BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ:BJRI) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

So yes, as we look into the Q1 and gave the forecast it margins for Q1, it takes into account the extra cost that we saw come in January. But as we think about pricing what we took in January, what we take again in Q2, that should offset that inflation plus extra to you gets some extra going through the margins.

Alexander Slagle: Great. And wanted to follow-up on the capital allocation commentary. If you could provide a little more color on the remodel ROIs and maybe how many of each type of opportunity you see for 2023, whether it is the bar area or the seating any color there would be helpful.

Greg Levin: Alex, it is Greg. So as you mentioned in the call, we are trying to get a minimum of 30 dine next year, and I would say it is probably right now evenly split or so between the bar and then what we would call kind of expand capacity around the due seating. Some of those will overlap or we can do both in those restaurants. And what we have seen out of, without getting in super specific I guess is the bar is a higher cost than the bar taps to the back handle. We put in 130 inch TV and really lighten up the restaurant and that cost can be anywhere from 500,000 to 700,000. However, the returns from a sales standpoint on those restaurants have been significantly higher than the return on sales. Meaning the amount of sales that we are getting on just adding the three additional boots, while the three additional both will cost only about 150,000.

So it is a lot less of a cost, maybe 150 to 200 depending on what else we do on there. The amount of incremental sales there while successful and high in the sense that gets us a good return on investment doesn’t drive the same type of return that redoing the bar does. That really, I think, kind of accentuates the energy within our restaurant. So, that is where we are today. We are looking at those returns somewhere where we would like to be maybe in the 20 plus percent range for the cost of that investment.

Alexander Slagle: That is great. Interesting. Thanks.

Greg Levin: You are welcome.

Operator: Our next question is from Brian Bitner with Oppenheimer and Company. Please proceed.

Michael Tamas: Hi. Thanks. This is Mike Tamas on for Brian. Two quick questions, the first one on pricing. Can you talk about maybe what you are planning on having for the full-year 2023 inclusive of the future price increase you were talking about in April and are you planning any additional price increases beyond April and just generally, how are you thinking about pricing against the more shaky consumer backdrop now? Thanks.

Thomas Houdek: Sure. Thanks Mike. So yes, we are, you know, like we said, we took 3.7% in January. The April round is we are targeting somewhere in the 2% plus area and we will have another opportunity potentially in the September timeframe for more pricing. So adding that up, we could be in the, you know, 8% plus area for the year.

Michael Tamas: Okay, thanks. And then, you know, just a commentary on the low to mid-teens margins exiting 2023. I just want to clarify, I mean, does that mean that for full-year 2024 you will definitely be in that range, assuming, you know, sales and everything sort of shakes out to where you think it is going to be or is there anything that we need to think about that, that is different about that run rate exiting 2023 into 2024? Thanks.