Jack in the Box is cranking up for expansion in Jacksonville.
San Diego-based Jack in the Box Inc. announced March 1 that it signed 14 restaurant commitments that will bring Jack in the Box to two new states - Florida and Arkansas.
It is the first time the brand has entered the Arkansas market, and more than 30 years since it was in Florida.
The first Florida franchisee is in Orlando, but more are expected.
Jack in the Box says its franchise development team is looking for partners to expand its footprint across the U.S. and in Florida.
It says on jackintheboxfranchising.com that its franchise development team is primarily interested in almost 30 Florida markets that include Jacksonville.
It says that the Florida cities “meet most of our site requirements and should be a good fit for Jack in the Box based on our Real Estate Planning Software.”
Jack in the Box sells burgers; chicken tenders and sandwiches; popcorn chicken; tacos; fish sandwiches; fries and sides; salads; all-day breakfast; shakes and desserts; and seasonal and regional items.
Currently, the closest Jack in the Box to Jacksonville appears to be in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Burgerbeast.com reports Jack in the Box left Florida in 1980 after a sale.
The Miami Herald reported in announcing the return to Florida that 30 years ago the company was at the center of a deadly E. coli outbreak. The outbreak in four Western states was traced to a California meat supplier.
Jackintheboxfranchsing.com invites prospective franchisees to check its website.
In addition to other requirements, potential franchisees need minimum liquidity of $500,000 and a minimum net worth of $1 million. The franchisee fee is $50,000 per location.
It says the building size is 1,350 to 2,400 square feet.
Jack in the Box Inc., a public company, says it operates and franchises the Jack in the Box hamburger chain with more than 2,200 restaurants across 21 states, and the Del Taco Mexican-American chain with about 600 restaurants across 16 states.
The site shows five Del Taco restaurants in Florida, comprising two in Orlando and one each in Bradenton, Kissimmee and Melbourne.
It says there are 1,500 potential Jack in the Box locations in existing markets and 2,250 locations in new markets.
Jack in the Box opened its first restaurant in San Diego in 1951.