Tony Roma’s Rib and Steak Franchise Takes Innovation to a New Level With Lamb Ribs

Robust menu development strengthens our stance as a global pioneering ribs and steak franchise

Tony Roma’s rib and steak franchise is known worldwide as a destination for mouthwatering ribs, and our new lamb ribs are no exception. This recent ribs offering is just one of several new menu items unveiled in conjunction with the opening of our global prototype restaurant at our flagship International Drive location in Orlando. Pork and beef ribs are commonplace at many restaurants, but lamb ribs are a differentiator and Tony Roma’s has always prided itself on standing out in the crowd.

As we’ve grown our international footprint — from Belfast to Brazil — our brand has adapted to meet a more global palate, as well as the changing tastes and preferences of a new generation of millennial diners who want to customize their dining experience and experience bold new flavors.

“Tony Roma’s has locations in many countries that don’t allow pork, such as Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. In order to satisfy the tastes of the finicky consumer, particularly millennials who want to try new things and have variety and a lot of experiential dining choices, it makes sense from a business and branding standpoint to diversify in something that we are the experts in. We look to not be something to everyone, but to really capitalize on our expertise and distinguish ourselves from the competition,” says Jonathan Benjamin, Vice President of Franchise Development for USA & Canada.

Tony Roma’s has always been THE place for RIBS. Our fans have been rolling up their sleeves and enjoying our mouthwatering, craveable ribs for nearly 45 years. Today our iconic brand is stronger than ever, with a new restaurant design and a popular new menu. We’ve stayed loyal to the core DNA that has made us famous worldwide, and we’re attracting the next generation of loyal Tony Roma’s customers as we work toward the goal of 250 new locations over the next decade. We offer a lower initial investment than many upscale casual dining, full-service restaurants.

If you are an experienced operator seeking to invest in a franchise backed by leadership with extensive experience in building global restaurant franchises, Tony Roma’s is a brand to look to.

New lamb ribs are just one of many new items separating us from the pack of predictable restaurant concepts

Our new lamb ribs are fall-off-the-bone delicious and seasoned with a plum tarragon BBQ glaze, which is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. It’s just one innovative offering on our new menu, which has been carefully curated to maintain a modern balance between fan favorites like our Onion Loaf and Kickin’ Shrimp and new cooking flavors and techniques, many of which are on our new Bones & Bites menu. Customers can now order new flavor twists to our traditional pork ribs, such as pastrami. We’re also featuring local craft brews on our new menu, which is a huge selling point for the communities where we operate.

“This latest menu development has been a labor of love and one that has pushed the creative and innovative limits, providing an outlet to experiment with new types of ribs, cooking methods and sauces to create first-of-their-kind craveable dishes that can’t be found anywhere else,” says Chef Bob Gallagher, Senior Vice President of Culinary. “When baby back ribs were introduced to our menu in 1972, they were an instant hit. With this menu, we wanted to stick to those classic roots, adding new, truly innovative next generation Tony Roma’s ribs to our already well-loved ribs platform.”

Prime locations available nationwide

The International Drive prototype restaurant grand opening signals a new focus on growing Tony Roma’s domestically, with a goal of 250 new locations over the next 10 years. For savvy investors looking for a sound investment, we have significant room for growth in major metropolitan areas, shopping malls and secondary markets. We are making aggressive plans to open 250 new locations over the next decade, and we are actively seeking new investors in our historic brand.

“The opportunity to invest in Tony Roma’s is phenomenal with plenty of untapped territories. We have a lot of prime availability in terms of geographical span in both Canada and the United States,” says Jonathan.

Learn more about Tony Roma’s

For in-depth details about the Tony Roma’s franchise opportunity, request our free franchise report. You can also learn more by visiting our research pages.