Toasty Or Toasted? Quiznos Follows Sbarro Into Bankruptcy [Obamanomics Fail]

Forbes ^ | 3/16/14 | Brian Solomon

[SoFloFreeper]

Restaurant chains are dropping like flies this week.

On Monday pizza franchise Sbarro dipped into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Following in its footsteps on Friday, sub shop Quiznos announced that it too would sink into bankruptcy as part of a “pre-packaged” deal to cut its debt by more than $400 million, or two-thirds.

[Pearls Before Swine]

I wouldn't call it venerable.

I meant in terms of longevity, not quality of nourishment!

[citizen]

Spot on graphic!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I never thought about that but the B&M stores I still frequent tend to be in shopping plazas or stand alone stores. They tend to have better stuff as well.

[x]

Translation: The Place You Never Went follows The Place You Went To Only Because You Were on The Turnpike And Had To Use The Washroom into bankruptcy.

[SamAdams76]

I can remember when mall food courts were a big deal. In fact, when my kids were young, we used to drive over there just to eat. The kids would grab slices of pizza or burgers, the wife would get a plate of Japanese food and I'd get what I want and we'd meet in the middle. Then afterwards, we'd get frozen yogurt or Orange Julius for dessert. Having a common dining area surrounded with about 15-20 eateries was a really unique experience.

Over the years, the number of affordable casual eating joints have exploded and they now surround all the shopping malls. Places like Longhorns, Applebees, Chilis, Outback, Olive Garden, etc., sucked the life out of the mall food courts as people now eat at those places before or after shopping at the malls.

It helps that they have bars too. On a Sunday afternoon, I'll take the wife to the mall and then I'll park myself at the Buffalo Wild Wings bar with my Kindle and tell her to let me know when she's ready to go home. Take all the time you want, I'll be right here watching the football games and drinking some frosty ones!

[Caipirabob]

...and changing demographics in malls neighborhoods.

Who wants to intentionally go to a place where you know you may be compelled to "educate" a feral animal?

[ponygirl]

Those are the rathergood.com marmots. It was a huge internet meme back in the day, but obviously catered to a very small minority of net savvy types. BTW, the rathergood guys also are the origin of the Viking Kitties. (Which obviously doesn’t mean they equal advertising gold.)

[ponygirl]

OMG I have never seen that ad before! “I’m not doing that again; that burned” what the hell kind of perverts run their ad campaigns?

[grania]

I think it's mostly the sign of lousy food

That and not keeping up with changing food expectations of a lot of consumers. Around here, Chipolte's, Panera, DiBella's Subs(a smaller chain) and even Arby's among others are offering some healthy bread options, fresh vegetables, preparing their own foods on site. They're being rewarded with long lines at meal times.

[bonfire]

How to explain Subway? Gross meat sitting in some liquid concoction that tastes like soylent green. The smell of the place makes me gag. My some worked there and he reeked of that “smell”. What’s the attraction?

[grania]

How to explain Subway?

I think for some people they're still a habit. In the days of Jared, they really loaded on the fresh veggies, the bread was fresh-baked and good, and the meats were quality and tasty.

Last time I went their "whole grain" option had some lousy ingredients (I've gotten so I can taste it), the vegetable's could've been put on with tweezers and the meats were the things I'd never purchase at a deli counter.

What are they thinking? It's taking awhile, but it does seem a lot of people have given up on them.

[bonfire]

Back in HS my son was addicted to Subway. Now he wouldn’t THINK of eating their food. Maybe it’s a teen thing. Even the smallest of towns have a Subway and it’s a place for kids to hang out. I know when we moved to a tiny town, the churches had their teen bible studies at SW.