OVATIONSJANUARY 2014 • Issue 3

The New Year is here, and we’re off to an exciting start! We’ve hit the ground running in 2014 with our reinvention efforts going full speed ahead in San Diego, Fresno, and soon in Minneapolis and Central Louisiana. We are hiring new Hospitality Managers from inside and outside our enterprise to support our Main Street stores and ultimately to lead hospitality in all of our restaurants.

We have also realigned our operations teams by brand so that we may place greater focus on the unique needs of each of our businesses. This process helps eliminate operations crossover between the two different brand groupings and help us celebrate our brand differences as opposed to attempting to make all brands the same. We are all still united under one company, Ovation Brands, and will continue to grow together through innovative efforts every day.

We are spreading our message and commitment to Make It Right and Fresh For You by expanding our reinvention. All the stores in San Diego and Fresno have been updated to feature Main Street, and broadcast ads are in full swing in these markets. I’m happy to report that early results are indicating success consistent with the unbelievably positive results we saw in Denver.

Our teams are also focusing simultaneously on the reinvention of the Ryan’s brand. We are reimaging restaurants in Alexandria and Pineville, LA, spotlighting “Southern Family Goodness” built around new craveable recipes and a much higher level of warm hospitality. Grand opening celebrations for both locations are slated for March of this year.

Our on-air presence continues to grow, as we advertise Main Street and as we appear on the upcoming reruns of our Undercover Boss episode. Be sure to tune in and share your company’s success with your family and friends this Friday night, Jan. 24th at 8p/7p Central.

It’s important for everyone in our organization to understand that no matter what brand we are reinventing, as an organization, we are committed to building and maintaining a dramatically higher level of hospitality than ever before. Our emphasis on providing our guests with the best service possible, paired with our elevated menu and décor will be what we will become known for going forward.

Tony’s Take New Year, New Partnerships

I personally believe that a heartfelt “thank you” takes two seconds, but goes a million miles. To that end, I thank each of you for all you’ve done in 2013 for our company and encourage you to extend your gratitude to all of our 18,000 teammates and to our guests.

Sincerely,

Anthony WedoPresident, CEO & DirectorOvation Brands

Ovation Brands welcomed the New Year with new opportunities.

The Marketing Department has developed new partnerships to provide fun and interactive programs for families and kids, including the Lights. Camera. Vacation! Sweepstakes with Warner Bros. The sweepstakes features popular situation comedy The Middle, and will award one lucky family a VIP trip to Hollywood, Calif. POP supporting the promotion are already in stores. Tune in February 3-14 to see our promotional spots during The Middle – check your local TV listings or our websites for show times and stations.

The promotion is also being supported online via our official websites and Facebook pages, and through public relations efforts with press materials issued to key media.

“We strive to develop programs that are relevant and appeal to parents and kids,” said Alice Crowder, Vice President of Marketing. “Our new partners are helping us provide promotions that are fun, and offer families opportunities to enjoy wholesome activities together.”

February will also feature a promotion with new partner Herotopia.com, an online gaming franchise geared toward children six to 12 years old. Family Night will be super fun with these super heroes, who will invade our stores and online. Be on the lookout for these characters!

Kids Rule: Birthday Kids ClubThese days, kids are influencing dining out decisions more. Our restaurants are a great choice for families with our kid-friendly menu offerings, game rooms, Family Night activities, and, of course, the ice cream bar! In honor of our youngest fans, we introduced earlier this month the Birthday Kids Club. This free program provides kids with special offers, discounts and promotions at our restaurants – including a free meal on their birthdays.

“Birthdays come once a year, but the new Birthday Kids Club allows our younger guests to celebrate year round,” said Amy LaFrank, Director of Calendars and Programs. “The program allows us to stay connected with our guests and customize offers to their taste.”

Remember to encourage guests to join the Birthday Kids Club or Crave Connection. It’s free, and takes just a minute to sign up for great savings.

We’ve served over

children in the last twelve months!

14,256,402

RESTAURANT LINGORESTAURANT LINGO

Year of ReinventionAccording to the Chinese zodiac, 2014 is the Year of the Horse.

For the Chinese, the spirit of the horse represents the unremitting efforts to improve oneself. This year at Ovation Brands, we, too, are working hard to improve ourselves as we enter a phase of reinvention.

We have expanded the Make It Right initiative in San Diego and Fresno. All 15 restaurants in these markets have been updated to feature the Main Street concept, and new Hospitality Managers have been hired to support our hospitality-first service format. San Diego and Fresno are also being supported with the Make It Right ad campaign, featuring CEO Anthony Wedo as the face and voice of the ads – making a personal guarantee to guests that they will have a great visit every time, or we’ll make it right.

Our hospitality extends beyond the dining room by expanding our community involvement. Our Marketing team is actively working with Hospitality Managers to explore local community programs and partnerships. The new Benefit Night program has also been

activated for San Diego and Fresno.

We are also connecting with our

charitable partners in

these communities to help fulfill needs within the areas that we

serve. Ovation Brands is making contributions to local charities like the Armed Services YMCA and

Boys and Girls Club. Hospitality Managers will continue to build on these relationships by exploring local store efforts.

Ryan’s restaurants in Alexandria and Pineville, Louisiana are next in line for reinvention, so stay tuned.

Coming Up In

FEBRUARY4 Feb 2: Groundhog Day breakfast promotion

4 Feb 2-14: The Middle sweepstakes

4 Feb 6: Herotopia Family Night promotion begins

4 Feb 14: Valentine’s Day – Two Can Dine for $15.99 Bouncebacks valid 2/17 – 2/26

4 Feb 22: Breakfast Program Launch

4 Feb 22: San Diego market-wide Re-Grand Opening

MARCH: Pineville, LA and Alexandria, LA reinvention

Fresno market-wide Re-Grand Opening

Meet George Wooten

SVP of Ops!George Wooten is the newly appointed Senior Vice President of Operations for Ovation® Brands. Wooten has been in the operations side of the restaurant industry for over 35 years and joined Ovation Brands to lead the operations team in rolling out the Hospitality Program system-wide. A veteran in the turnaround culture, Wooten has extensive experience in what it takes to be an entrepreneurial spirit within a corporate structure, which is a skill he considers paramount to success.

In his position as SVP of Operations, Wooten will be responsible for seeding, training and completing the rollout of the Hospitality Program in all 331 Ryan’s, HomeTown Buffet and Old Country Buffet restaurants. The Hospitality Program is part of our focus on elevating the guest experience through building a culture of hospitality through ‘real food for real people.’ His biggest project is appointing

and training a dedicated Hospitality Manager in each restaurant, whose job is to connect with guests on the dining room floor and to set a positive example for the rest of the staff by training them to do the same.

“I am excited to join the Ovation Brands team to implement our new Hospitality Program. We have great food; the quality we offer is a real value, especially for families with kids,” said Wooten. “With our renewed focus on hospitality, the future of Ovation Brands is beyond incredible.”

Community Commitment: Local Store Marketing inThis year, Ovation Brands will be launching its Local Store Marketing (LSM) program. The LSM program is a comprehensive community marketing plan that focuses on creating deeper connections between the restaurants and their towns by supporting local organizations and businesses. The plan will first roll out in select Ryan’s restaurants.

The Local Store Marketing plan includes offering benefit nights and meeting space to groups, creating kids’ achievement awards through schools and targeting nearby residents and businesses with flyers and attractive coupon offers.

“It’s all about inviting these local groups and individuals to join us at our dinner table,” said Ryan O’Malley, Senior Manager of Field Marketing for Ovation Brands. “We want to reach people who aren’t regular guests, or those who may have forgotten about us.”

Local Store Marketing is part of Ryan’s commitment to hospitality. The program shows that the brand’s warm hospitality extends beyond just dining inside our restaurants, but also within the community.

“By showing that we are committed to supporting the organizations that make up the areas around our restaurants, we can become closer parts of our communities,” said O’Malley.

LSM efforts will be led by Area Directors and General Managers, and, in some restaurants, dedicated Hospitality Managers, whose focus is to create relationships with community partners. These leaders will meet with schools, churches, business complexes and other groups within a three to five mile radius to invite them to host meetings, hold benefit nights or simply stop by to enjoy a meal at their local restaurant.

In addition to printed and in-store support, each restaurant will have a dedicated website that will house contact forms and create a simple process for groups to schedule meetings or benefit nights at their local Ryan’s. The websites can be revised at a moment’s notice to ensure the most up-to-date information is reflected for each location. The LSM program is expected to be rolled out system-wide by the end of this summer.

Our industry has some interesting terms! Brush up on your restaurant-speak with these words.

CoverA customer in a seat at a table top. “We did 500 covers tonight.”

DaypartA segment of the day associated with a meal period. E.g., “Breakfast” is a daypart.

DeuceA table or party of two.

RESTAURANT LINGORESTAURANT LINGO

“86”A term used when you are out of something completely.

FireSame as “cook” but as in “cook it now!”

LinebarWhere food is prepared/plated for service.

Turn & BurnTurn a table quickly.

More

Hospitality Managers Operations RealignmentOvation® Brands is completing a realignment of its field operations support along two divisions—Ryan’s and the Buffet chains. According to Greg Graber, COO, the move allows the VPOs and Area Directors to apply singular focus on one operation and not cross over multiple brand platforms. As part of the changes, Mario Lee, Rich Nottingham and Ed Hughes will lead territories for the Buffet chain division Pete Pascuzzi, Greg Beehner and Tim McCormack will lead the Ryan’s territories. Please look to the organizational chart for a complete list of Area Directors reporting to each of these leaders.

“In the past, we treated all of our brands the same, which meant we weren’t giving any of the brands the best opportunity to be successful,” said Graber. “The Ryan’s portfolio will be positioned as Southern Family Goodness. Capitalizing on a small-town atmosphere has different issues requiring different solutions, including a more

grassroots, community-focused marketing approach. The HomeTown Buffet and Old Country Buffet side of the business will be focused on rolling out Main Street and more traditional marketing techniques.”

Graber said that the since the Ryan’s portfolio will require greater in-market touch points and community relations activities, the Area Directors have fewer restaurants, simply so they may spend more time in their assigned markets. The Buffet chain Area Directors have a broader span of control, since mass media will be used more extensively.

“We are feeling very positive on adjusting the organization structure to fit the business needs. I am also proud of our VPOs and confident in their abilities. They each have track records of extraordinary leadership that will help us continue our reinvention growth and build on our unique brand strengths,” Graber said.

“These changes will result in a more responsive, focused field structure that we expect will help us drive same-store sales, improve unit economics and reduce system costs,” Graber said.

MARIO LEEVPO

Sikander Bhutto

Rizq Mesid

John Campos

Paul Carrion

Mo Abdalla

Fred Afriade

Ray Tavakoli

Abe Lahdo

Raymond Ruiz

Frank Ruiz

RICH NOTTINGHAMVPO

Richard Marienthal

Herbert Nyiro

William Michel

Ryan Stout

Thomas Eggebrecht

Mark Colombo

Andy Dunn

Bob Imlach

Seth Burke

ED HUGHESVPO

Chris Fatale

Gregory Britko

Al Manigrassi

Scott Hauser

Braden Klinger

Okie Mitchell

Rick Mishleau

Tim Chandler

Tom Gibson

PETE PASCUZZISVPO

Kevin Miller

Kendall Smith

Nick Kagay

Casey Brooks

Samuel Papa

Bob Clem

Steve Molen

GREG BEEHNERVPO

Kevin House

Mark Brauner

Adam Van Horn

Matt Lampkin

Tony Mertens

Lester Jones

TIM MCCORMACKVPO

Odell Harrison

Tom Drinnen

Terry Lacey

Mike Redus

John Walker

Steve Hamilton

Mark Creekmur

You may soon notice some new, smiling faces in our restaurants –our Hospitality Managers! What is a Hospitality Manager? Hospitality Manager is a newly created, dedicated leadership position within our restaurants. Their job is to interact with guests and serve as a positive role model by coaching other crew members.

Why did we create the Hospitality Manager position? Our hospitality managers will set us apart from other casual dining restaurants because we aren’t just making a position, we’re creating a culture. The Hospitality Manager is tasked with delivering real hospitality through real connections with our guests.

Will we be looking primarily for people within our organization or outside as well? Hospitality Managers are being appointed from both inside our restaurants and externally, but no matter where they come from, all managers share the same passion for service and creating a hospitality culture within Ovation Brands.

Where will it roll out first? The program recently began in San Diego and Fresno, with rollout planned in several other markets this month. Training and expansion across the system is anticipated to occur sometime this year.

Spotlight on Hospitality ManagersNathaniel Lee, Oceanside, CANathaniel Lee joined the Oceanside HomeTown Buffet in June 2013 as a dishwasher. He soon worked his way up to a server position and loved being out on the floor. Even before we created the Hospitality Manager position, Nathaniel was a great fit for the job! He enjoys providing excellent service and conversing with guests every day. “I’m proud to be a part of the team at HomeTown Buffet,” he said.

Susan Sameer, Santee, CASusan Sameer emigrated from Iraq after high school. During college, she worked at the Santee HomeTown Buffet as a server. When she heard of the Hospitality Manager position, Susan approached her manager with expressed interest. After passing her interview, Susan went on to training for her new

position. “Training was awesome!” she said. “I love my new responsibilities as a Hospitality Manager.”

Martin Delarea, Mira Mesa, CABorn in the Philippines, Martin Delarea emigrated to the United States and joined the Navy as a young adult. There, he learned values like leadership, teamwork and perseverance. Martin applied to the Hospitality Manager position at the Mira Mesa HomeTown Buffet to start a new career in the restaurant industry while he works towards completing his MBA. Martin considers HomeTown Buffet his “home away from home” and loves being part of the family. “Each day is a new challenge and a chance to learn,” he said.

System RoundupMARIO LEEMario is looking forward to launching the Main Street commercials in Fresno and San Diego this month. His team is ready to deliver on our brand promise to be the best in hospitality and service for our guests through the Make it Right campaign.

RICH NOTTINGHAMRich’s team has been hard at work reconcepting the Minneapolis restaurants. This month, the Mankato and St. Cloud Old Country Buffet restaurants held their grand re-opening celebrations and believe the local communities have responded well to the new look and menu.

ED HUGHESEd would like to welcome the Northeast Territory’s newest Area Director, Chris Fatale. Chris will be located in Connecticut and will supervise restaurants on Long Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Chris comes to us with a strong passion for Hospitality and building sales!

PETE PASCUZZIPete’s team rocked Christmas Day, with a little added competitive spirit. Congratulations to team Colorado Springs for the highest territory sales on Christmas Day and team Federal Way for the best decorated restaurant in the territory. He’d also like to acknowledge Irma Laird of the Clackamas, OR HomeTown Buffet, who is celebrating her 16 year anniversary with the company.

GREG BEEHNERGreg’s territory is excited to have expanded their number of training locations significantly, which will help decrease the amount of time their area directors spend traveling, giving them more time in the restaurants and with their teams. Further, they are committed to exceeding expectations with every guest, every day.

TIM MCCORMACKTim’s team is looking forward to the upcoming facelift and introduction of Food 2.0 in the Pineville, LA and Alexandria, LA Ryan’s restaurants. The teams are excited and ready to “wow” the guests with Southern Family Goodness and over the top hospitality!