Dive Brief:
- Hooters of America has partnered with NASCAR driver Chase Elliott to create a virtual restaurant, Chase Elliott’s Chicken Tenders, the company announced Monday.
- A virtual menu with tenders, boneless wings, chicken sandwiches and buffalo chicken sandwiches is now available from 196 Hooters locations through DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats.
- The virtual brand is part of Hooters’ off-premise expansion strategy, which includes other virtual restaurants and a partnership with Franklin Junction.
Dive Insight:
Hooters has been at the forefront of the virtual brand trend for years, setting up its infrastructure to handle delivery and off-premise sales before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Prior to the pandemic, Uber Eats suggested Hooters try a virtual brand. Hooters later launched Hootie’s Burger Bar, according to Nation’s Restaurant News. It also started a seafood brand, Hootie’s Bait & Tackle, and chicken tender brand, Hootie’s Chicken Tenders. While other brands declined in 2020, it posted 2.7% in sales growth.
Partnering with a celebrity provides built-in marketing and another avenue of growth. Chase Elliott’s Chicken Tenders is a rebranding of Hootie’s Chicken Tenders, according to a spokesperson, and could help boost the visibility of the menu offerings. While viewership of NASCAR races has been down in the past few years, its 2021 season-opening race drew in nearly 4.9 million viewers, and Chase Elliott has over 925,000 followers on Twitter. While a lot of casual restaurant companies, like Bloomin’ Brands and Brinker International, have their own virtual brands, few have partnered with celebrities. Many celebrities have launched their own virtual brands with host kitchen operators.
“Incorporating Chase into this virtual concept will help us create greater awareness, attract a new audience and grow our business with racing aficionados who can share in food and fandom,” Marc Butler, SVP of strategic planning and off-premise for Hooters of America, said in a press release.
The company has expanded its brick-and-mortar presence beyond its traditional units, too. It began developing its Hoots Wings fast casual concept in 2014, opening its first location in 2017 before opening it up to franchising in 2020. In 2021, Hooters signed its first fast casual franchise agreement to build 60 units with AE Restaurant Group. Hoots Wings could also make an appearance in host kitchens, which Hooters is using to fill in the gaps of its current territories, according to FSR Magazine.
