Roll out the red carpet for the side-by-side concept of Fuddruckers & Luby’s. It first opened in Houston, and it’s coming to Webster this summer as part of a state-wide expansion for the two fast-casual family restaurants. Luby’s purchased the Fuddruckers brand a few years ago and has been studying and learning it, says COO Peter Tropoli. With a better understanding, it was time to expand—around a dozen stores this fiscal year in locations where there’s a gap in the market. On the radar: El Paso, South Texas, Houston, and DFW. The restaurants have flexible concepts, he says, including freestanding new construction or existing end-caps in trophy locations. His current favorite Fuddruckers burger topping: grilled pineapple with a little bit of teriyaki sauce.
A dual-concept store opened at 24033 Cinco Ranch Blvd in Katy (pictured here) in January on the same day as a Fuddruckers at 2400 B S MacGregor Way in Houston. Two Austin locations opened this year, and there’s another dual-concept on the horizon in Victoria (no opening date yet). Corporate also bought an existing Fuddruckers that was previously owned by a franchisee in Lake Jackson that will remain a Fuddruckers but will get some renovations with a projected opening this summer. Peter’s latest love: a new Fender Telecaster guitar he recently acquired. (He plays in a band with his company’s CFO in his downtime.)
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