Johnny Rockets is still trying to bring back the '50s. Today, the chain announced an ambitious plan to roll out four separate concepts under a new name Johnny Rockets Route 66: a drive-thru stand-alone restaurant; a drive-in movie theater; a food truck; and a pop-up. As Burger Business notes, some of these concepts will make their debut before year's end.
Johnny Rockets Route 66 movie theater drive-ins are perhaps the most enterprising of all of its new concepts. In partnership with USA Drive-Ins LLC, a film production and distribution company, Johnny Rockets plans to roll out 200 units across the country. Each will include a Johnny Rockets concessions stand and will show "family-friendly films and embody a nostalgic, all-American experience." The chain's new drive-thru concepts will land mostly along highways, and offer drivers a new option for eating on the road. Johnny Rockets' new pop-up concept is an add-on option for theaters and drive-ins: existing theaters may purchase a fully operational Johnny Rockets Route 66 pop-up for a limited amount of time. Though this isn't the first time the company has announced that it would be rolling out food trucks, the new plan is for store managers to use Johnny Rockets' branded food trucks at food festivals and for catering.
With more than 300 locations in 26 countries under its purview, Johnny Rockets is in a position to single-handedly bring back the drive-in movie theater — a concept Disney has had some success with. But will the chain's food quality improve? One can only hope.
· Johnny Rockets Planning Drive-in Movie Concept [Burger Business]
· Johnny Rockets Marries Its Americana Brand With Four New Route 66 Concepts [PRNews Wire]
· All Coverage of Johnny Rockets on Eater [-E-]