Fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant Olga's Kitchen is partnering with another well-known chain to expand into three new Michigan cities this summer, offering takeout and delivery service from Big Boy restaurants.
The new Olga's Kitchen locations will operate out of Big Boy restaurants at 1513 S. Saginaw Road in Midland, 1720 E. Sternberg Road in Muskegon and 2183 W. Columbia Ave. in Battle Creek.
The three Olgas will operate similarly to ghost kitchens, with Big Boy employees producing and selling Olga's food. Olgas will not be available to eat at Big Boy, but customers can order Olgas for delivery or takeout.
Olga's Kitchen, which first opened in Birmingham, Oakland County in 1970, operates 23 Olga's Kitchen, Olga's Fresh Grill and Olga's Express restaurants in Michigan, Illinois and Ohio.
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The Midland Olga's will open on July 10th, the Muskegon Olga's will open on July 17th and the Battle Creek Olga's will open on July 24th.
Olga's Kitchen vice president Ryan Jones said the partnership between the two companies is intended to be “indefinite” and that the Olga's brand has no plans to open brick-and-mortar locations in Midland, Muskegon or Battle Creek.
“While we have a large footprint in Michigan and customers who want our products, we don't have plans to build any more stores at this time, so we were looking for an unconventional, unconventional way to bring Olga's to other customers,” Jones told Crain's. “Big Boy has stores in many areas of West Michigan and in northern Michigan where there isn't an Olga's within 50 miles, so partnering with them made a lot of sense.”
This also isn't the first time Olga's has partnered with another restaurant to bring its products to new areas.
Three years ago, Olga's opened in the Millender Center in downtown Detroit, operating out of an Applebee's kitchen, and soon after, opened a location in Holland, Ohio, operating out of the Fire Pit Grill barbecue restaurant.
More recently, Olga's opened a location in Toledo, Ohio in March of this year, where it operates a pizza restaurant called Hindsight Pizza Kitchen.
Jones said the model has proven successful, especially in the Midwest, where Olga's is well known.
“We know that people know, recognize and love the brand, have grown up with the brand and really want the option to order it,” he said.
Jones said Big Boy was a good partner for the project because of its strong brand name recognition and reputation throughout Michigan. Olga's was also looking for a multi-store partner with locations in areas Olga's doesn't already have a presence in.
“For more than 85 years, Big Boy has been creating memorable moments with Michigan families,” Big Boy Vice President Frank Alessandrini said in a statement. “Our partnership with Olga's Kitchen will allow us to connect with new customers and expand our offerings to the communities we serve.”
Jones added that Olga's Kitchen is considering expanding its partnership with Big Boy to new locations if the three new locations opening this summer are successful.
“We're very excited to partner with Big Boy. The team over there has done a great job,” he said. “(This is) a great collaboration between two brands that Michiganders know and love.”
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