Twin Peaks (restaurant chain)

Twin Peaks is an American chain of sports bars and restaurants based in Dallas, Texas[2] which has been described as an "ultimate sports lodge"[3] and breastaurant along with similar chains.[4] The chain is known for having its waitresses, primarily young women and typically referred to as "Twin Peaks Girls", dress in revealing uniforms that consist of cleavage- and midriff-revealing red plaid tops, as well as khaki or denim short shorts.[5] At other times, waitresses wear revealing seasonal or themed outfits.[6] Restaurants are decorated in the theme of a wilderness lodge and serve a mix of American, Southwest and Southern cuisines as well as alcohol.[7] The chain's slogan is "Eats. Drinks. Scenic Views."[8]

A Twin Peaks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina at night

Twin Peaks
TypePrivate
IndustryRestaurant franchise
FoundedLewisville, Texas,
United States (2005)
HeadquartersAddison, Texas,
United States
Number of locations
83[1]
Area served
United States
Key people
Joseph Hummel (CEO)
ProductsSouthwest food, American food, alcohol, beer
ServicesFood and beverage
Number of employees
670
ParentFront Burner Restaurants, LP.
Websitetwinpeaksrestaurant.com

History
A Twin Peaks Girl wearing official red plaid uniform
A Twin Peaks Girl wearing special event uniform

Twin Peaks was founded in 2005 by Randy Dewitt and Scott Gordon in Lewisville, Texas.[2][5] The name itself was inspired by the cult classic TV show of the same name. Dewitt, who had previously helped Brinker International develop Rockfish Seafood, noted a thriving sports-bar market and decided to create a chain with a mountain-lodge motif and attractive servers.[5] According to analysts, 'breastaurant' chains have been growing at a rate of 30—40% per year, while the general restaurant industry as a whole has only grown about 3–5% annually.[9]

By August 2013, Twin Peaks had subsequently expanded to 38 locations across 17 states in the United States[10] Most locations are in Texas, with others the American Southwest, Midwest and South.[11] Twin Peaks has a mix of franchised and corporate-owned restaurants.[5]

In 2014, Bloomberg recognized Twin Peaks as "one of the nation’s fastest-growing restaurant chains".[3]

By August 2018, Twin Peaks had 84 locations, 54 franchised, 30 company operated, sales at $322 million with the 85th Twin Peaks being in Toledo, Ohio.[12][13]

Awards
  • Twin Peaks won a 2010 Hot Concept award from Nation's Restaurant News.[5]
  • In 2011, Twin Peaks was named "Franchisee of the Year" by the International Franchise Association at their annual conference in Washington, D.C..[14]
  • Twin Peaks was named #1 in Knapp Track for comp sales in 2017 among all casual dining brands.[15]
  • In 2017, Twin Peaks was named a winner in the Enterprise Innovator category at the 2017 MURTEC (Multi-Unit Restaurant Technology Conference).[16]
  • In 2018, Twin Peaks was ranked number 196 on the Franchise Times top 200 list.[17]

Lawsuits
In 2020 waitresses sued the chain for requiring them to wear lingerie.[18]

In November 2010, the parent company of Twin Peaks (Twin Restaurant IP LLC) accused Kevin Laughlin, the owner of Grand Tetons LLC DBA Northern Exposure, of trademark infringement. The lawsuit sought to prevent the opening of Northern Exposure's Fayetteville, Arkansas location after one of Twin Peaks' franchisee noticed a billboard similar to Twin Peaks but advertising Northern Exposure.[19] The lawsuit was settled in the spring of 2011, with Kevin Laughlin paying Twin Peaks' legal fees related to the lawsuit.[20]

In July 2011, former Hooters executives including CEO and president Coby Brooks, CLO Clay Mingus, Joseph Hummel, Jim Tessmer, Roger Gondek, and the business administrator for the late Robert H. Brooks (founder of Hooters) Patti Frederick left Hooters and formed La Cima Restaurants LLC, a Twin Peaks franchisee.[21] Hooters of America then filed suit against La Cima Restaurants and Joseph Hummel alleging Joseph Hummel had electronically sent "more than 500 pages"[22] of Hooters' trade secrets to his private email weeks before he resigned.[8][23] On May 1, 2012 Atlanta Business Chronicle reported that Hooters has settled the lawsuit against La Cima Restaurants and the ex-vice president of Hooters of America, Joseph Hummel, with the terms that La Cima Restaurants and Joseph Hummel return or destroy all stolen documents and not use any information on those documents in a competitive manner.[22]

On July 8, 2015, the widow of Jesus Delgado Rodriguez (one of the nine bikers killed in the May 17, 2015, shootout with law enforcement officials outside the Waco, Texas, location) filed a lawsuit against Twin Peaks' parent company for negligence.[24]

In April 2018 a group of waitresses and former waitresses sued the chain over its dress regulations, and informal extra requirements imposed on them.[18] Their suit claimed the chain required them to maintain figures that were flattered by the very revealing uniforms they were required to wear. In addition restaurants expected waitresses to wear lingerie, or bikinis, during promotions where patrons celebrated special occasions, like Valentine's Day, or Easter. Waitresses were told that they would be fired if they phoned in sick on shifts where lingerie was required.

Waco, Texas motorcycle club gunfight
Main article: 2015 Waco shootout

On May 17, 2015, a gunfight among rival biker gangs broke out at a Waco, Texas Twin Peaks restaurant. Nine people were killed and eighteen others were taken to the hospital. A police spokesman expressed anger at the management of the local Twin Peaks, which he said had been less than helpful in dealing with gangs in the past.[25] The next day, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced a seven-day suspension of the location's liquor license. Hours later, corporate headquarters announced that it was revoking the location's franchise agreement, saying the location's owner had disregarded warnings from both police and corporate officials in the run-up to the shootout.[26] Later that day, corporate headquarters announced the Waco location would not reopen. The same franchisee also owned a Twin Peaks in Harker Heights, near Fort Hood, but it closed at the end of September 2015.[27]

On April 2, 2019, all of the remaining criminal cases were dismissed.[28]

See also

References
  1. "This Racy 'Breastaurant' Is The Fastest-Growing Food Chain In America". Yahoo Finance. September 25, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  2. Rucker, LaReeca (June 24, 2012). "4 Twin Peaks eateries set to offer 'hearty man fuel'". Hattiesburg American. Hattiesburg, MS: Gannett Company. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  3. Dinges, Gary (September 18, 2018). "Twin Peaks company profile". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  4. Associated Press (June 24, 2017). "Breastaurant Boom: Hooters-style eateries experience a mini-boom". FoxNews.com. New York. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  5. Ruggless, Ron (August 9, 2010). "Texas 'breastaurant' concept lures guests with cold beer, hot food and showy staff". Nation's Restaurant News. Penton Media. Archived from the original on May 12, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  6. "Calendar of Twin Peaks special events". Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  7. Twin Peaks menu
  8. Quirk, Mary Beth (October 3, 2011). "Hooters Sues Twin Peaks Restaurant In Breastacular Battle". The Consumerist. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  9. "'Breastaurant' business is booming, rapidly growing for Twin Peaks and other male-oriented restaurants — Mobile Augusta". augusta.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  10. PR Newswire (August 1, 2013). "Twin Peaks chain plans expansion in Southwest Florida". Market Watch. Dallas: marketwatch.com. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  11. Twin Peaks locations
  12. Maze, Jonathan (August 14, 2018). "Twin Peaks' Sales Keep Climbing". Restaurant Business. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  13. "Twin Peaks Opens First Ohio Restaurant in Toledo". fsrmagazine.com. August 28, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  14. "Houston Restaurant Franchise Group Named Twin Peaks Franchisee Of The Year". FranchiseWorks.com. September 21, 2011. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  15. Reads, Twin Peaks | 1 Shares 513. "Knapp-Track™ Ranks Twin Peaks Restaurants #1 Among Casual Dining Brands in February". Franchising.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  16. "Twin Peaks Named 'Breakthrough Award' Winner At MURTEC Executive Summit | RestaurantNews.com". November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  17. "Top200". www.franchisetimes.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  18. "Twin Peaks restaurant servers say they were forced to wear lingerie, ranked by looks". CBC Radio. April 27, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2020. They say they were harassed, demeaned, forced to wear skimpy lingerie that was not part of the chain's mandated uniforms, ranked on their appearance and punished if their bodies were not deemed up to snuff.
  19. Browning, John (February 2011). "The Battle of the 'Breastaurants'". Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  20. Thompson, Steven (June 16, 2011). "Twin Peaks preps for expansion". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  21. Baltazar, Amanda (August 25, 2011). "Hooters Execs Leave En Masse For Twin Peaks". FSR Magazine. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  22. Couret, Jacques (May 1, 2012). "Hooters settles suit against La Cima, Hummel". Atlanta Business Chronicle. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  23. Jamieson, Dave (September 30, 2011). "Hooters Lawsuit Claims Rival Restaurant Stole "Trade Secrets"". Huff Post Business. New York: The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  24. Schmall, Emily (July 8, 2015). "Family of slain Texas biker sues restaurant for negligence". Huff Post Business. New York: mySA. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  25. 9 dead in Texas biker brawl CNN. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  26. Team Coverage. "UPDATE: Bonds Set At $1 Million For Twin Peaks Shooting Suspects". kwtx.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  27. "Harker Heights Twin Peaks Restaurant Closed, Employees Laid Off". KWTX-TV. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  28. Witherspoon, Tommy (April 2, 2019). "No one will answer for Twin Peaks shootings after DA dismisses last 24 defendants". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
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