美国国家公共电台 NPR Applebee's Gives Up On Millennials After Failed Rebranding Efforts

 

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

Applebee's announced this month that more than 130 of its restaurants will close by the end of the year. The reason - millennials.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

The casual dining chain rebranded itself in the past few years as a modern bar and grill¹. Applebee's executive John Cywinski recently told investors² that the company had hoped the effort would attract a new kind of customer.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOHN CYWINSKI: A more youthful and affluent³ demographic with a more independent or even sophisticated dining mindset, including a clear pendulum⁴ swing towards millennials.

SIEGEL: Applebee's tried to lure⁵ millennials with dishes like barbecue shrimp⁶ in a Sriracha lime sauce, chicken wonton tacos and this item.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: We dare you - yes, you - to try ham topped with pulled pork topped with bacon. Yep, we double-dog dare you to try the triple hog⁷ dare you.

CORNISH: That's a pork-ham-bacon sandwich, but that triple pork bonanza⁸ and the rest of the company's makeover didn't seem to catch on. Sales at Applebee's dropped more than 6 percent from last year. Applebee's executive John Cywinski again.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CYWINSKI: From my perspective, this pursuit led to decisions that created confusion among core guests as Applebee's intentionally⁹ drifted from its - well, I'll call its middle America rules and its abundant value positioning.

SIEGEL: In other words, millennials didn't go for it and the regulars got turned off. In fact, Applebee's is not the only big restaurant chain struggling.

JOE PAWLAK: You see very weak results from people like Ruby¹⁰ Tuesdays, Fridays and Chili¹¹'s as well.

CORNISH: That's Joe Pawlak from Technomic, a food service research firm.

PAWLAK: Consumers are saying that all these people are offering the same food items. The decors are the same and also that prices have become very high in these places.

SIEGEL: So it may be time for yet another new look at Applebee's if they really want to stand out in the crowd. Step one, Applebee's has announced a return to all-you-can-eat specials and an expansion of the popular two-for-20 menu. Mozzarella sticks and chili lime chicken, anyone?

1 grill   

n.烤架，铁格子，烤肉；v.烧，烤，严加盘问

参考例句：

• Put it under the grill for a minute to brown the top.放在烤架下烤一分钟把上面烤成金黄色。
• I'll grill you some mutton.我来给你烤一些羊肉吃。

2 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

3 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

4 pendulum   

n.摆，钟摆

参考例句：

• The pendulum swung slowly to and fro.钟摆在慢慢地来回摆动。
• He accidentally found that the desk clock did not swing its pendulum.他无意中发现座钟不摇摆了。

5 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

6 shrimp   

n.虾，小虾；矮小的人

参考例句：

• When the shrimp farm is built it will block the stream.一旦养虾场建起来，将会截断这条河流。
• When it comes to seafood,I like shrimp the best.说到海鲜，我最喜欢虾。

7 hog   

n.猪；馋嘴贪吃的人；vt.把…占为己有，独占

参考例句：

• He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
• Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。

8 bonanza   

n.富矿带，幸运，带来好运的事

参考例句：

• Bargain hunters enjoyed a real bonanza today.到处买便宜货的人今天真是交了好运。
• What a bonanza for the winning ticket holders!对于手持胜券的人来说，这是多好的运气啊。

9 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

10 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

11 chili   

n.辣椒

参考例句：

• He helped himself to another two small spoonfuls of chili oil.他自己下手又加了两小勺辣椒油。
• It has chocolate,chili,and other spices.有巧克力粉，辣椒，和其他的调味品。