Different places, same menu?

Here in the Midwest there are 2 sandwich chains:[url='http://www.milios.com/aboutmilios/history.php']Milio's (formerly Big Mike's)[/url] and [url='http://www.jimmyjohns.com/company/history.aspx']Jimmy John's[/url]. From what I can tell there's no obvious connection between them and Jimmy John's is 6 years older; Milio's is based in Madison WI and JJ's is in Champaign IL.

But the menus are remarkably similar:

[url='http://www.milios.com/menu/']Milio's[/url]
[url='http://www.jimmyjohns.com/menu/menu.aspx']Jimmy John's[/url]

#3 is a tuna at both places. #5 is an Italian. #6 is a vegetarian. Milio's no-vegetable versions are "skinny" and JJ's are "slim". For places that give the appearance of being independent of each other this definitely seems unusual.

Has anyone else run across a situation like this?

Brad

There are several Five Guys imitators.

Knowing that both Champaign and Madison are homes to state universities, I could get the feeling that maybe some budding entreprenuer who did undergraduate work at the U of I, then did grad work at Wisconsin.

"There are several Five Guys imitators."

You mean the Four Guys and the Three Guys?

If I'm not mistaken, Finley's has pretty much the same menu that its predecessor Mr. Steak did. And then of course the obvious one, Rally's and Checkers. (Oddly, Michigan has both.)

Also, in Lansing, Michigan, the Papa John's chain operates as Papiano's since there was already a local pizza place called Papa John's there.

About 20 years ago in St Pete, FL there were a lot of very large comfortable restaurants scattered around town - mostly on the water with great views. A few were local chains (Leverocks) but most seemed to be independent operations. They universally served bland unimaginative dishes - beloved of the old folks of my mother-in-laws generation. But I found it even more amazing that the menus were almost identical in each and every restaurant. I used to tell my family that there was one secret central kitchen located somewhere in the Tampa Bay area that cooked everything for all of those places.

BTW: They are all gone now (except I noticed a new Leverocks opening out toward the beaches last winter) and the restaurant scene is the better for it- you can go to lots of places with real distinction and flavor and quality in St Pete now-a-days.

Cheers, John

How about the similarity of Schroder's Drive-in in Danville, Illinois (432 N. Gilbert), to that of the old Burger Chef? Then again, said location used to be a Burger Chef.

(That counts, doesn't it?)

What about Bonanza vs. Ponderosa? Aren't those guys on the same menu now?

quote:

Originally posted by TenPoundHammer

If I'm not mistaken, Finley's has pretty much the same menu that its predecessor Mr. Steak did. And then of course the obvious one, Rally's and Checkers. (Oddly, Michigan has both.)

Also, in Lansing, Michigan, the Papa John's chain operates as Papiano's since there was already a local pizza place called Papa John's there.

Rally's & Checkers are the same company. In certain parts of the country they are Checkers, in others they are Rallys. In a few states they have both.

Waffle house and the Huddle have very similar menu's

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I'm amazed at how many Chinese/Asian restaurants across the US have almost identical menus. I mean, down to the graphics. Do they all take the same "Chinese restaurant in America" class before they emigrate?

Hardee's and Carl's Jr. have almost the same menu but are owned by the same company I believe.

I don't care for Milio's, but Jimmy John's has great iced tea & they have the nice wheat bread.

quote:

Originally posted by JT1

I'm amazed at how many Chinese/Asian restaurants across the US have almost identical menus. I mean, down to the graphics. Do they all take the same "Chinese restaurant in America" class before they emigrate?

I imagine they all shop at the same restaurant supply shop. I assume there is an Asian version of Sysco.

quote:

Originally posted by Robearjr

quote:

Originally posted by JT1

I'm amazed at how many Chinese/Asian restaurants across the US have almost identical menus. I mean, down to the graphics. Do they all take the same "Chinese restaurant in America" class before they emigrate?

I imagine they all shop at the same restaurant supply shop. I assume there is an Asian version of Sysco.

Yeah, I mean if it's anything like Greek diners there's probably a small number of companies specializing in printing up the menus.