John Kraus

COO, Kraus Foods
Fort Myers | Restaurants

Company: Kraus Foods owns and operates five Dairy Queen restaurants, including three in Lee County and two in Tuscaloosa, Ala. “It's all about slow and steady growth,” says John Kraus, the company's chief operating officer. Kraus expects sales next year will increase 5% to 6%. “It's all about value right now,” says Kraus.

For example, Dairy Queen sells a hamburger, fries, a drink and ice cream for $5.

Industry: The buzzword is “QSR,” which stands for quick-service restaurants. That segment of the restaurant industry is growing faster because people are still cautious about their spending, Kraus says. He expects restaurants will do better next year because seasonal residents are returning to Florida earlier than usual. These so-called snowbirds are coming back to Florida from northern states in October, several months ahead of when they usually return. “We're up for a good 2014 season,” he says.

Region: Kraus says residential areas are seeing population growth because prices of homes have fallen to the point that housing is affordable again. Homes in foreclosure that once stood empty are filling up with new residents. For example, Kraus recently opened a new Dairy Queen on Skyline Drive near Veterans Parkway and says the Home Depot across the street is one of the busiest in the region. People are ignoring predictions of economic calamity and are tuning out problems like the government shutdown. “People are just sick of it,” Kraus shrugs.