Ruth's Chris Steak House Planbook

Jacob Beaupre
Kylie Bixby
Caitlin Fletcher
Erin Fry
Kara Maricic
Brittany Wood

What’s on the Menu
Introduction
Secondary Research
Primary Research
Findings and Insights
Barriers and Opportunities
Appendix
In-depth Interviews
Potential Target
3
4
5
17
23
28
31
42
46

Whenever someone chooses to dine out they have endless options
as to where to go. They may choose to stop at for a quick lunch at
Sonic or head to Olive Garden for a family-friendly dinner. If they’re
catching up with their friends they may head to Bar Louie for happy
hour or if they’re celebrating an anniversary they may splurge on a
meal at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The choice of restaurant is often
dictated by the occasion and the needs a person is looking to fulfill.
Wherever they choose to dine, there are many factors that play into
what got them there and what keeps them coming back. For most
restaurants, that’s the goal: establishing loyal customers who choose
their restaurant first every time. For Ruth’s Chris Steak House,
however, it has a loyal customer base and the chain is continually
growing.
Although Ruth’s Chris Steak House continues to open new
franchised locations, it is facing one serious problem: the aging
customer base. In order to identify ways in which Ruth’s Chris can
attract younger consumers, we set out to uncover how affluent
millennials interacted with and defined the fine dining industry.
Through six in-depth interviews, we discover the motivations and
insights behind this potential target’s dining decisions.
Introduction
4

Fine Dining Defined
50 percent of consumers say that dining out is essential to their lifestyle. It’s
no surprise that the restaurant industry is expected to experience its seventh
consecutive year of growth in 2016. With over one million restaurants in the
United States, restaurants are having to edge out the competition by offering
innovative foods, creative cocktails and exciting specials. If they accomplish this,
they may be able to capitalize on the more affluent diners who have an average
bill of $126.80. To the consumer, a restaurant really stands out if it creates food
that cannot be made at home. In fact, 7 out of 10 consumers say that their favorite
restaurant meals are something they can not make themselves.
When eating out, diners can choose from limited service or full service
restaurants. Among the full service restaurants are fine dining restaurants.
A style of eating that usually takes
place in expensiverestaurants, where
especially good foodis served to
people, often in a formalway.
6

Current Target
According to Kim Long from The Richards Group, the current
target market of Ruth’s Chris Steak House are those aged 35 or older
and earn a household income $100,000 or more a year. Of these
consumers, Ruth’s Chris’ customer base is split into three categories:
regulars, wine and diners and celebrators having a special meal.
7

The regulars, as the
name implies, are
those most loyal to
Ruth’s Chris Steak
House. Kim Long
also noted that a
regular consumer
dines at Ruth’s Chris
three to five times a
year. For these regulars, Ruth’s Chris is a familiar place where they will
not be disappointed by the service or quality of their meal.
Wine and diners
primarily dine at
Ruth’s Chris for
business purposes.
This subgroup
of the consumer
base visits Ruth’s
Chris with clients or coworkers. For this group, the steakhouse is a place to
conduct business, persuade clients and hammer out business deals.
8

The final subgroup are consumers that go to Ruth’s Chris for special
occasions. They are infrequent patrons, but they will go to Ruth’s Chris
to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary or another special event. Ruth’s
Chris is typically not where they would dine, but a special occasion
will warrant their outing to this fine dining restaurant.
Ruth’s Chris’ aging consumer base presents a problem for the brand.
This poses a problem for Ruth’s Chris because its current target is
decreasing in size. With millennials leaving school equipped with
a career driven mentality, they are quickly becoming more affluent,
and therefore able to afford the fine dining experience. Continuing
to focus on customers aged 35 or older may exclude this younger
“foodie” generation that has the opportunity to enjoy the quality,
service and experience of a premium meal.
9

History
Ruth’s Chris Steak House has an intriguing story that helps it stand out from other
restaurants. The story begins with Ruth Fertel, a determined woman trying to provide
for her two children. One day, while thumbing through the newspaper, Ruth saw an
advertisement for the sale of Chris Steak House. In 1965, Ruth bought the steakhouse
for $22,000 by mortgaging her home against the advice of her banker, lawyer, close
friends and family. Ruth used her chemistry skills she gained through her degree from
Louisiana State University to perfect her steaks. Success soon followed. Her steakhouse
quickly became a local hangout.
10

In 1976, the original restaurant burned down in a fire. In order to relocate, Ruth
had to change the name of the steakhouse due to legal reasons. This event led to
the birth of the infamous tongue twister, Ruth’s Chris Steak House. One year later,
a frequent patron, tired of making the 90 minute commute, approached Ruth to
open the first franchise in Baton Rouge. In 1986, several southern locations were
then purchased by Sizzling Steak Concepts, a hospitality management company,
which still owns and operates several Ruth’s Chris Steak House locations in the
South. Ruth’s Chris relocated its headquarters from New Orleans to Winter Park,
Florida. after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Today, 51 years after Ruth began this
empire, there are over 150 locations, standing as a testament to Ruth’s vision and
determination.
11

Needs Improvement:Although Ruth’s Chris does repost pictures
shared by customers, the interaction with the customer ends there. It needs to
make sure that it takes the customer-brand interaction a step further and responds
to comments posted by customers who react to the content.
Description: User-generated posts are pictures that Ruth’s Chris Steak
House reposts from their customers’ personal accounts.
What’s Working: Ruth’s Chris does a good job of sharing user
generated content into their social media pages. Both the overarching brand and
the local restaurant accounts share posts that are from diners. These types of
pictures feel authentic since they are not inherently promotion and look like the
type of photos a friend would share after a night out.
Social Listening
Great Customers
12

Description: #TBT and #FlashBackFriday posts are pictures of the history of
Ruth’s Chris Steak House. These posts are typically pictures of Ruth and the original
restaurant.
What’s Working: These posts mention interesting facts about Ruth Fertel
and the restaurant. These facts give Ruth’s Chris a unique and noteworthy personality
that no other steakhouse can claim.
Needs Improvement: Although these posts mention interesting details
about Ruth and the restaurant, these posts do not delve into the background of
Ruth’s story that made her steakhouse a distinct success. A greater emphasis on her
personal story would help make the brand seem more personal and connect better
emotionally with the consumer.
Rich History
13

Ruth’s Chris Steak House shares
several photos of the food they
serve at their restaurants.
Ruth’s Chris does a good job of
photographing their selection of
food served. Rather than posting
picture after picture of steak, photos
of other entree options, sides and
desserts are shared.
Needs Improvement:
Photos of their food dominate their
social media timelines. They should focus on balancing out the content they share so
that it doesn’t all blur together or seem like one constant promotion of food.
Description: Ruth’s Chris Steak
House shares a lot of photos of the cocktails
and drinks they offer.
Needs Improvement: Along
with the trendy captions, Ruth’s Chris should
include the name of the drink they are
showcasing. This will help consumers feel
confident when they want to order a new
drink at Ruth’s Chris.
What’s Working: Currently,
Ruth’s Chris posts pictures of drinks with a
trendy caption about going out and being
social. This is beneficial because it gives
Ruth’s Chris a lively and social persona, and
helps them promote its Happy Hour.
Description:
What’s Working:
Pretty Food
Good Drinks
14

Needs Improvement: Ruth’s Chris does a good job of hosting
promotional events both locally and nationally, however, they never post
content of the actual event taking place. They need to share photos and video
of the event afterwards to highlight what a success the event was and entice
customers to want to attend events in the future.
Description: Promotional posts highlight special events that Ruth’s
Chris Steak House hosts.
What’s Working: Ruth’s Chris Steak House has promotional offers
and events at both the national and local level. Events hosted at the national level
include holiday specials and tasting menu events. Events at the local level tend to
relate to the community. For example, the Clayton location hosted a Pups on the
Patio event benefiting the Stray Rescue.
Events {Local + National}
15

Yelp
The content being circulated on Yelp is extremely important to Ruth’s Chris Steak
House’s image. According to a study on millennials and their trust in brands, 51
percent of millennials are influenced more so by recommendations from strangers
than from friends and family. The target trusts the authenticity of these posts and is
interested in the shared content on personal dining experiences.
16

Qualitative Goals
1
2
3
4
5
Discover the barriers keeping the target from eating at fine
dining restaurants.
Gain a strong understanding of what consumers in this target
looks for in a fine dining experience.
Discover if fine dining has ever been considered as a dining
option in the mind of our consumer.
Uncover our target’s opinion and familiarity with the Ruth’s
Chris brand.
Determine what experiences qualify as appropriate
occasions to visit a fine dining restaurant for our target.
18

Screener
Our screener was used to help us identify individuals who fell into our
potential target market. They were first asked to answer questions about
their age, job and income. If they responded that they were in 24-35 age
range, work full-time and have a household income of at least $45,000,
they moved on to the following section. The next section of the screener
focused on fine dining. Individuals had to indicate that they ate fine
dining regularly, have an interest in visiting a steak/seafood restaurant in
the future and that they were interested in dining at Ruth’s Chris in order
to qualify for an interview. It was then up to them if they were willing to
spend 30 minutes talking to us.
We distributed the screener on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Reddit.
Our team contacted friends on social media to take the screener and
to share it with other applicable individuals. We posted the screener
on various Tasty and Buzzfeed Food posts in attempts to reach people
outside our social circles. Lastly, our team sent our screener link to
classmates and asked them to spread the screener to individuals they felt
would fall within our target market.
19

Screener Results
We reached 504 people, with 64 participants making it through the screener. Of
the 64 people that finished the screener, we originally had five individuals sign up
for an interview. We lowered the age range by one year in order to secure a sixth
interviewee. It’s important to highlight that out of 504 participants, only 64 of them
managed to match the criteria that Ruth’s Chris is looking for. This highlights the
issue the brand is having reaching the potential target audience.
When asked how often they eat at fine
dining restaurants, 54.3 percent of the
respondents said that they ate at a fine
dining restaurant three or more times in the
last three months. According to Kim Long
from The Richard’s Group, Ruth’s Chris’
regulars currently dine at the restaurant
three to five times a year. The fact that the
potential target currently goes to fine dining
restaurants that often in three months is
a huge opportunity for Ruth’s Chris Steak
House to gain a more frequent customers.
20

When asked what types of fine dining restaurants they would consider
dining at in the future, steakhouse/seafood was the clear winner with 91
participants having selected it. Classic American followed closely behind
with 79 respondents. This is a great opportunity for Ruth’s Chris, as the
potential target currently prefers its cuisine.
91 79
6376
Steakhouse/Seafood
American
Italian
French
21

It’s important to note that although participants have dined at Ruth’s Chris
Steak House the most, they chose Morton’s Steakhouse as their top choice for
willingness to dine. Although this can be viewed as a threat, Ruth’s Chris is only
behind by two percent and has the potential to be the leader.
Willingness to Dine
Have Dined
22

The Process
We chose to conduct in-depth interviews through FaceTime, Google Hangout
and telephone because we wanted to gather information and insights. In-depth
interviews are one-on-one interviews that allow the researcher to gain richer
data compared to other qualitative methods. This is because the researcher is
able to give their undivided attention to the respondent and they are able to
probe for further explanation, which can be lost in group settings. Furthermore,
focus groups and ethnographies would have been challenging because we do
not live in a market where a Ruth’s Chris Steak House is located. By conducting
in-depth interviews online, we were able to reach people in different markets,
which helped enrich our data.
When crafting our discussion guide we challenged ourselves
to think of the different aspects of a person’s life that can
influence their decision of when and where they chose
eat out. We wanted to move beyond the basic dining out
discussion to gather better insights. Instead, we chose to ask
questions about their schedules, financial commitments,
special occasions, friends, family and more. Our team began with
broad questions about the respondent’s life, schedule, hobbies and
interests, occasions they eagerly anticipate and individuals
they spend time with. We then transitioned into a word
association activity. Our team included this activity to better
understand what ideas and places are at the top of our
respondents’ minds. Following the word association activity,
we focused specifically on dining out, including expectations,
memorable experiences and thought processes. At the end of the
interview, we moved into a discussion about Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Prior to the final question, we presented each interviewee
with information about the history of the restaurant and
Ruth through either video or an oral summary. In order to
ascertain if the history of the restaurant could influence a
consumer’s decision to dine there.
24

The word association we conducted in our interviews clued us into how affluent
millennials define fine dining.
Fine Dining for Millennials
To them, fine dining is equated to an expensive multi-course meal complete with
cocktails, wine and beer. Fine dining meals are a time for these individuals to dress
up and spend a longer time enjoying the meal compared to other meals.
25

Meet the Interviewees
The Seafoodie
Traveling Michelin Connoisseur
Engaged Wine Enthusiast
The Seafoodie is an HR recruiter turned new mom who now relies on dining
out for alone time with her husband. She doesn’t eat red meat, but her
husband’s favorite food is steak. Surf and turf restaurants are really their only
option when dining out.
Key Takeaway: Looks for a menu that’s multi-faceted
The Traveling Michelin Connoisseur is an IT consultant living in Kansas City.
On the weekends he travels throughout the states for college football games
and to visit family. When deciding where to eat, he factors in the location and
quality of food. He expects to spend a lot of money, so the price isn’t a big
concern.
The Engaged Wine Enthusiast is a dietician living in Omaha. When she
isn’t working, she can be found with a glass of red wine in one hand and her
wedding plans in the other. She is constantly driving between cities for her
job, so when she goes out to eat she likes going somewhere close to home. She
also needs a variety of food options, because she is pretty picky.
Key Takeaway: Food should be the focus
Key Takeaway: appreciates food she can’t make at home
26

Recipe Ready Mom
Fine Date Diner
Reporting Beer Fanatic
The Fine Date Diner works in finance in Kansas City. He typically goes to
upscale bars, but, when he is visiting his girlfriend they’ll go out to a nice
restaurant for their date night. When deciding where to eat, he not only wants
somewhere with good food, but he also wants a restaurant where he can share
a bottle of red wine with his girl.
Key Takeaway: A variety of wine options is essential
The Recipe Ready Mom is a new mom working from home in Houston.
She enjoys cooking and has dubbed herself as the Pinterest Queen. With a
7-month-old baby she doesn’t get to go out often, but when she does she’s
looking forward to relaxing and spending time alone with her husband or
friends.
Key Takeaway: Good service makes or breaks her experience
The Reporting Beer Fanatic is a reporter living in Massachusetts. He has to
commute over an hour each way to work, so when he is eating out he likes to
Uber to a nearby restaurant. He is usually dining out with his girlfriend and,
regardless of the occasion, he is always willing to splurge on food and drinks.
Key Takeaway: Any day can be an occasion worthy of fine dining
27

The New Target
Ruth’s Chris Steak
House wants to expand
its consumer base to
affluent millennials,
aged 24-35 and earning
at least $45,000 a year.
These consumers
present a unique
opportunity for Ruth’s
Chris because they are
willing to pay for the
quality and experience
of a fine dining meal more frequently than Ruth’s Chris current consumer.
According to Team 1A’s research, 87 percent of millennials will order
a quality, expensive meal even when they are living on a budget. This
is evident by the average amount 25 to 35 year olds spend on a meal.
According to a Mintel study, these individuals spend an average of
$106.80 per meal at fine dining restaurants. Millennials are able to splurge
on dining out because they are moving up in their careers and postponing
larger financial commitments. They have a considerable amount of
disposable income and are willing to spend this income on new and
fulfilling experiences.
A meal is more than a meal to these consumers. This target is willing
to pay for the experience that comes with fine dining. A Mintel report
on fine dining finds that 11 percent of 25-34 year olds visit fine dining
restaurants once a month and 35 percent have dined at a fine dining
restaurant in the last three months. To this target market, a meal is
something to be shared with close friends. It’s an experience that is meant
to be captured, savored and posted to social media.
29

The Savvy Savorer has a career driven mentality. They are rapidly
moving up in the workforce and gaining a feel for adulthood. Our target
wakes up in their spacious city apartment. They make a cup of coffee, greet
their roommate and rush to their trendy workplace with a open floor plan.
After finishing their cup of coffee, they are ready to get a start on work at
their standing desk. As a reward for their hard work, the Savvy Savorer
decides to text their friends and arrange a fun outing. Before dining, the
Savvy Savorer checks their phone for reviews of the trendiest restaurants.
They dine with friends at a nice restaurant and chat over cocktails. When
they get the bill, they smile and pay with their credit card. The days of
eating ramen in their dorm are behind them and they are willing to pay for
the finer experiences in life.
Savvy Savorers are aficionados of foodie culture.
Foodie culture emphasizes the experiences of finding
quality food to savor. Those that subscribe to this idea
are not afraid to challenge their taste buds and are
willing to venture outside their comfort zone to try
new cuisine. Spending more on the experience and
quality of the food is not an issue for this target.
Savvy Savorers value the quality of their meals
and are always seeking more unique culinary
experiences.
We chose to give our target the
name Savvy Savorers because they are
savvy in their use of resources. They rely
on technology for everyday tasks, from
tracking traffic updates to checking the
final score of the game. They savor the
finer things in life whether it’s a good meal
or a great experience. The name Savvy
Savorers is also an homage to Ruth Fertel
and her tongue twister steakhouse name.
The Savvy Savorer
30

The Experience is Everything
When going out for fine dining, Savvy Savorers expect to walk away with a
memorable experience. The overall experience is impacted by everything from
selecting a restaurant, traveling to the restaurant, the experience during the meal,
traveling home and then sharing the escape on social media. Unlike days of the past
where patrons were mainly concerned with just the food or service, today’s diners
are looking for an overall experience.
Description:
Finding:
The value is in the experience, not just the food.
32

“When I’m deciding where I want
to eat, environment is key. Like do I
want to be outside or on a rooftop?”
- Fine Date Diner
“I like a restaurant with a nice interior
design, and if the meal there is going
to be expensive then I want perfect
service.”
- Traveling Michelin Connoisseur
“I like to try local places when I eat
out… when I was learning about
[Ruth’s Chris Steak House] it didn’t
seem like a chain.”
- Engaged Wine Enthusiast
“One of my favorite memories growing up was when my mom took me out to a nice
steak restaurant to celebrate my high school graduation. We didn’t eat at nice places
frequently because money was tight. When we were at this dinner I felt like I was
receiving the royal treatment.”
Quotes:
Insight:
Opportunity:
Recommendaiton:
Restaurants have the opportunity to build the customer-brand relationship into an
experience that extends past the experience in the restaurant.
Ruth’s Chris Steak House has the opportunity to capitalize on the Savvy Savorers’
obsession with the complete fine dining experience. By making sure to not only
focus on service within the restaurant but also service outside the restaurant via
social media and brand image, Ruth’s Chris can show the new target market that it
recognizes the value they place on a complete experience.
33

Celebrate Today
#TreatYoSelf is a major part of the Savvy Savorer culture. They are willing to splurge
on a nice meal whenever they’re in the mood for it, not just for a special occasion.
To a Savvy Savorer, everyday can be a special occasion.
Description:
Finding:
Consumers don’t have to wait for a special occasion to treat themselves.
34

“When I’m going out to fine dining,
I expect to spend around $150 on a
meal.”
- Traveling Michelin Connoisseur
“We dine out for special occasions
like anniversaries or birthdays. But
if one of us had a big day at work or
we’re having a bad day, we like to
treat ourselves with a nice dinner.”
- Reporting Beer Fanatic“My husband and I try to go out out
once a week for dinner. It’s nice to
get away from the kids for a little and
spend some quality time together.”
- The Seafoodie
Quotes:
“I like to treat myself. Sometimes it can be for a special occasion like an anniversary
or a big work promotion. But when I have a stressful day at work or I just want to
kick back, I don’t see a problem with treating myself. I don’t care what it costs me. It
feels good to feel good.”
Insight:
Opportunity:
Recommendaiton:
Ruth’s Chris Steak House can position themselves as a place where Savvy Savorers
can go to celebrate not just big occasions, but celebrate the everyday.
Restaurants can capitalize on Savvy Savorers willingness to splurge on a fine meal if
they emphasize that a fine dining meal is deserved, whether it’s a special occasion or
not.
35

Seafood is a staple
The traditional steak dinner with a side of greens and potatoes just doesn’t cut it for
this audience. They need a wide selection of menu options to successfully satisfy
their hunger. When dining out, seafood is an absolute must in order to make sure
everyone’s needs are met.
Description:
Finding:
Seafood plays a big role in the fine dining experience of consumers.
36

“When I think of fine dining my
mind immediately goes to lobster.”
- The Seafoodie
“When I think of dining out I think of
seafood first.” - Reporting Beer Fanatic
“When I go to nice restaurants I’ll get
steak or seafood, and I’m a big fan of
salmon.” - Fine Date Diner
“My husband and I absolutely love going out to eat. The only thing that’s more
difficult than finding the time to go out is deciding where to go. My husband’s
obsessed with steak, but I don’t eat red meat. I don’t need to waste my very limited
alone time with him fighting over the destination. Going out for a nice meal is
supposed to relieve my stress, not create more.”
Quotes:
Insight:
Opportunity:
Recommendaiton:
Ruth’s Chris could benefit from highlighting its seafood options. Fine dining is
often associated with steak and fine cuts of meat, but not fish. Ruth’s Chris has the
opportunity to break this barrier by emphasizing its already great seafood selection.
Fine dining restaurants that emphasize a wider food selection can attract the
members of this audience that want more seafood options.
37

Stories Speak Volumes
People have positive perceptions of companies that speak to them, not at them.
In a world where perception is reality for the consumer, it’s important to connect
emotionally while telling them a story in order to stand out against competitors.
Description:
Finding:
People enjoy brands and companies that speak to them. Connecting on an emotional
level to tell a story is powerful.
38

“Ruth hiring single mothers really
resonated with me because I was
raised by a single mother.”
- Reporting Beer Fanatic
“I love the story of Ruth having the
drive to open up and keep the steak
house. I think it’s awesome that she
hired single moms. It makes me wish
I could go back in time and see what
the original location was like.”
- Recipe Ready Mom
“When I heard the words Ruth’s
Chris Steak House, I pictured a chain
restaurant like Applebee’s. After learning
about the history, I would love to try it
some time. I love how Ruth empowered
women. It sounds like an interesting
place.”
- Engaged Wine Enthusiast
“I love when companies share something about themselves that you can’t find under
the “about us” section on their website. When they openly share their values, stories
or what makes them unique, it scratches the superficial surface and reveals the one
thing I’m really looking for: personality.”
Quotes:
Insight:
Opportunity:
Recommendaiton:
Ruth’s Chris Steak House should use their rich history to position the brand as
empowering and relevant in today’s culture. Ruth’s Chris could tap into this with
#ThrowbackThursday and #FlashbackFriday social media posts that accurately
depict the history of the restaurant and Ruth Fertel.
Fine dining restaurants that are socially aware and that have a story to tell resonate
well with younger demographics.
39

Cocktails and Wine, Please
The Savvy Savorer not only cares about the food they are eating, but the creative
cocktail they can be drinking. To them, a good wine and cocktail selection is just as
important as a good menu. Going out to fine dining is an opportunity to relax from
the day, and a good drink is a big part of that.
Description:
Finding:
People want a restaurant with a lot of specialty cocktails options and good wine
lists.
40

“When I think of fine dining, I first
think of wine.” - Recipe Ready Mom
“When I’m going to a nice restaurant
specialty cocktails really stand out
because I can tell they’re being
creative.” - The Seafoodie
“I always like to drink something I
haven’t tried before.” - Reporting Beer
Fanatic
“After a long day at work, sometimes I just need a drink, and sometimes a cold beer
just won’t do it. When I sit down at the dinner table with good friends and stop
worrying about work or what’s popping up on my email, I start to unwind from the
day. Once I order a new cocktail to try, though, is when I can fully start to relax.”
Quotes:
Insight:
Opportunity:
Recommendaiton:
With the use of social media, Ruth’s Chris can position themselves as the perfect
destination for delicious drink options. Some Savvy Savorers even see the creativity
of the specialty cocktail list as something that can make a restaurant seem even
more upscale, which Ruth’s Chris can use to their advantage.
Fine dining restaurants can emphasize the wine and specialty cocktails they serve both
during happy hour and the meal..
41

Chain v. Local
Barrier: Chain restaurants are not viewed as favorably as local restaurants,
because they can be viewed as generic and corporate.
Opportunity: Ruth’s Chris Steak House has the opportunity to
combat this barrier by positioning themselves as a local hangout even though it
is part of a chain. Emphasizing the unique history can make the steakhouse feel
less corporate compared to other chains. Further, by designing each restaurant
to match its location and hosting localized events, Ruth’s Chris can position
themselves as the local hangout.
43

Steak Dinner is On the Outs
Barrier: People are eating less red meat
Opportunity: Ruth’s Chris Steak House has the opportunity to
combat this barrier by emphasizing the wide selection of fish, poultry and
seafood. Ruth’s Chris can also combat this barrier by attracting Savvy Savorers
to happy hour for specialty cocktails and quick bites to eat.
44

Top of Mind
Barrier: Ruth’s Chris Steak House is not top-of-mind for consumers in
this target market
Opportunity: Ruth’s Chris has the opportunity to combat this barrier
by becoming more relatable on social media. If Ruth’s Chris is able to connect
with the Savvy Savorers and fit into their lifestyles, it will become top-of-mind.
45

Screener
1. Age:
Under 24 Between 25 and 35 Over 35
(Anyone who did not fit into the 25 to 35 age range was not selected for an interview.)
2. Please select your level of employment:
Full-time Part-time Other
(Anyone who did not select full-time was not selected for an interview.)
3. Do you work in any of the following industries? (check all that apply)
Advertising Automotive Banking Restaurant
(Anyone who selected advertising or restaurant was not selected for an interview.)
4. Please select your annual Household Income (HHI):
Less than $45,000 Between $45,000 and $75,000 Over $75,000
(Anyone who selected less than $45,000 was not selected for an interview.)
5. Approximately how many times did you eat at a fine dining restaurant in the last three months?
1-2 times 3-5 times 6+ times
I did not eat at at a fine dining restaurant in the past three months
(Anyone who selected fewers than 3-5 times was not selected for an interview.)
6. Which of the following types of fine dining restaurants would you consider visiting in the future?
(check all that apply)
Italian French Steakhouse/Seafood Classic American
(Anyone who didn’t select Steakhouse/Seafood was not selected for an interview.)
7. I would be willing to dine at the following restaurants in the future (check all that apply):
Capital Grill Morton’s Steakhouse Ruth’s Chris
(Anyone who didn’t select Ruth’s Chris was not selected for an interview.)
8. I have dined at the following restaurants (check all that apply):
The Capital Grille Morton’s Steakhouse Ruth’s Chris Roy’s McCormick & Schmick’s
(This question was included to learn about potential interviewee’s relationship with Ruth’s Chris.)
47

Discussion Guide
Purpose: Our purpose is to understand how young professionals view fine din-
ing experiences, steakhouses and Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Introduction:Hi, my name is _______. I will be leading the interview today,
but I also have my colleagues (insert names here and say hi). They will be listening to
our conversation today to help me take notes.
Questions
1. Tell me about yourself…where do you live and work?
Probe for: where they work, do they eat out with clients/coworkers & what type
of restaurants, where they live, if & where they travel, interests and hobbies
Listen for: if they live/travel in locations where there is a Ruth’s Chris’, if they
eat out for business purposes, personal reasons or celebrations & where they
typically go, hobbies and interests pertaining to food
2. Can you please describe what a typical day looks like for you?
Probe for: work vs. social outings, routines besides work, how days differ at the
beginning vs. end of the week
Listen for: eating out, celebrating occasions, food-related/fine-dining related
activities

3. What are some of your hobbies and interests?
Probe for: traveling, eating out, foodie-related activities
Listen for: are these hobbies solo or group activities, how often they’re able to
participate in their hobbies
4. What do you look forward to the most each week?
Probe for: weekly rituals, special annual/seasonal occasions, outings
Listen for: personal activity v. social, entertainment; emotions associated with
the activity
48

5. Who do you spend time with most?
Probe for: type of person (personality)
Listen for: family v. friends v. coworkers
Word Association:Please share the first thing that comes to your
mind. Ex: You say “birthday” and I might say “celebration”
After work
Weekend
Friends
Family
Special occasion
Treating yourself
Dining out
Happy hour
Fine dining
Steak
Questions
6. Can you please describe what a typical dining out experience looks like for you?
Probe for: type of environment (white tablecloths and well-dressed waiters
or a casual place with TVs, burgers and the big game), type of food, occasion
Listen for: what they value most out of their experience (food, service,
environment), price, occasion, is it routine or spontaneous (both in planning
and where they go)
7. When you think of going out to eat, what comes to mind?
Probe for: cuisine of restaurant (Mexican, Italian, American, etc.), type of
restaurant (QSR, CDR, FDR).
Listen for: fine dining, steakhouse, American food, seafood, and sit down
restaurant
8. Can you reflect and share with us the process you go through when deciding
where you are going to eat out?
Probe for: why you are dining out / who makes the decisions (them, friends,
family, coworkers, etc.), do you think of local vs. chain restaurants first, day
of the week
Listen for: occasion, reasons why they choose a certain place over another
(price, specials, cuisine, service, location, locally owned, etc.)
49

9. What is the most memorable fine dining experience you’ve had?
Probe for: what made it memorable
Listen for: if it was at a fine dining restaurant, steakhouse, outstanding service
10. When you go to happy hour, what are your expectations?
Probe for: price expectations, food deals, shareable plates, number in party,
pre-planned or spontaneous, how often, who with, is it a routine thing or more
spontaneous?
Listen for: how their experience was, how they felt after and if it met their needs/
expectations
11. When you go out for a nice, expensive meal, what are your expectations?
Probe for: pre-planned or spontaneous, price expectations, food expectations,
shareable plates, a la carte vs. included sides
Listen for: type of restaurant (category), type of food
12. If you could go anywhere for a steak dinner, where would you go?
Probe for: top-of-mind choices, what they like about their restaurant of choice
Listen for: Competitors of Ruth’s Chris
13. How familiar are you with Ruth’s Chris Steak House?
Probe for: frequency of visits, awareness of holiday & happy hours promotions
Listen for: what they usually order, emotions associated with their experiences,
reaction to name, knowledge of core promises (female founder, her gumption, 500
degree plates, quality of steaks, butter, service, etc.)
14. What has your experience with Ruth’s Chris Steak House been?
Probe for: food, service and ambiance
Listen for: emotions (positive/negative), specific experiences
Show video/history packet
15. Did the history of Ruth’s Chris Steak House surprise you? What stood out to you?
Does this change your perception of Ruth’s Chris?
Probe for: reason why, example of time this affected decision
Listen for: Charitable programs, history, values, mission statement
50

References
Bonds, D., Borgsmiller, S., Bussler, K., Hawkins, J., Vitale, A., & Zhang, A. (2016).
Team 1B-Ruth's Chris Situation Anaylsis [presentation]. Retrieved from:
https://missouri.instructure.com/courses/1813/external_tools/70.
Brandeis, E., Conway, C., Farley, N., Olson, S., Serrano, J., & Szczepaniak, E. (2016).
Team 1A-Ruth's Chris Situation Analysis [presentation]. Retrieved from:
https://missouri.app.box.com/files/0/f/11654988219/1/f_97752482262.
Bryan, B. (2016). Americans are ditching giant restaurant chains. Retrieved from:
http://www.businessinsider.com/americans-ditching-big-restaurant-chains-and-
eating-local-2016-9.
Fine dining. (n.d.). In The Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved from:
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/fine-dining.
Flink, Jamie. (2016) Qualitative Research: When, How And Why [presentation].
Retrieved from: https://missouri.instructure.com/courses/1813/files/folder/
Coaching%20Sessions?preview=324503.
Giandelone, E. (2010). Fine Dining - US - March 2010. Retrieved from:
http://academic.mintel.com/display/482492/?__cc=1
Kelter, D. (2016). Restaurant Decision Making Process - US - August 2016. Retrieved
from: http://academic.mintel.com.proxy.mul.missouri.edu/display/747842/.
Talking to Strangers: Millennials Trust People Over Brands. (2014). Retrieved from:
http://www.bazaarvoice.com/.
White, M. C. (2016). Big Chain Restaurants Are Losing Their Grip on Americans'
Wallets (and Waistlines). Retrieved from: http://time.com/money/4493775/chain-
restaurant-sales-descrease/.
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