Reference no: EM132282510

Case Study: Wil’s Grill

Background

At a young age John who grew up on a ranch in Cave Creek, Arizona recalled at the age of ten “I could cook.” His parents had a food service and restaurant experience, and cooking and entertaining. John learned about the industry while bussing at a restaurant where his dad Wil worked. John and his father spend their mornings at a clay-bird sport shooting range and while spending their time there they noticed that the place did not offer food or beverages. They decided to work out an agreement with the range owner to open a small food booth on-site which they named “Wil’s Grill.” Wil’s Grill provided burgers, fries, and beverages. With its establishment Wil taught his son the fundamentals of running the business from obtaining permits and licenses, ordering food, supplies, shopping, transportation, inventorying, cooking, cleaning and treating customer’s as friends.

Wil’s Grill closed in August 2010 however; John became aware and learned about the “clean food” movement at NAU School of Hotel and Restaurant Management and the street food scene while on a visit in Costa Rica. John decided to revive the family business again in January 2014 with the help of his parents. Wil’s Grill motto is “Having grill will travel”, reflecting its flexibility. John has a strong believe that the Wil’s Grill brand was defined by “our reputation among those we’ve served, and those who have heard about us. Their reputation is one of sincerity, transparency, consistency, and quality. There is no physical permanent office that Wil Grill operates from. Two of Wil’s Grill’s main target market is Northern Arizona University students who wanted something different at a reasonable price that was healthier than traditional fast food. Second target market is community events, where consumers favored clean and reasonable pricing. As Johns business grew he hired Cody McCrae who also attend the same school John did as his assistant manager. Cody demonstrated skills that made him a valuable asset to the business as John put trust into him. Wil’s Grill is well known for having two specialties: barbecue and smoked meats.

Problem:

John needed to focus on “the money” but which path should he take. Should he expand his street food business, add a catering business, or do something else.

Alternatives:

Expand his street food business.

Add a catering business.

Do something else.

Recommendation: