Krystal Will Raze, Rebuild 40% Of Stores

Six stores in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee are the first of up to 100 Krystal outlets set to undergo a complete raze, scrape and rebuild to update the QSR chain’s look. The Dunwoody, Ga., chain’s five-year plan is aimed at overhauling the 40% of its 362 stores that are more than 40 years old.

Its 1,788 sq.ft. wood, metal and stucco “Davenport” prototype is square, a nod to Krystal’s signature-shaped burgers, with a full-glass front and a wood-framed open ceiling in the dining room. The new kitchen layout maximizes efficiency as does the expanded work zone and double-drive lane for the chain’s single window drive-thru design.

Founded in 1932 in Chattanooga, Tenn., Krystal has a footprint in 11 Southeastern states.