Already a household name in its home state of North Carolina and a highly decorated brand in the restaurant industry and franchising community, Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes and Fries is bringing its All-American, retro-themed diner to Illinois. The first location opened in Litchfield on June 19.
With the new restaurant located on 1403 W. Ferdon St, (located off I-55.) residents of and visitors to Litchfield will experience an inviting dining experience with fresh, never-frozen burgers, premium sliced cheesesteaks piled high on steamed hoagies, and frozen custard made in-house every day. With its open-grill design, the kitchen’s dedication and care when hand-crafting meals is front and center. The Litchfield restaurant adds nearly 60 jobs to the area.
“We are very excited to open the first Hwy 55 in the state of Illinois and bring good times and great food to the fine folks in Litchfield,” says Kim Walker, franchise owner for the Litchfield restaurant. “We ended up at this location due to the fact that it runs along I-55 on the west side and the famous Old Historic Route 66 on the east side with the original Route 66 Skyview Drive-In as well. We felt it‘s the perfect fit for the 50’s retro theme.” As part of the master franchise agreement, Duane and Kim Walker are planning 50 other locations in Illinois area in the next 10 years.
While celebrating its 26th year in business, Hwy 55 has sold the rights to more than 1,000 franchise locations around the world. Hwy 55 has also signed franchise agreements for Texas, West Virginia, Louisiana, Kentucky and southern Indiana and Virginia in the past year. The brand plans to open approximately 25 locations in 2017.
“I founded Hwy 55 Burgers, Shakes & Fries 25 years ago, to provide something that I felt was missing: great food, friendly service and honest value,” says Hwy 55 president Kenney Moore, who flipped every burger himself for the brand’s first two years of business. “Those principles continue today at all of our restaurants and we will look forward to treating more people in Litchfield and other areas in this great state in the coming years.”
In keeping with Hwy 55’s continued mission to give back to the communities it enters, Hwy 55’s Andy’s Charitable Foundation and Litchfield owner Walker will donate 10 percent of sales from the restaurant’s first three days to the Hearts United Association. Hearts United Association is nonprofit based in Litchfield, IL providing emergency assistance to local residents. Since its inception Hearts has focused on partnering with churches and other organizations to meet the most immediate needs of Litchfield residents. Andy’s Charitable Foundation is Hwy 55’s most visible commitment to community involvement.
