There is immense power in being “The Place for Ribs” in an era of fleeting food trends, Tony Roma’s CEO Mina Haque said, however their role has transitioned from being the brand's only story to its anchor one as the chain is leveraging that equity to introduce new concepts within a more fast-casual format. “Our ribs are our North Star. They are the DNA of the brand. We are not moving away from our heritage. We are simply giving it a broader stage to perform on. The ribs provide us the permission to innovate because our guests know that if we can master the art of the slow-smoked rib, they can trust us with everything else on the menu.” Haque and team are implementing technology throughout the legacy brand’s operational network, changing up real estate footprints, seeking to attract new franchise partnerships, and enhancing the guest experience. The brand is collaborating with franchising experts including Carlos White, franchise attorney, the first Franchise Impactor Ambassador in the U.S., and Founder of The Impactor, and Calvin Golden, creator of the Wingstop franchise concept and the founder of ScaleWise Franchise. Integrating Technology and Enhancing the Guest Experience On the technology side, the primary hurdle isn’t the technology itself, but rather the integration of legacy with agility, Haque said, adding that the challenge is ensuring that AI and predictive analytics serve to remove friction and barriers between the server and the guest. “When you have a brand with over 50 years of history, you have to…
