New Jersey is known for a lot of things – some good, some bad.
If you’re looking for a ridiculously tasty slice of pizza, New Jersey’s a great place to look. Similarly, if you’re someone who loves clean beaches, tiki bars, and enough saltwater taffy to keep a dentist busy, New Jersey’s your place.
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Of course, haters of New Jersey will be quick to point out that for every gorgeous beach and charming small town, there’s a stretch of the Turnpike emanating a stench so vile you can’t help but hold your nose.
And while New Jersey may be a nice place to raise a family, it’s hard to overlook the fact that it’s one of the most expensive states in the country.
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Not only are New Jersey property values high, but the state also has the dubious distinction of having the highest property taxes in all of the U.S.
Still, as a fairly densely populated state, retailers and restaurants tend to flock to New Jersey in the hopes of drawing in customers. And one well-known chain is turning to the Garden State to forge a new restaurant concept.
Popular diner chain picks terrible market to expand into.
Image source: Shutterstock
Popular diner chain expands to New Jersey
These days, a lot of restaurants are closing their doors and filing for bankruptcy due to a decline in sales.
The reality is that a lot of people can’t afford to dine out as much as they used to, given persistent inflation and the fact that their paychecks just aren’t going as far.
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But at a time when so many restaurants are making plans to shutter, diner chain Perkins is growing its footprint. The company just announced that it’s expanding its new Perkins Griddle & Go concept to New Jersey, with plans to bring 46 new locations to the central part of the state.
The first Griddle & Go location is expected to open by October in Fort Monmouth.
Griddle & Go is a more streamlined version of Perkins, featuring digital menus and self-order kiosks for quick service. If you’re looking for a tasty meal in a hurry, Griddle & Go may be more your jam than a traditional Perkins restaurant.
“Franchisees across the country have shown strong interest in Griddle & Go. We signed an impressive number of units in New Jersey, which will be home to our flagship U.S. restaurant,” said Peter Ortiz, chief development officer for Ascent Hospitality Management, the parent company of Perkins.
Perkins may have chosen its new market poorly
The decision to expand its Griddle & Go concept is not necessarily a bad move for Perkins. Rather, it’s the market that may prove problematic.
New Jersey is loaded with diners. There’s typically at least one diner in every town. And in larger towns, you might find five or six.
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In fact, it would be fair to say that New Jersey is famous for its diners and their gigantic, all-encompassing menus. That makes it a tough market for Griddle & Go to break into.
New Jersey diner fans are wired to expect lots of options. In light of that, Griddle & Go’s menu could fall short.
Also, while Griddle & Go’s self-order kiosks may fit in well across the river in New York City, where people are perpetually in a hurry and want everything streamlined, New Jerseyians don’t tend to be in as much of a rush (unless they’re driving down the highway trying to beat Shore traffic).
In fact, New Jersey consumers are used to being served, whether it’s at a gas station or inside a restaurant.
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All told, the Griddle & Go concept is a viable one, but it’s surprising that much of Perkins’ expansion plans are centered around a state that may not welcome them with open arms or wallets.
Of course, New Jersey isn’t the only state in which Perkins is looking to grow its footprint. The company has also signed deals for Griddle & Go locations in California and Texas, as well as Canada.
It’ll be interesting to see how well received the concept is – in New Jersey and elsewhere.