Sometimes a brand can rely on what made it special in the first place, while also using some new tricks to be successful.
That’s the strategy of Scramblers, an Ohio-based breakfast concept that’s in a period of growth, especially in the Southeast. The company was founded in 1990 by Shain Buerk and his father, Philip, and remains a family-run business.
Throughout most of its history, Scramblers has primarily served breakfast, which has become the core identity of the brand. Although, during its early days, the restaurant had a broader menu for nine months. Shain Buerk, the founder, and his father, Philip, chose to narrow the menu down to breakfast and lunch because they realized that they needed to focus on what they excelled at. According to Buerk, they wanted to be the go-to place for breakfast on a Sunday morning and leave dinner to other establishments. They saw the value in specializing in one area rather than trying to be everything to everyone.
Buerk said that after some time, there was a desire to franchise the business, but it was put on hold due to the differences between restaurant operations and franchising. Buerk believed that franchising required marketing, support, advertising, and operational efficiency, which was different from what they were used to.
In 2008, Scramblers started franchising after refining its operations, and it currently has 15 franchised units and 15 company-owned stores. The company plans to expand in 2023, particularly in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, with five new locations slated to open in Jacksonville, Florida. As part of its growth strategy, Scramblers has implemented some changes to complement its classic breakfast menu, including a customizable point-of-sale system and alcohol sales at select locations following suggestions from franchisees. Alcohol sales were launched in mid-2022 at Scramblers’ company-owned units.
To increase sales, Scramblers has developed cocktail menus and introduced alcohol sales at some of its locations. However, the results have been underwhelming, with alcohol sales only accounting for up to 7 percent of total sales, instead of the expected 10-20 percent. Despite this, the company plans to roll out alcohol sales systemwide and work on optimizing the process.
Scramblers has launched a fast-casual spinoff called City Egg, which currently has two locations in Ohio and a third one being constructed. According to Buerk, the idea for a to-go style eatery had been under consideration for almost a decade. The City Egg menu was created by taking the top 25% of best-selling items from the Scramblers menu. Orders are taken at a kiosk or through a mobile phone, and the food is made quickly, with an average ticket time of only four minutes.
Buerk wanted City Egg to be recognizable as a breakfast place but with a modern twist, and the existing locations are company-owned, with plans to franchise the model in the future.
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