NEWS
Fuddrucker’s falters on State Street
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by Blake Anderson
Friday, September 22, 2006
Though touting one-pound build-your-own hamburgers, buckets of beer and a fully stocked salad bar, the newly opened Fuddruckers on State Street isn't reaching the kind of revenue Elliot Stubendick, the restaurant's general manager, would like to see.
"Right now we're a little bit below average for revenue," Stubendick said. "But I expect that to grow once we settle in a little."
Located on the 500 block of State Street, Fuddruckers brings a new perspective to the everyday fast-food scene. By allowing customers to build their own burgers or salads, Fuddruckers lets patrons have the final say.
Yet even with customer satisfaction being held at such a high standard by management, Fuddruckers is having troubles finding its own customer base on the restaurant-saturated State Street.
"I think it's because we're new," Lindsay Kubicek, a current employee, said. "We haven't advertised as well as we could to the college crowd, and I think our prices are a little expensive here."
Kubicek added she isn't surprised the restaurant is missing the college student demographic given the lack of outreach to students.
According to some University of Wisconsin students, Fuddruckers has not yet settled into its new location and has not been able to find a niche.
"I've never heard anything from them; I never even remember they're there," UW freshman Erin Llanas said. "I know nothing about their service or what kind of deals they offer."
And according to UW freshman Daniel Sonnentag, Fuddruckers has a more middle-aged appeal, and the high prices and lack of promotions restrict the establishment from capitalizing on its campus location.
"I think they should take after the sub [sandwich] restaurants on State Street by giving away free coupons or a free burger," Sonnentag said.
Still, Stubendick said he will focus on increasing appeal to the college crowd in hopes of turning the stagnant commercial activity around. In addition, he said the high rent associated with the State Street location has caused other businesses to buckle under the economic constraints.
"It's tough," Stubendick said when asked to comment on his own State Street rent, adding that he speculated pressure from high rent may be one reason why Fuddruckers hasn't hit it big yet.
But Halloween may be the event to help jump-start business for struggling restaurants like Fuddruckers, according to Stubendick.
"I believe it will be crazy and incredibly busy," he said. "We just have to make sure everything is safe for our customers."
With the increased patronage during Halloween, Kubicek said she hopes Fuddruckers will begin a more aggressive advertising campaign.
Anonymous (September 22, 2006 @ 7:51pm):
This is TERRIBLE journalism. It is little more than free marketing for a corporate franchise!
Anonymous (September 23, 2006 @ 4:48pm):
the role of local newspapers is often to promote the local economy.... douchebag
Anonymous (September 23, 2006 @ 6:48pm):
All you liberals complain about "corporate franchises" grow up.
Anonymous (September 24, 2006 @ 8:11pm):
$7 burgers when mcd's is around the corner...HELLO what did you expect we are poor college kids not upper classy yuppies
