BARRACUDACurrent Trends (4wk + 8wk)
Algiers is the story this period: revenue swung from +1.5% YoY growth at last check-in to −10.7% now — a real reversal, not noise. Weekly pace is still negative (−17.0% vs. the prior 8 weeks, worse than −5.3% last time), COGS remains 1.8 points above last year (35.3% vs. 33.5% LY), and rating dropped to 4.42 from a system-best 5.00 over the prior 8 weeks. The cost drift flagged two cycles ago has now shown up in the top line too — this is no longer a watch item, it needs an actual investigation. Same-store revenue overall is down 6.2% YoY, a touch wider than the −5.4% at last check-in. Tchoupitoulas is down YoY for a fourth straight period, but the decline keeps narrowing (−4.0% vs −5.4%) and momentum stayed positive. Baton Rouge is still the best-performing location on paper (+5.0% YoY) but its COGS ticked above last year for the first time this cycle, worth a look. Company-wide margins and labor both keep improving on a YoY basis, though near-term momentum turned sharply negative — weekly pace down 7.0% versus the prior 8 weeks, versus just −1.2% last check-in — with Algiers' pullback the single biggest driver.
By Location — vs. Last Year
Aug 14 – Sep 9, 2026 vs. the identical calendar dates in 2025
| Location | Revenue | LY Revenue | YoY | COGS % | LY COGS % | Labor % | Rating (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tchoupitoulas (B1) | $326,869 | $340,605 | −4.0% | 30.9% | 33.6% | 17.4% | 4.86 (7) |
| Algiers (B2) | $127,093 | $142,292 | −10.7% | 35.3% | 33.5% | 24.1% | 4.42 (12) |
| Baton Rouge (B3) | $200,615 | $191,119 | +5.0% | 33.0% | 32.1% | 20.2% | 4.73 (15) |
| Bay St. Louis (B4) | $40,810 | $67,730 | −39.7% | 20.2% | 44.6% | 39.3% | 5.00 (2) |
| Huntsville (B5) | $89,232 | n/a – opened Mar ’26 | n/a | 35.1% | n/a | 30.8% | 4.92 (12) |
| Total (5 locations) | $784,619 | $741,746 (4-loc) | −6.2% (4-loc) | 32.1% | 34.2% (4-loc) | 21.9% | 4.73 (48) |
Momentum — vs. Prior 8 Weeks
Current weekly pace vs. the 8 weeks immediately prior (Jun 19 – Aug 13, 2026) — better or worse right now, independent of last year
| Location | Weekly Rev. Pace | COGS % (prior → cur) | Labor % (prior → cur) | Rating (prior → cur) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tchoupitoulas (B1) | +6.9% | 31.3% → 30.9% (−0.4pt) | 21.9% → 17.4% (−4.5pt) | 4.43 → 4.86 |
| Algiers (B2) | −17.0% | 31.5% → 35.3% (+3.8pt) | 24.3% → 24.1% (−0.2pt) | 5.00 → 4.42 |
| Baton Rouge (B3) | −3.9% | 32.0% → 33.0% (+1.0pt) | 22.3% → 20.2% (−2.1pt) | 4.93 → 4.73 |
| Bay St. Louis (B4) | −29.8% | 34.1% → 20.2% (−13.9pt) | 34.9% → 39.3% (+4.4pt) | 3.38 → 5.00 |
| Huntsville (B5) | −24.3% | 37.5% → 35.1% (−2.4pt) | 35.6% → 30.8% (−4.8pt) | 4.29 → 4.92 |
| Total (5 locations) | −7.0% | 32.6% → 32.1% (−0.5pt) | 25.2% → 21.9% (−3.3pt) | 4.44 → 4.73 |
Location Callouts — Worst to Best
The location closed for good on 9/7, so this ~4-week window captures its last days of operation. Revenue is down 39.7% YoY and weekly pace was down another 29.8% versus the prior 8 weeks heading into the close. Labor % stayed elevated at 39.3% because staffing didn't scale down as fast as revenue — expected in a wind-down, not a new problem. COGS kept dropping to 20.2% as purchasing was pulled back hard in the final stretch. Rating held at a perfect 5.00, though on just 2 reviews. No further tracking needed — drop this location from future reports.
Revenue is down 10.7% YoY — a sharp reversal from +1.5% growth at last check-in — and weekly pace is still negative at −17.0% versus the prior 8 weeks, worse than the −5.3% seen last time. COGS remains above last year (35.3% vs. 33.5%) and rating dropped to 4.42, down from a system-best 5.00 over the prior 8 weeks. This is the location that most needs attention this period: the cost drift flagged two cycles ago has now shown up in the top line too.
Revenue is down 4.0% YoY — smaller than the 5.4% decline at last check-in, and now the fourth consecutive period in the red at our flagship location. Momentum stayed positive at +6.9% versus the prior 8 weeks, though that's cooler than last check-in's +14.4%. Still the system's labor benchmark at 17.4% (lowest of any location, and improving) with a strong 4.86 rating. Brent's investigation from last cycle stays open — the trend is moving the right direction, but it's not resolved yet.
COGS eased further to 35.1%, down 2.4 points versus its own recent pace — a much smaller improvement than the 9.3pt drop at last check-in, suggesting most of the early fix has already been realized. Labor kept improving, down another 4.8 points. Weekly revenue pace is down 24.3% versus the prior 8 weeks, a bigger drop than the 19.6% seen last time; with no year-ago comparison yet (opened March 2026) it's still hard to say how much of that is normal post-launch settling. Rating remains strong at 4.92.
Revenue up 5.0% YoY, the best of any location with a year-ago comparison, though growth has cooled from 9.3% last check-in. The one wrinkle: COGS came in above last year for the first time this cycle (33.0% vs. 32.1% LY), a reversal from the improving-vs-LY trend seen every prior check-in. Weekly pace also turned slightly negative (−3.9% vs. the prior 8 weeks) after two straight periods of growth. Labor still improved (20.2%, down 2.1pt) and rating remains strong at 4.73. Nothing alarming yet, but worth a look before it becomes a pattern.
Action Plan
Bay St. Louis: closed for good on 9/7. This is its final report — no further diagnostic or turnaround action, and it should be dropped from the location list going forward.
- Brent — Algiers has swung from +1.5% YoY growth at last check-in to −10.7% now, with weekly pace still negative and rating down to 4.42 from a system-best 5.00. This needs an actual investigation, not just a check-in — report back with findings and a plan.
- Brent — Tchoupitoulas is down YoY for a fourth straight period (−4.0%, though narrowing from −5.4%), with momentum still positive but cooling. Report back on where that investigation stands and whether it's ready to close out.
- Brent — Baton Rouge's COGS came in above last year for the first time this cycle (33.0% vs. 32.1% LY) even as revenue growth continues. Take a look at what changed and report back before it becomes a trend.
- Brent — Huntsville's COGS fix from two cycles ago is holding (35.1%, still improving though more slowly) and labor keeps getting better. Confirm this is durable; also flag if the slowing weekly pace (−24.3% vs. prior 8wk) looks like more than normal post-launch settling.