The fast-casual eateries that are on the rise tend to be dominated by familiar categories: burgers, tacos, and pizza. But some entrepreneurs are opting for menus that veer toward being healthier, without being vegan, and yet appeal to many customers.
Take Tom Holt, for example. In 2003, in his hometown of Ventura, Calif., a city of 110,000 residents, northwest of Los Angeles, Holt had a yen for opening a café that was slightly different. Not burgers or pizza, but instead spotlighting a wholesome sandwich, made from fresh focaccia bread, locally-sourced ingredients, special sauces and tasty meats.
Why It Changed Its Original Name
When it opened, it was called the Urban Café, but once it expanded, he decided that the name was too commonplace and prosaic and switched it to Urbane Café. He thought “urbane” conveyed “polite and refined, so we are politely refining the way people eat.”
Since then, enterprising Holt has turned it into chain of 27 eateries, with five more to come the rest of the year, and then 8 more locations planned for 2024. At this point, all of them have been located in California, but its first location in Henderson, Nevada, is slated for late October.
Holt owns the bulk of it, but in 2017 the Panda Restaurant chain became a minority investor to fuel future growth.
Some restaurant chains such as Urbane Café are offering a healthy fare as an alternative for those interested in more nutritious-fare.
And Holt has expanded it the old-fashioned way since all are company-owned and none is franchised. Most are situated in suburban locations, but some are in more urban areas like Pasadena and Northridge.
Holt describes the key to Urbane Café’s growth as “providing our guests a healthy alternative. We offer farm fresh salads and delicious sandwiches on our fresh baked focaccia bread.” In fact, the focaccia is baked fresh throughout the day, so it doesn’t sit around for more than 45 minutes.
As a fast-casual eatery, it has strived to keep its prices moderate. Chimichurri steak sandwiches go for $11 and $3 for a beverage, keeping a meal under $15 a person.
Urbane Cafes are open from 10:45 am. until 9 p.m., and don’t serve breakfast. Lunch generates about 60% of its revenue and dinner 40%.
Appealing to Everyday Joe’s and Jane’s Too
Holt described its target audience as the “working, everyday Joe, that wants a healthy option that they can get an affordable price and quickly.” Holt said its major competitors are fast-casuals such as Panera Bread and Mendocino Farms.
Holt sees it as a healthier alternative to the slew of burger, pizza and taco eateries. Indeed he said, if guests like tacos, they’d be drawn to their “So Cal, Southwest and Cilantro Torta sandwiches that have Mexican flavors.”
Its Major Competitors Include Panera Bread
Yelp consumers reacted mostly positive to dining at Urbane Café. Mikey from Ventura went into a lengthy explication of how he told his wife that Urbane Café attracts mostly women, with few men like him, because it relied on healthy sandwiches and salads, which females prefer.
On a follow-up visit, his wife kidded him about his observation, but Mikey admitted that he keeps returning to Urbane Café and prefers their banh mi and turkey cranberry brie sandwiches.
Reta from Ventura usually orders the cilantro chicken, which she finds, tasty and plentiful. But Jeremy reminded customers who are taking-out to pay careful attention to their orders because certain items are forgotten about and not included in the bag he took home.
When it opens its first outpost outside of California in Henderson, Nev. on October 21 and 22, it’s offering a free sandwich, salad or bowl two of the opening days, then arranged a special day set aside for teachers, healthcare workers and service members that includes a free sandwich,
How can Urbane Café compete with the burger and pizza crowd? Caprice Kindgren, the marketing director, replies, “Healthy and delicious food at a great price point is what lures guests to our restaurants.”
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