The American fast-casual restaurant chain Noodles & Company serves international and American noodle dishes, soups, and salads. The Company went public in 2013, recording $457 million in revenue in 2017.
Fast casual restaurant
The fast-casual restaurant chain Noodles & Company specializes in comfort-food style pasta and noodle dishes with global influences. The restaurant recently introduced cauliflower and zucchini noodles, which combine wheat and cauliflower for a lower-calorie alternative to regular pasta. Employee benefits are just one of the reasons Noodles & Company has been able to sustain its fast growth.
The fast-casual concept has led to several business failures. Noodles and Company almost didn’t make it through its first year of operation. Thankfully, the restaurant has recovered and continues expanding with new menu items. However, since its establishment, the Company has faced several challenges, including scandals, financial hardships, and more drama than Gossip Girl. However, while it may have faced setbacks along the way, the Company has remained a standout player in the fast-casual market and will continue to grow.
The Company has since adjusted its prices to compensate, but it expects to get meaningful relief from the rising chicken costs in the second half of this year.
As part of its effort to become a nationwide success, the Denver-based chain Noodles & Company plans to open its first New York location on July 31. The restaurant aims to offer customizable food items and a fast-casual environment, similar to other fast-casual concepts such as Chipotle and Panera Bread. Franchisee Doherty Enterprises Inc. – the Company’s CEO – will operate the restaurant.
Menu options
While the menu at Noodles and Company is extensive, the menu items are not gluten-free. The restaurant offers one type of pasta that does not contain gluten but also a variety of other toppings and flavors. You can also make your salads gluten-free by leaving out certain ingredients. You can also make any pasta dishes vegetarian by omitting meat or dairy. While the pasta dishes do not contain gluten, the sauces and dressings are still not vegan.
You can also enjoy a salad at Noodles & Company. The Med salad with chicken contains about 430 calories and has a healthy balance of vegetables and meat. The dish has almost half the sodium of many other pasta dishes. Unlike pasta, though, salads at Noodles & Company are rich in fiber. Besides vegetables and chicken, you can also choose a chicken-noodle soup. It contains about 7g of fiber and a serving of 760 calories.
While Noodles & Company does not offer an entirely vegan menu, you can use a handy menu guide to choose from among the many options available. You can find a vegan version online if you’re unsure about a particular dish.
Healthy options abound at Noodles & Company. There are a variety of vegan, low-calorie, and gluten-free options, so it’s easy to find a tasty, nutritious meal without breaking the bank. It can customize even gluten-free and vegetarian options to your specifications. The restaurant also offers a list of allergens and vegetarian meals. The menu at Noodles & Company is regularly changing, so you can be sure to find a new favorite at any time.
Locations
In Chicago, noodle lovers will appreciate Counter-Serve Chain, which features international noodle and pasta dishes. Dishes at Counter-Serve range from mac & cheese to pad Thai. If you’re craving an authentic Thai meal, look no further. You’ll find it at the West Loop. Counter-Serve Chain is a popular choice for casual dining in the area. It offers a variety of Asian and European noodle and pasta dishes, as well as classics such as mac & cheese.
The Denver, Colorado-based Company has announced closing its Towne East Square location but is planning to reopen the second location in Wichita. In the next few years, it plans to open a new location at the northern end-cap space in a newly constructed retail strip center opposite Five Guys. The new site is expected to open sometime this year. The current location at Rock Road and K-96 will stay open. The Company has offered to transfer customers to the new site.
Those searching for a Noodles & Company near them can search for one on the Company’s website. Type in your zip code or state to locate the restaurant closest to you. You’ll be given a number that you can take to a table. Staffers will deliver your order to your table and clear up any messes. The slogan of Noodles & Company is “Your World Kitchen,” and it certainly fits the concept. You’ll find Asian, Mediterranean, and American noodle dishes at this restaurant.
Currently, most Noodles & Company outlets are operated by the Company, though many franchise locations operate under the Company’s name. Noodles & Company train franchisees to run their franchise locations, and they all have the same menu and branding. Franchised Noodles & Company locations earn approximately $1 million in annual revenue, and more than a quarter of that is from takeout orders. The Company is very selective about its franchise partners and has a rigorous selection process.
Noodles & Company has been undergoing a major remodel as a fast-casual pasta chain. The Company aims to replicate its model in as many as 1,500 locations by 2022. Its leaders believe the redesign can be copied in many areas. Noodles & Company will rely heavily on franchising to increase the number of sites. As of this writing, the Company has nearly four hundred locations in eight states.
Awards
Last week, Mr. Lee’s Noodles Company won its first significant accolade, a silver award at the Innovation Challenge Awards, held at the Business Design Centre in London. The awards attract significant purchasers and suppliers of food and represent essential competition for upcoming food companies. But not all awards are created equal. Despite the Company’s recent growth, it is still an upstart – and it is undoubtedly an honor to be a finalist.
In addition to its core data set, Noodles and Company also leverages Lookalike Audiences to measure its performance. They also experiment with different media, such as Facebook and YouTube, to better understand how these platforms affect their business. As part of its expansion into the out-of-home space, Noodles plans to launch an experiment involving CTV and TikTok to measure the impact of these media on their customers. The success of this experiment is closely tied to overhauling their loyalty program. It is vital to know what rewards members want and what they like to optimize ad placements.
Diversity is an essential value for Noodles and Company. They have an excellent record for valuing diversity and inclusion. They’ve also earned the Women in the Lead Certification. Aside from a diversity award, Noodles and Company has made Women in the Leadership Certification and America’s Best Employer for Diversity and Women.
With too many employees, a lack of customers, and a data breach that cost the company millions of dollars, the Company nearly went under in its first year. As the business has grown, it has continued to expand and innovate, adding new items to its menu.
