Bennigan's facts for kids
Bennigan's current logo
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
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Key people
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Paul Mangiamele (CEO) |
| Owner | Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC |
Bennigan's is a popular American restaurant chain. It has an Irish pub theme. The first Bennigan's opened in 1976 in Atlanta, Georgia. It was started by a famous restaurant owner named Norman E. Brinker. Bennigan's was one of the first "casual dining" restaurants in America. This means it was a relaxed place where people could enjoy good food without being too fancy.
For many years, Bennigan's was part of the Pillsbury company. Later, it was sold to other companies. In 2008, the company faced financial problems and many locations closed. However, Bennigan's was bought by a new owner, Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC, in 2015. Today, the company is based in Dallas, Texas.
Contents
History of Bennigan's Restaurants
Bennigan's first opened its doors in 1976 in Atlanta, Georgia. It was part of the Pillsbury Company. A year later, a big Bennigan's location opened in Tysons Corner, Virginia. The idea for Bennigan's came from Norman E. Brinker. He was a vice president at Pillsbury and had also started the restaurant chain Steak and Ale.
By the early 1980s, Bennigan's became very well-known. It was one of the most popular new "casual dining" places in the United States. These restaurants were often called "fern bars" because they had lots of plants. In 1983, Norman Brinker left Bennigan's. He started a new restaurant concept called Chili's, which focused on gourmet hamburgers. Even after Brinker left, Bennigan's continued to grow. It opened locations all across the United States and in 14 other countries.
In 1989, a company called Grand Metropolitan bought Pillsbury. Because Grand Metropolitan also sold alcoholic drinks, they could not own restaurants that sold alcohol. This was due to certain laws. So, Bennigan's was sold to another company called Metromedia in 1991.
Why Many Bennigan's Locations Closed
Over time, Bennigan's executives did not update the restaurant enough. The quality of their food also started to go down. This caused fewer customers to visit, and sales dropped. Experts said that Bennigan's was not as strong as other similar restaurants. They also noted that many "bar and grill" restaurants looked and felt very similar. This meant customers did not feel especially loyal to Bennigan's.
In May 2006, many Bennigan's locations in New York and New England closed. Then, in July 2008, all 150 company-owned Bennigan's restaurants in the U.S. closed. This happened because the parent company, Metromedia Restaurant Group, faced serious financial problems. At first, the 138 Bennigan's locations owned by franchisees (independent owners) stayed open. But many of these also closed in the following months and years. However, some Bennigan's restaurants in other countries, like South Korea, remained open.
The Bennigan's brand was reorganized in 2010. This happened because of changes in ownership. In South Korea, all Bennigan's locations eventually closed by January 2016.
New Owners and a Fresh Start
In October 2008, a company called Atalaya Capital Management bought the Bennigan's and Steak and Ale brands. This included the rights to let others open Bennigan's restaurants. The new owners wanted to make Bennigan's popular again. They planned to focus on the bar area, sandwiches, and appetizers. They also hoped to reopen many of the closed Bennigan's locations. They wanted to find new or existing franchisees to run them.
In May 2011, the new management team shared their plans. They wanted to bring back the original spirit of Bennigan's. But they also wanted to make it modern for the 21st century. The CEO, Paul Mangiamele, explained their strategy. They planned to introduce a new logo and a new look for the restaurants. They also updated the menu and improved their marketing. They even added a catering service.
On February 11, 2015, CEO Paul Mangiamele and his wife, Gwen, bought the company themselves. Their new company, Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC, now owns Bennigan's. They also own a faster version called Bennigan's On the Fly, and the Steak and Ale brand.
Bennigan's Today
As of June 2018, there were 18 Bennigan's locations outside the United States and 15 inside the U.S. The CEO, Paul Mangiamele, said that over 100 new Bennigan's restaurants were being planned. These included locations in places like Amsterdam, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Pakistan. By the end of 2021, there were 11 locations in the U.S. and 14 in other countries listed on the Bennigan's website. As of April 2024, Bennigan's operates 10 locations in several U.S. states. These states include Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, and Texas.
See also
- List of Irish themed restaurants
