[EXCLUSIVE] New Restaurant In, Old McDonald's Out in Buckhead + Trader Joe's News Too

Finally!  In-N-Out will make its Atlanta debut with a location planned for Buckhead.  Sources close to the project tell ToNeTo Atlanta that a new In-N-Out will open at 2929 Peachtree Road in Buckhead.  The new In-N-Out will replace a longstanding McDonald's.   

Benjamin Dover, second generation franchisee at the Buckhead McDonald's said he was thrilled to no longer be selling clown food.  "We have tried for years to join the In-N-Out franchise family and and are over the moon to be among the select few the company partners with," Dover added. 

The current McDonald's was built in 1987, is about 4,500 square feet, and sits on .97 of an acre.   The existing McDonald's building will be gutted to be remade into the new In-N-Out restaurant. 

ToNeTo Atlanta shared news in 2023 that In-N-Out would be setting up an "Eastern Territory" office in Nashville and that locations in the region would follow soon after.  The office, in the Nashville suburb of Franklin, is slated to open in 2026 along with a handful of restaurants in the greater Nashville area. 

If all goes well, Dover hopes to have several other In-N-Out restaurants open by 2026 including those planned for Decatur, Dunwoody, Tucker, Sandy Springs and Midtown. 

Dover further shared that his brother, Richard Dover, had been granted a franchise with Trader Joe's to open a new store in place of the former Original Pancake House (originally Brio) across the street in Buckhead Center.  The Original Pancake House has been closed since September 2023 and has had limited interest in a restaurant replacement.  Dover pitched the idea of a Trader Joe's to building ownership who immediately loved his vision of a bike and scooter-centric location given its Peachtree location and limited upfront parking, a must for new Trader Joe's stores.

The roughly 9,000 square foot restaurant space will be renovated to suit the needs of the grocer.    

Trader Joe's typically sets limits that no more than 15 spaces can be readily accessible, but they obliged Dover's request for 25, knowing he had plenty of scooter and bike parking too.

Despite there already being another Trader Joe's on Peachtree, less than a mile away, Dover is confident he can be successful too.  "If Sunglass Hut can have three locations in every mall, Chick-fil-A, Mattress Firm, and Publix can all have multiple locations on top of one another, why not another Trader Joe's in Buckhead?" Dover added. 

Asked if he feels for those in communities like Smyrna, Dunwoody, Marietta and Douglasville who frequently request a Trader Joe's in their areas, his response was simple: "sucks to suck."  

The Dover brothers' plan to hold a dual Grand Opening currently slated for Tuesday, June 31.  Although this timeline may sound overly optimistic to some, the brothers are confident they can make it happen.  They are believed to be among the first to take advantage of the City of Atlanta's new "Gold Permit" program, which grants applicants fast-tracked building permits in exchange for a $250,000 fee.  

Are you excited about the In-N-Out and Trader Joe's openings in Buckhead?  Where else would you like to see In-N-Out open in metro Atlanta?  What is your favorite Trader Joe's product? 

Please share your thoughts below.