Hard Rock Cafe resists in Barcelona

Hard Rock Cafe, headquartered in Barcelona’s Plaza de Catalunya, celebrates its 25th anniversary this November. It’s one of two buildings the company maintains in Spain after the Madrid-based establishment had to shut down amid the pandemic – the second in Seville. Born in 1997, Barcelona native can boast of being the head of many Hard Rock Cafes scattered across the European continent. The number one position in billing each year is debated with the Londoner, who plays to the advantage of being original and starting 51 years ago. Catalan is also the center of the group’s innovation: there they test what other cafes will implement later.

“We don’t want to be Americans in central Barcelona,” says the European sales and marketing director. Carlos Casas. The aim of Hard Rock Cafe in Barcelona is to integrate with the city, to be a part of the city and its history, although the majority of its customers are tourists. That’s why one of the team’s biggest obsessions in the city is attracting more locals. And they devote a large part of their investment to it.

In monetary terms, Barcelona has been chaining record bills every year since roughly 2012, but the company didn’t want to specify by what numbers. But like all restaurants, Hard Rock Cafe has suffered from the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Basically they did this with capacity constraints when they had to shut down for a few months and could reopen. Also, the fact that the establishment was so directly tied to tourism made things complicated as no one was coming to the city at the time. Billing hasn’t been the same since the outbreak of the virus.

It is true that such a sturdy chain costs much less effort to withstand a downpour. But he is not saved either. In Barcelona, ​​the company’s flagship in Spain, this year is still not expected to match the turnover figures recorded in 2019. However, Casas hopes that this case will be regulated next year.

Hard Rock’s regular customer has a medium to high purchasing power. The ‘merchandising’ of the company is not public and neither is the food. A T-shirt with the famous printed logo costs more than 30 Euros, and a classic hamburger, fries and drinks menu costs around 20. The group works with 90% food from 0 km that can come from El Prat de. Llobregat or Granollers or Vic.

In addition, the establishment claims to be an extremely family restaurant, moving away from some of the preconceived notions that have accompanied it since its origins. “We don’t just play ‘hard rock,'” Casas tries to deny. “Any goosebumps music with a positive message sounds good here,” he says. He is also pleased that some bands that have reached the top of the Spanish music scene are taking their first steps in the cafe: Estopa, Macaco or Sindonie, among them.

something more than food

The sales strategy also includes providing a “complete experience”. The main focus of the business is food, atmosphere, music or children’s activities on weekends. And part of that experience is complemented by the waiters who have to share the brand’s values ​​such as “not excluding anyone regardless of ethnicity, religion.”

This brand philosophy is reproduced in other establishments of the brand. Especially in businesses under the title of Hard Rock International. These are hotels and entertainment centers that include casinos. The first was promoted in Europe. Seconds, in the United States. Regardless, these are the Hard Rock establishments that have grown the most in terms of turnover in recent years.

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