New Yor, NY — Goodbye Big Mac; hello roasted-chicken wrap.
That's the idea behind a new healthful, fast-casual dining concept set to be launched by a duo of former McDonald's executives, Mike Roberts and Mike Donahue, and backed by entrepreneur Steve Sidwell. The brand — which doesn't have a final name but is going by the working moniker "Stephanie's" — is slated to open doors in early 2011 with hopes of ballooning to as many as 250 locations in five years' time.
Based on information about the team's preliminary plans obtained by Advertising Age, Stephanie's plans to serve up healthy items like apple-cinnamon steel-cut oats and pita pockets for breakfast, and smoked-chicken sweet-pea soup and pork-and-sweet-potato kabobs for lunch and dinner at a price point of $8 to $12.
To differentiate itself from other fast-casual chains and give it a more environmentally-friendly feel, Stephanie's is contemplating some out-of-the-box ideas for its locations, including herb gardens on the roof, grass parking lots, fresh flowers on tables and biodegradable cutlery. The company is said to be exploring plans for retail products too, for consumers to pick up in the frozen aisle at stores such as Whole Foods, and possibly even home delivery — via electric cars — of their offerings.
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