The food options at the Las Vegas Convention Center during RECon peak with a Nathan’s stall and mostly subsist of ubiquitous free mints doled out by booth workers.
Still, grub is on a lot of people’s minds at this retail real estate hub.
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As New York’s devotion to food concepts, both national and local, threatens to spin out of control, we at The Commercial Observer scanned the expo for national restaurant chains that haven’t made the leap to the Big Apple.
Below, a sampling of five notable restaurant franchises either on their way to New York or sadly reluctant about a move to the city.
Matt Winn, head of retail for the Americas at C&W, told The Commercial Observer to look out for big moves from this burgeoning health chain—butter, cream and high-fructose corn syrup are banned—from former McDonald’s president and chief operating officer Mike Roberts and communications chief Mike Donahue. While it only has a light presence in California right now, Mr. Roberts is aiming for 250 franchises nationwide in the next five years.
The sub shop began in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, before expanding to over 600 locations in points north, south and west. But they haven’t penetrated New York City until now, with two planned Manhattan locations, including a 3,200-square-foot location near Pearl Street and Maiden Lane next month. In total, the franchise, which boasts 750 stores open or under construction across the country, hopes to open 120 locations in New York City alone.
The Atlanta-based Mr. Winn said the city’s famed drive-in—where Georgians, he says, “go to get their oil checked”—would not be a fit for car-averse New Yorkers.
As fried chicken and biscuits have exploded in popularity across New York City, this 36-year-old, Charlotte-based fast food joint has maintained just one NYC outpost. Bojangle’s Director of Real Estate Chris Hack told The Commercial Observer that, as of now at least, Virginia is the farthest north the chain operates and that no immediate plans to break into New York are currently in the works.
