BJ’s Restaurants isn’t growing by increasing check averages. In fact, the 219-unit chain doesn’t really mind boosting occasions that bring in lower dollar checks—as long as it’s bringing in price-weary consumers and delivering true value, according to CEO and president Lyle Tick.
The aim is giving existing guests new reasons to come back while continuing to introduce BJ’s to new customers, and the strategy is working. Same-store sales increased 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by a 4.5 percent uptick in traffic—including an impressive 7 percent increase for dine-in traffic. This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of traffic and comp sales growth. So how did BJ’s manage to attract guests when the rest of the industry has generally been flat or negative on traffic?
For context, Black Box Intelligence reported same-store traffic growth dropped to 3.3 percent in December 2025, with the bottom performing category family dining. The report attributed the underperformance to aggressive pricing; the segment’s average check grew 3.4 percent year-over-year in December—the highest in the industry and likely the key factor for why lower- and middle-income guests skipped visits.
In contrast, the average check at BJ’s actually declined 1.9 percent in Q4 because of shifts toward lower-ticket occasions like the $13 Pizookie Meal Deal (PMD) and a surge in late-night visits. Tick suggested the late-night surge may reflect fewer restaurants staying open late after the pandemic, leaving BJ’s with less competition in that daypart.
BJ’s introduced the PMD last September, a weekday special which includes the choice of eight select entrées, a side, and a signature personal-sized Pizookie dessert. PMD grew almost 16 percent of BJ’s checks in the fourth quarter, up about 2 percent versus the same quarter a year ago.
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Tick highlighted the buzz around the brand’s LTO Pizookies with the return of the Monkey Bread Pizookie and the launch of the trendy Dubai Chocolate Pizzokie, which brought in “a hard-to-reach younger demographic and drove an increase in the number of what we call ‘Pizookie trial checks,’ as well as our continued outperformance in late night,” Tick explained on the Q4 earnings call.
Leaning into social and word-of-mouth marketing paid off as consumer interest translated into visits. Together, the LTOs generated a 4x increase in Pizookie impressions quarter-over-quarter, outperforming what had previously been the brand’s strongest social performance with the Spooky Pizookie in the third quarter. It also drove overall organic social impressions up 12x year-over-year in Q4.
BJ’s seasonal Pizookies—cookies served in a skillet and topped with ice cream—plus its revamped pizza platform—helped the brand maintain its momentum through the end of the year into the beginning of 2026. Menu innovation in the New Year kicked off with a Butterfinger seasonal Pizookie, the brand’s first LTO pizza with Mike’s Hot Honey, and a Korean sticky rip appetizer which leveraged an existing wing sauce and ribs to create an easy new option.
The brand rolled out its refreshed pizza platform on November 6, which marked the first major pizza platform refresh in nearly five decades. Since 1978, BJ’s signature spin on Chicago-style deep dish has been core to the brand. The reimagined take remixes the best influences from around the U.S.—inspired by the BJ’s culinary team coast-to-coast research trip—while staying rooted in the brand’s 47-year legacy.
Tick said the renovated pizza platform is “resonating well with guests and performing consistently with what we saw in test markets,” with incidents up just under 10 percent and check-in margin in line with expectations. Simplification also helped BJ’s marginally save on costs; it ended 2025 with a net reduction of six menu items and four ingredient SKUs.
One menu innovation area to watch: The brand is in the early stages of testing refreshes to its burger category and chicken sandwiches, Tick highlighted; “Our culinary team has been hard at work, and we have a pipeline of category and core item improvement tests that will follow suit,” he said.
On the operations front, BJ’s implemented new manager and hourly team member training in Q4, and modernized its facilities program by tagging and tracking all equipment—moving from a “more reactive to a more planful approach to ensuring that our team members have the tools they need to deliver on our high standards, and we can put our best foot forward with our guests,” Tick said. “Like we did with pizza, we will follow a structured approach to gain operational and guest feedback and make adjustments ahead of rollout.”
The chain deployed its AI- and activity-based labor model to 30 percent of the system at the end of 2025—which it intends to roll out systemwide throughout this year. That being said, Tick wants to “be really judicious about any disruption that we might cause during celebration season as GMs get used to it, because there is a getting used to it when you go now to getting that labor schedule from the AI and kind of learning how to balance the GM’s overlay with AI,” he told investors. “There’s a bit of a learning process, which we’ve seen in terms of getting comfortable with it.”
BJ’s completed 19 remodels in 2025, bringing the total to just shy of 50 percent of its pre-2016 fleet. Investing in the remodel program will continue to be a priority in 2026 to keep the brand’s atmosphere fresh.
One operations area to watch: BJ’s plans to pilot a refreshed prototype this year and build a flexible pipeline as it targets up to two new openings in the second half of 2026, laying the groundwork to reignite growth for 2027 and beyond.
“As we look at the footprint of it, I’m a big believer in right size, right cost, right place,” Tick said. “I think we will be looking at building them not always at the same square footage, maybe in certain markets, it would be relevant to go smaller. I think we’re looking at conversions in the appropriate markets. So we’re not going to be dogmatic about every time it has to be just a prototype ground-up build. And so part of that influenced the design process, whereby what we’re really coming out with is a clear set of brand standards for BJ’s that we can apply to different sizes, different shapes, but it always looks and feels like a BJ’s.”
Tick also noted the addition of three strong new leadership team members last year: Jen Jaffe, chief people officer; Tom Kowalski, chief supply chain officer; and most recently, Todd Wilson, new chief financial officer.
In the fourth quarter, BJ’s generated a total revenue of $355.4 million, a 3.2 percent increase versus last year, Wilson told investors. Restaurant-level operating profit increased from 15.4 percent last year to 16.1 percent this year, led by growing sales and continued efficiency gains. Cost of sales was 25.5 percent, 40 basis points favorable to last year.
Looking into this year, Wilson expects to see some continued check trade down, but also some expansion of net check as BJ’s implements “product pricing action to address inflation.” He anticipates comp restaurant sales to grow 1 to 3 percent this year with continued traffic growth and a marginal increase in average check.
Tick added, “Our four strategic priorities remain unchanged. We will continue to focus on investing in our people, ensuring they have the tools and support needed to bring our brand to life every day. We will advance our operational excellence initiatives focused on making BJ’s better and easier for both team members and guests. We will progress our menu renovation work and set the foundation for future net unit growth.”
