Grill Expansion Proposal
Mission:
To attract faculty, staff, commuting and resident
students with increased variety, extended grill service,
and quality customer service at Buchman in order to
increase overall satisfaction at the Russell Sage
College Troy campus
Objectives:
1. Extend grill hours until 6pm
2. Increase variety of grill options
3. Offer daily specials, Monday through Friday
4. Effectively market the product
5. Offer a convenient alternative to competing venues
Today statement:
Currently, the grill in Buchman offers special lunches on Fridays and daily
static items including Tex-Mex (Monday through Thursday), classic and
vegan burgers, chicken tenders, grilled cheese, fries and chips. The grill is
open during peak lunch time hours of 11am – 2pm.
Tomorrow statement:
To increase the percentage of transactions at Buchman by 5% for faculty,
staff, and commuter students over the next year by attracting students,
faculty, and staff and providing more options between classes and in the
evenings.
Caliente Grill Operation and Product Description:
• Continue to offer high quality, affordable foods and drinks to the Sage
Community
• Expanded hours and operations will increase the availability,
customization, and diversity of prepared to order and ready to go items
Goals:
• expand the grill hours: to allow more opportunities for sales from students
and faculty who have less traditional lunch hours
• Expand the menu options: to entice more of the market to choose the
Caliente Grill as their “go to” place for fast, fresh food at any time
Measurable Key Result Indicators

It is anticipated that the average number of customer transactions in Buchman
Pavilion will increase by five percent over the next fiscal year.

The average ticket sale per transaction will increase from $4.00 to $5.00 within
the next fiscal year.

By expanding grill options and hours, gross revenue will increase by 31.25
percent over the next fiscal year.
Objective:
To determine viability of grill expansion in
connection to projected increase in revenue and
customer satisfaction
Target Segment:
• Macro target market: The Sage Community
(includes students, faculty, and staff)
• Micro target market: Russell Sage commuter
students
Three methods of customer feedback:
1. Questionnaires
2. Interviews
3. Focus groups
MENU:
o Static and selective
o Daily specials Monday through Friday
o Upgraded items
Monday-Pasta Bar
Choice of Spaghetti or Fettuccine Alfredo
Upgrade Items: Grilled Chicken Breast or Meatballs
Tuesday-Quesadilla Bar
Flour or Whole Wheat Veggie Quesadilla
Upgrade Items: Grilled Chicken Breast, Portabella Mushrooms, or Avocado
Wednesday-Hot Sandwich Bar
White or Whole Wheat Bread
Choice of Meat and Cheese
Upgrade Items: Side of Regular or Sweet Potato Fries
Thursday-Breakfast
Eggs, made to order
Pancakes, Waffles, or Texas French Toast
Upgrade Items: Cheese, Bacon, Sausage, or Hash Browns
Friday-Chili Bar
Vegetarian or Meat Options
Upgrade Items: Hot Dog, Tortilla Chips, or Baked Potato
Marketing Mission
To Increase sales and expand the financial
growth of the Buchman location by increasing
grill menu offerings, daily themes, hours of
operation, and offer entrees at a competitive
price in order to encourage the Sage
community to dine on campus
Marketing Objectives
• Increase sales and grow the business
• Gain market share
• Provide alternatives to local venues
• Offer value at a competitive price
• Encourage 1st semester commuters to dine on campus
• Promote new hours
Competitor Analysis:
Panera Bread:
• 9 restaurants within 10 miles of Russell Sage
• Fresh ingredients and healthy dishes
• Extensive menu, reasonable prices, and quick service
McDonald’s:
• Located on Hoosick Street and 15th Street: convenient drive thru
• Open 24/7
• Low prices
Dunkin Donuts:
• Located within 2 blocks from Russell Sage College
• Open 5am-10pm
• Breakfast and sandwich menu offered throughout the day
Benchmark Competitors:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: McNeil Room
o Located in the center of campus
o Different themed stations provide menu variety
o Display kitchen stations allow customers to see their food prepared
o Most specials and entrees come with a side dish
o Limited hours of operation: 11:30am-2pm
Siena College: Pepsi Café
o Wide variety of menu items
o Operated by Sodexho: prices similar to Buchman
o Display grill and sushi bar
o Extensive hours of operation: 8am-midnight
Right Pricing:
• Current dinner: $7.29
• Buchmann provides an entrée between 1:30-4:30
• Alternative to local competitors
• Each entrée will be sold for $7.50
• Anticipated $: average profit of $4 per transaction
MONDAY
Pasta Bar
TUESDAY WEDNESDAY
Quesadillas
Panini Bar
Average
cost
$2.30
$3.23
$3.46
Variable
cost
percentage
0.31
0.43
0.46
THURSDAY
Breakfast
Bar
FRIDAY
Chili Bar
$1.51-$2.56 $5.71-$6.87
0.24
0.85
Strategic plans and keys to success:
• E-mail Blast
• Satisfaction Survey
• Promotional Advertisement
• Rework meal plan for commuters
• Upselling of Items
• Frequent visitor Promotion
Full Budget:
Currently Buchman averages:
• 2000 transactions a week
• An average check of $4.00
• Equal to a revenue of $8000.00 per week before expenses
• During a 37 week (two semesters) year, this revenue equals $296,000.00
Projected growth of:
• A 5% increase in transactions per week
• A $1.00 increase per average check
• Our new revenue would $10,500.00 per week before expenses.
• During a 37 week (two semesters) year, this revenue equals $388,500.00
Before adjustment for costs, this is a 31.25% increase in revenue ($92,500.00)
Start Up Summary:
We are looking for a startup investment of $10,685.60. This would include the
startup expenses of:
 Cost of marketing
o Direct mail out: envelopes and postage - $17.58 + $460.00 = $477.58
o Miscellaneous marketing items - $100.00
 Food service equipment: Salad/sandwich refrigerated prep table $2,500.00
 Hardware: holding pans - $1,417.00
 Proposed start up inventory (food cost) at $3,095.51 for two months $6191.02
Projected Full Budget:
Weekly
Semester Year (37 weeks)
Revenue
$10, 500.00
$388,500.00
Food Cost (39%)
$4,095.00
$151,515.00
General Expenses (12%)
$1,260.00
$46,620.00
Labor Cost
$3,667.20
$152,890.20*
Net Profit
$1,477.80
$37,474.80
*Yearly labor cost adjusted to reflect a 52 week managerial salary
Scheduling:
Employee Wages:
 Manager starting salary at $42,000.00 per year
 Full time employees are paid an hourly wage of $10.00 an hour
 Part time employees are paid an hourly wage of $8.00 an hour
Expanded staff would include:
 4 grill workers
 5 Thyme Café workers
 2 Full time workers
 7 Part time workers
Buchman would be scheduled to have:
 Two operators on the grill at all open hours
 Three operators at the Thyme café during busy hours
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Plan (HACCP):
Critical Control Points Listed
o Cross-contamination of Gluten Free table
o Temperature of hot holding and cold holding units monitored
105 point total
o Over 21 points failing
o 10-20 points is equivalent to needing major improvements
o 0-10 points is equivalent to excellent or needing only a few
improvements
Break Even Analysis:
•
•
•
•
•
Unit sales (transactions) of 2100 per week
Average check of $5.00
Variable unit cost of $2.55
Fixed costs of $3,667.00
Breakeven point would be 1497 transactions