Lorton, Virginia-based FIVE GUYS Burgers & Fries will soon open a new location at CNN Center in
downtown Atlanta. The new restaurant will take the place of the former Don Juan's Mexican Cantina ( on the Centennial Olympic Park Drive side of CNN ). Don Juan's had been in the center for many years but I'd wager a guess that having a Moe's Southwest Grill ( within CNN Center ) and a Baja Fresh Mexican Grill ( adjacent to the Centennial Olympic Park) was not good for business.
downtown Atlanta. The new restaurant will take the place of the former Don Juan's Mexican Cantina ( on the Centennial Olympic Park Drive side of CNN ). Don Juan's had been in the center for many years but I'd wager a guess that having a Moe's Southwest Grill ( within CNN Center ) and a Baja Fresh Mexican Grill ( adjacent to the Centennial Olympic Park) was not good for business.
Five Guys has blanketed Atlanta with locations both intown and in the suburbs. Growing markets south of the city like Newnan and Douglasville as well as northern cities like Rome and Buford are all home to Five Guys restaurants . Last year the chain added another intown location with its opening at the Spire condominiums on Peachtree Street. Earlier this summer, a location did close on Roswell Road in north Buckhead but its closure has been blamed on new family ownership having no desire to continue the operation.
Currently the chain has over 40 locations in the state but apparently sees room for more. If you're looking to open a franchise and want to walk right in to an open and operating unit (or units as the case may be), The Shumacher Group currently has a listing for two locations. The two Five Guys restaurants are both open and operating and are "in great residential Metro Atlanta suburban locations."
No word on when the CNN Center location will open but I anticipate an opening sometime in the first quarter of next year.
With Googie Burger in Centennial Olympic Park and the original Grindhouse Killer Burgers a short distance away in the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, who do you think serves the best burger downtown? Where do you eat most often when downtown? What one concept or restaurant is missing from CNN Center or downtown Atlanta as a whole? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.