On Oct. 14, a new IHOP location opened on 1678 S. College St. The restaurant, formerly a Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, was rebranded to meet profit expectations and create a high-quality family dining experience.
The new IHOP location comes after several openings, closings and reopenings of Fuzzy's Taco Shop over the years. Reginald Tyler, area supervisor, explains why the company chose to move in a different direction, as well as his plans for the breakfast spot.
“This was, for about a little over a year, a Fuzzy’s taco concept,” Tyler said. “It was busy but not as successful as we wanted it to be, so we chose to convert it to one of the other concepts.”
Tyler has worked for IHOP since 1982, holding positions like supervisor, manager and HR consultant. The location on South College Street marks Tyler’s eighth time opening a new restaurant.
The company that owns the location, Dine Brands Global Inc. not only operates IHOP restaurants but also Fuzzy’s Taco Shop and Applebee's restaurants, allowing for the company to make the change. Dine Brands had a IHOP previously located on Opelika Road. However, the diner closed in September 2019.
When it came to turning the Tex-Mex location into a breakfast-style, family-friendly restaurant, Tyler explained that the sit-down nature of IHOP restaurants clashed with the self-serve style of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop.
“The biggest challenge was the reconstruction of the building,” Tyler said. “It was constructed for a Fuzzy’s taco concept. It was more of a walk up and serve yourself, versus this is full service.”
After renovations were complete, Tyler explained what the hiring and training process looked like, which included keeping almost all of the original staff from Fuzzy’s Taco Shop. So far, Tyler believes business is going well for the new location, with each day earning more profit.
“Its been very busy,” Tyler said. “We're into day two, and it's looking the same. Matter of fact, it’s busier today than it was yesterday.”
One key component that Tyler hopes the community benefits from is a family-friendly experience, including a patio where pets are welcome. With the outdoor seating area, customers can bring their entire family to eat.
“The main thing is we have what's called our dog patio here, so folks can bring their dog on this side of the restaurant,” Tyler said. “We have little doggy bowls over there. This is what Fuzzy’s did, so we’re extending that to the community also.”
Part of the family-friendly experience that Tyler focuses on comes from customer experience, something that he believes is crucial.
“The biggest part of their uniform is their smile. We want to make sure everyone comes in happy, smiling, cordial, inviting, and we want to make sure our guests are wowed when they come in,” Tyler said. “If someone is elderly, we want to help them into the building. If someone is leaving and it's raining, we want to pop an umbrella and help them to their car.”
Aside from customer experience, Tyler shares some of the ways he works to maintain a positive working environment for his employees, explaining the poker chip system.
“It's the same thing with our employees. We want to make them feel like not only employees but family. That’s what our culture is,” Tyler said. “We call it all in. We have little poker chips that says you put one chip in and hold onto a chip, and anytime we see you, we want to make sure you still have your chip that says you're all in."
IHOP on South College Street is open everyday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information on menu options or specific questions, visit the website.
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