Restaurant Concepts Still Expanding

(Ian Ritter is national online editor for GlobeSt.com/RETAIL.)

NEW YORK CITY-There is no lack of expanding chain-restaurant concepts on the horizon and no reason to think that their unit counts won’t continue to expand, said Ron Paul, president of research firm Technomic yesterday at SG Cowen & Co.’s Consumer Conference at the Westin New York at Times Square. “If you increase supply in this business, demand goes up.”

Among the chains that could experience major growth in the near future are the 60-restaurant Daphne’s Greek Café of San Diego; Wilmington, NC-based Port City Java, which operates 70 stores; and the 180-unit, Seattle-based Taco Del Mar. Popular themes are fresh ingredients, international foods, tableside preparation and other attractions, Paul says.