Arcade concepts

Part arcade, part bar, a new breed of tavern is vying for younger beer fans. The typical one has retro video games as well as tube TVs showing 1980s movies. Up-Down in Des Moines, Iowa, aims for a feeling of “hanging out in your friend’s basement,” says co-owner Sam Summer. Many forgo kitchens, letting patrons have food delivered or inviting food trucks to park outside. Barcade is an exception; three of its four East Coast units offer sandwiches and low-prep choices for $2 to $12. 

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Despite their complaints, customers keep flocking to Chipotle

The Bottom Line: The chain continued to be a juggernaut last quarter, with strong sales and traffic growth, despite frequent social media complaints about shrinkflation or other challenges.

Operations

Hitting resistance elsewhere, ghost kitchens and virtual concepts find a happy home in family dining

Reality Check: Old-guard chains are finding the alternative operations to be persistently effective side hustles.

Financing

The Tijuana Flats bankruptcy highlights the dangers of menu miscues

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual chain’s problems following new menu debuts in 2021 and 2022 show that adding new items isn’t always the right idea.

Trending

More from our partners