G. Chambers Williams III Mickey Mills hopes free pie, $12.99 prime rib and a better Sunday brunch — combined with revamped menus and remodeled stores — will help drive more customers into O’Charley’s, the Nashville-based restaurant chain she has led since early last year. The free pie is offered just on Wednesdays, and the prime rib on weekends, but other new menu items are available every day, including a “classic French dip and homemade chicken pot pie,” Mills said. O’Charley’s reworked menu is “digging into our brand tradition — American classics with a Southern accent,” Mills said. As for the pies, they’re designed to add a bit more comfort to the food that diners can find at the chain’s 213 restaurants, 23 of which are concentrated in Middle Tennessee. “We have five different kinds of pie on the menu every day, and we introduce a new one every quarter,” Mills said. She began the “Free Pie Wednesday” promotion last June to introduce customers to the tasty desserts, which cost $3.99 a slice on other days. O’Charley’s gets the pies from its own bakery, Legendary Baking, with locations in Minnesota and Illinois. “They make all of our pies, and the fruit pies are hand-filled,” Mills said. “We bake them fresh every day, and we whip up fresh whipped cream for them.” Of course, O’Charley’s was already known for its Ooey Gooey Caramel pie, which is always on the menu; other regulars include the double-crust peach (using fresh, not canned, cooked peaches), the traditional Southern pecan, French silk and country apple. There’s also a Brownie Lover’s Brownie on the menu. Some recent special pies have included a green mint chocolate chip in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and a deep-dish tart cherry. O’Charley’s began remodeling — Mills calls it “re-imaging” — last year, doing 50 full makeovers and 50 exterior-only projects. The company will do 40 more stores this year, she said. The last Middle Tennessee O’Charley’s location to receive an upgrade, in Antioch, is planning a party to celebrate the new look next Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Mills said. “We’re opening them up, taking out some walls, adding some signature booths, making them lighter,” Mills said of the remodeling. “Customers seem to be happy with the new look and feel; we’re getting good feedback.” The late Charlie Watkins opened the first O’Charley’s restaurant on 21st Avenue in Nashville in 1971. It was later taken over by a former Shoney’s executive, who began opening other stores. The casual-dining chain now operates in 17 states, mostly in the South and Midwest. Mills, a Minnesota native, joined O’Charley’s in October 2010 as concept vice president and was promoted to president in February 2013. She says her favorite O’Charley’s menu item is the Cedar Plank Salmon. But she’s a fan of the prime rib and the pies, too, while staying fit through competitive running and hiking country roads. She earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Minnesota, but began working in restaurants as a prep cook at age 15, and has been fascinated with them ever since. Her three grown children also work in the restaurant industry. O’Charley’s is helping support culinary programs in Nashville high schools, including Antioch, and also has a longstanding relationship with Nashville’s Second Harvest Food Bank. A canned-food drive for Second Harvest begins April 19 in area O’Charley’s restaurants, Mills said. Among other initiatives to help boost business at O’Charley’s, Mills introduced the “$9.99er” menu, which includes a choice of nine entrees — with a side item and O’Charley’s fresh-baked rolls. The restaurant’s prime rib is among its most popular menu items, she said. It’s available Friday-Sunday for $12.99. Reach G. Chambers Williams III at 615-259-8076 or on Twitter @gchambers3. NASHVILLE, TN--(Marketwired - Jun 3, 2013) - After a successful limited test, O'Charley's has launched "Free Pie Wednesday" nationally. Any customer ordering an entrée on Wednesdays will receive a free slice of O'Charley's new award-winning pies. "Free Pie Wednesday" will be available at participating O'Charley's locations found throughout 17 states. "We are thrilled to introduce 'Free Pie Wednesday' to O'Charley's guests across the country," said Mickey Mills, president of O'Charley's. "Free Pie Wednesday is a way to give a sincere 'thank you' to our guests for allowing us to be a part of their community and to provide a fun and delicious mid-week reward for hard-working O'Charley's customers." O'Charley's pies use fresh ingredients like sun-ripened peaches, crisp Michigan apples and real whipped cream. These pies are also available for purchase as whole pies to take home and serve at family gatherings, holidays and other special occasions. Options include:
"O'Charley's guests can come every Wednesday for a different slice of free pie, and if they find a favorite pie, they can even purchase a whole pie to take home and enjoy," added Mills. For more details on the O'Charley's exclusive new pies, or to find an O'Charley's location near you, visit www.ocharleys.com. About O'Charley's About American Blue Ribbon Holdings Contact Information: Contact |
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