Food-Fuel Combo Stores on Rise
Customers at the Jack in the Box at Newport Boulevard and Del Mar Avenue in Costa Mesa can buy a lot more than Jumbo Jacks before heading down the road. It is the first Jack in the Box location in Orange County to be combined with an Arco station and a Quick Stuff convenience store.
The trend of teaming up fast-food eateries with other conveniences has steadily grown in the last five years as companies try to lure more customers by becoming something of a one-stop attraction.
The latest Jack in the Box facility, which has a drive-thru window and is open 24 hours, opened July 7 and seats up to 68 customers. It debuted just weeks after Carl’s Jr.’s parent, Anaheim-based CKE Restaurants Inc., announced that it is teaming up with Shell and Texaco to open at least 45 Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s restaurants plus gas stations during the next two years.
In all, Jack in the Box parent Foodmaker Inc. opened 15 such combinations in California and Texas.
Incidentally, San Diego-based Foodmaker also is planning to change its corporate name to Jack in the Box Inc., effective Oct. 4. The company’s stock symbol will change from FM to JBX. The shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
