By Gianna Maniego
HE arrives just as the spicy breaded beans are served, and within minutes is extolling the virtues of perfectly seasoned Korean-flavored ribs.
Affable, unflappable and obviously in his element, Archie Rodriguez slips into the role of host without hardly missing a beat, despite being neck-deep into preparations for the opening of Applebee’s Grill and Bar at the Bonifacio Global City.
“Ever since we put up the sign, people have been stopping by and asking when it’s going to open,” he shares. The 35-year-old restaurant chain, which boasts of over 4,000 branches all over the world, is the latest franchise of Global Restaurant Concepts, and as its company president and CEO, Rodriguez is understandably buzzed.
“I’m excited by the innovations in Applebee’s new menu and its new concept,” Rodriguez says. The restaurant will be debuting a new design that differs somewhat from its American counterparts.
“We wanted it to be more playful, so we worked with international and local designers to come up with what we have now.” In fact, the restaurant’s cheerful atmosphere dovetails nicely with the company’s philosophy that “there’s always a reason to celebrate.”
“Filipinos love celebrations. There’s always someone’s birthday, always an excuse to celebrate. What we’re saying is that life itself is a reason to celebrate. If it rains like crazy like the other night? Come to Applebee’s, there’s a reason to celebrate.”
Applebee’s is a joint venture between its parent company DineEquity and Global Restaurant Concept, whose portfolio includes California Pizza Kitchen and IHOP. IHOP is the sister company of Applebee’s. The new casual-dining destination has opened shop on the ground floor of the W Global Center, 30th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
“We are delighted to bring the classic American grill-and-bar experience to guests in the Philippines, which has long been a goal for all of us at DineEquity,” said Daniel del Olmo, president of International, DineEquity Inc. “Our largest-ever consumer-research study identified the Philippines as a market with great growth opportunity for Applebee’s.”
“But key to our plan was to find a franchise partner who would bring the same level of commitment, quality and guest satisfaction that we experienced with our IHOP franchise partner Archie Rodriguez and Global Restaurant Concepts, who, in their first year of operations, won our IHOP International Franchisee of the Year Award,” del Olmo continued. “Once they expressed interest in bringing Applebee’s to the market, we knew we had found the perfect partner and the perfect opportunity.”
EVOLVING PALATE
Rodriguez is hoping Applebee’s selection of burgers, ribs and fries will strike a lingering chord with the Filipino palate, which has evolved in previous years, thanks to the plethora of options now available to many.
“It used to be sweet-savory; now it’s changing, becoming sweet-spicy or sour spicy. Filipinos are naturally curious consumers. If something new opens, we’re going to try it. Look at all the new restaurants that keep coming up. Come to think of it, since we Filipinos have been colonized by several countries, our palate has been exposed to different kinds of cuisines. We probably have the most global palate of all,” he laughs.
NO FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
As a successful restaurateur of some 18 years, Rodriguez has a lot to celebrate, not the least of which is the unprecedented cult following engendered by his restaurants, particularly IHOP.
The breakfast chain now boasts of eight branches within the Metro, with one more opening in Baguio in the next few months.
“IHOP was a surprise, to me, personally. I did not think it would be as popular as it has been,” he says.
“No one really has a tried-and-true formula when it comes to establishing a successful restaurant. You know, when we open a restaurant and we choose a brand, there is some thought that goes into it. Like we do market research, we let our regulars and employees and family try and see if they like it. A lot of times, we look for an emotional attachment. But the truth is you won’t know until you open the restaurant whether it’s going to be successful or not. We’ve had successes and we’ve had our challenges, but we work through them. It’s a business after all.”
By keeping his ears to the ground and staying abreast of current trends, Rodriguez has developed a feel for what consumers are into, but he says real success is measured by the restaurant’s staying power.
“I think if you just stick to your promise and make sure you deliver on your commitment to your guests—the food needs to be consistent, the service needs to be friendly and amiable—people will keep coming back because they know what to expect. There are a lot of new players who come out, they do a great job when they first open, and then all of a sudden their service and the quality of food start falling apart.
“Sustainability is making sure you deliver on your promise. You have to build a trust, a relationship with your customers. Without that relationship or that trust, they won’t keep coming back. As an operator, our company’s vision is to meet or exceed our customers’ expectations each and every time. We’re hoping that they have such an incredible experience when they dine with us that they’re going to want to keep coming back.”
Image credits: Nonie Reyes