After three decades of success as Old Chicago Pizza & Pasta, the brand has refreshed to deliver a more modern dining experience. Rebranded as Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, the neighborhood restaurant has added a more stylish and warm feel, an enhanced service model and an updated menu with wider and deeper offerings.
The revised menu, with its made-from-scratch philosophy, includes salads, paninis, classic Italian pastas and shareable appetizers. There is also a new Tavern Thin Crust Pizza in addition to the signature deep-dish pizza offering. Guests will also have up to 85 beer choices with exclusive, local and seasonal beers rotated throughout the year.
“Refreshes often come with many challenges but we are very confident in our approach because this plan was a year in the making before any changes were made to the first test restaurant,” Mike Mrlik, president of Old Chicago said. “The planning and development was thorough and thoughtful. The first test restaurant in Eden Prairie, Minn. celebrated doubled sales that continued months later, a trend that other test stores have since displayed. It proves the concept keeps our existing fans coming in while attracting a broader audience.”
Being certain that a refresh achieves success is always a challenge, but Old Chicago has seen significant top-line increases, from corporate and franchisee locations, which speaks to the strategic steps taken to rollout the refreshed look and menu.
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