Starting in early 2020, Walk-On’s will change the signage at all 33 of its restaurants from “Bistreaux & Bar” to “Sports Bistreaux,” claiming a new restaurant category that corporate officials say better “captures the true essence of the Walk-On’s brand” by capitalizing on its gameday culture.
The franchise will begin the rebranding process in January with its newest restaurant opening in Conway, Arkansas. While the Walk-On’s concept will remain unchanged, the rebrand is part of a Walk-On’s initiative to promote a more inclusive environment in the communities it serves, according to a company announcement released today.
In a prepared statement, Walk-On’s founder Brandon Landry says the restaurant brand doesn’t “fit neatly into the category of a bar,” nor does it “fit into the mold of a traditional restaurant,” instead describing his concept as “an elevated version of both.”
“When asked to explain the Walk-On’s concept to someone that isn’t familiar, none of our team members felt comfortable calling it a sports bar or casual dining spot, so we decided to create a restaurant category of our own: Sports Bistreaux,” says Landry, who answered some questions about the name change today during a video Q&A posted to YouTube.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux will keep the same menu, which includes unique twists on gameday staples, such as a Smoked Gouda Turkey Burger, Boom Boom Shrimp PoBoy and Cajundillas, in addition to “upscale takes on Louisiana mainstays,” like Crawfish Two-Ways, Mardi Gras Mahi and Duck and Andouille Gumbo.
Founded in Baton Rouge in 2003, the franchise has grown to 33 open locations across the South and has more than 150 in development. Read about Landry’s future plans for the company in a recent Business Report cover package.
