Just think about the road already traveled. Not so very long ago the greatest challenge facing chain operators working to build a presence in the non-commercial market was simply finding the available nontraditional locations and then opening them for business. A simple enough task with such an abundance of willing non-commercial site managers at hand. Today, however, and I would argue even more so looking just a few years out, the real challenge lies not only in finding the business but in keeping it. And then, if you're fortunate, growing it as well.
Several factors come into play here, some certainly more challenging than others.
Even if that means altering a concept in order to serve the specific non-commercial market more fully. In 2001, and 02, this could prove especially crucial to national chains, their regional counterparts, and even the non-commercial market as a whole. Let's go back to the beginning. There's a very good reason for non-commercial operators to align themselves with restaurant chains, always has been. With few exceptions, self-ops and second tier contract management firms simply lack the resources to fully develop and market their own branded concepts.