Tampa's Tale of Two Wallets

Chris Sherman | 5/1/2009

Within blocks of each other in Tampa, two ventures with different strategies are dueling for dollars in a tough economy.

Lee Roy Selmon’s
4302 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa
813/871-3287

Lee Roy Selmon’s, the chain of an NFL football legend, has been re-energized with new money and energy from Chris Sullivan and Bob Basham and other ex-Outback talent. They announced their own “economic stimulus package” with aggressively lower prices. They want a family to get a big supper meal for less than $10 and a good lunch entree for $7. Selmon’s is planning to open 15 more in southwest Florida alone.

Ribs from Lee Roy Selmon’s, Tampa

“We went through tough times when I was growing up, but we never went hungry,” says Selmon, who was born on a small Oklahoma farm with eight siblings, including three other brawny footballers. So mom’s pride in the family dinner and hospitality to company still hold.

For most diners, restaurant meals can’t cost what they used to. “For dinner, you have to be at $9.99 to be in the game, and not just one entree,” says Selmon President Greg Lynn. Since the takeover in January, he has slashed most prices $2 or more and trimmed hidden check-builders like soft drinks (from $2.19 to $1.79). He added a few smaller choices, like a 7-ounce sirloin, a single slice of meatloaf or a 1-pound half-rack of ribs at lunch but kept all entrees at linebacker heft with skinnier prices.

Other changes include more sports and tie-ins to big games and races, kicking off with a one-price ($63/person) party for the Super Bowl. One thing won’t change: A big well-trained staff. “Cutting back on the ‘experience’ is the worst idea,” Sullivan says, especially in a recession.

Tags: Dining & Travel