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The basics:

• Tommy’s Tavern & Tap launched after Superstorm Sandy rebuilding
• Parent Triple T Hospitality grows brand to 14+ locations across multiple states
• In 2020, Triple T unveiled Tio Taco + Tequila Bar as a spinoff
• Expansion plans for $148M business include new NJ sites, out-of-state growth

After Superstorm Sandy battered the Jersey Shore, it took years for the region to piece itself back together from one of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history. Making landfall in late October 2012, Sandy left behind a trail of devastation along the East Coast that included widespread flooding, extended power outages and property destruction. The storm cost New Jersey more than $37.1 billion statewide, including $13.6 billion in direct physical and economic damage, plus $23.5 billion in remediation costs. And, rebuilding and recovery was prolonged due to funding shortfalls, insurance gaps and evolving resiliency standards.

But in the coastal community of Sea Bright, Tommy Bonfiglio saw opportunity in a storm-battered building and moved to bring it back to life.

Situated along Ocean Avenue, the property previously housed the local post office, apartments and backyard bungalows, but sat vacant after Sandy. When the former tax attorney and CPA launched the very first Tommy’s Tavern & Tap in 2015 alongside his wife, Yvette, the concept quickly became known for its specialty wings, burgers, coal-fired pizza, sushi, salads and sandwiches, along with its extensive craft beer menu, whiskey offerings and specialty cocktails.

From storm to spinoff

From there, the brand has grown to 14 other locations across New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Even during the pandemic, Tommy’s Tavern & Tap parent company Triple T Hospitality continued to expand the chain by quickly adapting to takeout and delivery and strategically expanding into areas with steady demand.

In 2020, Triple T unveiled Tio Taco + Tequila Bar as a spinoff focused on tacos, fajitas and cocktails. That concept has two New Jersey spots (Edison and Marlboro) and one in Delaware (Newark).

After Bonfiglio’s death in 2022 at the age of 62, his family –  including Yvette and daughters Andrea (chief marketing officer) and Christina (chief brand and concept officer and restaurant designer) – continues to lead Triple T with the same commitment to quality, hospitality and values that he had.

A $148 million business, Triple T serves more than 5.7 million guests annually at its two chains. Of the 110,000 customers who visit each week, about 70% are return diners, according to the group.

Besides being considered one of the fastest-growing independent restaurant groups in the Northeast, Triple T has recently been included on the NJBIZ In the Lead Family-Owned Businesses and Power Businesses lists.

… and growing

Following the recent Ocean County debut of Tommy’s Tavern & Tap at a shuttered TGI Fridays in Toms River, Triple T expects to launch its second Morris County outpost later this year at Ledgewood Commons in Ledgewood.

In Paramus, the group anticipates an April 2027 grand opening of a new, 10,000-square-foot Tommy’s Tavern & Tap. That upcoming location at Bergen Town Center will include outdoor spaces, such as a covered rooftop area for eating and drinking, as well as a ground level area with firepits, games and lounging.

Once all three restaurants are open, they’ll add at least $16 million to Triple T’s annual run rate, the company said. Beyond that, the firm is eyeing expansion into South Florida, Maryland, Virginia and Washington as part of a goal to hit 30 locations within the next five years.

Even as Triple T expands, its leadership remains committed to upholding Bonfiglio’s vision of a family-run culture that promotes from within and builds community-driven restaurants centered on quality, consistency and experience.

‘We’re going big’

For Triple T CEO Tim Selcov, Tommy’s Tavern & Tap wasn’t the first time he worked with Bonfiglio. Selcov was previously involved with a Red Bank-based three-unit pizza chain that Bonfiglio and his wife ran. The couple started Tommy’s Coal Fired Pizza in 2009 after their children left home, and they found themselves empty nesters who weren’t quite ready to retire.

In early 2015, they sold the business to focus on a new venture – Tommy’s Tavern & Tap. During the planning phase, Selcov accompanied Bonfiglio on a visit to the wrecked site in Sea Bright.

He recalled Bonfiglio telling him, “‘We’re going to turn this into a restaurant. We’re going to take what we’ve done and we’re going big. We’re going to do it better than ever.'”

“He saw the potential in absolutely nothing. He was able to see what other people couldn’t. And he would also be able to get you excited about it. He had so much passion for literally a dirt floor and a broken-down building at the time that it was just like ‘sign me up, whatever we need to do.’ And that’s just who he was,” Selcov said.

He saw the potential in absolutely nothing. He was able to see what other people couldn’t.
– Tim Selcov, Triple T CEO, speaking about Tommy’s Tavern founder Tommy Bonfiglio

“Tommy wanted to create a neighborhood tavern that would build generational guests. He wanted people who would be coming in with their kids, and in 20 years, those kids are going to be coming in with their kids. And he just really wanted to build something that would last. His goal when he opened that first one was not setting out to take over New Jersey like we’ve done. His goal was for him and the family to really just open up a place that everyone would enjoy and create memories and feel comfortable at,” Selcov explained.

Something for everyone

Because the concept features three distinct kitchens – sushi, pizza and tavern fare – Tommy’s Tavern + Tap’s wide-ranging menu appeals to a broad mix of guests. Bonfiglio wanted to create a place where “people can come on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and still have something new each time,” Selcov said.

Who is the ideal demographic for Tommy’s Tavern & Tap? Selcov believes the “polished casual upscale tavern” appeals to almost everyone — from families to friends to couples to groups of coworkers.

No matter who the guest may be, Selcov said they’ll be “met with a level of service that’s going to far out exceed what you’re expecting at our price point … and an excellent level of quality of food.”

“And, where you’re achieving value is the pricing of our menu. We’re usually right at our competitors or even in some places slightly below because we’re able to leverage our purchasing power.

“We’re right in step with the Cheesecake Factories of the world and the Yard Houses of the world, but we really believe we are able to deliver a better experience and a better-quality product of food,” he said.

The power within

Triple T’s leadership credits its success to a strong team across its 2,300-employee organization and smart real estate decisions. About 60% of the corporate team was promoted from within the restaurants, according to Triple T.

Selcov is among the workers who rose up the ranks from the floor. He began as a food and beverage director for Tommy’s Tavern & Tap in Sea Bright before moving into a role overseeing multiple locations as the concept added new spots.

In 2019, he became chief operating officer. Three years ago, Selcov – who described himself as Bonfiglio’s “adopted son” – was named chief executive officer.

Triple T Chief Financial Officer Chris Dietz is married to Bonfiglio’s daughter, Christina. He also has a long history with Bonfiglio that stretches back to when the two had an accounting firm together. After the practice sold in 2021, Dietz continued overseeing Triple T’s bookkeeping, accounting and tax work before formally assuming the in-house CFO role.

Selcov said, “We’re living and leading this brand the same way that he did. We are a family, it’s family-run and everybody that works for us is part of that family. We try to instill that in everybody – especially with our internal growth and raising people from the ground up.”

Dietz said, “If you are willing to learn, if you are willing to put in the time to develop yourself, show passion and show the commitment that we’re willing to show to you, that’s kind of what it’s all about. And that’s how the legacy lives on and how we’ve continued to do our best to run the company the way he would’ve run it by giving that time, giving that commitment and giving that dedication to your team.”

‘This is his legacy’

“Great businesses are built on great people. That’s something that he [Bonfiglio] truly believed in and something that we truly believe in,” Dietz said, adding, “We’re going to give everything we can to get you to the point where you want to be.”

“He gave so much mentorship, guidance and personal development. It didn’t matter if it was about business or something personal … he always gave you the time you needed,” he said. “It was a no-brainer that after he passed away, this is his legacy, we’re going to continue this and we’re going to see through what he started.”

Great businesses are built on great people. That’s something that he [founder Tommy Bonfiglio] truly believed in and something that we truly believe in.
– Chris Dietz, Triple T COO

When it comes to identifying and developing talent among employees, Selcov said, “We look for people who really represent what this brand is and what we believe in.” He went on to say they prioritize hiring candidates who show loyalty, passion and alignment with the company’s values, believing skills can be taught over time.

Dietz noted they use a structured evaluation system that reviews employee feedback and customer reviews to identify consistent strengths and patterns, which helps inform hiring and promotion decisions.

What you can’t teach

“When we’re evaluating people for new positions, we always say we can teach you the skills, but we can’t teach you passion, loyalty, dedication and personal interest in wanting to grow… We look for who you are as a person, and then we’re willing to develop the skillset with you to make you successful in the role,” he explained.

“One of the largest costs that a hospitality chain will incur is its cost of labor. So going back to that 60% rate of corporate employees who were operations employees, if you look at that, we are able to substantially mitigate the cost of training and retraining people within our company. We have exceedingly low turnover or excessively low turnover because we believe we provide opportunity to our staff,” he explained.

And, by investing in its people and fostering loyalty, Triple T says that’s created a culture where employees stay longer, care more about their work and are motivated by clear opportunities for promotion, Dietz said.

“We’re constantly looking at how we can better our team members’ lives. Our sales volumes speak for themselves … When a large chunk of our employment staff, our service professionals, have an income that depends on tips, working for a restaurant that does $14 million in sales makes for a tip base that is substantially higher. So, you have that opportunity to bring home more money at the end of the day than you would maybe your typical neighborhood establishment,” he went on.

Making straight As

Besides building several brand-new Tommy’s Tavern & Tap locations, like Paramus and Edison, Triple T has converted shuttered retail spaces into casual and design-forward dining destinations.

Dietz said, “What we really look for is real estate. And, we have a really great real estate broker. We leverage some AI tools to investigate areas that we believe might be really high demand. And then what we’ll look at where do we want to be in that market?”

In New Jersey, it just so happens that legacy dining brands like TGI Fridays, Zinburger, Red Lobster and Houlihan’s formerly occupied much of the prime real estate. So, in many cases, Triple T has taken over sites previously occupied by those chains. But there have been times when the group moved into spaces that once housed retail stores, like Pier One or Williams Sonoma.

“We’re not just driven by second-gen restaurant spaces, because if you walk into our construction sites right at the end of the demo phase, you wouldn’t know what was ever there,” Dietz said. “It is really just the sticks of the building.”

“When we look at something, we’ll say, ‘OK, this is an A location, our demographics are there, it’s easy access, high traffic areas.’ So, we know we will be successful here and we’ll go there … The idea that it was a restaurant or not a restaurant doesn’t really play into it too much, Other than the fact that we know it’s already zoned for a restaurant and that’s one less obstacle we have to clear with the town,” he explained.

Weathering industry storms

According to Triple T’s leadership, the company is withstanding industry challenges by taking a proactive, forward-looking approach. That includes steps like securing pricing, using brokers, and evaluating alternatives early to control expenses and stay ahead of future challenges without cutting corners on standards.

“From a restaurant operations view, we don’t ever accept what we’re doing today. We always look for what we can do better. Every meeting, the question isn’t: ‘What are we doing wrong?’ The question is: ‘What can we do better?’ Because we do everything great, but you can always be better. We don’t just accept good … We’re always pushing to be the best. There’s always competition coming into town. And we always say we’re not worried about the competition bringing in more people, but we’ve got to execute at the highest level possible and always come back to us,” Selcov said.

That strategy also applies to menu innovations. Along with rolling out seasonal limited-time offerings four times a year at Tommy’s Tavern & Tap, Selcov said Triple T does occasional small tweaks to the core menu. “It’s hard because everything is so well received, and everything is so great at Tommy’s that you never want to pull off guest favorites and things like that, but we’re always tweaking it a little bit,” he said.

Staying ahead of trends

“It’s the same with the trends. We have a VP of culinary who’s also our executive chef, and we have a director of purchasing and a big part of their jobs is staying ahead of the market, staying ahead of the trends, going to food shows, meeting with brokers and vendors on what’s coming out, what’s already out, what’s going to be new,” he said.

After noting the company’s commitment to food quality, Selcov said new dishes are thoroughly tested and refined in a dedicated test kitchen before they’re introduced to the menu.

Dietz added, “And we lean on the same infrastructure that we use to take in feedback about our employees and identify people who embody the Tommy’s values … If you don’t have a happy guest, you don’t have a successful restaurant. So, we’re always listening to what guests are talking about and what guests are asking for.”

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Recent food trends that have influenced the menu include the Nashville hot chicken craze and the demand for all things protein. According to Selcov, hot honey chicken bites are now a fan-favorite at Tommy’s Tavern & Tap. They expect a new steak sandwich coming soon will be a hit, too.

“We definitely pride ourselves on being fresh and innovative … when we keep things fun, new and trendy. Our servers and bartender teams that are selling it get excited about it, too. And it keeps that passion in the restaurants going as well. It’s really a whole trickle-down effect,” Selcov said.

New territory

As Triple T works to increase its presence in other states, Selcov said the game plan for new markets is “to execute and build the trust and loyalty from guests and create that following the same way we did in Jersey.”

“And the biggest part of that is the people and having the right people because these restaurants are just four walls without people … Do we have the right people who are going to exemplify our values and bring the Tommy’s experience to those areas?” Selcov said.

He noted that much of Tommy’s Tavern & Tap’s growth has been fueled by positive word of mouth.

Dietz said, “We are committed to our brand excellence. We are clear to our brand standard. And that’s kind of the obstacle. Can we open up enough restaurants quickly enough yet far enough spaced out to get our teams trained, running, operational and have the infrastructure in place to provide the perfect Tommy’s experience?”

Passion pros and cons

As a family-run company, Selcov said the passion “is both the fun part and the tougher part sometimes.”

“Being around family, being around people every single day who care as much as you do about a business and about its success and about its people, this isn’t just a job. We’re not just running restaurants. This is all of our lives and being able to share that is huge and it really does mean everything. At the same time, passion also leads to seeing things differently sometimes and butting heads and all of that,” he said.

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Dietz said, “There are family businesses where they’re family owned, but not every family member cares. This is a family business where every single family member loves the business, wants to be a part of the business and is an intricate part of the business … We’re passionate about the business and we’re constantly talking about it.”

“There’s always that challenge of — we really want to provide that work-life balance to our employees, and we think we do an excellent job of that. I just think at the real high family level [it] is sometimes reminding ourselves that we need that balance as well. When you’re just passionate about something, it’s always on your mind,” he said.

What’s next?

As for whether Triple T would consider franchising Tommy’s Tavern & Tap or Tio Taco + Tequila Bar, Selcov said, “We are family owned, family operated. It’s who we were founded to be and it’s who we are.”

Dietz said, “We’re very thankful of being where we are. We’re very proud of what we’ve accomplished. And at the end of the day, it’s just Tommy’s legacy. Yes, we’re growing it, and yes, we’re running it, but with the foundations that he set and the vision that he laid forward. We’re just really proud and honored to be where we are and to have that ability to continue what he started.”

Selcov added, “We set out every day to not only grow and build his legacy, but really to protect it. And every decision we make, we have that in mind and that continues to drive us every day. And we love what we do.”