As a college freshman in 1999, Kenneth Rader and his college friends subsisted on a general diet of ramen noodles and cereal, particularly when harsh weather at Syracuse University would snow them in. At the time, Starbucks was starting to become ubiquitous, Rader said.
“It really started out as a joke; one of us said, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if there was a Starbucks for cereal?’ ” Rader said.
Fast forward to years after graduation, and Rader and three friends opened The Cereal Bowl, a cafe designed to appeal to college students and others looking for a quirky breakfast option. The place ended up attracting everyone from tourists to businessmen with clients.
Soon, The Cereal Bowl will go national, and D.C. is among the first places planned for its expansion.
The restaurant features more than 30 types of cold cereals, six varieties of granolas and three hot cereals, Rader said. What distinguishes the restaurant’s offerings are the 40 toppings it offers, from dried fruit to gummy bears. The cafe markets a do-it-yourself cereal bar, as well as customized creations with quirky names like “Mom Knows Best” and “Gimme Some More,” as well as offering cereal-infused ice cream and treats like oatmeal smoothies.
The cafe charges $2.79 for a small bowl and $3.79 for a large one, and offers coffee and other items.
The Cereal Bowl has 16 franchises under development, and Rader expects to have 25 to 30 by the end of the summer; the restaurant has received more than 2,000 franchise requests over the past two years. At least one D.C. store (Rader would not reveal the exact location) will open by the end of this year, and the area is being targeted as a major focus area because of its walkable nature, Rader said.
The company will expand to kiosk locations as well, which will appear in areas like airports and college campuses, beginning in south Florida.
