BRIGHTON — One of Scott O’Daniel’s first jobs as new general manager of the Lone Star Steak House in Brighton was to convince Spiderman to make an appearance at an upcoming kids’ night event.

    “Who wouldn’t want to see Spiderman?” O’Daniel wonders aloud.

    If O’Daniel can reverse the fortunes of once sizzling business at the Brighton Pavilions restaurant, he might achieve some superhero status of his own.

    That is exactly the task the Lone Star company has put in the hands of O’Daniel. He is a restaurant management veteran who recently wrapped up a stint managing more than a dozen BJ’s Restaurants.

    O’Daniel is passionate about the restaurant business and about the new community he works in. And he is blunt about the struggles Lone Star has dealt with over the past years. Those struggles are punctuated by a large notice on the front door of the restaurant that warns patrons the restaurant cannot serve liquor until Aug. 13 because of its third license violation in the past year.

    He admits such violations would turn him off from a restaurant, too, if he knew he wouldn’t be able to enjoy a beer with his lunch or dinner. He touts a “zero tolerance policy” toward future violations and said it is enforced by Lone Star’s own company initiative that sends secret shoppers into the restaurant on a regular basis to make sure customers are asked for identification prior to being served liquor. Any employee caught not asking for identification will be terminated and no employee under 21 will be permitted to serve liquor any longer.

    “It’s our job to be responsible,” he said.

    O’Daniel said that responsibility goes well beyond steering clear of legal troubles. He said he has made it a point to make sure his restaurants in the past were erstwhile supporters of their communities, and he wants to do the same in Brighton. While the business of a restaurant is clearly staked on a strong bottom line, O’Daniel said there’s no price tag on helping others and the community.

    “I don’t care if we make a single buck off anybody,” he says when it comes to supporting a worthy cause.

    His business philosophy is pretty simple.

    “I love my food, I love my guests,” he said.

    “Texas hospitality,” he added. “That’s what it’s about.”

    As part of the restaurant’s recommitment to Brighton, O’Daniel planned a couple large events in August to thank loyal customers and invite others back (see this week's Brighton Blade print edition).

    “I’m at the mercy of the community,” he said. “We’re going to do what we have to do to prove ourselves to the community again.”