The iconic West Coast fast-food chain Jack in the Box is poised to make a grand re-entrance to the Chicago suburbs after bidding the area adieu over three decades ago, and Joliet is gearing up to welcome one of the first eateries. The Joliet City Council green-lit the project, casting a unanimous vote of 9-0 this past Tuesday to approve the necessary permits and license for the planned site at 2101 IL Rt. 59, as reported by WGN-TV.
This move is part of a larger chessboard strategy by the fast-food player, which announced a deal to launch a dozen franchised units throughout Chicago back in September. In a summer interview with the Chicago Tribune, Jack in the Box CEO Darin Harris shared ambitions for the company to plant more than 125 stores across the region, tapping into locales like New Lenox, Naperville, and Plainfield—a list further augmented by the likes of Carol Stream, Tinley Park, and even a stone's throw away from Chicago's Midway airport. "This strategic expansion into Chicago allows us to not only satisfy long-standing customer demand for our brand but also to become a key member in the region’s thriving restaurant scene,” Harris asserted in a July press release, as documented by WGN-TV.
Jack in the Box's return to Illinois marks its first appearance in the last forty years, firmly rooting itself in the Midwest's culinary soil. The brand is betting on its round-the-clock service and menu that shuns the daylight dictation of meal-specific fare, offering customers the same eclectic mix regardless of the hour. “We’re excited to bring our unique menu where customers can order any item at any time – day or night and we’re confident Jack in the Box will quickly become a favorite local destination,” Harris heralded in a press release, a sentiment echoed by NBC Chicago. The expansion isn't just rooted in Illinois. The fast-food chain has its sights set on Wisconsin and Indiana as well.
