Summer is right around the corner, which means longer and sunnier days, warmer weather, and well-deserved vacations for those who haven’t already used all their PTO.
This is also the perfect season for road trips. In addition to being more affordable than buying multiple plane tickets, road trips offer a way to visit different cities, gain new experiences, and spend quality time with loved ones while creating fun memories.
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Whether camping, visiting family, or heading to an amusement park, many would agree that a big downside to road trips is the lack of good food options.
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However, one popular Southern fast-food chain is coming to the rescue for road trippers who tend to get hangry when waiting too long to eat.
Krystal opens a first-of-its-kind location in Texas after a decade.
Image source: Paras Griffin/Getty Images
A Southern fast-food chain steps outside its comfort zone
Krystal, owned by SPB Hospitality, is an American fast-food chain founded in a small town in Tennessee in 1930. Since then, it has built nearly 300 restaurants in 11 states, thanks to its iconic burger sliders and chili cheese pups, which have helped it rise to fame as a local Southern favorite.
This month, Krystal opened its first-ever restaurant inside a travel center and its first new location in Texas in over a decade. This makes it very convenient for customers traveling to a fun new destination or simply commuting from one town to another.
The new Kystal is now open for business 24/7 and can be found at the EZ Travel Center at 16151 Highway 31 West in Tyler, Texas.
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Although Krystal is primarily known for its standalone restaurants, it built this latest addition inside a travel center to better accommodate consumers’ fast-paced lives. The new location makes pit stops even more strategic, since guests can satisfy their hunger while fueling up thier vehicle.
“We’re excited to continue expanding our reach, as well as the way we meet our guests. Our focus remains creating convenient, memorable experiences and we’re proud to meet our guests where they are — on the road, in their communities and in the everyday moments that matter,” said SPB Hospitality CEO Josh Kern.
Krystal unveils its new growth strategy
Krystal launched a refranchising program in 2023 to open 200 new locations over the next three to four years, intending to reach approximately 500 total restaurants.
In addition to this franchise initiative, the fast-food chain’s latest expansion into a travel center is part of a growth strategy to create brand awareness and reach a new audience. By expanding into more unconventional formats, the chain will better adapt to consumers’ needs.
Krystal’s parent company revealed that it also will continue to build traditional standalone restaurants.
“We’ll continue to grow with traditional freestanding restaurants, but formats like travel centers and other high-traffic hubs allow us to complement that approach with more flexibility, greater efficiency, and better alignment with how today’s consumers live and move,” said Kern.
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The new Tyler location is operated by a local franchise operator, Highway 31 Foodservice, which also revealed plans to open more Krystal restaurants in the area.
“Krystal is an iconic brand with nearly a century of Southern heritage and serious momentum behind it. We see enormous potential in bringing Krystal to formats like this travel center,” said a Highway 31 Foodservice leader, Jagtar Thethy. “We’re optimistic about what’s ahead and seeing where this momentum takes us.”
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