Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits is looking for some sizzling ideas, and they're banking on ASU business students to provide them.
Popeye's owners Patrick Murphy and John Busby have teamed up with business professor Robert Sill.
Thirty-seven of Sill's international business studies and management students are working to provide winning solutions for the chicken chain, while learning the complexities of business management.
Sill said that business goals of the Popeye's restaurant at 457 W. Broadway Road, which opened in late October, "have not been met."
Murphy has promised a full disclosure of the restaurant's financial status to the class and denied that the business is in any sort of trouble.
"This is one of 51 units that we own," Busby said. "It's profitable at its current levels, we just wanted it to do better than it is. We're in competition with fast food."
Popeye's, which began in New Orleans in 1972, now has almost 2,500 outlets worldwide and its Louisiana spicy Cajun chicken enjoys a "cult following," Murphy said.
The restaurant's international Web site boasts that it reported $1.2 billion in food sales in the year 2000.
Amanda Cluff, a business senior and one of Sill's students, said, "It's nice to have real life experience to go with textbook lessons.
"For the type of food it is I think it's good. I thought it was less greasy."
Cluff also said that Popeye's should "reduce cost and improve operations."
Jan Brazda, an international business senior, said he was enthused about the project.
Brazda said that he already had recommendations for Popeye's: "I like it, but I would differentiate the menu to add something healthy.
"You can use the direct impact with the business in the real world. We started with more advertising and marketing. ASU is the biggest market nearby."
Sill said that Popeye's has some advantages that it could capitalize on.
"These business owners have some fundamental business opportunities," he said. "Among them are site selection, advertising and efforts with local businesses."
Although final conclusions from students will come in May, many have offered up ideas such as campus deliveries, accepting Sun Dollars and staying open until 3 a.m.
"That's when students get the munchies," Murphy said.
Reach the reporter at christian.palmer@asu.edu.
