Celebrity-chef restaurants and Applebee's are using the same playbook

Stepping inside Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen in Atlantic City felt like entering a TV set, with mood lighting, marble floors, and screens playing his most iconic moments.

Diners sipped $18 cocktails and scanned the menu for the dishes they knew would be there — Ramsay staples like beef Wellington and pub-style burgers, or the Caesar salad they'd already previewed online.

Gordon Ramsay's Atlantic City empire encompasses a trio of concepts tucked inside casino resorts across the seaside city: the casual, British-themed Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill; the slightly elevated steakhouse, Gordon Ramsay Steak; and the flashy, TV-inspired Hell's Kitchen.

Together, they showcase what celebrity-chef dining looks like in 2026: upscale but accessible, familiar but celebratory, slightly expensive without being exclusive.

At first glance, Ramsay's restaurants may appear worlds away from what I've come to expect at the casual-dining chains that I frequent as a food reporter, such as Applebee's or Chili's. The interiors are more polished. The food is more elevated. The prices are a whole lot higher.

Still, as I dined my way through Ramsay's restaurants, a through line emerged. At both casual-dining chains and chef-branded spots like Hell's Kitchen, I wondered how much I was really paying for the food, and how much for the comfort of knowing exactly what to expect from my dining experience.

Beneath the luxe lighting and famous name, celebrity-chef restaurants operate on the same principle that keeps casual chains packed night after night: familiarity.

Like casual-dining chains, celebrity-chef restaurants lean into comfort food

At Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, the most casual of the three restaurants I visited in July 2025, the menu served fancier versions of classic pub grub.

There was Buffalo cauliflower fried in batter and smothered in sauce, mac and cheese made with rich English cheddar, and a classic pub burger topped with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.

That balance between familiarity and flair is intentional, says Christopher Carraher, the vice president of food and beverage for Caesars Entertainment, which oversees many of Ramsay's restaurants.

"We know we need recognizable staples that ground the menu and make it approachable," Carraher told Business Insider. "From there, we let the chef's creativity shine through dishes that are bold and completely unique to the brand."

Carraher said that while recognizable dishes anchor the menu, innovation is layered on top. The goal is to create a dining experience that feels both comforting and exciting, sometimes within the same course.

I experienced that for myself at Ramsay's restaurants. The pub burger at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill was juicy, well-seasoned, and featured classic ingredients you would find on most bar-and-grill burgers, but was slightly elevated with a red-wine glaze and prime sirloin patty.

It was typical chain-restaurant fare kicked up a notch.

Celebrity-chef restaurants and casual chains take the gamble out of leisure dining

Celebrity-chef restaurants are often found inside casinos, and they make the most sense in vacation locales like Atlantic City, Vegas, or Miami — places where tourists want one or two "nice dinners" but are overwhelmed by choice.

They want a safe option: reliable food, good service, and a price point that's slightly higher than what they'd usually spend, making it feel like a special evening without breaking the budget.

In cities with hundreds of restaurants, a celebrity chef's name cuts through the noise. A 2024 survey by Talker Research found that Americans would be willing to pay $340 on average for a three-course meal prepared by their favorite celebrity chef — 40% of whom said Ramsay was their top choice — and about 17% would spend more than $500.

Carraher added that the details in celebrity-chef restaurants — from lighting and music to uniforms and packaging — are carefully designed to reflect the chef's brand.

Diners are drawn to the idea that they're experiencing something personally curated by their favorite chef, which creates a sense of trust similar to that of a well-known chain.

Another part of the appeal of dining at a celebrity-chef chain is consistency.

The beef Wellington you order at Ramsay's Atlantic City restaurants is designed to be consistent with one you order in London, Las Vegas, or Miami. And even if you don't know what will be on the menu by the time you arrive for your reservation, you already know Ramsay's name and reputation.

For many diners, that's enough to make them feel comfortable trusting a place like Hell's Kitchen for their only meal out on vacation.

Other celebrity chefs and restaurateurs also follow this model. Bobby Flay's restaurant portfolio reliably showcases his Southwestern style — think bold spices and chili peppers — with his signature burgers and meat-focused menu.

Guy Fieri's outposts lean into the same over-the-top comfort food and flame-heavy branding that define his TV persona.

Lisa Vanderpump's venues similarly pair ornate, maximalist décor with photo-ready cocktails and indulgent small plates, including SUR's signature goat-cheese balls, a dish made famous on her reality show "Vanderpump Rules."

Across each celebrity's restaurant portfolio, the through line is familiarity: recognizable dishes, consistent aesthetics, and a clear extension of the celebrity's brand.

That same logic fuels chain restaurants like Applebee's and Chili's. Their casual, comfortable interiors and photo-heavy menus are designed to feel familiar and predictable, helping ensure diners know exactly what they're ordering.

Diners actively seek out that kind of reassurance. A 2023 survey by US Foods found that 83% of diners review a restaurant's menu before arriving, and half (50%) make their final decision on what they'll order before even sitting down.

Celebrity-chef restaurants have a leg up on casual chains when it comes to atmosphere

Hell's Kitchen crackled with energy, its open kitchen alive with sizzling pans and servers hustling dishes out to awaiting tables. Photos of past "Hell's Kitchen" winners lined the walls while screens throughout the dining room played clips from the show.

Servers also encouraged photos as dishes emerged from the open chef's kitchen, making it feel more like a performance than just a meal.

You simply don't get that at Applebee's, and that's one reason people are willing to pay more for a Ramsay-branded establishment over a casual-dining chain when visiting a vacation destination like Atlantic City, where both types of restaurants are everywhere.

However, the sense of luxury is more theatrical than literal.

I found that reservations at all three of Ramsay's restaurants were relatively easy to get, even during the height of summer. Like most large-scale restaurant groups, the kitchens are run by trained executive chefs and culinary teams rather than by Ramsay himself. The experience is designed to feel celebratory and polished, but still accessible — special without being overly formal or intimidating.

In other words, it's still a chain.

Celebrity-chef restaurants aren't scams, but they're not so different from other chain restaurants, either

Gordon Ramsay Restaurants operates 94 restaurants worldwide, Forbes reported, and generated revenues of $500.8 million in 2024. His restaurant group also holds an impressive eight Michelin stars, including three at his flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which he has maintained for more than 22 years.

Financially, those numbers pale in comparison to massive chains like Applebee's, which brought in $4.1 billion in sales in 2024, Restaurant Business reported, and has 1,614 locations worldwide — but, perhaps no surprise here, zero Michelin stars.

In both types of chain-restaurant concepts, there's a focus on expansion and attracting both new and returning customers.

However, one challenge that celebrity-chef restaurants face is price creep. The cost of an average meal can quickly outpace what value-focused chain-restaurant diners are used to spending.

At Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill, dinner for two — entrées, appetizers, cocktails, and a side — totaled $181.42 after tax and tip. The nearly $30 pub burger was well executed, but comparable to versions I've had elsewhere for far less.

The jump was even more pronounced at Gordon Ramsay Steak, where dinner for two — including four cocktails and no sides — totaled $320 after tax and tip.

My $100-plus American wagyu filet was tender and well seasoned, but lacked the marbling or wow factor to justify its premium price.

Even at Hell's Kitchen — the strongest of the three experiences — value hinged more on atmosphere than food.

A meal for two cost $210.22. I thought this was reasonable for a celebratory night out, but far beyond what I'd spend at a casual chain.

You're not paying for Gordon Ramsay to cook your steak. You're paying for the idea of Gordon Ramsay cooking your steak — the same way you're paying for the comfort of Applebee's consistency when you pull off the highway.

One just comes with a pitchfork toothpick inside a $20 cocktail.

Gordon Ramsay Restaurant Group did not return Business Insider's request for comment.