The Tribune

By Annelia Nixon

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

APPLEBEE’S yesterday said it has hired 165 persons as it celebrated the formal opening of its first location at Fusion Superplex with more outlets expected in the coming months.

“In the next eight months, we should have two more locations,” director of operations Rayford Rahming revealed yesterday. “But they’ll be dual brands with IHOP.”

Mr Rahming said they have employed around 165 people and are “looking for more”, adding that their customer turnout is unprecedented.

“Because our volumes are unprecedented, they’re second only to the Applebee’s in Times Square, New York, in the world, our complement of staff needs to be expanded- needs to be increased. We’re looking for bartenders. We’re looking for waitresses. We’re looking for runners… We’re looking for hostesses. We’re even looking for managers right now.

“Business is great. We expected [it] because we know how Bahamians go. Once it’s a new item or something new to do. But we couldn’t fathom the response we’re getting. And we are talking every day. Like every day from Thursday to Sunday it’s sometimes unmanageable because you have so many people in the spaces.”

Noting that Thursday through Sunday are their busiest days, Mr Rahming added: “Hours are 11am to midnight. But special occasions, big sporting events. We will go beyond midnight. It’s based on how long that event runs. We open 365 days per year. Why? Because we service the theatres and the theatres doesn’t close.

“Anywhere from about 7 to 12, It is crazy. Now if you want to come in and you want to sit down, have a meal, not a long wait, I advise you anywhere from 11 to 6 because after 6, then we start to get groups of 15, 20, and they take up like the whole restaurant because it’s not one group. It’ll be like ten groups and birthdays.”

Applebees opened its lobby bar and theatre service on December 18, while the restaurant itself opened on Christmas Day. Don Roberts, vice president of architecture, design, and engineering for Dine Brands Global, the franchise’s parent company, expressed excitement in the growth potential and opportunities for the “destination”. He added that Fusion Superplex was chosen for the restaurant’s location because it “is already a destination”.

“We looked at Burton Rogers. Burton Rogers is one of our franchisees who has developed IHOP at Marathon Mall. And as we were looking at additional developments, this particular location was one that we looked at. And as we looked at the setup of this particular location here at Fusion, we understood that there was an opportunity to perhaps improve or refine the food service. And the refinement of that food service happened to involve bringing in a known brand. And so that’s basically where the opportunity came.

“Well, first and foremost, Fusion is already a destination. So with the VIP theatre here, we looked at this and said we see a lot of the generators that already exist with this being a destination. And then when we looked at the physical space, we looked at the kitchen and the fact that there are multiple kitchens and that there are multiple areas to create an experience not only within the theatres themselves, providing food to the theatres themselves, but then also the ability to create a destination for those that just want to come here to dine. So it’s the combination of those two opportunities that really opened up the opportunity for us to be part of this venue.”