Sports bar restaurant concepts are trending with growth in the U.S. As professional sports teams are once again competing, guests are once again filling up these sports bar establishments to watch televised games in a social atmosphere. One would think a sports bar restaurant would solely market to the 21-and-over crowd and locate its venues in trendy, urban sites. Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, however, has found success by being more family-centric with regards to its customer focus.
“We may be classified as a sports bar, and it’s something we embrace as a Walk-On’s-inspired concept; however, we offer so much more than a typical sports bar,” said John Gordon, director of real estate for Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux. “We cater to all kinds of people by providing a family-friendly atmosphere where our guests can expect to be treated like family and our food provides a taste of Louisiana.”
The Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux push to accommodate multiple demographics came from the brand’s desire to re-create a “team-like” vibe, akin to what actual sports players encounter as members of a team.
“Our focus on family grew organically as we understood the importance of creating a perfect game day atmosphere,” Gordon said. “All this is achieved through a sports-themed team environment where every seat has a front row view to multiple screens.”
Its restaurants also serve their respective communities through such local marketing initiatives as “Kids Night” evenings, in which children eat free on a particular night of the week and may even be entertained with clown visits, bingo games or face-painting activities.
In order to appeal to a wider range of customers beyond the beer-drinking/sports-viewing crowd, the culinary options at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux are a step beyond the typical game day fried food fare. The health-conscious yoga mom can order an ahi tuna salad, for example, and children can order kids menu options such as crispy chicken bites.
“We learned early on that we were not going to get credit for beer taps and bar food,” Gordon said. “Over time our menu has been elevated to include options for any guest, and we offer a wide range of menu items to suit anyone. One of our differentiators is our scratch-made menu items, which are atypical for a sports bar.”
Look for Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux to be expanding near major traffic arteries in neighborhoods with a residential population over 30,000, in spaces with like-minded, family-centric national co-tenants.
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