Braum's

[GrandMaMa]

No, I was quite serious. I agree that it probably exceeds the bounds of reasonable expectation for fresh produce, eg veggies and things like that, but for milk? A frozen pie? Half-gallon of ice cream? C'mon...That's not unreasonable.

-soonerdave

If you stop and consider the location of these items within the store, I think that you would understand why someone at the window can't just run clear across the store and get a gallon of milk or ice cream or whatever, it isn't located by the window. I prefer to walk in and look around anyway, they have added some new item almost every time I visit and I would never know about it if I could get my milk through the window.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

This is why Sonic is one of the fastest growing fast-food chains in the world. People love to stay in their car and order fast crappy food.

Come on Okies let's stay the fattest and unhealthy city in the U.S., we can do it if we all try.

I too take exception to this. I love hamburgers, and will eat them from Sonic, McDonalds, Chili's, Braums, Booger Fling, etc. I'll eat them from the drive through, I'll eat them in the restaurant, I'll take them home, and I make a damnfinetasty one on the grill if I do say so myself.

I'm also quite the beer drinker. Some of my beers are heavy, high in calories, and generally very bad for me.

My blood pressure isn't out of whack, my cholesterol is fine, I'm not a drunk, and I don't weigh 300 lbs.

All things in moderation there Captain McInmybusiness.

As for the topic at hand, I'm going to have to try ordering some lettuce at the Braums drive-thru this weekend...Just to have an excuse to walk around in their store in my PJ's. My PJ's that have little fat sumo wrestlers on them. That's how I roll...With a fat guy on my pants, not in them.

[scootinger]

Actually, interesting, because I think Braum's stores have gone down in terms of a "clean operation", or at least in the mind's of consumers. I've seen some research that many people choose other fast food retailers because they appear cleaner than Braum's (don't agree with it). Part of that is that most of the Braum's in this area are older, and are due for some renovations, at least compared to the other chains. I think Braum's is beginning to address that...

Yeah, I agree....every time I see any of their ads or go to a Braum's it feels like I've walked into the 1980s. That's something they really need to work on.

[soonerfaithful]

I've been going to Braum's when they first opened when I was a little girl. Now my teenage daughter will only drink Braum's milk.
Braum's processes it's milk right there at Tuttle. So the milk goes from the cow, straight to the process system, to the plant to be put into containers then on the delivery trucks. So yes you will be getting milk that has come from the cow within 24-48 hours. This is one reason Braum's milk is cheaper then other stores.

Many stores are looking old as they are old. There is remodeling going on and there is talk of some of the smaller older stores being rebuilt.

With Mr. & Mrs. Braum getting up there in age it will be interesting to see what changes if any will be made when their kids take over.

[SuperScooper]

They're anything but plain vanilla, these new Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Stores.

Work is well under way on the first of the next generation of Braum's stores at 800 E Lindsey in Norman. It will replace the Braum's at 1320 E Lindsey, built 28 years ago, and should be complete by the end of July, spokeswoman Andie Schwab said.

It's "model W,” the 29th different design of store since the first Braum's opened in Oklahoma City in 1968. Some models were tweaked, not overhauled, hence more models than letters from A to W.

It's the first major new design since "model V” debuted in September 2002, ending the mansard roofs that had defined Braum's exteriors for 20 years.

The plan is to replace some of the dairy-based treat and grocery retailer's oldest stores — 59 locations without drive-through windows — with the new stores.

Stacked-stone exteriors, composition gabled roofs and state-of-the-art digital menu boards inside and out will set off the new stores from the not-so-new.

"We're excited about building our first store with our new look and design in Norman. We've been working on this prototype for years,” said Drew Braum, president.

"Inside and out, from the stone exterior to the stained concrete floors, it's unlike any Braum's store you've ever seen before.”

The prototype has 5,756 square feet of space, a little smaller than the previous model, which has 5,800 square feet, Schwab said.


Change in emphasis
The space is proportioned differently in the new design to accommodate a change in emphasis at Braum's.
Neither Braum's ice cream nor the 10,000 cows in Tuttle that produce it are going anywhere. In fact, new flavors including cake batter and fried ice cream, plus new sherbets, are coming.

But with the new design, Braum's is reducing the seating areas from around 120 seats to 86 seats, and is expanding its "fresh market” areas to accommodate a growing line of produce and staple groceries.

The new stores will have the traditional fountain area for ice cream, grill area for sandwiches, and the enlarged market for dairy, baked goods, meat and produce, with wider aisles, double checkout counters and automatic doors.

Other features will include wrap-around murals of farm scenes in the market areas, pendant lights over multicolored tables in the restaurants, and open-beam ceilings.

The new stores will replace the chain's oldest, smallest stores.

"My family and I thought it was time for something bigger and better,” said Braum, whose parents, Mary and Bill Braum, opened the first Braum's store in 39 years ago. "Within the next few years our plan is to rebuild about 59 stores throughout a five-state area, using this same prototype.”

After Norman, the next new stores will be built in Choctaw, Oklahoma City, Altus and Ada, Schwab said. Braum's has 276 stores in all in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas and Missouri.

"It's unlike any Braum's store you've ever seen before.”

Drew Braum, president



Changes

New Braum's stores upcoming:

•Norman — 800 E Lindsey, replacing a store at 1320 E Lindsey

•Choctaw — 14205 NE 23, replacing one 14729 NE 23

•Oklahoma City — 4201 NW 39, a new store

•Altus — 2505 N Main, replacing a store at the same location

•Ada — 13th and S Mississippi, replacing one at 601 N Mississippi

[Rifleman2C]

Good post, thanks for the info!

I'm glad to see Braum's putting a little extra into the look of the stores... I did quite a bit of shopping at the Choctaw store beacuse of it's convenient location to my old house, and always thought that it was one of the worst looking stores they had. But the looks never changed the fact that there was always good stuff sold inside!

[kevinpate]

I enjoy their food, but more than new designs, more than new products, please, please, can't they figure out a way to improve their service time. i don't want the burger cooked faster, but I would love to see a Braum's where it doesn't take over six mionutes just to place an order, with only one person inf ront of you, and they had a simple order, and then another six minutes to see your order get underway.

Hot or cold, it doesn't matter, i can not name one burger barn, home spun, national or regional, that is consistently slower than Braum's. I only go back as often as I do for the milk and well, they ARE tasty burgers once you get one

[Easy180]

I agree...Braum's is horrificly slow...Always has been, but it seems it just falls into the same speed category as other ice cream stores...The two frozen yogurt stores I drive thru seem to take an average of 5 to 10 minutes per vehicle...Not sure if they have to make the yogurt from scratch or what

They make Braum's seem like a McD's when it comes to speed

[sweetmercyfan]

Love the dairy products, service could be better, but if your looking for a desert we go to Sweet Mercy. They have frozen custard with all kinds of toppings and any espresso drink you want, or they can blend the espresso in with your frozen custard, which is awesome!! It's on I-240

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

I agree...Braum's is horrificly slow...Always has been, but it seems it just falls into the same speed category as other ice cream stores...The two frozen yogurt stores I drive thru seem to take an average of 5 to 10 minutes per vehicle...Not sure if they have to make the yogurt from scratch or what

They make Braum's seem like a McD's when it comes to speed

No kidding...The only place with slower service (in general) is theaters.

I really have a hard time watching some of those people move. I want to hit them with a cattle prod when I watch how slowly they go after that popcorn bag.

Even at Harkin's...I think they hired only people that were orphaned in the jungle at an early age and were raised by turtles.

[Jonboyinget]

Braum's is doing exactly what is expected of any drive-thru for fast food restaurant. If your going to get Milk or any other grocer products, don't be such a lazy butt, and walk in and get it yourself instead of having someone "fetch" it for you because your in your P.J.'s.

[SWOKC 4 me]

Braums used to have great burgers but something happened to them. I don't know what the difference is but their burgers do not taste the same as they used to. The last couple of times I went into Braums I was very disappointed in my burger. Do they taste different to anyone else or have my taste buds just changed?

[OkieKAS]

My milk jug cap has a label on it that says

rBGH FREE
Our Private Dairy Herd is
NOT treated with rBGH

No significant difference has been shown
between milk from rBGH treated
and untreated cows.


Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH)

Bovine somatotropin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[metro]

Haven't they had this on there for awhile now? Maybe it depends on which Braum's you go to.

[OkieKAS]

Haven't they had this on there for awhile now? Maybe it depends on which Braum's you go to.

Oh....... so what are you saying? That we get the OLD milk in Chickasha? hahahahahahahaha

Hubby buys 2 gallons weekly and this is the first time we have seen it.

[okclee]

Yes, I have been seeing that label since around Christmas. My inlaws were in town for the holidays and noticed it. They are big health people so they noticed it before I did.

[OkieKAS]

WoW...weird, in and of itself.

Essentially since the Braum's Dairy is in Grady County.

[OUman]

^I've been seeing that label since around December as well. rBGH is a hormone that makes cows produce more milk, artificially of course. My stance on the issue is the same I have for anything artificial: as far as possible, I avoid eating it or drinking it. I drink mainly organic milk these days (certified organic, not the crap Horizon sells-their organic milk isn't really organic anyway, since their cows are fed on grains like silo-stored corn, ugh).

[OkieKAS]

Hubby is a major milk drinker 'round here. At least 2 gallons a week.

I have a little with cereal or choc milk.

Guess the label just got to our area.

Maybe the issue has just gotten more media so now it goes on all caps.

[fromdust]

i havent been to braums for a while. how do the milk prices compare to the super markets?

[OkieKAS]

Hubby prefers Braum's to anything else. He says it tastes better - fresher.
Also, Hiland has good choc milk and reg milk.
Farm Fresh was always pretty good to me.

Braum's seems to have a smoother quality to it. It mixes with chocolate syrup better than the others and I never have any choc that settles to the bottom. It has a sweeter taste than the others.

Utilized in cooking, it stirs in very well with omelets, potatoes....etc...

It doesn't have that opaque look to it in a glass. It is milky white not watery looking.

Growing up in rural OK we had milk cows, and after straining most of the cream off, (one didn't strain it all off and most of the hand/milking/straining was through a cloth) so you had milk that looks like Braum's. A rich creamy appearance of well blended milk. We only drink whole Vit D milk.

Braum's only utilizes Holstein cows, too.

That may make a big difference.

My son with a crew chops the alfalfa for Braum's so I was out there severalmany times and looked around.

Their cows are in a huge covered barn that has water sprayers going to keep it clean when they are not being milked. The farm always looks really clean, too. All of the equipment, the barns, the ponds, the land........it is all very clean.

I really don't know much about the other dairys.

And Braum's sells cheaper.

We have never gotten any BAD milk or even near being outdated.

[teacher girl]

i have also seen that for a few months now (we go through a good 2 gallons a week)

I always had braum's milk growing up and now I can't drink any other! i love braums

[CCOKC]

The new Braums at 39th and Tulsa opened on Monday. If anyone would take a picture and post we could see the new design. It is quite different from other stores I have visited. The outside uses a lot of stonework and the inside is more segregated between the grocery side and the restaurant side.

[Jon27]

I worked for Braum's for 3 years. The problem isn't that they're slow (I even smirked when I read that!), it's that there poorly designed. When the person in front of you orders 6 banana splits, than you're going to have to wait. Braum's structure and food offerings are not built on speed. That's why you'll get to the window and have a melted cone. Yours was made first because it was simple, meanwhile the other guy is making 15 large shakes. Braum's is a great restaurant, and I enjoyed working there. In fact, if I had to, I wouldn't mind going back as a store manager, but they need a training overhaul. The staffing models they use are way off. They run a barebones crew, when you need extra because of the time it takes to make their products.

[Martin]

nothing against you superchris, but for me braum's seems to be routinely slow whether or not they are busy. -M