Circus Circus Shows Its Cards: Seven Food Court Concepts Announced, Sorta
Ever since the Circus Circus food court was shut down, we’ve been waiting with bated breath for what’s next. Now, we know. Honestly, we were getting a little tired of our breath being bated. French kissing was definitely off the table.
The casino has posted signage about its new concepts, all created especially for the food court by the folks behind Chicho’s Tacos at Circus Circus.
While the concepts haven’t officially been announced, we’re doing some guesswork here, but this isn’t rocket science. Sunny Start: Breakfast. Anthony’s: Sandwiches. Parkway Burger: Burgers. Miliana’s: Italian. Dragon 88: Asian. Chixies: Chicken. Salt & Batter: Fish and chips. That checks a lot of boxes, fast foodwise.
The Circus Circus food court closed because its operator, Feel Good Brands, was way behind in rent. And by “way” we mean about $2 million dollars behind. Painful.
We’ve been following the Circus Circus food court saga closely, mostly because we do not have a life, so check out the back story here.
The upshot is Circus Circus management decided to start fresh, and decided to entrust the new food court to someone with whom they already had a relationship, Tony Ravelo.
Ravelo’s company, Ravelo Brands, operates Chicho’s Tacos at Circus Circus as well as other concepts around town including Michoacan Mexican, Michos Tacos, Fresh Mex, Mucho Loco and Poke Studio.
Creating in-house food court concepts instead of signing known brands can make a lot of sense for a casino. Specifically, no franchise fees, royalties or licensing costs. There’s also more control over pricing, labor, menu and sourcing.
Another benefit is flexibility. If a concept tanks, you can just swap it out. Changes happen much more quickly, including rebranding or menu changes. Try doing that with a national brand partner.
Original concepts feel exclusive, so there’s that.
The downside, of course, is that known brands bring built-in recognition and trust. A familiar name can drive business because guests already know what they’re getting.
In the case of Circus Circus, though, the concepts are straightforward and even if the brands aren’t familiar, you know what you’re getting.
Because we’re bored, we asked ChatGPT to create descriptions of these concepts as they might appear in a news release:
- Sunny Start — A cheerful breakfast-and-brunch concept serving classic morning favorites, grab-and-go breakfast items and coffee.
- Anthony’s Deli & Sandwich Co. — A classic deli offering stacked sandwiches, hot and cold subs and other made-to-order favorites.
- Parkway Burger — A casual burger stand specializing in griddled burgers, fries and familiar American comfort food.
- Miliana’s Italian Kitchen — A neighborhood-style Italian concept serving pasta, pizza and classic Italian-American dishes.
- Dragon 88 — A fast-casual Asian concept featuring bold wok-fired dishes, noodles, rice bowls and other Asian-inspired favorites.
- Chixes — A chicken-focused concept serving crispy chicken sandwiches, tenders and other fried-chicken favorites.
- Salt & Batter — A British-inspired fish-and-chips concept featuring battered fish, fries and other pub-style fare.
We expect Circus Circus will provide details of its new food court concepts soon, so we’ll circle back to see how A.I. fared. Pun intended. Because puns are the only advantage we have left over A.I. to try and fend off our looming obsolescence.
The lineup checks a lot of food court boxes. If the operator can deliver on quality and value, Circus Circus will have resurrected what should be a revenue machine at a value-driven resort: the food court.
More to come.
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