Bill Knapp's
Encyclopedia
Bill Knapp's was an American family restaurant chain. It was founded by
Clinton B. Knapp (March 13, 1907 – October 15, 1974), in Battle Creek, Michigan
in 1948 The chain operated in Michigan
, Ohio
, Florida
, Illinois
and Indiana
, with more than 60 locations at its peak.
's recording of "Happy Birthday" and "The Anniversary Song" would be played over the restaurant's sound system for birthdays and anniversaries, respectively.
In 1998, in reaction to this aspect of their reputation, Bill Knapp's instituted a "That was then, this is WOW" marketing campaign, as well as an overall revamp of the chain's image. The changes included revising old building exteriors with newer, hipper color schemes, and further changes, including the installation of televisions and video games in restaurants.
The "That was then, this is WOW" campaign not only changed the interior and exterior décor, but the menu as well. Prior to 1996, Bill Knapp's relied on a commissary system which supplied all of its restaurants daily or every other day. In an effort to cut costs, the commissary model was abandoned in favor of purchasing food from food services local to each restaurant.
Another reason for the shift away from the made from-scratch philosophy was a Listeria outbreak in the early 1990s. As the restaurant struggled to recover from the negative publicity, many new, updated food safety standards were initiated. Some food preparation that was taking place in the restaurants had be to moved back to the commissaries, to be monitored more closely. This was not as cost-effective, as more foods needed to be processed and frozen to ensure safety. As commissary costs continued to rise, more of Bill Knapp's signature foods had to be outsourced to larger processing facilities.
By 2000 the commissaries were becoming little more than distribution centers. The days of fifteen women hand-spinning frosting onto chocolate cakes at the commissaries were long gone. (Personal attention like this had been part of what made Bill Knapp's food so special.) Fresh, handmade hamburger patties were replaced by frozen, eggs by a powdered substitute, and even the marinated chicken breasts were coming in frozen packages. (Raw chicken breasts used to be marinated overnight in the restaurants.) While the organization elevated food safety standards to the highest, higher costs combined with lower quality to lead the chain to its ultimate downfall.
In 2001 Bill Knapp's tried to reverse course by announcing that "The Tradition is Back," restoring the original menu and some original décor, but by then it was too late. By 2002, the chain's last restaurant had closed.
Clinton B. Knapp (March 13, 1907 – October 15, 1974), in Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
in 1948 The chain operated in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, with more than 60 locations at its peak.
The Menu
Bill Knapp's featured a menu primarily filled with typical family dining items. The menu included a limited breakfast, sandwiches, baskets, luncheon and dinner plates. A children's menu, featuring meals named for animals, was also offered. Recipes for their fried chicken, bean soup, vegetable soup, onion rings, au gratin potatoes, and chocolate cakes (later purchased by Awrey Bakeries) were also featured. Locations replenished inventory on a daily basis with their own fleet of trucks. Bill Knapp placed great emphasis on the quality and freshness of the food, with added emphasis on preparing the food and the employees "from scratch."Birthday/Anniversary Discounts
Bill Knapp's was well-known for its birthday and anniversary discount. Diners visiting Bill Knapp's on their birthday were entitled to a percentage off of their bill; a guest 62 years old would receive a 62% discount. Those celebrating a wedding anniversary were treated to a whole chocolate cake to take home, and in some restaurants, managers gave birthday patrons a cake to take home in addition to their discount. While the cake was being presented, Bing CrosbyBing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
's recording of "Happy Birthday" and "The Anniversary Song" would be played over the restaurant's sound system for birthdays and anniversaries, respectively.
Demographics
Bill Knapp "was interested in providing decent food for a reasonable price with friendly service." The target clientele of his restaurants, often from rural areas, were white and lower-middle class. As the decades passed, the clientele remained nearly the same as it had when the chain first opened in 1948. By the 1980s and 1990s, the clientele was predominantly senior citizens, causing the chain to be mocked with titles such as "God's waiting room."In 1998, in reaction to this aspect of their reputation, Bill Knapp's instituted a "That was then, this is WOW" marketing campaign, as well as an overall revamp of the chain's image. The changes included revising old building exteriors with newer, hipper color schemes, and further changes, including the installation of televisions and video games in restaurants.
The "That was then, this is WOW" campaign not only changed the interior and exterior décor, but the menu as well. Prior to 1996, Bill Knapp's relied on a commissary system which supplied all of its restaurants daily or every other day. In an effort to cut costs, the commissary model was abandoned in favor of purchasing food from food services local to each restaurant.
Downfall
This overhaul of the chain's demographics, however, proved unsuccessful. Loyal diners felt alienated by the changes made; abandonment of Mr. Knapp's "from-scratch" philosophy drove these loyal customers away for good. Furthermore, the campaign failed to recruit the younger family crowd, resulting in further erosion of the chain's customer base.Another reason for the shift away from the made from-scratch philosophy was a Listeria outbreak in the early 1990s. As the restaurant struggled to recover from the negative publicity, many new, updated food safety standards were initiated. Some food preparation that was taking place in the restaurants had be to moved back to the commissaries, to be monitored more closely. This was not as cost-effective, as more foods needed to be processed and frozen to ensure safety. As commissary costs continued to rise, more of Bill Knapp's signature foods had to be outsourced to larger processing facilities.
By 2000 the commissaries were becoming little more than distribution centers. The days of fifteen women hand-spinning frosting onto chocolate cakes at the commissaries were long gone. (Personal attention like this had been part of what made Bill Knapp's food so special.) Fresh, handmade hamburger patties were replaced by frozen, eggs by a powdered substitute, and even the marinated chicken breasts were coming in frozen packages. (Raw chicken breasts used to be marinated overnight in the restaurants.) While the organization elevated food safety standards to the highest, higher costs combined with lower quality to lead the chain to its ultimate downfall.
In 2001 Bill Knapp's tried to reverse course by announcing that "The Tradition is Back," restoring the original menu and some original décor, but by then it was too late. By 2002, the chain's last restaurant had closed.