Sunday, September 20, 2020

[UPDATE] McDonald's Permanently Closes Third Atlanta Area Location

For the second month in a row, a longtime Atlanta area McDonald's restaurant has abruptly closed.  Following last month's closure of the McDonald's at 1305 Powers Ferry Road in East Cobb and at 2460 Jett Ferry Road in Dunwoody, the McDonald's at 5025 Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree Corners has also closed.  According to ToNeTo Atlanta readers, there was no advance warning of the closure which occurred earlier this week.  Signage at the restaurant indicates that it closed as of September 15. 

All permanent signage from both the street and the building had been removed as of Friday afternoon with little left to identify the former hamburger joint other than a few branded window clings.  The notice in the restaurant's window announcing the closure directed would-be patrons to a McDonald's at 3485 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, about four miles away.  

Despite the speed at which the restaurant was "de-commissioned," the Peachtree Corners (Norcross) location is still listed on the McDonald's corporate website as open, and its phone number has not yet been disconnected.   

Gwinnett County property records indicate that the roughly 4,400 square foot Peachtree Corners restaurant, situated in a freestanding outparcel of the Ingles-anchored Jones Bridge Square shopping center, was built in 1997 and sits on just over an acre.  

A few miles away, on Holcomb Bridge Road, a former Burger King restaurant closed in 2019 and remains vacant.  

The pandemic has caused many consumers to avoid inside dining and pushed many to use drive-thrus (most Chick-fil-A restaurants are still closed to inside diners) and other contactless purchasing methods.  To see McDonald's and other fast food restaurants close so many restaurants is a bit surprising, but perhaps is like we've seen with other restaurant groups: the result of them "right-sizing" their networks and shuttering under-performing units.  

ToNeTo Atlanta has reported on ten quick-serve restaurants that have closed in metro Atlanta since April, and real estate sources say more are likely by year end.  The closures, which include Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy'sHardee's and Boston Market, could present opportunities for restaurants looking to expand in metro Atlanta and who value the drive-thrus they would inherit.  This list, while small, includes the likes of industry heavyweights Starbucks and Chipotle but also local upstart gusto!, among others.  

Are you surprised to see so many fast food eateries close Atlanta area locations?  What is your favorite quick-serve restaurant?  What would you like to see open in place of McDonald's in Peachtree Corners?

Please share your thoughts below.  

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Burger King also has closed their standard alone store east of Georgia 400 on Holcomb Bridge Rd in the King's Crossing Shopping Center.

I wonder if the leases on various restaurants have or about to expire and to bring them update is a cost that can not be recovered as fast due to Coronavirus.

Ham said...

So many options in Peachtree Corners I can't see why anyone would pick McDonalds. The only time I ever eat there is when I'm traveling, in a hurry and don't see anything else I recognize. Their food is the same mediocre crap in Atlanta, upstate New York, rural Alabama, etc. but it is somewhat eatable.

Anonymous said...

mcD’s, and BK hires, hires folks that let’s just say, enable these sorts of closures! The places are usually not very clean either.... common sense stuff folks.

Corona should be a boon for these places...drive through should be extremely busy!

RayAtL said...

Like Boston Market and the PTC Burger King closures, this McDonald’s was always busy. There was always a string of cars at the drive thru and many cars in the parking lot. The building appears to be in good condition (unlike the BK) so it may have been difficult to staff or ...?

Unknown said...

Considering this was one of the worst McDonald's I've ever been to, and the line at the drive-thru was always full due to the slowness of their service, I can't say I'm surprised about anything other than the absolute speed at which it was demolished to leave nothing but an empty lot.

DaBigMotor said...

This location has been demolished. The building no longer exists. I wonder what was the hurry to tear it down? There's NOTHING there now.

Mommy49kids3 said...

Sad to see it go, I would always bring my kids there to the play ground, what's going on its place, th building is Gone

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