Fried Green Tomatoes set to open its new Warner Robins location. What you need to know.
Managing partners Candice Miller and Paul Park are set to open their Warner Robins location of a popular restaurant known for its Southern home cooking served up cafeteria style.
Fried Green Tomatoes, located at 747 Russell Parkway in a former Krystal building, celebrates its grand opening Wednesday. Miller said she’s excited to see what customers think of the remodel.
Part of the remodel included fitting the restaurant for cafeteria-style service and painting the restaurant with bright colors. Passing motorists cannot miss the red and orange building and the huge sign that went up one week to the day ahead of the grand opening.
The restaurant includes a dine-in area capable of seating about 40 people.
It also has a drive-thru, with Miller anticipating a good percentage of their sales will be generated by customers wanting to swing by and pick up a home-cooked meal without ever leaving their vehicles.
“We’re just really excited about the Russell Parkway location,” Miller said. “We’re close to the base — just 5 to 8 miles from the base.”
She expects the proximity to Robins Air Force Base will be a draw for a strong lunch crowd. Military personnel are eligible for a free salad on opening day through Aug. 15, Miller said
Fried Green Tomatoes has multiple locations in Middle Georgia.
Family considering further expansion
The family behind the restaurants first started with 478 Country Buffet in the Peach Shops in Byron, Miller said. They like to stay out of the limelight, she said.
With the success of that restaurant, family members decided they wanted to offer the same great food but wanted to move to a fast food, cafeteria style concept, Miller said.
The result was their Fried Green Tomatoes restaurants, with locations in Centerville, Macon, Milledgeville, Fort Valley and Dublin. The Centerville location was their first Fried Green Tomatoes restaurant.
Miller is a partner in the Centerville, Macon, Milledgeville and now the Warner Robins locations.
The family is considering expanding their restaurants north toward Atlanta and south possibly in Cordele and Albany, Miller said.
Another managing partner that opened a Green Tomato Cafe in Marietta with the same concept has been successful, she said.
“We’ve got plans to keep on growing,” Miller said.
“Our goal, I think, for 2022 is to kind of watch all of our stores here and make sure that everything is smooth, and then in 2023, we plan on hitting the 285 perimeter and expanding a little further south as well.”
I-285 is the interstate highway loop surrounding Atlanta.
“I love this job, and I love these customers, and we’ve built such a good family relationship within our staff,” Miller said.
The Warner Robins location will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The telephone number is 478-236-2395.
Combo meals start at $6.53.The All Star Combo for $10.57 includes two meats, two vegetables, bread, a dessert or salad and a drink.
The motto for the restaurants: “Good feel, good people and good home cooking.”