I wonder how many people actually notice these things, but A&W’s been pushing for a facelift lately. The logo’s one thing they changed, but in Canada; Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal’s got some new “urban A&W’s”…
There’s two on Robson, and one on Denman in downtown, and I happen to live about a 2, 3 minute walk away from one of the Robson locations. I must say, I’m impressed. High ceilings, urban furniture, bold designs and even self-serve kiosks where you can order without any human interaction :)! Just how we urbanites like it. (?)
With McDonald’s renovating restaurant after restaurant in a scramble to capture all the consumers they can get, I’m guessing A&W had no choice but change their “nostalgic” (outdated) restaurants! I’ve always had a thing for A&W food, it’s quite good; like REAL food in comparison to McDonalds.
What is peculiar, however, is that A&W seemed to have their target segment as the Baby Boomers, who loved the nostalgic feel of the restaurant, with a diner-look and Elvis playing in the background. On the other hand, these urban outlets seem to be targeting Gen X, Gen Y and maybe even some younger generations, with its updated interiors and overall experience. Is A&W losing its stance? Are they panicking? I wonder what’s next for A&W, because I love their food, but are they now a FRESH brand? Or are they still locked up in the Baby Boomer era?…
