Bob Watson has his eyes on New Jersey.
And why not? Watson, the chief executive officer of 5 & Diner, a restaurant company, sees the Garden State as ground zero for diners, and diners are what his company is all about.
“I know you’re crowded there,†Watson said. “You go to Red Bank, you can hit a diner in 10 miles in any direction… But the fact of the matter is, we think our diners are a little bit different in that we think they’re kind of cool.â€
So different that Watson hopes to open up 30 franchised diners, which in the 5 & Diner model are vintage 1950s retro, over the next five years around New Jersey, in areas such as Toms River, Freehold, Edison and Somerville. The family restaurants don’t serve alcohol. Read more.