CASE STUDY: DOING THE RIGHT THING: REOPENING A RESTAURANT FOLLOWING A SALMONELLA OUTBREAK — HOW TRANSPARENCY PAID OFF

Client:

Assignment:

During the summer of 2003, the Golden Corral in Kennesaw, GA faced several salmonella allegations. The restaurant had built its reputation in the community as a popular — and safe — place to eat. Over the previous decade, the restaurant was recognized by its corporate office for its cleanliness and quality-driven commitment. When the controversy arose in the media, Golden Corral voluntarily closed its restaurant during the investigation and turned to Jackson Spalding for help with the onslaught of media scrutiny.

Strategy/Implementation:

We advised the store owner to handle the media scrutiny head-on by allowing them up-close access to the clean-up process. We media-trained this executive and encouraged him to speak candidly to the press. Before the restaurant reopened, the television reporters covering the matter were allowed to film inside the restaurant.  They saw how clean the restaurant was and experienced the professionalism of the Golden Corral staff first-hand.

Results:

The same media who initially covered the outbreak covered the reopening of the restaurant and talked to the store owners about the incident. A well-known Atlanta television anchor commented live on the air how refreshing it was to see a company doing the right thing and speaking so openly and honestly about its difficulties. Countless loyal patrons showed up, expressing their support on camera. The restaurant continued to gain momentum following the crisis and remains a popular spot in the community today.