Restaurants that cause traffic problems

[roadman]

Sonic near Albany was like this when it first opened.  For the first few months, police had a couple entrances from NY 7 blocked off in an attempt to lengthen the queue (which was still overwhelmed the first week).  On the first day, the queue looped all the way around Forts Ferry Rd, Wade Rd, NY 7, and then down I-87 towards Saratoga County.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.7561712,-73.7753345,237m/data=!3m1!1e3

The Sonic on US 1 northbound in Peabody (MA) was the principal contributor to backups all the way into Revere (6.5 miles) during afternoon rush hours for the first two or three weeks after it opened.  Amazingly, the local traffic reporters somehow managed to forget their "never use commercial establishments as landmarks" rule when talking about the backups on the air.

[GaryV]

When Jimmy Johns has their $1 day, it really backs up traffic.  With or without the drive thru - all spots in the lot are taken.

I heard that if there's 3 or more cars in the drive thru, it's faster to park and go inside.

[PHLBOS]

The Sonic on US 1 northbound in Peabody (MA) was the principal contributor to backups all the way into Revere (6.5 miles) during afternoon rush hours for the first two or three weeks after it opened.  Amazingly, the local traffic reporters somehow managed to forget their "never use commercial establishments as landmarks" rule when talking about the backups on the air.

Which is easier & quicker to say:

"Route 1 North is backed up to the Sonic"
or
"Route 1 North is backed up to a spot between 128* and the jughandle"
or
"Route 1 North is backed up to just south of the jughandle".

Granted, reporters could say "Dearborn Road" instead of "the jughandle" since it's the closest non-commercial landmark to Sonic but such is just a one-sided intersection with small signage.

*I'm aware that such is now actually I-95 but we're dealing with Boston area traffic reporters here.

[doorknob60]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

Worst part is, that Dutch Bros took the place of a Taco Johns that they tore down (it was an old building). That was my favorite fast food place in the area, and the nearest one now is in Mountain Home (not particularly close). On the bright side, a new one is opening in Meridian in a couple weeks!

[kphoger]

The lunch crowds at Chick-Fil-A can cause some gridlock at the immediate intersections.  I can't believe how popular this place is.  I don't dislike it, but I don't see how some people find it so absolutely appealing.

I went to the Chick-fil-A here on the east side of Wichita both during the CFA boycott in 2012 and also on CFA appreciation day later on.  On CFA appreciation day, I went right at the lunch hour.  I had to park across the street, there were cops directing traffic at the busy intersection of Central and Rock, and I waited in line for approximately 1½ hours to place my order.  Of course, the lines aren't usually that long...



I've also seen traffic issues at popular restaurants near busy intersections due to traffic waiting to turn left into the parking lot.  Sometimes there isn't sufficient storage in the center lane, or there's no center lane at all.

[cpzilliacus]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

When a new Sonic opened in Edgewater, Maryland, the local highway system (especially Md. 2, Solomons Island Road) was overwhelmed.

[kkt]

Numerous in Seattle... the arterials are so close to gridlock anyway that it doesn't take much.
Nearby example, the McDonald's in the 5100 block of 25th Ave. NE, in the early even the drive-in queue often backs up onto 25th Ave., so buses have to move out of the right lane and make the whole avenue slow down.

The good news is the streets are slow anyway it rarely results in serious injury accidents.

[1995hoo]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

When a new Sonic opened in Edgewater, Maryland, the local highway system (especially Md. 2, Solomons Island Road) was overwhelmed.

I remember the day the Wegmans just west of Fairfax City, Virginia, opened. The WTOP-FM traffic reporter talked about several roads being severely congested, quote, "due to the opening of a new business just off Route 29."

[triplemultiplex]

The Friday fish fry at Serb Hall in Milwaukee.  Extremely popular during Lent and they have a drive-thru system for folks that want it to go.
(Oklahoma & 51st, right across form another Milwaukee institution: Discount Liquor )
Drive thru traffic usually spills out onto Oklahoma Ave despite the inventive system of looping around their parking lot to maximize the number of waiting cars they can fit in there.

[sparker]

About a dozen years ago when I was still working in Ontario, CA, the only Fuddrucker's hamburger outlet in the region -- and the only Krispy Kreme shop within 20 miles -- opened within days of each other about 100 yards apart right at the northwest corner of the Ontario Mills regional mega-mall.   For about two weeks, the traffic jam spilled out onto Milliken Ave. all the way to the I-10 interchange (about 3/4 mile).  I had to detour an extra 2 miles around the other side of the mall to get to my usual lunch spot, Rubio's (outstanding fish tacos!) -- at least until the Krispy Kreme novelty wore off.  Now Fuddrucker's, I can understand!  While In-N-Out is arguably the king of fast-food burger cuisine, Fuddrucker's takes it to a higher level, IMHO.  It's just too bad that the nearest one to me is in Fairfield! 

[golden eagle]

I remember when Popeye's used to have their anniversary specials, the lines would be out into the streets.

[freebrickproductions]

This Hardee's here in Huntsville, AL usually had the line of cars extending out into the street (and sometimes into the intersection!) in the mornings on my way to school when I was in high school:
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.7387653,-86.5767408,3a,60y,26.62h,87.01t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seOZBUD4fIFGgC_-30Ar88g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Sonic opened in my city about seven years ago, and it had traffic spilling out onto the street then too.

There was an infamous incident where Popeyes did a massive special several years ago. At the time, there was only one Popeyes in Minnesota (quite a few more have now moved in elsewhere in the Twin Cities since then) which was located on Lake Street in Minneapolis. It was a franchise store and it had declined to participate in the special, which caused a huge ruckus. Traffic was backed up out onto Lake Street full of angry/disappointed customers.

[BamaZeus]

Chick Fil A in our city often causes backups when they're running a special, or it could be any day of the week (except Sunday).  I have to make bank drops at the Compass Bank just to the east of CFA, on the service road.  Traffic will back up trying to make the sharp turn into the CFA lot, either hanging people out in the middle of McFarland Blvd, or getting stuck in the left turn lane for several light cycles.  Now that Walmart Neighborhood Market has replaced the failing KMart in that lot, traffic has increased even more at that intersection.

Just last night, traffic was such that when I got out in the intersection, I had to do a UTurn and enter the parking lot by Arby's to get to the bank, just so I wasn't blocking the entire street.  When I got back up to the top of the hill, someone was blocking the intersection with the service road, so I had to fight my way around them as well.

A few weeks ago, CFA ran a special where if you bought a meal and saved your receipt, you would get the exact same meal for free anytime in November.  Right after work, I couldn't even get onto the service road to go to the bank because the line to turn left was backed all the way down the hill to the intersection with Lurleen Wallace Blvd (already the busiest intersection in the city).  Just to go to the bank, I had to go 1/4 mile past the bank, turn around, and find the other end of the service road

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chick-fil-A/@33.2384793,-87.5737451,571a,20y,90h/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x88861d2c89e334bd:0xc675906172f6162e!8m2!3d33.238507!4d-87.572846

[D-Dey65]

Any restaurant located where new lanes, new service roads and the embankments or new roads in general should be.

[cl94]

OP mentioned this, but Tim Hortons. The ones in Buffalo spill out onto the streets all the time.

[AlexandriaVA]

None of the Chik-Fil-As near me have drive-thrus (strip malls and storefronts) so I guess I'm spared from those issues.

More generally, I'll find that many people I know refuse to go to certain restaurants because there's "no parking", when in fact that person means "no free parking" or "no free parking directly in front of the restaurant". To the first point, I never understood the people who would gripe over $1-3 on a $50 meal, and to the second point, unless you're disabled, the walking is good for you.

[nyratk1]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

When a new Sonic opened in Edgewater, Maryland, the local highway system (especially Md. 2, Solomons Island Road) was overwhelmed.

Same thing happened to Deer Park Ave./NY 231 in North Babylon, NY when Sonic opened here a few yrs ago.

[Rothman]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

When a new Sonic opened in Edgewater, Maryland, the local highway system (especially Md. 2, Solomons Island Road) was overwhelmed.

Same thing happened to Deer Park Ave./NY 231 in North Babylon, NY when Sonic opened here a few yrs ago.

I was blown away by the crowd-flocking to the new Sonic along NY 7 in Latham, NY.  Although the lines did spill out onto auxiliary roads, I don't think they let people block NY 7. 

Totally stupefying.  I suppose when you travel around and see that most Sonics are just taken for granted the place just doesn't have the novelty.  Still, I had a friend who deemed it "Wendy's, but with good shakes."  I would have thought the crowds would have waned after others came to similar conclusions.  Not as overwhelmed with traffic as it once was, but the place is still surprisingly popular.

[cl94]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

When a new Sonic opened in Edgewater, Maryland, the local highway system (especially Md. 2, Solomons Island Road) was overwhelmed.

Same thing happened to Deer Park Ave./NY 231 in North Babylon, NY when Sonic opened here a few yrs ago.

I was blown away by the crowd-flocking to the new Sonic along NY 7 in Latham, NY.  Although the lines did spill out onto auxiliary roads, I don't think they let people block NY 7. 

Totally stupefying.  I suppose when you travel around and see that most Sonics are just taken for granted the place just doesn't have the novelty.  Still, I had a friend who deemed it "Wendy's, but with good shakes."  I would have thought the crowds would have waned after others came to similar conclusions.  Not as overwhelmed with traffic as it once was, but the place is still surprisingly popular.

Still the novelty factor, though. There are none in New England proper outside of Connecticut and no metro area in New York has more than one yet (though that will change when Troy opens).

[doorknob60]

A new Sonic opened less than a mile from my new apartment. Luckily, there were no traffic problems. I feel like a lot of people don't even know it's there since it's slightly removed from the main road (though close to a movie Theater, Domino's, and Subway; and there's probably a sign visible from the main road, I don't drive by that way often enough and fully attentive enough to recall). It even has indoor seating, first time I've seen that. But I think the reasons why it didn't cause traffic are pretty clear:
1. It's winter, and an abnormally bad one. It's cold. Sonic is way more popular in summer.
2. Sonic isn't new here, I can think of at least 2 others just in Meridian (plus more in Boise, Nampa, etc.). There's one less than 3 miles from the new location.

[adventurernumber1]

We've had a new Krispy Kreme (Doughnuts and Coffee) open up on GA SR 52 (W. Walnut Avenue) here in Dalton within the last year or two. Not so much anymore, but right when the place first opened, the lines would always be backed up blocks down the street. The right lane going Westbound (out of 2 lanes) would always have traffic completely stopped. There would literally be at least 20 cars aiming to turn right into Krispy Kreme, leaving only one real lane for through traffic. I love Krispy Kreme, and more than anyone else in my family, but I can tell ya the whole situation was pretty crazy IMO. I'd never wait in line that long for hardly anything. It has certainly calmed down as time has passed since the grand opening.

[xcellntbuy]

The morning chicken run at the Chick-Fil-A in Milledgeville, GA can be a heavy traffic point.  I have never had their food, but everyone raves about it.

[Road Hog]

The one time a year this happens is on Christmas Day at Jack in the Box because they're the only restaurant open in town that day.

In-N-Out actually does a good job of managing traffic at new store openings. They have lots of experience apparently. When the first couple of stores opened in Texas, they used an adjacent shopping center parking lot to stage cars and keep them out of the street.

Chick-Fil-A is going back and remodeling all of its older stores to add a second drive-through because of the traffic.

[jp the roadgeek]

When the new Dutch Bros opened in Nampa, I think they had free or $1 drinks or whatever on the grand opening. Traffic blocked off with cones along 12th Ave rd. back to nearby Amity, but then Amity/Colorado also had one lane blocked off for, I don't know, half a mile? I saw the whole set up, but didn't really get a good idea of the traffic in the area.

When a new Sonic opened in Edgewater, Maryland, the local highway system (especially Md. 2, Solomons Island Road) was overwhelmed.

Same thing happened to Deer Park Ave./NY 231 in North Babylon, NY when Sonic opened here a few yrs ago.

I was blown away by the crowd-flocking to the new Sonic along NY 7 in Latham, NY.  Although the lines did spill out onto auxiliary roads, I don't think they let people block NY 7. 

Totally stupefying.  I suppose when you travel around and see that most Sonics are just taken for granted the place just doesn't have the novelty.  Still, I had a friend who deemed it "Wendy's, but with good shakes."  I would have thought the crowds would have waned after others came to similar conclusions.  Not as overwhelmed with traffic as it once was, but the place is still surprisingly popular.

Still the novelty factor, though. There are none in New England proper outside of Connecticut and no metro area in New York has more than one yet (though that will change when Troy opens).

There's a few outside CT.  3 north of Boston, one at either end of MA 24, one in Springfield, one in Smithfield, RI