BOTTOM LINE

KEY TAKEAWAY. Sarasota Ford is set to open a high-end, Frenchstyle restaurant inside the dealership — a move designed to increase brand and customer loyalty.

CORE CHALLENGE. Customer education of how this concept, Le Mans Kitchen, is significantly different from the typical bottled water from a dorm fridge, Styrofoam cup of coffee and glazed donuts you might normally get to munch on at a dealership. WHAT’S NEXT. The restaurant is scheduled to open Dec. 11, starting on weekdays. It will add weekends in 2024.