Company that owns a stable of familiar restaurants and franchises enters Springfield market
Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill recently joined the FAT Brands family.
The news won’t mean much to regulars of the 2660 S. Dirksen Parkway bar and grill. A spokesperson for FAT Brands – which stands for Fast. Authentic. Tasty. – said no changes are planned for the 61 Smokey Bones locations purchased in the $30 million acquisition from Sun Capital announced Sept. 25.
Less known is whether the Beverly Hills, Calif.-based restaurant operator’s entrance into the Springfield market will open the door for any of its other 16 dining brands to join the neighborhood.
“We look forward to tapping into the many synergies our brands share to drive growth,” a FAT Brand spokesperson responded via email. “FAT Brands is expanding around the globe and has over 1,000 restaurants in our development pipeline.”
FAT Brands has an extensive restaurant stable ranging from Fazoli's, Fatburger, and Pretzelmaker to Ponderosa Steakhouse, Marble Slab Creamery to Yalla Mediterranean.
In total, the global franchising company owns or franchises 2,300 locations worldwide.
Smokey Bones was FAT Brands' second acquisition from Sun Capital after purchasing Johnny Rockets in 2020 for $25 million. The LA-based Johnny Rockets serves up classic burgers and hand-spun ice cream shakes inspired by 1940s vintage malt shops.
However, Smokey Bones does hold the title as FAT Brand’s first foray into barbecue.
The full-service chain – known for its slow-cooked, fire-grilled meats – has operated on Springfield’s east side in the shadow of the Crowne Plaza since 2001.
Smokey Bones – originally owned by Darden Restaurants Inc. – arrived in the capital city on the heels of its then-sister restaurants Red Lobster and Olive Garden.
Renovations to start
The Chick-fil-A parking lot is commonly a hotbed of activity. That may be even more so throughout the month of October.
A $700,000 renovation to the property at 2431 Wabash Ave. is set to begin this month, but work won’t affect daily operations, according to the Atlanta-based chain’s home office.
More: Lunch or brunch amid the charm of this two-story eatery in Springfield's historic district
“Chick-fil-A White Oaks is slated to begin renovations in early October. The drive-through will close for a few days in early November,” according to an email from the company. “But the remainder of the restaurant will remain open for business during the renovation.”
Specific dates have not been set but company officials directed patrons to the Chick-fil-A social media at www.facebook.com/CFAWhiteOaks/ for daily updates.
Planned improvements include expanding the drive-through and realigning the parking stalls.
The parking lot reconfiguration comes just seven years after Chick-fil-A began serving up its famous chicken sandwiches and nuggets from the stand-alone location on the south side of the mall campus.
Coz's mixes up new lunch buffet
Coz's Pizza & Pub's new weekday lunch buffet has traditional hot plate lunch specials co-existing alongside its regular menu staples.
So fans of the 4441 Ash Grove Drive establishment will find several pizza offerings, wings, and salad on the new spread, as well as rotating dishes like chicken fried steak, meatloaf, lasagna, and all the sides.
“We’re keeping what makes Coz’s, Coz’s but giving variety so you can eat here every day and not get the same thing,” owner Louis Ezzo said.
Entrees featured on the buffet each day will be posted on the pub's Facebook page.
The all-you-can-eat buffet is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Cost is $14.99.
The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closings, renovations, and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at (217) 737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: FAT Brands enters Springfield market with purchase of Smokey Bones