Doubletree Hotel Downtown revamping its restaurant
BY KYLE ARNOLD World Staff Writer
Friday, December 14, 2012
12/14/12 at 4:30 AM
The Doubletree Hotel Downtown will be the first Hilton facility in the nation to debut a new fast-casual dining concept as the company updates its offerings to lodging guests and others.
The new restaurant, called Made Market, will open in mid-January with fresh breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options as the hotel overhauls its food services.
"The hotel restaurant used to be prestigious, and people would go there on special occasions," said Bruce Sneller, general manager of the hotel. "We think this will bring people off the streets without breaking the bank."
Many items such as sandwiches will be available pre-made and ready to go for customers who want a quick bite, while others can wait for fresh-made menu offerings.
The concept will be heading soon to Hilton brand hotels in Burlington, Vt.; Boston; Tampa, Fla.; and Raleigh, N.C. Sneller said it eventually will be an option for all Hilton hotels, and the test restaurant in Tulsa will partially determine its future.
The downtown Doubletree has spent nearly $2 million on renovations to the 6,000-square-foot dining space, and the company is also adding street-front entrances and branding to help draw customers.
The former "tablecloth restaurant" setting is being scrapped, with the space being pushed into the lobby and the hotel's board room for an expanded presence.
Sneller said that with Made Market the hotel hopes to appeal to downtown workers such as people at the county and federal courthouses, lawyers, jury members and people coming downtown for events at the BOK Center and Tulsa Convention Center.
Plans call for the restaurant to be open long hours - from about 6 a.m. until 1 or 2 a.m.
There will be a full menu for each meal, with breakfast items such as bagels and breakfast sandwiches. The lunch menu consists of fresh-made sandwiches, hamburgers and flats.
The restaurant will feature a stone fire oven to cook fresh flat bread and pizzas, Sneller said. The Made Market staff will expand the menu for dinner, with entrees such as grilled salmon and steak.
Most menu items will range from $3 for simple entrees to $15 for premium dinner items, he said.
With the restaurant, the Doubletree is reaching into the popular fast-casual category - a blend of sit-down dining with faster service.
Hilton Worldwide, the Tysons Corner, Va.-based parent company, chose Tulsa for the debut of Made Market because of timing, Sneller said. The hotel was ready to revamp its restaurant and has also been working on other upgrades throughout the building.
But its location in a downtown core also appealed to developers, he said.
"There are a lot of people down here, and a lot of times during the day there are not great options for fast dining," Sneller said. "This will change that." The hotel is looking to add about 15 employees by the time the restaurant opens, Sneller said.
Original Print Headline: Hotel to revamp restaurant
Kyle Arnold 918-581-8380
kyle.arnold@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Doubletree General Manager Bruce Sneller stands in the hotel's restaurant construction area Thursday. STEPHEN PINGRY/ Tulsa World
An artist's rendering shows the exterior of the Doubletree's Made Market restaurant. Courtesy
An artist's rendering shows the Made Market restaurant, a prototype for Hilton brand hotels. Courtesy
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