An important way of measuring RT’s success in fixing its same-store sales problem will be the narrowing of the company’s “gap to Knapp.” Over the past year, RT same-store sales have been disastrous, but the “Gap to Knapp” has been narrowing recently. Sales trends in the current quarter support that this thesis will continue. At the core of RT’s sales issues is that the concept has been hardest hit in the rural areas of the Southeastern part of the US. This is due in part to high gas prices, but also the availability of gas in gas stations last summer. Both of which have self corrected.

Ironically, I attended a comedy show last night and have never laughed so hard at jokes about how bad the food, service and décor is at Applebee’s. I thought it may just have me laughing because I’m a restaurant analyst, but nope, the crowd really “got the joke.”