Romanian restaurant chain City Grill, controlled by local investor Dragos Petrescu, reported a EUR 33.7 million turnover in 2017, up 11% compared to 2016. The 2017 turnover growth was fueled by the IT investments, the streamlining of the operations, and the opening of two new restaurants under the Trattoria Buongiorno brand, the company said.

The City Grill chain currently includes 19 restaurants and coffee shops, opened under the brands Caru’ Cu Bere, Hanu’ lui Manuc, Pescăruș, Hanul Berarilor, Trattoria Buongiorno, City Grill and City Café.

The chain rolled out investments worth EUR 4.5 million in 2017. It plans to invest another EUR 4.2 million this year into employee development programs, developing the Out4Food app, developing and modernizing the chain’s network and the new business segment of food delivery.

In 2017, over 40% of the group’s sales in the City Grill network restaurants went through the Out4food loyalty program app.

“We have reached over 80,000 active accounts. The app is used mainly by 27 to 40 year olds, many men, married, with children, university degrees, and working in middle and top management positions,” Daniel Mischie (pictured), CEO City Grill Group, explained.

The group currently employs over 1,350 people in the locations it operates. In 2017, it established 200 jobs, and it plans to add over 350 new ones this year.

City Grill launched last year the City Grill Academy project, aiming to ease the entrance of unqualified staff in the industry.

“Someone without experience, who wishes to learn a job, to receive a stable income, can start, for instance, as a cook assistant, attend the courses of the Academy, and within six months be qualified to work as a cook, with a diploma accredited by the Labor Ministry,” Mischie said.

The total surface of the restaurants and coffee shops operated by the chain has reached 12,500 sqm, with a capacity of over 3,372 people to be seated inside (53%) and 2,952 people on terraces (47%).

The average value of a transaction in the restaurants in the City Grill group amounts to RON 99 (EUR 21).

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editor@romania-insider.com