New Krystal in Phenix City has something all others in area do not
When it opens in little more than a week, the new Krystal in Phenix City will have something that all of the others in the area do not.
That would be a flashier design that is the fast-food chain’s brand new prototype, along with frozen treat items ranging from new shakes to Slushies to iced coffee.
The old Krystal at 1006 U.S. Hwy. 280 was torn down several weeks ago. It has since been rebuilt from the ground up with the design that Atlanta-based Krystal Company calls “Davenport,” in honor of one of its founding members, Rody Davenport Jr. The chain said he is revered for his commitment to quality food and the guest experience.
The first outlet with the new design — which is the company’s first new prototype in more than a decade — opened earlier this month in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta. Like that one, the Phenix City location will have more vibrant colors, LED lighting, a digital menu and “artwork that is modern, yet maintains the brand’s heritage.”
Customers also will notice a clock atop one of the Krystal restaurant’s corners that is meant to remind the public that the fast-food concept known for its small onion-steamed square burgers is open around the clock, the company said.
The menu is expected to have new hand-spun milkshakes, soft-serve ice cream cones and sundaes, Kool-Aid Slushies and “Caramel Mocha Frost,” an iced coffee beverage.
Staffers at the old Krystal have been tending to business in Phenix Square shopping center across U.S. Hwy. 280 since it was torn down, serving burgers and fries from a portable trailer that sometimes is used for special events. Workers on Friday said they expect the new Krystal to possibly open on May 2. Crews are still busy putting finishing touches on the property.
“The Krystal team has worked to create an experience which marries our long history of quality and value to the dynamic, contemporary brand we represent today,” Brian Blosser, Krystal’s vice president of construction and development, said in a statement during the Marietta outlet’s opening. “We’re planning on moving forward with the Davenport design in future locations, and replicating the anticipated success in select additional markets. Our guests can look forward to enjoying classic and new favorites in an environment we truly believe reflects the best of our brand.”
The company hasn’t said how fast or how many locations will receive the glitzier makeovers. Founded in Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1932, Krystal relocated its headquarters to north Atlanta in 2013. It operates more than 350 restaurants in 11 states. Aside from the lone Phenix City outlet, the company has five locations in Columbus.
This story was originally published April 21, 2017 at 4:19 PM with the headline "New Krystal in Phenix City has something all others in area do not."