IronTiger Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Topic says it all: this is the thread to put what restaurants and stores (chains) you'd like to see in Houston. This isn't necessarily WHERE (of course, you'd like to see it closer to your neighborhood) or how MANY, but just what do "they" have that we don't. While you could count things that have left the area before and come back (like Del Taco), I'd just like to have a few "guidelines": 1) It must be chains that are growing, not shrinking. I think a Kmart in Houston would be cool, but unless they pull a 360 on that business, it's not happening. 2) It must be chains that franchise or otherwise don't have a set limit on how they expand. Braums has a 300 mile radius limit (Hillsboro is as far south as it gets), and asking for supermarket that doesn't have a location for miles around as they expand out from a home base (chains such as Publix, Meijer, or Wegmans--besides, do you think Wegmans is competitive enough for Houston?) 3) It must be something that isn't in the market area at all. So no "There's an [X] in The Woodlands or Galveston", it must entirely new to the market. That still of course leaves a ton of room as to what to see: In N Out Burger is the first thing that comes to my mind, but I wanted to know your thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 In-N-Out, for sure. I can't believe that there are now 19 locations in the DFW area and 3 in the Austin area, but none in Houston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share Posted June 20, 2014 19?! I thought there were 3-4, and the reason they didn't come to Houston was that (probably) the Dallas ones were underperforming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Blaze Pizza. Very rapidly growing startup out of LA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Pret-a-MangerZaraM&S (although they aren't exactly growing)Tim Horton's, because there can never be too many donut shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tower26 Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 1. Wynn Dixie 2. Frye's 3. Rubio's Restaurants 4. Soundwaves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asubrt Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Pret-a-MangerZaraM&S (although they aren't exactly growing)Tim Horton's, because there can never be too many donut shops. There's already a Zara in the Galleria, but absolutely agree on Pret. The best chain sandwich shop in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thundercloud Subs from Austin though you would have to find some hippies to run the place. A fine alternative in Seabrook is Neptune Subs; been there over 35 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 19?! I thought there were 3-4, and the reason they didn't come to Houston was that (probably) the Dallas ones were underperforming. I thought there were only a handful too, until I checked the location map on their website. No excuse for not having a Houston location, unless they're afraid of competing with Whataburger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Thundercloud Subs from Austin though you would have to find some hippies to run the place. A fine alternative in Seabrook is Neptune Subs; been there over 35 years. There used to be a Thundercloud on W. Alabama between Shepherd and Kirby for several years. It was definitely run by hippies, but I'm not sure if they were Austin expats or if they'd simply jumped ship from Whole Foods down the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technoevil Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 I thought there were only a handful too, until I checked the location map on their website. No excuse for not having a Houston location, unless they're afraid of competing with Whataburger. Pretty sure Whataburger is not the issue. Those are also all over DFW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 I have heard that In N Out's numbers in Dallas have been disappointing and that has impacted the pace of their rollout. Remember that In N Out is not franchised so the decision to enter a new market is a little different for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 I have heard that In N Out's numbers in Dallas have been disappointing and that has impacted the pace of their rollout. Remember that In N Out is not franchised so the decision to enter a new market is a little different for them.That's what I thought, until this 19 number came up, and the fact that they're hitting Austin and New Braunfels (New Braunfels, really?) before Houston. Once Austin is "secured", so to speak, I think they'll move to Houston. It makes more sense to plant a market and make sure its healthy than randomly scattering your businesses everywhere (which is what fast-growing companies tend to do--both McDonald's and Kmart did this, but while that strategy worked well for one, one of them botched it and sent them into a permanent tailspin, guess which one is which?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livincinco Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Most likely they're considering New Braunfels as part of the Austin market. Logistically, it would make more sense for them to go to San Antonio before Houston anyway. Since their base is in Dallas, they can cover all of those markets with the same trucks. Houston will require a different setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acamarillo Posted June 25, 2014 Share Posted June 25, 2014 Cowboy Chicken, out of Dallas. Ate there on a trip to rescue a friend and bring him home, and really enjoyed the food. Could see the concept working in suburbs like the woodlands or Katy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readam Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 I thought there were only a handful too, until I checked the location map on their website. No excuse for not having a Houston location, unless they're afraid of competing with Whataburger. The are not that great. Hype prevails in some places. I'll take Whataburger any time, any day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS27 Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Fogoncito, Sanborns (ironically, openned by an American), gorditas dona tota (they have one in SA) ... some Mexican food from Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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