New Restaurant Coming to Ruston

Normally, we don’t do much other than local/regional government news, but this news release we got this morning seemed to be something area folks might be interested in.

RUSTON, La. (August 12, 2013) — Construction is underway on Ruston’s first Zaxby’s restaurant, a Southeast favorite for chicken fingers and wings. Licensees Ray Anding and Randall McDonald plan to open the new quick-casual restaurant late this summer. Located at 1103 South Service Road West, off Interstate 20 near Louisiana Tech University, the new restaurant will create an additional 30 to 40 jobs for the area.

The licensees recognized the new business potential the Ruston community has to offer and set out to bring Zaxby’s to the area. “Residents have shown great support for the brand, and we see this area as a great opportunity to expand the business,” said Anding, who, with McDonald, opened the first Louisiana location last summer in West Monroe. “We’re excited to bring another Zaxby’s to Louisiana and are confident that the same quality of food and service Zaxby’s is known for will keep the Ruston community coming back for more.”

Zaxby’s currently operates more than 580 locations in 13 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Zaxby’s provides chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches, salads and more in a fun, relaxing atmosphere. Zaxby’s is a pioneer of the quick-casual format, providing services and amenities that fall somewhere between fast food and a sit-down restaurant. At the new restaurant, customers will place their orders at the counter and will be called to pick up their prepared-at-order meals when they are ready.

The new 3,400-square-foot location will seat 90 in Zaxby’s unique design — a bright, open interior décor complemented by custom vintage prints and school memorabilia. Zaxby’s also offers drive-thru services to meet the needs of customers on the go.

“The key to success at Zaxby’s is a great smile and a willingness to learn and grow,” said McDonald. “We’re a different kind of restaurant with a different kind of attitude — from the food and service we provide to our customers to the respect we have for each other.”

An alternative to fast food, Zaxby’s offers prepared-at-order chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads. Zaxby’s most popular items are its hand-breaded Chicken Fingerz and Traditional or Boneless Wings, smothered in a choice of nine sauces with names like Wimpy, Tongue Torch, Nuclear and Insane. The menu also offers innovative Zappetizers like Tater Chips, Spicy Fried Mushrooms and Fried White Cheddar Bites, as well as a variety of Party Platterz perfect for any family gathering or special occasion.

Zaxby’s also offers three salads, or Zalads: The House, The Blue and The Caesar. All of Zaxby’s Zalads offer more chicken, unique ingredients, such as French-fried onions, fresh veggies and juicy tomatoes, and are larger than most salads offered elsewhere. Each is prepared with chicken, three kinds of lettuce and a variety of toppings. Zalads are assembled at the time the order is placed, versus being pre-made and stored in a cooler.

Additionally, Zaxby’s offers a new line of premium milkshakes, including the popular Birthday Cake and Banana Pudding Milkshakes and the new Chocolate Cookie Milkshake. They are rich and creamy, hand-blended, and are topped with whipped cream.

About Zaxby’s
An alternative to fast food, Zaxby’s offers its guests prepared-at-order Chicken Fingerz, Traditional or Boneless Wings, sandwiches, Zalads and Zappetizers, along with a variety of nine sauces ranging from Wimpy and Tongue Torch to Nuclear and Insane. Childhood friends Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley hatched the Athens, Ga.-based chain in 1990 to provide a fun, relaxing atmosphere that would keep guests coming back for more. The company ranked number seven in the 2011 Top 10 Excellent Large Fast-Food Chains With 500 Or More U.S. Units Quick-Track study published by Sandelman & Associates. The chain also ranked number one in the chicken segment in the 2012 Top 150 Fast-Casual Chain Restaurant Report published by Technomic. In honor of the thousands of children the restaurant chain serves every year, Zaxby’s is a proud supporter of Make-A-Wish. The company operates more than 580 locations in 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. For more information, please visit zaxbys.com, facebook.com/zaxbys or follow on Twitter @Zaxbys.