Happi House Restaurants Launches New Prototype

By: Happi House | 8 Shares 191 Reads

San Francisco Bay Area-based fast casual concept poised to resume franchising redesigns its restaurants

November 17, 2008 // Franchising.com // San Jose, CA, — Happi House Restaurants Director of Marketing, Kevyn Johnston, announced today that the company has introduced its new model restaurant design at the company's Almaden Plaza San Jose location.

Happi House's new interior design package was developed to contemporize and improve its Guest experience as the company returns to franchising later this year. The new store prototype marks a departure for the chain, which opened its first location in 1976, and has maintained a straightforward fast-food persona at its many operating locations. "Happi House has always taken pride in maintaining a clean and comfortable dining environment, but we're aiming much higher with this new design package," said Joshua V. Richman, CEO "With tough economic conditions taking a bite out of our Guest's budgets, we're making a great deal of changes to enhance our value and improve our Guests' experience; I think this new design package is a significant advancement for our brand."

"We took a comprehensive approach to the new Happi House environment," said Kevyn Johnston, "our goal was to create a look and feel that was true to our brand heritage and reinforces our positioning profile by being contemporary, inviting, and relaxed." The new design package completely replaced previous dining room and exterior treatments, combining a warm color palette with elements of bamboo, mosaic glass tiles, comfortable new seating, a new menu system, as well as custom lighting and music. "We wanted to create a stylish and upbeat "modern Asian bistro" atmosphere where our Guests are likely to relax and forget they are in a quick service establishment and enjoy an outstanding dining experience" continued Johnston. Other added elements include an outdoor dining area, a wider selection of tabletop condiments, a chilled drink and salad merchandiser and exclusive wall art featuring Asian-American cultural icons.

Kristine Besio, Chief Operations Officer, said that customer reaction to the remodel had been overwhelmingly positive. "Our Guests have a vested interest in what we do here at Happi House and were anxiously awaiting the changes after we were closed for a week of renovations. I'm delighted that each Guest I have spoken with thinks it was well worth the wait, and that we've taken a big step forward."

About Happi House Restaurants:

[Established in 1975, Happi House is the original quick service California teriyaki restaurant serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The first Happi House location opened at the corner of 5th and Taylor Streets in San Jose's Japantown as a result of tremendous demand from the local Asian community for a comfortable, value-oriented neighborhood restaurant. Its model integrates fresh California style teriyaki cuisine with a streamlined cooking system that provides top quality products, speed of service, and cost efficiencies. Happi House Restaurants, Inc. currently owns and operates fast-casual Happi House restaurants throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and plans to open several more company owned and franchise locations during the next year. For more information contact Kevyn Johnston at 408.866.5966 or visit HappiHouse.com]

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