As CEO of Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Jeff Broadhurst has helped shape Eat’n Park into more than just a restaurant, it’s a place where smiles are always on the menu.
In a recent episode of Forktales, Michael and Jeff talk about the success of the Eat’n Park and Parkhurst Dining brands, the joys of working in a family business, the importance of taking care of your team and some of the best things on the Eat’n Park menu.
WHAT ROLE DID FAMILY PLAY DURING CHALLENGING TIMES LIKE COVID?
“In COVID, it was really nice having family there, dealing with what we went through. You really needed people that you trusted and respected and in many cases loved to be there by your side.”
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO OPEN A NEW LOCATION IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID?
“We opened a brand new restaurant. Spent a couple million dollars in the middle of COVID, and people thought we were crazy. But we did it to really put a stake in the ground. We take a long-term view and we wanted to show the community and our team members that we were going to be okay.”
WHAT IS PARKHURST DINING AND HOW DID IT COME TO BE?
“It’s about 60% of our business now. We started Parkhurst in 1996, focused on private colleges, universities, and hiring corporate dining locations. We didn’t want to take Eat’n Park national. Parkhurst Dining was a diversification play, for sure, focused on things we knew: how to create great food, authentic food and how to take care of guests.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR EAT’N PARK?
“We’re continuing to reinvest in the 75-year-old brand. The easiest way to go out of business is to quit innovating. We’ve got 12 restaurants this year that we’ll renovate. We’re also toying with some new technology. Most importantly, how can we help our team members have a more rewarding career and make sure they’re smiling when they get up and go to work?”
