PDQ Restaurants

PDQ is a fast-casual chicken restaurant with dozens of locations in the Southeast. As the chain has grown, they’ve standardized the construction process for new locations. Each location now has the same blueprint for everything from floor plan to material selection, with only minor deviations. With all design and materials pre-specified, they need general contractors and subcontractors who can provide quality work efficiently.

The primary challenges in this approximately 4,500-square-foot project stemmed from the need to coordinate scheduling conflicts with other subcontractors while delivering the highest quality installation possible within the timeframe allowed. By going above and beyond to get the job done on time and on budget, Spectra not only delivered a successful first project for PDQ—they also earned the right to install flooring at more than a dozen other locations.

The demands of the project

In addition to the standard demands of new construction projects, restaurant flooring projects require a variety of materials for each section of the restaurant.

This particular job called for commercial linoleum installation in the kitchen and quarry tile for the work stations. The bathroom floors were quarry tiles and the walls were ceramic tiles. And the dining room and front-of-house areas were all luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring. To learn other effective restaurant flooring materials, read our product guide to commercial kitchen flooring.

During the installation process, the resilient flooring in the dining room presented a challenge. While installing luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is a quick process, the team needed to keep a close eye on the moisture levels of the concrete slabs at the time of installation. If the moisture wasn’t correct, the manufacturer’s warranty would be void.

New construction projects like this one also require cooperation from all subcontractors to ensure everyone has space and time to do their job quickly and effectively. Spectra needed to find a way to install the floor quickly without impeding the progress of other subcontractors working in the building.

Our restaurant flooring solutions and results

Through a combination of communication, expertise and hard work, the Spectra team was able to overcome these scheduling and installation challenges to deliver a quality restaurant flooring system on time and within budget.

• Quality installation

  With this project, problems with installation were minimal with the exception of the LVT installation in the dining room. The Spectra team needed to make sure the moisture level in the concrete slab was low enough in order to install the LVT per the manufacturer’s warranty. To accomplish this, the Spectra team installed the dining room floor last, when the air conditioning was ready for use in the restaurant. They used the AC to help create an environment suitable for installation and tested the slab throughout the process to ensure optimal moisture levels.

• Proactive scheduling

  Coordinating with the other subcontractor teams required proactive communication and scheduling on the part of the Spectra team. From ordering materials to scheduling crews, the Spectra project manager kept up with the other teams through phone calls and visiting the site to stay on top of changes, and adjust Spectra’s schedule accordingly.

• Working after hours to get the job done

  In order to avoid foot traffic from other subcontractor teams during installation and keep the project on schedule, Spectra’s crews came in after hours to install floors from about 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. or midnight each night. Not only did this give other crews space to do their job efficiently, it also allowed Spectra to complete the project on time. Additionally, it reduced the number of punch list items, as workers weren’t walking on the newly installed floors before they were ready.

By delivering value at every step of the project, Spectra was able to finish the project within budget and schedule. Spectra’s willingness to go the extra mile to deliver a quality flooring system impressed the PDQ team so much that Spectra was chosen to stay on for more than a dozen other locations throughout the Southeast.

For more information about how to maximize the value of your next restaurant flooring project, read our product guide for commercial kitchens. You’ll learn what to consider when choosing flooring materials and get a list of the three best options based on durability, cost and ease of maintenance.