What’s Wrong with Casual Dining Chains?

The negative sales trends experienced by the top casual dining chains recently are continuing to create a drag on on-premise beer consumption in the channel. Insiders cite excessive winter weather and lagging consumer confidence as the primary drivers of weakness in the segment. Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, and PF Chang's all reporting negative March and YTD same-store sales trends. But casual dining has been in a two year slump now, so it's tough to blame it all on the weather.What