How one chicken restaurant is disrupting fast casual
I don’t write food or restaurant reviews, but I admire any organization that changes the game and distinguishes itself in a crowded field.
One such organization is the fast casual restaurant Hot Chicken Takeover (HCT) in Columbus, Ohio.
Joe and Lisa DeLoss started the restaurant after taking a trip to Nashville in 2013, where they were introduced to spicy hot chicken, a regional specialty that consists of fried chicken plastered with hot pepper paste.
They were so taken with the phenomenon that Joe and Lisa brought it back to Columbus and made it the centerpiece of their new business. While only open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm, they are “killing it” by consistently attracting long lines of eager customers.
The chicken is very good, but that’s only part of the story.
Employing unconventional employees
More significant, HCT is committed to providing employment support for people who seek to re-enter the workforce from the corrections system, people with a poor work history, or simply those with a general inability to obtain employment.
As Joe described it, “We provide a work environment that is really focused around accountability and support. It allows our employees to empower one another.”
HCT intentionally provides a work environment where people can grow. One of primary qualities they look for in prospective employees is humility, because it takes humility to receive feedback and grow.
They have created a culture of accountability and engagement that has lowered employee turnover to 50% compared to the rest of the industry that is over 100 percent.
Happy employees are great ambassadors
Having met some of the people who work at HCT, I can tell you they are very loyal, and excellent ambassadors for the business. And happy employees make happy customers.
Seeing and interacting with these employees, people who are growing and thriving despite their difficult history and circumstances, is a feel-good experience that makes people smile! But there’s more.
If you were to go there, the first thing you would notice is how utterly unremarkable the space is, at least in a conventional way. The dining area is a large plain rectangular room with long connected table and plastic covers that reminded me of summer camp or church picnics more than a fast casual restaurant. It’s very basic and communal, and that’s part of the appeal.
People are hungry for more than food
Joe and Lisa understand that people are hungry for more than just good food. People want authentic experiences and relationships.
HCT’s simple dining facility establishes the authenticity of its mission and facilitates interaction among strangers. The long tables force communal dining and break down social barriers.
“It’s a very different concept. The experience for our guests is about our customer service, our atmosphere, and the people they meet in line,” said Joe. “The chicken is important, but it’s the experience, too.”
In business-speak, HCT is disrupting the fast casual restaurant market by competing on social impact, highly engaged management, a strong culture of accountability, and a unique experience of communal dining that breaks down social barriers. It’s bringing summer camp and church picnics to market.
Urko Wood is president of Reveal, an innovation and growth strategy consulting firm that discovers unmet customer needs to drive innovation and growth. He has worked with small businesses, associations, and Fortune 1000 companies such as Battelle Memorial, Cintas, General Motors, Herman Miller, Ingersoll Rand, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, and NetJets. In his free time, he enjoys friends, family, and good conversation over food.
