Walk-On’s to debut a smaller, ‘smarter’ sports bar

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux is hoping to go big by getting smaller.

The sports bar chain has launched a new scaled-down prototype that is designed to supercharge growth by giving franchisees a more affordable option.

The new design cuts the sports-bar chain’s typical footprint in half, from 7,000 to 8,000 square feet down to 3,500 or 4,500. It will have fewer seats, a streamlined kitchen, a bigger focus on takeout, and it can fit into in-line or endcap locations. The chain is targeting a development cost of less than $2 million.

“In years past, people would peek under our hood and go, ‘Oh, yeah, that's probably a little bit too rich for our britches,’” said Brandon Landry, Walk-On’s founder and chairman. With the lower price tag, “people are like, ‘Man, I can't get in QSR for that.’”

The design will retain many of Walk-On’s hallmarks, including an array of TVs for sports viewing, a prominent central bar, and a made-from-scratch menu.

And though it may generate less revenue than the $4 million to $4.5 million that is typical for Walk-On’s larger restaurants, Landry said the prototype is designed to be “smarter,” i.e., to do more with less.

For instance, new Taylor clamshell grills have allowed Walk-On’s to cook faster without sacrificing quality, Landry said.

The first franchisee to install the grills was able to reduce the kitchen staff to seven or eight, from 12, on a busy Friday night, while producing better ticket times. Food quality is the same or better, and consistency has improved, Landry added.

“For a franchisee, it was a no-brainer for them,” he said.

Walk-On’s is also betting the new model will get a boost from takeout and delivery. About 20% of the chain’s sales come from off-premises already, and new stores will be geared to support that business with things like dedicated pickup cubbies.

And, Landry said, it will be easier to fill a dining room that has 125 to 140 seats, rather than the usual 270 to 300, which should help create a livelier atmosphere at Walk-On’s throughout the day and week.

“People want energy,” Landry said. “It's going to create energy most, if not all, of the time.”

The first location with the new design will open in Walk-On’s hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, early next year and will be company operated.

The chain has several franchisees signed up to open one in markets all over the country, and has been fielding interest from both new and existing operators. “They’re calling, man,” Landry said.

Another benefit of the scaled-down footprint is that it gives Walk-On’s access to smaller markets it may not have considered otherwise, which allows it to cast a wider net for franchisees.

For instance, the group that operates Walk-On’s in Southaven and Starkville, Mississippi, is now looking at sites in the much tinier Granada area.

“It shouldn't have to just be cities that have a couple million people,” Landry said. “But let's make sure that we can be that community sports bar.”

Walk-On’s today has nearly 80 locations and will open just under 10 this year under the old development model and another nine or 10 in 2027.

Landry said the chain does not have a specific target for how big it could ultimately become. But he did note that smaller locations can be built much faster, in three to four months rather than a year or more.

“If we do it right, we'll grow right,” Landry said. “We want to make sure that we don't get over our skis and make sure that we can open them the right way.”