Zaxby's Restaurant Makes Joliet Latest Expansion: City Council Votes On Proposal

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet City Council will discuss the merits of converting the now-empty Wendy's Restaurant on Larkin Avenue into a new Zaxby's Restaurant. A Zaxby's just opened in recent months in the village of Plainfield, making it the first one to open in the entire state of Illinois.

According to a Council memo, on April 27, the Department of Public Works received a formal request for a drive thru facility for a proposed Zaxby’s Restaurant at 110 S. Larkin Avenue. The restaurant will be on the site of the former Wendy’s Restaurant. The building will be remodeled along with other site improvements. The City’s Planning Division has reviewed the preliminary site plan and has no remaining outstanding items, the city pointed out.

The memo goes on to explain how "the applicant has submitted a site plan to the Department of Public Works showing the operation of the proposed drive thru. The applicant has provided signage and pavement markings for adequate traffic flow into the drive thru while maintaining sufficient drive thru storage capacity to meet the requirements of the Department of Public Works ... Access to the site will be available from two existing driveways on Larkin Avenue. The existing driveway on Emery Street will remain but will be gated and only used for food delivery trucks to exit the site after making deliveries. Upon final investigation, the Department of Public Works has determined that there is sufficient storage on the site and therefore recommends approval of the drive thru permit subject to approval of the final engineering plans."

The first Zaxbys opened in 1990 in Georgia and has since expanded to include more than 950 locations in 17 states, according to its website.