BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
Nation’s Giant Hamburgers plans to open in Natomas for to-go and delivery orders once health inspectors sign off on the new restaurant.
“Our building is essentially done,” Nation’s vice president of business development Patrick Marasco said Friday. “We plan to go ahead once we have clearance.”
The new eatery was set to open in late March, but that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s because officials only perform a limited number of inspections per week.
“We’ve been debating whether to open as just a to-go and delivery offering,” Marasco said.
But the restaurant, he said, already has a fully-trained team hired in February which is ready to go. And takeout sales have been strong at nearby locations such as Vacaville and Citrus Heights, he added.
“When the coronavirus hit, we didn’t know what fallout would be,” Marasco said. “It’s not business as usual, but we have been able to continue operating and maintaining a reasonable volume.”
Once given the OK, Marasco said the eatery in Natomas could open as soon as the week of May 18.
“If this (location) follows in footsteps of those nearby, it makes sense to open even with limited service,” said Marasco, adding that Nation’s has not had to close any of its restaurants or lay off any employees during the COVID-11 crisis. “We’ve been lucky. We’re still open and serving customers, but in a slightly different way.”
Karina Talamantes, chief of staff for Mayor Pro Tem Angelique Ashby, said the council member’s office is happy to hear plans are moving forward to open Nation’s in Natomas despite current restrictions on how restaurants serve customers.
“So many areas of our city are losing businesses during these challenging times,” Talamantes said. “We look forward to eating some delicious burgers and celebrating a great new spot for our community.”
The site plan where Nation’s is located, on the corner of Truxel Road and Gateway Park Boulevard, is made up of four parcels. To date, no deals have been inked for what will occupy the nearly finished building adjacent to Nation’s, or the parcel closest to the Gateway Park Boulevard entrance.
“Long term (the site) will be a great addition to the community,” Marasco said. “In the time being, leasing activity has been put on ice. Hopefully it will resume when people have more confidence in making long-term commitments like multi-year leases are.”
Nation’s is a family-owned and operated regional brand known for its cook-to-order breakfast, giant hamburgers and fresh pies. Based in El Cerrito, the fast-food chain has operated in the greater Bay Area since 1952 and has grown to 29 locations, including one restaurant in Citrus Heights.
The new Nation’s will be located at 3530 Truxel Road. (916) 575-7622
Speak Your Mind
You must be logged in to post a comment.