Restaurant entrepreneur Mike Treadwell to bring Ruby Tuesday to

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Aug 7, 2006 by Kirby Lee Davis

Restaurant entrepreneur Mike Treadwell will bring the Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain into the Tulsa marketplace next year.

The president of RT's of Oklahoma and owner of Treadwell Enterprises of Springfield, Mo., plans to open five of the casual dining restaurants through 2011. His franchising effort represents the first entry into the Sooner State by Maryville, Tenn.-based Ruby Tuesday Inc.

Known for its 8-ounce burgers, salad bar and ribs, Ruby Tuesday operates two restaurants just over the Arkansas border, in Fayetteville and Bentonville. It also has two in the Dallas area. In all, the 30-year-old chain oversees 850 restaurants in 42 states and 15 countries.

While Ruby Tuesday restaurants come in many sizes, spokesperson Rick Johnson said prototypes average 4,600 square feet, with a seating capacity of 188 in the restaurant and bar. Construction costs around $2.5 million per site, from land acquisition to equipment installation.

It is warm and welcoming, he said of the restaurant and bar atmosphere. We are really focused on uncompromising freshness and quality in the food, gracious hospitality in how you're treated when you're there.

With a staff of 85 to 100 full- and part-time workers, Johnson said a typical store can average $2.2 million in annual sales. Hours often range from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., going to midnight on weekends.

The restaurants are fairly open and light, he said of the interiors, calling the design classic contemporary. Ruby Tuesday restaurants feature finished polished woods, contemporary colors, seating combination of booths and tables.

A 25-year restaurant veteran and president of the Southwest KFC Franchise Association, Treadwell owns and operates both quick- service and casual full-service restaurants throughout the midwestern and southeastern United States. His firms have been franchisees of several well-known brands, including KFC, A&W, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's, Taco Bell and Rib Crib. Treadwell Enterprises also has developed and franchised its own frozen custard restaurant, Nutty Monkey.

When we were looking to expand and diversify, said Treadwell, we researched many different brands, but we kept coming back to Ruby Tuesday due to the systems that are already in place, the fanatical approach to offering their customers a wide variety of great food served consistently, a proven operational track record, and a true, sincere focus on guests.