toledoblade.com --

Granite countertops, tile floors, flat screen TVs, overstuffed chairs, and earth tone colors.

No, those aren't decorating choices for a new home in some upscale subdivision. They are what you might see, or soon will see, in area fast-food restaurants such as Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy's, and McDonald's.

Pushed by more upscale competitors, fast-food chains have been getting makeovers that eschewed the old plastic seats and laminated walls in favor of a richer look.

"This definitely is a trend, whether it's Burger King, Wendy's, McDonald's, or anybody else. We're all trying to have more family-friendly areas," said Dave Chandler, president of Bennett Management Inc. in Toledo, which owns 31 Burger King restaurants, including 24 in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

Newer Taco Bells, like this one on Alexis Road, use tile floors, granite countertops, soft lighting, and southwestern colors.
( THE BLADE/HERRAL LONG )

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"Consumers' expectations have been raised by chains like Panera Bread and Starbuck's that have provided that ambience of a fireplace or whatever. Those two have raised the bar," he said.

Changes are evident locally at two Taco Bell stores - one on Alexis Road, the other on Navarre Avenue in Oregon.

The company, Yum Brands Inc., has gotten rid of the old Mission-style building and opted for an adobe style with interior features of granite counter tops, tile floors, more comfortable seating, indirect lighting, and southwestern style colors.

Not only are customers demanding an upscale look out of fast-food operators, they are driving other changes which necessitate new buildings, said Jim Yauger, vice president of Simrick, Inc., of Poland, Ohio., which owns five Taco Bell franchises in the Toledo area.

About 60 to 70 percent of a fast food store's business is drive-through, he said. But those who do come in need more seating, which demands more space, he added.

Denny Lynch, a spokesman for Wendy's International, of Dublin, Ohio, said that since most fast-food chains went through a large expansion period in the Midwest in the 1970s and 1980s, and because most operate on a 20-year lease agreement with their franchisees, there have been a host of such redesigned and new structures in the last few years.

Mr. Chandler, of Bennett Management, said he will remodel or demolish-and-replace several Burger Kings fairly soon.

Wendy's, Mr. Lynch said, is testing upscale designs and hasn't settled on one. "We're looking for lighting that isn't florescent, wood works that aren't necessarily veneer or laminated," he said.

McDonald's may be getting the most drastic makeover of the chains. Wendy Waite, a spokesman for McDonald's, said the company introduced a store design this month which it wants franchisees to build.

It has armchairs, Wi-fi Internet service, hanging lights, and flat screen TVs. Its roof is flat with a contemporary golden sloping curve. Published estimates put the cost of new McDonald's at $300,000.

The new styles, if it involves closing a store and rebuilding on the same site, is costly.

"You do lose a lot of income when you have to close, (demolish), and rebuild," Mr. Yauger said. "But then, you usually get a nice little bump in sales once you reopen."

Contact Jon Chavez at:
jchavez@theblade.com
or 419-724-6128.

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