OPINIONOperations

Are these the weirdest concepts the restaurant industry has ever seen?

Restaurant Rewind: At a time of rampant format development, it’s appropriate to consider the great misfires of the past.

In the quest for The Next Big Thing, even veteran restaurant operators have been known to hatch a venture that was best left undeveloped. This week’s edition of Restaurant Rewind looks at three that didn’t even sound good on paper.

Host and Restaurant Business Editor At Large Peter Romeo takes listeners on an audio tour of the three concepts he ranks as the worst-ever, from an S&M-themed spot in New York City to an eatertainment venture built around catastrophic deaths.

Tune in so you, too, can wonder, what were they thinking in giving something like this a try? Download this and every installment of Restaurant Rewind from wherever you get your podcasts.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Looking for the next Chipotle? These 3 chains are already there

The Bottom Line: Wingstop, Raising Cane’s and Jersey Mike’s have broken free from the pack of well-established growth chains. Here’s why this trio stands out.

Financing

For Starbucks, 2 years of change hasn't yielded promised results

The Bottom Line: The coffee shop giant’s sales struggles worsened earlier this year, despite a flurry of efforts to improve operations and employee satisfaction.

Food

Nando's Americanizes its menu a bit as U.S. expansion continues

Behind the Menu: Favorites like mac and cheese, bowls and salads join the fast casual’s Afro-Portuguese-rooted dishes, including the signature peri-peri chicken.

Trending

More from our partners