Family dining brand Huddle House is undergoing a transformative evolution to better serve its loyal guests. Under the leadership of CEO James O’Reilly and Chief Operating Officer Blain Shortreed, the brand unveils a reimagined brand identity and positioning based on months of guest research, new menu innovation improving on the quality of core products for current guests and developing new products for new guests, and a trio of new restaurant prototypes to accelerate the brand’s geographic expansion.
“As we celebrate 60 incredible years, we lay the foundation for the next 60 in a big way, stepping confidently into our evolution,” said James O’Reilly, CEO of Ascent Hospitality Management, the parent company of Huddle House. “This new chapter, driven by extensive customer research and a refined brand positioning, reflects our commitment to meet the needs of today’s diners while staying true to our core values.”
A Fresh Look with Deep Roots
Huddle House unveiled a redesigned logo that modernizes the iconic “HH”—a nod to the signature imprint on every fresh-cooked waffle—blending 60 years of heritage with a contemporary edge. Paired with the new tagline, “Bring it in,” Huddle House reaffirms its role as a welcoming hometown gathering spot, delivering high-quality food, personalized service, and unbeatable value. The brand updated every asset that guests touch including packaging, photography, advertising, and signage to name a few. This transformation is a full reimagining of the guest experience, designed to elevate what current fans love while also appealing to a broader, younger audience.
New Restaurant Designs
At the heart of Huddle House’s transformation is a bold redesign of Huddle House restaurants, crafted to maintain the brand’s welcoming heart while attracting new and younger guests. Studio 11 Design leads this redesign, balancing Huddle House’s timelessness with contemporary dining expectations. In addition to a totally redesigned and improved new small-town mainline restaurant, Huddle House has also developed two new restaurant concepts designed to accelerate growth in urban, suburban, and non-traditional settings.
The QSR conversion format focuses on drive-thru and walk-up ordering, catering to busy urban and suburban areas with a menu packed with Huddle House classics and portable options like sandwiches, burgers, burritos, and waffle tacos. This prototype will be piloted with a select group of franchisees. The Huddle House Non-traditional format targets high-traffic locations such as airports, colleges, malls, and travel centers. The Non-traditional concept is designed for convenience, with portable, off-premise dining options in a smaller space of 500 to 1,200 square feet.
“The new transformed restaurant designs will serve as the blueprint for the transformed Huddle House, opening up new trade areas and new growth potential beyond what has ever been possible before,” said Blain Shortreed, COO of Ascent Hospitality. “Our new assets will be more welcoming, higher-tech, more off-premise centric, and will feature Huddle House classics, and our new / evolved menu platforms such as burritos, smashburgers, and waffle tacos.”
Menu Innovation
After 18 months of rigorous development and testing, Huddle House is currently rolling out significant upgrades to its core offerings—a key pillar of its transformation. Guests can now enjoy the new soft and buttery Southern Country Biscuit, all-new crispy and juicy Chicken Tenders, the new Smashed Huddle Burger, a reimagined Huddle Burger with a soft buttery potato bun, and all-new crispy crinkle fries.
These enhancements, part of the brand’s “Innovate – Elevate – Communicate” strategy, underscore Huddle House’s commitment to quality and flavor. Leading the development and communication of these initiatives is Huddle House’s new VP of Marketing, Stephanie Mattingly, who will spearhead the marketing of these and future menu innovations.
“We’re thrilled to share these improvements to our core products with our guests,” Mattingly says. “It’s about celebrating what makes Huddle House special while inviting everyone to taste the exciting future of our brand.”
Guests and Data Agree: Huddle House Leads the Pack
The proof is in the numbers. Full-year 2024 Blackbox guest feedback data reveals Huddle House outperformed all peer competitors in the family dining category on overall guest sentiment. This is a testament to the brands focus on exceptional experiences and strong franchise partnerships. Fresh off a record-breaking year with the highest number of new franchise development signings in its history, Huddle House is riding this wave of guest love to accelerate its growth trajectory into 2025 and beyond.
“We’re elevating every touchpoint for our guests, from the food on their plates to the way they feel when they walk through our doors,” said Blain Shortreed, Chief Operating Officer of Ascent Hospitality Management, who oversees operations for both Huddle House and Perkins. “Our company and franchise teams have worked tirelessly to make Huddle House a standout in family dining, and these results show we’re delivering.”
