Perkins, a chain that started 66 years ago as a pancake house, is getting an overhaul, with the company rebranding under the name Perkins American Food Co. and adding a new look and menu items to its almost 300 locations around the U.S.
The rebrand includes a new logo, with the Perkins name written in a vintage-type script, as well new menu items such as the double bacon avocado crunch burger, Perkins President Toni Ronayne told CBS MoneyWatch. The company has also developed a new proprietary burger seasoning as a way to add more flavor to its menu, with Ronayne noting the ingredients are being kept secret.
The rebrand comes amid tougher competition for restaurant chains as American consumers have grown more budget-conscious after two years of high inflation.
Other chains are also revamping their menus or adding new offerings in order to attract inflation-weary diners, such as McDonald’s adding a $5 value meal this month and Cracker Barrel refreshing its menu with items like green chili cornbread.
Perkins’ new look will tap into what the chain is calling a “vintage fresh” look, with its restaurants aiming to usher in an “Americana vibe,” Ronayne said.
“Guests are really looking forward to an opportunity to enjoy American classics — they want a piece of nostalgia,” Ronayne told CBS MoneyWatch. “It’s a slice of yesterday in a place that feels like today.”
The first redesigned restaurant will open in Orlando, Florida, later this year, she added. The company is developing a smaller-footprint location that will be about 1,500-square feet in size, versus its traditional restaurant size of more than 6,000 square feet, which could help it expand into smaller towns, Ronayne said.
The company is also working on bringing more of its bakery items to its meals, although the details are still under wraps, she noted. Perkins will debut other double-decker burgers, such as a “breakfast burger,” which includes a fried egg layered between the beef patties and the bun.
Customers “want to understand they are getting quality and abundance” when they dine at Perkins, Ronayne added. “Consumers are definitely concerned around value and how they are spending their money, and they are wanting to make sure they are heaving the right experience and stretching their dollars as much as they can.”
About 80 of Perkins’ 300 locations are company-owned, with the rest operated by franchisees. Founded in Cincinnati, most of Perkins’ locations are in Midwestern states including Minnesota and Iowa, although it has locations in states from Arizona to Wyoming.
Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.
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