I was driving to work today on Bridgeport Rd E near Lancaster St in Kitchener (GSV (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4769094,-80.4828575,3a,37.5y,292.2h,86.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6Su7NkvSGW0PgyVgfcys2A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)) and got stuck in a small "traffic jam" at the Tim Hortons (Canadian Donut Chain). It's a 2-lane road, and two cars ahead of me, the guy was trying to turn right into the Timmies, but of course the drive-thru was so backed up that he couldn't make his turn. A car going in the opposite direction was also stuck trying to make a left into the Timmies. So
both directions were stopped!
Some cars going the other way actually went in the opposite lane to get around this. Finally, after a minute, they gave up on the drive-thru line and decided to find a parking spot instead, which let traffic on Bridgeport continue on.
I found an old article about this same problem from Fort McMurray, AB:
QuoteIt's a problem that likely plagues hundreds of Tim Horton's location across the country each day, but RCMP in Fort McMurray are finally putting an end to it.
Drivers in the oil capital of Alberta now face a $172 fine and demerit points if they stop on the road and wait in line to make the right hand turn into the Timmie's drive-thru off Thickwood Boulevard, reports the Edmonton Sun.
The lineup is causing a dangerous traffic situation, and the chance of crashes has increased because people refuse to park and go into the store for their java fix.
"Because it's illegal to stop there, (they have) to either find parking in the Tim Hortons parking lot or they're going to have to find parking on the side road to then use the establishment, because it is a traffic hazard and it can cause accidents," Const. Ashley Quallie told Fort McMurray Today.
Police have even gone so far as to erect "no stopping" signs to remind drivers that lining up on the busy road is against the law.
So, are there any other restaurants that cause traffic problems in your area?
In-N-Outs are notorious for their traffic jams, especially when a new one opens.
Rick
I'm not a big fast-food guy, but I find that when a place has a drive through, it's often faster to park in the parking lot and order at the counter rather than queue up and wait in the drive-through line.
Can't say that I've known restaurants to cause traffic problems; I don't think drive-through culture is particularly big up here.
It's sort of stretching it, but in downtown DC on Pennsylvania Avenue, they have street festivals several times a year, including a BBQ cookout, which can distort the downtown traffic flow. But that's not really a restaurant.
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.
New England Seafoods, Methuen, MA. On Fridays during Lent, they need a policeman to direct traffic.
Quote from: nexus73 on August 17, 2016, 08:28:58 PM
In-N-Outs are notorious for their traffic jams, especially when a new one opens.
Rick
Seems ironic given the name :-D
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on August 17, 2016, 08:36:05 PM
I'm not a big fast-food guy, but I find that when a place has a drive through, it's often faster to park in the parking lot and order at the counter rather than queue up and wait in the drive-through line.
I tend to do this myself, though I've noticed that they tend to prioritize drive-thru orders. But I agree that if the drive thru line is long, it can still be faster going inside.
There used to be a Dunkin Donuts on Roosevelt Blvd (US 17) in Jacksonville just north of San Juan Ave(SR 128)... Traffic in the morning would back up on to the highway, causing back ups and numerous rear end collisions. My ex wife was stopped in morning after dropping our daughter off at school and was struck. Pretty bad whiplash injury.
From what I understand PI attorneys sued the company for being the cause of accidents
I understand wanting coffee but if I were forced to stop on the street i would go elsewhere or park and get an order to go. People just don't think.
Quote from: jwolfer on August 17, 2016, 08:51:49 PM
I understand wanting coffee but if I were forced to stop on the street i would go elsewhere or park and get an order to go. People just don't think.
This is what bothers me most about my situation this morning. They could have easily just drove in and found a parking spot, but instead they chose to wait on the street so they could use the drive thru. Very inconsiderate.
----
Another bad Tim Hortons spot in Kitchener is at Lackner Blvd and Victoria St (GSV (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4705349,-80.4405628,3a,37.5y,354.94h,87.95t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sebOkvlvEENVbeHNHy634XA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656))
A right lane begins just before the Timmies entrance, so half the people are signalling right to go into the Timmies, while the other half are signalling to get in this lane so they can turn on Victoria. Of course, some people leaving the Timmies see the right turn signals and think the car must be going into the Timmies when they're not, and it sometimes causes accidents.
I'm sure this isn't too uncommon of a problem for restaurants near intersections.
There's a KFC/Taco Bell in the shopping center near our house where the drive-thru backs up so much you can't access the drive-thru for the nearby Burger King. I've also seen fights start when people try to cut the line if someone doesn't block the thru lanes for traffic, or when people line up on the correct side of the road and someone else tries to line up on the wrong side.
On the rare occasion when I go there, I park and go inside. I'll be in and out in less time than it would have taken just to reach the ordering point at the drive-thru.
Around Chicago, it would have to be any Portillo's.
Quote from: nexus73 on August 17, 2016, 08:28:58 PM
In-N-Outs are notorious for their traffic jams, especially when a new one opens.
Rick
I was about to say... I worked on Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd in Scottsdale when the first one in Arizona opened up. There was a line of traffic backed up past Scottsdale Road for about a week on and off.
Unrelated, but does anyone else abhor the concept of eating in the car? For me it's a combination of the smell, the possibility of crumbs/spills, and inattention to the road.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on August 17, 2016, 11:26:10 PM
Unrelated, but does anyone else abhor the concept of eating in the car? For me it's a combination of the smell, the possibility of crumbs/spills, and inattention to the road.
Yes, I can't stand the mess and the distraction it causes while trying to drive. I like to sit down and enjoy my food..at least I'll grab a pack of M&Ms for the car or a protein bar...
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 17, 2016, 11:27:24 PM
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on August 17, 2016, 11:26:10 PM
Unrelated, but does anyone else abhor the concept of eating in the car? For me it's a combination of the smell, the possibility of crumbs/spills, and inattention to the road.
Yes, I can't stand the mess and the distraction it causes while trying to drive. I like to sit down and enjoy my food..at least I'll grab a pack of M&Ms for the car or a protein bar...
I mean, I'll even gulp down a fast food crap meal in 1-2 minutes flat if it comes to it. But my thought is that if you can't take the time to sit down and eat (even if it's very fast), then you didn't budget your time well.
It seems that morning coffee stops are typical sites of traffic tie-ups.
In my hometown, the oldest and smallest Dunkin Donuts has a drive thru that backs up traffic every morning onto both the right eastbound lane and the left westbound lane of the street, throttling the four-lane arterial to one lane in each direction. Because the westbound drive thru queue is both waiting for a gap in traffic as well as playing "chicken" with the cars already waiting in the eastbound right lane, screeching tires and near misses are common.
The entrance to the parking lot is barely two car widths, so one car width becomes the drive thru lane while the remaining space becomes a simultaneous in/out lane for the parking lot, made more hazardous by the limited sight distances caused by the queuing vehicles. Customers headed for the parking lot will sometimes pull into the next lane to bypass the drive thru traffic and then attempt to turn across two lanes to enter the parking lot. (Hopefully, someone isn't attempting to leave the parking lot at that moment.)
Complicating matters further, all in and out traffic has to cross a sidewalk as well as the unmarked and unpredictable paths of walk-in customers, as the drive thru forms kind of a vehicular moat around the store that customers on foot must cross.
And matters can get even worse if someone leaving the drive thru wants to turn left (eastbound) when there's already a queue in the eastbound lanes of Third Street. The exiting vehicle can't exit the drive thru...while simultaneously preventing the drive thru from moving so that the queue can clear. Classic gridlock.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8044/29058519955_6395699516.jpg)
Quote from: 7/8 on August 17, 2016, 08:07:37 PM
I was driving to work today on Bridgeport Rd E near Lancaster St in Kitchener (GSV (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4769094,-80.4828575,3a,37.5y,292.2h,86.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6Su7NkvSGW0PgyVgfcys2A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)) and got stuck in a small "traffic jam" at the Tim Hortons (Canadian Donut Chain). It's a 2-lane road, and two cars ahead of me, the guy was trying to turn right into the Timmies, but of course the drive-thru was so backed up that he couldn't make his turn. A car going in the opposite direction was also stuck trying to make a left into the Timmies. So both directions were stopped! each day.....
As soon as I saw this Topic....I thought Tim Hortons! I didn't even have to read the first post!
We're a small town (5,000) but have three Tims (soon four) and through traffic is regularly blocked by vehicles turning into the drive-thru lanes just as you describe above. Especially around 8am......and it doesn't help that one is located near the regional hospital and another near the university entrance.
If traffic is backed up by people trying to enter the drive thru, then the town/county council didn't do its job when approving the restaurant. The restaurant probably used a traffic engineer that stated the increase in traffic will be X number of cars during the peak traffic hour for the restaurant as well. The fault lies with both areas.
Coffee places are well known for traffic issues, due to the nature of massive amounts of people getting coffee in the morning. And the drive-thru is more convenience than flowthru...sure it's faster to go in and order, but people don't want to get out of their cars. From a roadgeek perspective, it's no different than any one of us wanting to take a longer route to view something, rather than the most direct route to our destination.
As far as budgeting time, well, that's why there are so many drive-thru and convenience store restaurants. People only have so much time in the day, and eating right isn't a high priority for most people.
Happens a lot in my town. A commercial strip to the east of Chambersburg on US 30 has a lot of restaurants and there's always gridlock whenever you come up to one. However, sometimes access is controlled by having to do several turns, so it's a little better that way.
This has happened with amusement parks too. I've had backups with people trying to enter Hersheypark's parking lots and thus the cones and police are required to funnel traffic.
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on August 17, 2016, 11:26:10 PM
Unrelated, but does anyone else abhor the concept of eating in the car? For me it's a combination of the smell, the possibility of crumbs/spills, and inattention to the road.
Hi John Wisniewski! (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/08/08/nj-distracted-driving-bill-ban-motorists-drinking-coffee-road/88380406/)
Quote from: AlexandriaVA on August 17, 2016, 11:26:10 PM
Unrelated, but does anyone else abhor the concept of eating in the car? For me it's a combination of the smell, the possibility of crumbs/spills, and inattention to the road.
I do not allow fast food in the passenger compartment–if we stop to get food to go, it goes in the trunk until we're home. That doesn't mean I ban travel mugs with secure lids for coffee on long trips when we leave early in the morning, and things like a candy bar or granola bar (eaten carefully) are OK. But my car is clean and has no residual fast-food smell, so I try to keep it that way.
Another concept that is largely Chinese to me. There is exactly one drive-thru in the whole of my province, the McDonald's in my hometown (I haven't checked if the other one up in the mountains has a drive-thru), and it's only accessible from a parking lot, so it doesn't cause many traffic problems.
Bojangle's is expanding into my area and when the one on US 60 near Huntington, which is 2 lanes in each direction with a center turn lane and a quite busy road, opened, they had orange cones, a portable scoreboard type sign (Bojangles Traffic Use Right Lane), and real cops directing traffic for nearly a month. Bojangle's is good. It ain't great.
The one that p***es me off is my local Tudor's (Tudor's is a biscuit sandwich breakfast place and, again is good but it ain't great) . The place is the second store follwing a regular intersection. There is only room for maybe 3 cars in the drive thru line and then the next car would be in the street. The street is one lane in each direction with a center turn lane. Nothing to go around the turn (a left turn for me) and see people stopped IN THE STREET in line for the drive thru. Have to slam on the brakes. Huh? So the drive thru lane is full and you think it is acceptable to stop in the f***ing street and think you are in line. Park your car and waddle in and order take out.
Pedestrians crossing US 1 in downtown Wiscasset, ME to get to Red's Eats contribute significantly to what is often 30-minute delays for US 1 traffic during the summertime.
Quote from: ghYHZ on August 18, 2016, 06:19:26 AM
Quote from: 7/8 on August 17, 2016, 08:07:37 PM
I was driving to work today on Bridgeport Rd E near Lancaster St in Kitchener (GSV (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4769094,-80.4828575,3a,37.5y,292.2h,86.84t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s6Su7NkvSGW0PgyVgfcys2A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)) and got stuck in a small "traffic jam" at the Tim Hortons (Canadian Donut Chain). It's a 2-lane road, and two cars ahead of me, the guy was trying to turn right into the Timmies, but of course the drive-thru was so backed up that he couldn't make his turn. A car going in the opposite direction was also stuck trying to make a left into the Timmies. So both directions were stopped! each day.....
As soon as I saw this Topic....I thought Tim Hortons! I didn't even have to read the first post!
We're a small town (5,000) but have three Tims (soon four) and through traffic is regularly blocked by vehicles turning into the drive-thru lanes just as you describe above. Especially around 8am......and it doesn't help that one is located near the regional hospital and another near the university entrance.
It's ridiculous how many Tim Hortons there are, and how close together they can be. My campus (University of Waterloo) has three. Some notable examples in Kitchener:
These two on Fairway Rd and Courtland Ave (really one street that changes names) are 750 m apart
Google Maps (https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Tim+Hortons/Tim+Hortons,+1144+Courtland+Ave+E,+Kitchener,+ON+N2C+2H5/@43.4205506,-80.4583204,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xaa646e5953635609!2m2!1d-80.452523!2d43.419935!1m5!1m1!1s0x882bf52d861f7e0f:0xdd656950b74e48d3!2m2!1d-80.459632!2d43.421871!3e0)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FJxC6yz3.png&hash=c0ebad3dd1c8a41d5f7eaecd7630bbaf662bda00)
And these two on Weber St are only 550 m apart!
Google Maps (https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Tim+Hortons/Tim+Hortons,+1241+Weber+St+E,+Kitchener,+ON+N2A+1C2/@43.4325491,-80.4421667,17.5z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x0:0xddbec33a43ae5a46!2m2!1d-80.438642!2d43.432335!1m5!1m1!1s0x882b8b28b7b7c463:0xf349b87f56fb5c5!2m2!1d-80.445154!2d43.433057!3e0)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F0inoTj3.png&hash=5c08de4c6112df6391c80e28d5c734a80b935164)
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
Quote from: vdeane on August 18, 2016, 03:07:42 PM
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.
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.
Quote from: roadman on August 18, 2016, 04:13:59 PMThe 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.
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!
Quote from: chays on August 17, 2016, 08:40:07 PM
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.
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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.
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.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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."
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.
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!
I remember when Popeye's used to have their anniversary specials, the lines would be out into the streets.
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
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.
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
Any restaurant located where new lanes, new service roads and the embankments or new roads in general should be.
OP mentioned this, but Tim Hortons. The ones in Buffalo spill out onto the streets all the time.
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.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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.
Quote from: nyratk1 on January 24, 2017, 11:35:12 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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.
Quote from: Rothman on January 24, 2017, 11:54:11 AM
Quote from: nyratk1 on January 24, 2017, 11:35:12 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
Quote from: cl94 on January 24, 2017, 12:45:58 PM
Quote from: Rothman on January 24, 2017, 11:54:11 AM
Quote from: nyratk1 on January 24, 2017, 11:35:12 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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
Quote from: Rothman on January 24, 2017, 11:54:11 AM
Quote from: nyratk1 on January 24, 2017, 11:35:12 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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.
They did their best, but it still spilled onto NY 7 on the first couple days when the line was so long it was able to loop all the way around. Took weeks for the driveway onto NY 7, or the RIRO for Wade Road, to be opened though. Heck, the first day, the line spilled onto I-87! As far as I know, it reached the Twin Bridges.
Quote from: vdeane on January 24, 2017, 10:20:47 PM
Quote from: Rothman on January 24, 2017, 11:54:11 AM
Quote from: nyratk1 on January 24, 2017, 11:35:12 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on August 19, 2016, 04:04:02 PM
Quote from: doorknob60 on August 19, 2016, 02:20:56 PM
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.
They did their best, but it still spilled onto NY 7 on the first couple days when the line was so long it was able to loop all the way around. Took weeks for the driveway onto NY 7, or the RIRO for Wade Road, to be opened though. Heck, the first day, the line spilled onto I-87! As far as I know, it reached the Twin Bridges.
Well, this is the land where The Olive Garden and Cheesecake Factory are considered haute cuisine. :/
I'm going to have to say Chick-fil-A in Forest Hill, Maryland. It opened up in 2012 and is packed Monday through Saturday. The restaurant is at Route 24 and Osborne Parkway. The area of this intersection is now very congested thanks to Chick-fil-A as well as Kohl's and Dunkin' Donuts. This Chick-fil-A does have a drive-thru and it's always a parking lot every time I drive past.
What was the story with the Star Diner in Hillsborough, NJ?
I noticed that the diner parking lot had a "No Trucks" sign; I assume they meant tractor-trailers (somehow I don't think it applied to a Ford F-150). I remember reading on this or another board that the diner might be forced to close because it was "attracting" too many 102-inch trailers on US-206, and in addition to adding traffic to an already congested route, it was consequently encouraging truckers to shunpike the NJ Turnpike. So the Star Diner put up the sign as a preventive measure.
Or did they just put the sign there because of an inadequate sized parking lot.
(For the uninitiated, that section of US-206 roughly follows the cancelled alignment of I-95 between Bound Brook and Lawrenceville, NJ, a.k.a. the Somerset Freeway. As such, Route 206 is badly congested in that part of the state, and is a particular bottleneck in Hillsborough. One segment of a bypass around Hillsborough was built a few years ago.)
From all the posts, it seems as if Tim Hortons and Chick-Fil-A are the big winners at creating bad traffic. There was a CFA that opened in Brandon, MS, a few years ago. I happened to be that way one morning and the cars were lined to almost US 80.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170315/208cb37b00d6131d1b4c34ec432c6ad6.jpg)
Our local McD's can easily back up onto the side road from PA 114, which creates issues with the right turn lane heading east on 114 (what appears to be south). It is one of the busier McD's locations around.
The McDonald's in Blytheville always clogs up SR 18 during the lunch rush, and the Sonic ain't that good either.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2Fc4ERmej.png&hash=471a42278ee170d463152197432c9d0723eabcde)
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FOVPwqHg.png&hash=3c855fe21321bd8a75304bb368218bdf46c597b1)
Oh yeah!! There are a numerous restaurants like that!!
Quote from: sbeaver44 on March 15, 2017, 09:46:07 AM
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170315/208cb37b00d6131d1b4c34ec432c6ad6.jpg)
Our local McD's can easily back up onto the side road from PA 114, which creates issues with the right turn lane heading east on 114 (what appears to be south). It is one of the busier McD's locations around.
To add to this, my former job was located near here. If I was making the right onto Bumble Bee Hollow, I learned to cancel my turn signal halfway through the turn, because more than once someone pulled out in front of me from the McDonald's exit assuming my right signal meant I was going into the McDonald's.
Nexus 6P
Not one particular one, but all the restaurants that replaced the Days Inn on Sandlake Road in Orlando just west of I-4. Now traffic increased 400 percent in that area as west of I-4 Sandlake used to be so quiet.
Then again all new development could be said to do that. However, I have not been to Trader Joes yet, but our local news was complaining about how on opening day that it will change traffic forever around it, and I did hear it does have a restaurant in it. The Sandlake clutter in Dr. Phillips is where Trader Joes is at, though not directly on the defunct Days Inn lot, but still part of it though.
Quote from: roadman65 on April 23, 2017, 08:28:51 AM
Not one particular one, but all the restaurants that replaced the Days Inn on Sandlake Road in Orlando just west of I-4. Now traffic increased 400 percent in that area as west of I-4 Sandlake used to be so quiet.
Then again all new development could be said to do that. However, I have not been to Trader Joes yet, but our local news was complaining about how on opening day that it will change traffic forever around it, and I did hear it does have a restaurant in it. The Sandlake clutter in Dr. Phillips is where Trader Joes is at, though not directly on the defunct Days Inn lot, but still part of it though.
That WaWa at Semoran and Lee Vista was another that causes some issues for southbound traffic on Semoran/FL 436. There was a one-way entrance on the north end of the WaWa with a weird embankment at the parking lot exit which was two-way that causes a lot of confusion during a lunch rush. Semoran is mostly 50 MPH heading towards OIA that you really don't cars just sitting there when the traffic light is green at Lee Vista.
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4694324,-81.3110508,158m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
When Whata Burger opened, traffic was backed up for 4-6 blocks.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 23, 2017, 08:50:46 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on April 23, 2017, 08:28:51 AM
Not one particular one, but all the restaurants that replaced the Days Inn on Sandlake Road in Orlando just west of I-4. Now traffic increased 400 percent in that area as west of I-4 Sandlake used to be so quiet.
Then again all new development could be said to do that. However, I have not been to Trader Joes yet, but our local news was complaining about how on opening day that it will change traffic forever around it, and I did hear it does have a restaurant in it. The Sandlake clutter in Dr. Phillips is where Trader Joes is at, though not directly on the defunct Days Inn lot, but still part of it though.
That WaWa at Semoran and Lee Vista was another that causes some issues for southbound traffic on Semoran/FL 436. There was a one-way entrance on the north end of the WaWa with a weird embankment at the parking lot exit which was two-way that causes a lot of confusion during a lunch rush. Semoran is mostly 50 MPH heading towards OIA that you really don't cars just sitting there when the traffic light is green at Lee Vista.
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4694324,-81.3110508,158m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Wawas always have created traffic. You can't beat their food and for rental car returns you can't beat their gas prices compared to the rental companies themselves and that asshole up the street who charges 5 or more dollars a gallon.
Quote from: roadman65 on April 25, 2017, 06:22:02 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 23, 2017, 08:50:46 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on April 23, 2017, 08:28:51 AM
Not one particular one, but all the restaurants that replaced the Days Inn on Sandlake Road in Orlando just west of I-4. Now traffic increased 400 percent in that area as west of I-4 Sandlake used to be so quiet.
Then again all new development could be said to do that. However, I have not been to Trader Joes yet, but our local news was complaining about how on opening day that it will change traffic forever around it, and I did hear it does have a restaurant in it. The Sandlake clutter in Dr. Phillips is where Trader Joes is at, though not directly on the defunct Days Inn lot, but still part of it though.
That WaWa at Semoran and Lee Vista was another that causes some issues for southbound traffic on Semoran/FL 436. There was a one-way entrance on the north end of the WaWa with a weird embankment at the parking lot exit which was two-way that causes a lot of confusion during a lunch rush. Semoran is mostly 50 MPH heading towards OIA that you really don't cars just sitting there when the traffic light is green at Lee Vista.
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.4694324,-81.3110508,158m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Wawas always have created traffic. You can't beat their food and for rental car returns you can't beat their gas prices compared to the rental companies themselves and that asshole up the street who charges 5 or more dollars a gallon.
How the hell are they still in business after that WaWa has been there for this long? I used to either go to that WaWa or the 7/11 at Conway and McCoy...it isn't like there aren't decent gas options besides Suncoast Energies and whatever the other price gouger was.
Usually I would avoid that WaWa during lunch hour if I could, there was never really a good way to get back onto Tradeport from Semoran. The Publix up on Hoffner and Conway usually didn't have a line for sandwiches.
Chic Fil A The swarm never ends.
Quote from: Tonytone on April 25, 2017, 10:42:27 PM
Chic Fil A The swarm never ends.
Ironically there is one within walking distance of the WaWa I've been talking about...never much in the way of issues though.
Quote from: Tonytone on April 25, 2017, 10:42:27 PM
Chic Fil A The swarm never ends.
I don't eat there:the food makes me ill.
Quote from: US71 on April 26, 2017, 12:01:19 AM
Quote from: Tonytone on April 25, 2017, 10:42:27 PM
Chic Fil A The swarm never ends.
I don't eat there:the food makes me ill.
I used to work at one and it was the worse, good people but bad food. I was eating it everyday and my face kept breaking out and getting worse. It only took until i quit and stopped eating the food that it was bad, I haven't ate at one since. :poke:
Quote from: US71 on April 26, 2017, 12:01:19 AM
Quote from: Tonytone on April 25, 2017, 10:42:27 PM
Chic Fil A The swarm never ends.
I don't eat there:the food makes me ill.
For fast food it is decent, it was hard to beat a basket of strips and wedges from Publix instead though.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 26, 2017, 12:05:38 AM
Quote from: US71 on April 26, 2017, 12:01:19 AM
Quote from: Tonytone on April 25, 2017, 10:42:27 PM
Chic Fil A The swarm never ends.
I don't eat there:the food makes me ill.
For fast food it is decent, it was hard to beat a basket of strips and wedges from Publix instead though.
OMG I miss Publix, in the Mid-Atlantic we only have Shop rite, Save alot, safeway, walmart. I miss windixxie and a whole foods , along with a Whole food everywhere