RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE

'Ruth's Chris Steak House' () is a chain of 106 steakhouses^[2] across the United States and in several international locations. The restaurant is regarded as an upscale fine dining establishment, marking a gradual elevation in its status since its founding in the 1960s.^[3] Ruth's Chris is currently the largest player in the luxury steak market, besting other restaurants such as The Palm and Morton's chains in number of locations, operating income, and overall profit.^[4] On August 20, 2007, the chain's newest location, and the eighth new site in 2007, opened in Columbia, South Carolina.

Contents

History

Fare

See also

References

External links

History

The chain was founded by the late Ruth Fertel, a single mother of two, in 1965, after she bought the existing Chris Steak House in New Orleans. In buying the restaurant, Fertel had to agree that the restaurant keep the "Chris" name for a specified period of time. After the original location sustained a kitchen fire, she relocated the restaurant about one-half mile (0.9 km) to the west on Broad Street and renamed the rebuilt establishment "Ruth's Chris." Under the purchase agreement, the name "Chris Steak House" could not be used at any other location, and she did not want to lose customers already familiar with the Chris name.^[5] Fertel started to franchise the restaurant in the 1970s to locations throughout the United States and throughout the world.^[6]
Advertising efforts are primarily focused in the talk radio market and its male demographic. The chain has cultivated paid endorsements from several radio celebrities, including Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, with the latter proclaiming Ruth's to be his favorite restaurant.^[4]
In 2005 Hurricane Katrina devastated Greater New Orleans (see: Effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans), and the chain moved its corporate headquarters to Heathrow, Florida. No plans to return corporate offices to the New Orleans area have been announced. Like most businesses in the city, two of the chain's locations in the Greater New Orleans area were forced to close because of the storm.^[8] Unlike most other famous restaurants in Mid City New Orleans, the New Orleans Ruth's Chris did not rebuild and reopen. The Metairie, Louisiana location has since reopened. Amid much criticism of local officials and media, and on the heels of Morton's steakhouse announcement it would reopen its own New Orleans branch,^[9] the corporate offices announced that the old flagship Ruth's Chris on Broad Street would be permanently closed and the company had no plans to reopen any other facilities in the city.^[10] A year after this announcement, Craig Miller, CEO of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, hinted in November, 2006 of opening a restaurant on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain and possibly one restaurant co-located in a Canal Street, New Orleans hotel at some point in the future.^[11]

Fare

The restaurant's signature is serving USDA prime steaks that are seared at 1800°Fahrenheit^[12] (982.2°C^[13]) and served on plates heated to 500°Fahrenheit (260°C). One ounce (30 g) of butter is added just before the plates leave the kitchen in order to cause the meat to sizzle. In addition to steaks, the restaurant also serves entrees of chicken, lamb, fish and shellfish.^[14]
Main entree prices, ranging typically from $20 to $40, are for the dish itself and do not include any Hors d’œuvres, salads or side dishes. The side dishes are served a la carte, priced at an average of $8.00. Portions are generally large enough to serve two or more diners. Of particular repute are the au gratin potatoes, topped with a bechamel sauce and cheddar cheese. Also available are dessert selections, also priced at an average of $8.00, with the restaurant's signature pecan pie being a staple item throughout the chain.^[15]
All locations offer smaller, separate rooms for private dining^[16] as well as a gift card program.^[17] Reservations (available online) are recommended and the dress code is business casual.^[18]

See also

★ The Palm restaurant

★ Morton's

★ Shula's Steakhouse

References

1. Ruth's Chris Steak House
2. Press Release, Ruthschris.com, 02-26-07.
3. Ruth's Chris Steak House
4. Raising the Stakes David Farkis
5. McDowell, Bill, "Ruth's Chris Steak House," Restaurants & Institutions, August 1, 1994, 54.
6. "Never Give Up: Ruth's Chris Steak House," Entrepreneur Magazine, September 1997, 81.
7. Raising the Stakes David Farkis
8. Ruth Built the Steakhouse. Katrina Intervened Craig Dash
9. Morton’s beefs up city’s diminished steak offerings Tim Fitzmorris
10. Press Release, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Inc., November 18, 2005.
11. Blog for Nov 29 2006 Bo Walker
12. Savor Perfection with a Steak from Ruth's Chris Steak House, Ruth's Chris Steak House, accessed July 2, 2007.
13. ★ class=wikiexternal target=_blank>+%281800-32%29, 5/9
★ (1800-32),accessed June 18, 2007.
14. Sample menu, ruthschris.com, accessed April 22, 2007.
15. Ibid.
16. Private dining, ruthschris.com, accessed April 22, 2007.
17. Gift card program, ruthschris.com, accessed April 22, 2007.
18. Reservation center, ruthschris.com, accessed April 22, 2007.

External links

★ Ruth's Chris Official Site

★ Updated financials from Yahoo! Finance