Supermac's
 | |
| Type | Franchise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1978 in Ballinasloe, County Galway, Republic of Ireland |
| Founder(s) | Pat McDonagh |
| Number of locations | 103 (April 2011) |
| Area served | Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland |
| Key people | Pat McDonagh (CEO) |
| Products | Fast food |
| Website | Company Website |
Supermac's is an Irish-owned fast-food restaurant chain with restaurants located across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
History
The first Supermac's opened its doors in 1978 in Main Street, Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland. It was founded by former school teacher Pat McDonagh after he failed to get planning permission for a pool hall in the same town.[1]
Supermac's 2010 turnover was €58.8m[2] The company has over 2,500 employees in 103 branches (as of April 2011).[3] Today it serves an average of over 320,000 customers a week. [citation needed]
Restaurants
Supermac's is Ireland's largest indigenous fast-food chain with a large percentage of the outlets franchised. Many hold the same format of a two-story store, with plastic seating and the serving counter downstairs and more seating upstairs, sometimes with a children's play area. The outlet's opening hours generally range from mid morning to the post-pub closing rush.
As well as the standard 'Family Restaurant' format, there is also another format called 'Supermac's Fresh Express'. The 'Fresh Express' format is often found in shops or petrol stations.
Food
Supermac's offers a broad range of foods including fries, 100% Irish Beef Burgers, chicken, pizza, fish and ice cream.
All beef in Supermac's burgers is 100% Irish, fully traceable back to the farm and DNA tested to prove that it is 100% Irish beef.
In attempting to cultivate a healthier image like other fast food franchisers have recently, Supermac's has added several new products such as a chicken ciabatta and a chicken tortilla wrap. They have also integrated with "Relish Cafe" or Quiznos in some of their larger outlets.
In April 2011, Supermac's published nutritional information for their products after being asked by RTÉ television show Operation Transformation.[4]
Cod burger
Supermac's sells a unique 'cod burger' made with deep fried cod, which has been discontinued in some restaurants due to poor sales.
Media/press relations
Supermac's invests heavily in sponsorship, currently sponsoring over 400 different events, teams and projects – including the Galway hurling team, and the Connacht Schools Senior and Junior Rugby Cups more recently have invested in sponsoring Galway Gaelic football team.
Controversy
In 2010, a number of protests were held outside Supermac's outlets over efforts of the Quick Service Food Alliance (QSFA) to lobby for a €1 reduction in the pay of minimum-wage workers at the restaurant. Director of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (MRCI) Siobhán O'Donoghue stated that "The restaurant industry is driving an agenda that is bad for low wage workers and bad for Ireland. This challenge is not about saving jobs. It is about cutting workers' wages and increasing profits."[5][6] As of the end of April 2011, this issue is still awaiting a decision in the High Court[7]
Reinvention
Recently, Pat McDonagh has decided to reinvent and revitalise the image of Supermacs to portray a more contemporary image. At the same time, he desires to maintain its sense of "Irishness". He believes that it is important to change the image to reflect Ireland, as the country becomes more urban and in many people's eyes more sophisticated. This new overhaul is an attempt to bring a certain homogeneity to stores as an attempt to repeat the dining experience and bring a more homely feel.[8]
See also
- List of Irish companies
References
- ↑ http://joe.ie/business-money/pat-mcdonagh/pat-mcdonagh-start-up-recipe-004322-1
- ↑ Deegan, Gordon (17 December 2010). "McDonagh 'delighted' with results as Supermac's pre-tax profits rise 18%". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ↑ "€7 million travel plaza to provide major jobs boost for Moneygall". Offalytatler.ie. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ↑
- ↑ "Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, mrci, promoting empowerment and inclusion of migrant workers in irelandRestaurant Workers Stage Protest at Supermac's, Responding to Industry's Attack on Wages". Mrci.ie. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ↑ 15 March 2010 – 12:22:21 (15 March 2010). "Protest being held against wage cuts in fast-food sector". BreakingNews.ie. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ↑ "Both have seen him participate in high-profile campaigns, with the wages issue awaiting judgment in the High Court". Irishtimes.com. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
- ↑ McDonagh to reinvent Supermacs with expansion – The Sunday Business Post
External links
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