Bill Knapp's - Demographics

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.