Upmarket Restaurant Chains - are there any? research for article

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

I am trying to find global chains of upmarket restaurants.
I know Paul Bacuse (spelling help???) a French chef opened a number 9and failed in Australia).
Wolfgang Puck has also not fared well down under - how is he going in other countries?

Apparently there is chain called M (just plain M )

My interest is because i think De Beers Supplier of Choice plan is on the wrong tack.
Luxruy retail is an oxymoron

 

[MissAva]

I dont know...the closet I could think of is Ruth''s Chris steak house...but that isnt really upmarket just super yummy. But then you are talking to a girl whose favorite food is unsweet tea followed by Diet Coke...I am not a great eater.

 

[sxn675]

Hmm, how do you define upmarket? Like would Morton's count? And how do you define global? Is two continents enough?

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Mortons is a good call - yes they would fit the bill.
How many are there?
Are they global?
USA only does not make a ''brand'' as such - but are they in other countries?

Tiffany for example is a global retail brand, and the only one that i am aware of in the diamond jewellery industry.
Bulgari is a global jewellery retail brand, but they are primarily a design and manufacture based brand who sometimes use diamonds as accents.
De beers are trying, but many punters believe they will fail.

 

[Kaleigh]

How about The Palm restaurant???

 

[movie zombie]

http://www.georgjensen.com/en/corporate

georg jensen has several shops on several continents. i have been to the shop in sydney, australia and can attest that it is very very upscale.

peace, movie zombie

 

[Jennifer5973]

Legal Seafoods? Not cheap but then again we eat oysters and clams by the dozen washed down with expensive wine or vodka... I guess you could go there and have fried flounder and a soda and get out for $30 or so.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Are these multinational brands?
I never heard of them?

 

[Kaleigh]

I thought The Palm was a global restaurant, maybe not???? ETA: It's on the same scale as Morton's.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Maybe Mortons are trying to pull it off.

They have about 65 USA, 2 Canada and 1 in Singapore

But are they a ''brand'' ?

I have only eaten in 2 Mortons, and it was nice both times, but just food and good service.

 

[jorman]

I know Darden Company is experimenting with several new upscale restaurant chains. (Darden owns Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.).

One they are trying is "Seasons 52" and are mostly located in Florida. It is a really neat concept. Each entree has a maximum of something like 800 calories. Also, like the name in the restaurant, their menu changes each week to fit the most seasonal ingredients. In addition their desserts are served in shot glass type serving dishes to keep you from eating too large of a portion. It was very yummy. I recommend trying it.

I am sure I will think of some more.
Most upscales are single restaurants it seems, like Brennan''s in Houston or Joe Stone Crab in South Beach...

 

[strmrdr]

Upmarket anything and Chain anything is a contradiction in terms.
At best a chain might be middle-market.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Date: 8/7/2005 1:28:45 AM
Author: jorman
I am sure I will think of some more.
Most upscales are single restaurants it seems, like Brennan''s in Houston or Joe Stone Crab in South Beach...

That is exactly the point Jorman.
And it seems that is the way it is in many upmarket industries that are pure retail / services.

 

[strmrdr]

To give you an idea of what upmarket is:
One super rich lady who I have fixed her computer defines it as never having to worry about seeing her husbands secretary there because she cant afford to even order water there.
Her husbands secretary makes $125k a year.

 

[kenny]

Service and food is always better when the owner is nearby.

Nobody cares like the owner.
Everyone else is just an employee.
I avoid chain restaurants.

My 2 cents.

 

[coconut]

I believe PALM is only international within this part of the hemisphere... I believe there is one in San Juan and one in Cozumel, Mexico..etc.
Also Legal Seafoods is only located in the NE USA and FL...
....
Capital Grill comes to mind but it is also an up scale steak house scattered throughout USA, they still manages to keep it high end...

It would be hard to maintain the exclusivity if you bring about chains to your business.. kind of like Tiffany''s...
I heard they lost a lot of their HIGH END customers because of they started to target the mass consumers and thus mass production of lower end products...
Nevertheless, their profits have gone up.

 

[coconut]

But then again.... Harry Winston, Cartier, Vancleef and Arpels are also global.....

Although they only have certain bridal jewelry readily availble...
No you don''t see people shopping there... the stores are always empty.. since many people get intimidated to even go in.

 

[fire&ice]

Yes, Morton''s & Ruth Chris & Legal Seafood. I don''t know about Morton''s & Ruth Chris - but Legal Seafood DOES have brand products for sale - like their soup.

But, yes - I would think all the above is a "brand". Same moniker of service, ambience & quality of food. As already mentioned, I''m not a chain lover. I like the small owner operated establishments.

 

[jorman]

Date: 8/7/2005 1:36:34 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

That is exactly the point Jorman.
And it seems that is the way it is in many upmarket industries that are pure retail / services.

I think I like it that way. I don''t know about you, but if I am going to an upmarket restaurant there is something good about knowing there is only one of them, only one head chef, everything is fresh, and it has not been marketed in anyway. I love trying their "known for this" dishes. I also think that it doesn''t have to be upmarket to be fantastic and original. One of my favorite restaurants is in Lubbock, Texas. It is a tiny divey French Restaurant with one French chef. You bring your own wine, a meal for 2 costs about $50 and he makes escargot and Croquiles Saint Jaques to die for!

I do however have family that works for a restaurant chain, and I entertain her company to be supportive of her.

 

[ursulawrite]

Does Nobu count, I wonder?

I know that there are about half or dozen or so dotted across the globe.

 

[laney]

Mesa Grill (bobby flay''s restaurants)?

 

[Dancing Fire]

McDonald's is a upmarket restaurant to me and i know they're global.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 8/6/2005 7:43:09 PM
Author:Garry H (Cut Nut)

... i think De Beers Supplier of Choice plan is on the wrong tack.
Luxruy retail is an oxymoron

Why restaurants of all things ? Restaurants do not grow their supplies - the only thing they add has to do with the retail step allright. Not so DB.

For a comparison I would rather think of wine brands, not that I know enough of this merchandise, but it sounds more like jewels in some respects including the crowds served from the local watering hole to international auctions. Perhaps DB fits the vertical integration of the vine makers as well. Surely there are succesful retailers there that do not grow grapes, but the scale is very different. Thinking of the regional wine makers of Europe and their lobbies (I am allot less familiar with what happens elsewhere), I wonder if the comparison with DB is not useful in one more way: to show how a fragmented industry coordinates prices and demand and how long suppliers'' collusion can survive.

I am not sure I understand why ''luxury retail'' could be an oximoron: the sellers of luxury stuff are retailers, no ? If the retail environment can turn widgets into ''luxury'' is somewhat more blurred, but not unthinkable... And this is all that comes to mind. What do you mean ?

 

[tanuki]

Except for the bit where it has to be international the closest thing I could think of was the Buckhead Life Restaurants.
The chain is nicely upscale but as far as I know only in Atlanta.

 

[msb700]

How about Blue Elephant? It is an int''l Thai Cuisine..(restaurants in Paris, London, Bahrain, Bangkok and soon in Moscow)...here is a link: http://www.blueelephant.com/

 

[partgypsy]

Upmarket anything and Chain anything is a contradiction in terms.
At best a chain might be middle-market.
I agree, in particular for restaurants. A chain tries to create uniformity and maximize profits, which is antithetical to a chef and owner with a particular "vision" who says forget about cost, I am going to use the best, freshest ingredients and time consuming techniques to create my menu, which often changes depending on local availability. In comparision chains use pre-fab foods, stuff that is frozen or in cans, stuff you would never find in a first rate restaurant, and has to have similar menus for training purposes and so it is predictable for customers. Mortons and Ruth Chris have delicious food, but those are not the places I would go if I could choose to have a memorable meal.

 

[hoorray]

Nobu is the only international one that I can think of. Roy''s Restaurants (Chef Roy Yamaguchi) has expanded from the original 2 that have been around forever to having about 25 is a short time. I think they are all in the US tho. Their secret is to find a great local chef for each one. The menu is then half Roy''s Original dishes, and half creations of the local chef. They seem to be thriving.

 

[Sparkster]

Date: 8/7/2005 1:48:13 AM
Author: strmrdr
To give you an idea of what upmarket is:
One super rich lady who I have fixed her computer defines it as never having to worry about seeing her husbands secretary there because she cant afford to even order water there.
Her husbands secretary makes $125k a year.

That must be really upmarket if a secretary can''t afford water on $125 k a year!!! Does the water have gold dust in it or something? And how on earth do I get a job like that?

 

[diamondfan]

It is not truly a restaurant, and it is not upscale for sure, but what about Starbucks? I just returned from China. I was in Beijing, inside the Forbidden City and the was a STARBUCKS. Too much for me...

 

[JohnQuixote]

I'd also put forth Morton's - the closest fit I know of.

They have become a very identifiable fine dining restaurant. I've been to the original Chicago location and every one in TX. Since 1989 they grew from 9 restaurants to 65 today. Their website site lists them as being in the US, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada with many more on the way. Morton's also owns and operates the Bertolini's Authentic Trattorias.

Ruth's Chris has 80 in similar locations, but not the ambiance and atmosphere of Morton's, IMO. Of course, there is a Ruth's Chris right across the street from Whiteflash on Richmond... Habit forming.

Great subject, so musing on:

Two of the most memorable restaurants I've been to in the US are Commanders Palace in New Orleans and Berns Steak House in Tampa. Commanders Palace is affiliated with Brennan's in Houston - mentioned in the thread - and also a good visit. Honorable mention is St. Elmo's in Indianapolis. Not on par with the others for luxury and pamper, but perhaps the most unique shrimp cocktail on the planet. It would be as hard to describe here as facet yaw. Just go eat it - but mind the horseradish.

I love each Morton's experience but I must admit that for fine dining I lean towards a 'fresh' experience when possible... Unexpected menu items, the thrill of exploring a new wine list, wondering whether they will have Lagavulin and (sweet bliss) the dessert tray rolling forth in a new place always excite me.