FH0320

UBER EATS
snacking lumped together — is the
biggest, most-popular daypart. It’s
in only two countries in the world
where that’s the case.”
Sunset Grill also differentiates itself
with its focus on fresh ingredients,
commitment to detail and excellent
customer service — all factors Lazos
says are instrumental in keeping the
company thriving.
“Everything we do is five-star
inspired — no preservatives in our
orange juice, our potatoes and fruit
salad are prepped daily. We have
an emphasis on high-quality fresh
products and commitment to detail,”
Lazos says. “There’s no singular thing
you do to be successful — it’s all
about the little things.”
That meticulous attention to
detail is reflected throughout every
facet of Sunset Grill’s operation.
From store location — the company
prefers to be near thoroughfares and
main roads in order to attract more
customers — to the design of its
restaurants, where function is just as
important as style.
“We’re a California-style 1970s
breakfast restaurant,” says Lazos.
“We like to incorporate pine to keep
things relaxing; we want it to be
warm. People who go to restaurants
want to be around people, there’s
a certain experience to it, but at
the same time, you want your own
space with a certain level of coziness.
We try to find the fine line between
the two.”
Most Sunset Grill locations are
located in the Greater Toronto
Area, with the majority found in
Mississauga, Brampton and Vaughan,
but expansion throughout Ontario
is on the books in the coming year.
The company also plans to reach as
far as Calgary and Los Angeles for its
upcoming ventures.
The units average 100 seats with
a footprint of approximately 2,200
sq. ft. — a large portion of which is
devoted to the brand new signature
Traditional breakfast fare such as bacon and eggs
are still big sellers on the Sunset Grill menu
AVERAGE
CHECK
$15
AVERAGE
RESTAURANT
SIZE
2,200
SQ. FT.
AVERAGE
NUMBER
OF SEATS
100
open-concept kitchens. The kitchens
are meant to give customers a
window into the behind-the-scenes
operations, but also to reduce frontof-house
labour by giving servers and
hosts a better idea of what’s going on
in the back of the house.
While the menu has remained
relatively unchanged throughout its
35-year history, the chain’s hours
of operation have evolved to meet
changing demands. When the first
restaurant originally opened, it was
open until the early evening and
did not serve all-day breakfast. But,
when late-afternoon sales didn’t
pack as big a punch as anticipated, it
began opening at 7 a.m. and closing
between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
While the future is bright for
Sunset Grill, no company succeeds
without overcoming some adversity
and, for the breakfast chain, Lazos
says adversity came in the form of
trying to get its fresh ingredients
to its restaurants. When the
company expanded nationwide,
its original supplier found it hard
to ensure ingredients reached all
of the new locations.
“We were with a smaller distributor
who couldn’t reach some of our
restaurants, but then it was bought
by Gordon Food Service, which
ended up simplifying operations for
us on the supply side,” explains Lazos.
All of Sunset Grill’s 200 locations
are franchised, which places the
commitment to quality in the hands
of its franchisees. Lazos says the
company takes pride in choosing
franchisees who work hard and feel
the same passion for quality that’s
inherent throughout the company.
“Just because you’re buying a
franchise doesn’t mean cheques
are going to start rolling in. It’s a
business — it’s your business —
and you have to make your money.
On Monday when the fridges are
empty, get in there and check it out,
smell it, touch it — only serve food
to your customers you would serve
to your kids.” FH
FOODSERVICEANDHOSPITALITY.COM
MARCH 2020 FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY 29