Fast Food Business Plan Template

Competitive Analysis

Direct and Indirect Competitors

Jay & Ray’s Big Burgers & Fries will be competing with other fast food restaurants in St. Louis. Because Jay & Ray’s Big Burgers & Fries is a local fast food startup, the competitors will be local fast food restaurants as well. A profile of each competitor is below.

 

Hi-Pointe Drive-In

Hi-Pointe Drive-In began as a little drive-in establishment that opened in the 1980’s. Their mission is to bring the drive-in back to life with mouthwatering burgers and original sandwiches. Their chef-inspired menu uses locally sourced ingredients.

Hi-Pointe Drive-In is located in the historic Hi-Pointe neighborhood, just off of Highway 40. It is a great spot to pop into before or after events around town, or even as the main event. The menu has something for folks of many walks of life from their creative burgers, sandwiches, and shakes, to healthy salads and a menu for the little ones. Following the tradition of killin’ it, Hi-Pointe Drive-In is created from the same ownership as Sugarfire Smokehouse, among a few other St. Louis’ favorite eateries. Their team is made up of the great people and talented chefs that create a unique experience for every single visit.

Hi-Pointe Drive-In is available for drive-in, delivery, or they are able to cater an event. The burgers range in price from $6 – $9.50, the chef burger creations are priced $8 – $11, sandwiches are $9 – $13, and the salads range between $11 – $13. They have an array of sides for $3 each and the shakes and floats are between $5.50 and $7.

Union Loafers

Union Loafers is a bread bakery and cafe located in the heart of Botanical Heights in St. Louis, Missouri. They bake naturally leavened bread modeled on old world techniques. They are open during lunch for sandwiches, soups and salads. For dinner, they transform their bakery into a pizzeria that also serves wine and beer. At Union Loafers, they serve simple, classic foods driven by quality and community.

The bread and pizza are made fresh daily and only served during the aforementioned hours. A popular favorite is the Neapolitan Pizza as the recipe is unique and the taste exemplifies fresh ingredients. Union Loafers’ website has their step by step recipe to make their famous light and mild loaf bread at home. Union Loafers is also available for catering any sized event.

Lion’s Choice

Lion’s Choice first started as Red Lion Beef that was founded by Marv Gibbs in 1967. His two goals were to serve the highest-quality top round beef and create an environment where customers can enjoy a nutritious meal with friends and family. When the restaurant was renamed to Lion’s Choice, it was an instant success and Marv opened his second location in 1969.

The recipe for their famous roast beef sandwich is simple: 100% real top round beef that is slow roasted on-site for three hours and shaved extra thin. Lion’s Choice serves their roast beef medium rare on a lightly toasted buttered bun and topped with a dash of secret seasoning. The recipe has been the same for the past 50 years.

Over the years, Lion’s Choice has expanded their menu to include other quality offerings like oven-roasted turkey, hickory-smoked ham, pulled pork, and a variety of fresh salads. Lion’s Choice signature original roast beef, natural-cut fries, and frozen custard continue to be the St. Louis chain’s most popular offerings and will continue to be a local favorite.

Competitive Advantage

Jay & Ray’s Big Burgers & Fries offers several advantages over its competition. Those advantages are:

• Fresh made to order burgers that are locally sourced from St. Louis meat and vegetable establishments.
• The buns are baked on-site daily and are the softest and most flavorful bun in town.
• Convenient location: Jay & Ray’s Big Burgers & Fries will be located in a highly-trafficked intersection that is easy to drive in and out of on any given day.
• Customers get bang for their buck. The menu items will be typical of bistro-type dishes and sizes served at a fast food price.