new western sizzlin wood grill buffet

[link01]

apparently west has very recently converted its old great american steak and buffet in pidgeon forge TN to a western sizzlin wood grill buffet (wgb).

 

http://dininginthesmokies.com/_pigforge/wood_grill_buffet_pigeon_forge_tn.htm

 

given the success of the 4 other WGB's that's the good news. tempering that good news, however, are the so far decidedly mixed user reviews seen here:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g55270-d1405589-r29294832-Wood_Grill_Buffet-Pigeon_Forge_Tennessee.html#TOPC

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g55270-i188-k2612217-How_is_the_Wood_Grill_Buffet-Pigeon_Forge_Tennessee.html

 

and here, along with some regretable drama surrounding one particular user review & the reply he allegedly rec'd from the proprietor/owner:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowTopic-g55270-i188-k2676856-Reply_from_Wood_Grill_Buffet_on_bad_Review-Pigeon_Forge_Tennessee.html

 

well, i dont know what to make of THAT...its the internet, after all. but at least business seems brisk so far, & they definately have their supporters as well as detractors.

 

but the reviews at the newer hesperia CA WGB continue to look stellar:

 

http://www.yelp.com/biz/western-sizzlins-wood-grill-buffet-hesperia

 

http://www.euphoricarythmia.com/showthread.php?t=24457

 

 

 

[link01]

it also looks like west may have opened 3 net new restuarants since march 31 when there were a total of 106 according to the 10Q. the operative phrase being MAY HAVE opened...

 

thats because their website lists 109 restuarants as of yesterday. the probelm is, i cant be certain that the website is updated either frequently or rigorously where store locations are concerned. but i do know that they have updated the pidgeon forge, TN location to reflect its conversion from an old great american steak and buffet to a wood grill buffet, which happened sometime in march, so make of it what you will, with a grain of salt:

 

http://www.western-sizzlin.com/maps_tennessee.aspx

[link01]

another thing that cant be guaged from perusal of their website alone is whether west has opened- or converted any older format sizzlins to- any of the new western sizzlin formats that that have shown early promise in prototype.

 

i ask myself this in reference to the "redesigned, steak-focused prototype for its namesake brand" that they have "been testing [as] a steak-and-salad-bar prototype that essentially removes the concept's hot-buffet aspect, moving that concept more solidly into the grill category. An 8,000-square-foot test unit in Parkersburg, W. Va., open almost a year, is tracking toward $3.5 million in annual sales, more than double the $1.7 million average-unit volume of older versions of a similar size."

 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_47_42/ai_n31126593/

 

here's hoping maybe some of these questions & curiousities will be addressed in the shareholders letter for the benefit of those who cant attend the shareholder meetings.