Burgers ‘rocket’ to Grand Boulevard

More casual dining has landed in South Walton.
The 1950s style hamburger restaurant Johnny Rockets opened on May 2 in the Howard Group’s Grand Boulevard Town Center on U.S. Highway 98.
“Johnny Rockets is filling a niche for more casual dining at Grand Boulevard and we’re thrilled to have them in our Town Center,” said Howard Group Public Relations Manager Angela Triplett. “It compliments our restaurant mix perfectly.
“We anticipate a busy lunch business and expect it will be a popular dinner option as well.”
Opening in California in 1986, Johnny Rockets is now located in 12 countries, including 25 locations in Florida (two on the Emerald Coast) and is available on a number of international cruise ships. The restaurants boast old diner-style jukeboxes on counters and vintage uniforms for employees.
Menu items include burgers, milkshakes, old-fashioned fountain drinks and even low calorie items such as salads. The company even has an online store that sells T-shirts and other gift items.
The Grand Boulevard Johnny Rockets location is the fifth restaurant for owner Dave Gieson and follows the recent opening of the Destin Commons location. The building is more than 2,100-square-feet in size and according to a recent press release from the Howard Group, is employing 30-40 people. Hours of operation are currently from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.
According to manager Zoe Richards, the restaurant has been doing quite well thus far.
At noon on Tuesday almost all seats were filled inside and out.
“Business is good,” said Richards while walking to serve a customer. “We really can’t complain.”
According to the Johnny Rockets Web site, the company is forecasting a 20-percent growth in the next five years.
Earlier this year, the Howard Group reported above average sales at Grand Boulevard and said several chains in the complex, including Publix, are performing at the top of their companies.