When the industry trade publication for quick service restaurants, QSR, released its list of the best growth markets for 2017, Baton Rouge ranked an impressive 11th out of just 15 small cities in the U.S.
It’s a ranking that may not be as prestigious as, say, having the best schools in the country or the friendliest tax climate. But as Business Report details in a new feature in the current issue, the ranking speaks to the health of the local economy and the interest that national restaurant chains have in setting up shop in the Capital Region.
But while there’s a lot of demand from the quick service restaurant sector, there isn’t a lot of available real estate for new limited service burger, burrito and pizza joints. Baton Rouge is running out of developable land, and finding the right corner for an establishment that requires high traffic counts, good visibility and access for a drive-thru window—on top of everything else—is almost impossible.
“Every day I get calls from companies or franchisees who want to come here,” says Mark Hebert, a commercial real estate broker with Kurz & Hebert Commercial Real Estate. “But we’ve kind of run out of what would be considered acceptable sites.”
There are a couple of reasons Baton Rouge is an attractive market for QSRs, which are a step up from fast food restaurants in that they serve food that is made-to-order, but don’t provide table service like those in the fast casual category.
For one thing, Baton Rouge is a university town, with some 30,000 students who make up a natural customer base. For a chain like the 22-year-old Pita Pit, which was developed around a university campus and continues to build its locations near Division I universities, Baton Rouge was a natural fit. In the nearly seven years since the local Pita Pit opened in the College Row at North Gates complex at the intersection of Highland Road and State Street, the restaurant has become one of the top performers in the Canadian company’s entire chain.
“The Baton Rouge Pita Pit is the third-highest performing store in the Lower 48,” says Dirk Ferrell, Pita Pit’s director of franchise development. “Between the university loving us and having an exceptional franchisee it’s a perfect match for this market.”
Read the full story. Send your comments to editors@businessreport.com.
