When the world suddenly stood still in March because of the pandemic, the lauded Lazy Dog restaurant chain didn’t fade into darkness or defeat.
It instead swiftly introduced $25 family meals and a pantry program that allowed panicked consumers to buy staples such as milk, eggs, and produce from its nearly 40 locations across the country. Those initiatives were followed by do-it-yourself dinner kits for pizza, barbecue, and even Mother’s Day brunch.
In many towns and cities, the lodge-themed Lazy Dog became a godsend as grocery-store shelves laid bare.
Then in the summer, the company’s craftiest innovation arrived: TV dinners contained in heavy-aluminum trays and stylized with three compartments for holding an entree, vegetable and dessert. Their format mimics what Swanson introduced in the 1950s.
What’s different, however, is that Lazy Dog’s frozen dinners are chef-driven and use quality ingredients. The concept was a collaboration between corporate executive chef Gabriel Caliendo; founder/CEO Chris Simms; and Chief Marketing Officer John William.
“Through research and development, they zeroed in on what would sell,” a company rep told The Hash Star.
She added that monthly sales from the TV dinners (company-wide) equate to the monthly sales of a single Lazy Dog restaurant during pre-Covid times. In a follow-up email, we were told that translates to “about $533,000.”
Next week’s roll out of barbecue bison meatloaf will bring the number of TV dinner choices to nine. They include:
- Chicken Parmesan with a medley of green beans, peppers and onions, and Nutella brownie for dessert
- Fish-n-chips with waffle cuts fries, sweet potato tots, white corn succotash, and lemon-blueberry cake
- Pot roast in wine gravy accompanied by red-skin mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, and huckleberry-apple cake.
- And grilled lemon chicken with wild rice, butter-garlic green beans and pineapple upside-down cake.
Each sells for $10 and cooks in a 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes.
If you’re lucky to have Lazy Dog in your area, the TV dinners (plus regular menu items) are available for free delivery on orders of $25 or more, as well as curbside pickup.
Note: Lazy Dog offers spacious, heated patios that are dog-friendly. Check with your county and state health departments as to when outdoor dining will resume.
(Food photos by Rebecca K. Simms; exterior photo by The Hash Star)
I rarely orzmder pot roast in a restaurant but Lazy Dog has the very best pot roast ever! The serving is large enough for 2 adults and we even had enough for lunch the next day! My husband loves chicken pot pie and claims this is the best. We will be ordering again next week !😋😊💟
These really sound good! I’d like to see a summary of ingredients, though.
I love this idea! If there was one in my area, I would definitely order. Quality food and convenience, all while helping a restaurant stay afloat.. sounds like a great idea!
Sounds great and very Innovative! I wish I had a lazy dog neck of the woods