Bob Evans sells restaurant division

[TomSea]

Bob Evans sells restaurant division

Bob Evans Farms, which operates a 523-unit chain of family dining eateries in the nation's heartland, said Tuesday that it is splitting up its two major businesses.

The Bob Evans Restaurants division will be taken private in a sale to a private equity firm. The parent company, however, will remain public as it expands its BEF Foods division, which has a big stake in refrigerated side dishes sold in supermarkets, especially mashed potatoes, and sausages.

Continued: http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/bob-evans-sells-restaurant-division/ar-AAmc6SJ?OCID=ansmsnnews11

I knew they were a chain, I believe I've had their frozen breakfast foods.

I confuse them with a Canadian chain that is similar I believe.

[mirraflake]

The one near us is near dead most of the time. Closes at 9:00 on Friday and Sat nights

The clientele who went there in the past is all dead or in nursing homes.

Menu items and decor are for old geezers.

People want to eat at upbeat and lively places.  60 is the new 40

[EC]

The one near us is near dead most of the time. Closes at 9:00 on Friday and Sat nights

The clientele who went there in the past is all dead or in nursing homes.

Menu items and decor are for old geezers.

People want to eat at upbeat and lively places.  60 is the new 40

From what you are saying, sounds like a good move for the company. Changing the image or tone of a place is always a risk in the first place (you get people bitching like hell about any changes, even if they only go to the place once a year) so why risk your rep on something that is a negligible income stream?

One related thing I have noticed - thanks to the bitch of a (none-existant, according to the Worm) recession, a lot more people have learned to cook and have been dining out less. When they do go out, why go to a place that sells stuff they can make at home?

[Oceander]

Makes sense.  These types of restaurants really don't have a growing customer base and will fold sooner or later.  Friendlys went down a little while ago - shuttered many of their restaurants.  I'm sure that places like Cracker Barrel and IHOP will be feeling the pressure as well.  I love IHOP but a lot of times when we go there we're the youngest people there, and I ain't a spring chicken anymore. 

[Ghost Bear]

Makes sense.  These types of restaurants really don't have a growing customer base and will fold sooner or later.  Friendlys went down a little while ago - shuttered many of their restaurants.  I'm sure that places like Cracker Barrel and IHOP will be feeling the pressure as well.  I love IHOP but a lot of times when we go there we're the youngest people there, and I ain't a spring chicken anymore.

That's not true here in Central Texas, IHOP and Cracker Barrel are some of the busiest places going from 9am-noon on the weekends. And not just old people, there are people of every age, many of them parents with children, and young couples in their 20s. Maybe it's a regional thing?