Theme restaurants have been ailing for years, but Hard Rock, which got its start in London in the 1970s, has been doing better than most in blending “food with other forms of entertainment,” said Michael Shepardson, president of CNL Advisory Services Inc. “There’s nothing to indicate they were in real trouble.”

Same-store sales for company-owned outlets were off more than 6 percent and were down by double digits in Europe.Įven so, Bonaccorse said it’s possible that a “culture clash” between Beaudrault and his bosses in England, or some other “hidden agenda” could be behind the shake-up. While Hard Rock has been posting operating profits, even during last year’s economic downturn, the company’s financial numbers have been sinking.ĭuring the first half of the year, Hard Rock’s operating profit fell 37 percent to $21.4 million, and sales were down 5 percent to $176.2 million. They seem to be an effectively run organization,” said Joseph Bonaccorse, president of the International Guild of Hospitality and Restaurant Managers, based in Orlando. Industry experts were caught off guard by Beaudrault’s immediate departure.

In addition to Hard Rock, Rank owns casinos in Europe and an entertainment division called Deluxe that does everything from photo and sound editing to DVD and video distribution. Some of the effort to improve efficiency, he said, will focus on improving “leverage between the operations, as opposed to three separate.

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