clarksville
By Kevin Gibson | Posted on August 15, 2016After a property dispute nearly nixed the project altogether, Louisville-based Texas Roadhouse recently opened its new concept, Bubba’s 33, in Clarksville, one of only several locations nationwide. When Texas Roadhouse tried to buy the Southern Indiana property last year, another party claimed to have an option to buy. A...
Food deflation bolsters Texas Roadhouse’s bottom line
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on August 2, 2016After years of rising food costs, Texas Roadhouse is getting the chance to benefit from commodity deflation this year. The company originally expected to spend 1 percent to 2 percent less on food in 2016 compared to 2015, but the Louisville-based steakhouse chain has increased...
A sneak peek at Texas Roadhouse’s sports restaurant chain Bubba’s 33
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on June 30, 2016Texas Roadhouse will open its first Bubba’s 33 locally on July 25 off Lewis and Clark Parkway — the same road on which the steakhouse chain opened its first store in 1993. The Southern Indiana Bubba’s 33 is located at 4631 Medical Plaza Way...
Texas Roadhouse expanding stores, testing smaller Bubba’s
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on May 3, 2016Texas Roadhouse is augmenting its Texas Roadhouse restaurants, while seeing just how small it can make its Bubba’s 33. Texas Roadhouse now operates nine Bubba’s 33 stores and plans to open several more this year. Executives are hesitant to offer too much commentary on...
Executives: Texas Roadhouse has long runway for growth
By Caitlin Bowling | Posted on February 23, 2016With lower beef costs and increasing same-store sales, executives at Louisville-based steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse are expecting the company to outstrip its already positive 2015 sales numbers. “As we overlap some of our toughest comparisons from 2015 with positive comp sales, we remain confident...