Construction starts for new restaurant going up in Warner Robins. When will it open?

Motorists traveling by Peachtree Immediate Care on Ga. 96 in the Bonaire community of Warner Robins can’t miss site work taking place next door for the new Culver’s restaurant.

The concrete floor of the new build can be seen in the back of the 1.49-acre site, signaling that the project is on schedule for the restaurant to open by the end of March.

The new Culver’s at 782 Ga. 96 will be the second Middle Georgia location for this Midwestern-based, fast-casual restaurant chain known for its ButterBurgers and frozen custard.

The new restaurant is expected to be completed by late February or early March, according to Jim Faber, site superintendent for Campbell Construction.

Once the contractor is finished, the restaurant will have a punch-list of items to do and training to complete, said Evan Huffman, co-owner and operator of the franchise restaurant,

The process to hire 8 to 10 managers is expected to start in about a week, with the hiring of the rest of the restaurant crew to start about a month out from opening, Huffman said.

Culver’s restaurants generally employ 30 to 75 people year round, including seasonal positions, according to the company’s promotional material.

“I’m really excited,” said Huffman, who hails from Cordele. “I just got back from Wisconsin and been up there training for three months and just getting really familiar with the brand and just very excited.

“I think people in Warner Robins are going to be very, very happy and they’re going to really enjoy the delicious ButterBurgers and frozen custard,” he said.

In addition to burgers and frozen custard, Culver’s also offers grilled, fried and spicy chicken sandwiches and tenders, other sandwich options, such as a grilled reuben melt and beef pot roast, as well as fried North Atlantic codfish and shrimp, plus soups and salads.

“We have so many different things,” Huffman said. “The fish is really popular and we’ve got some really great chicken.”

Kids meals include a ButterBurger, chicken tenders, grilled cheese or a corn dog with applesauce or crinkle cut fries and a scoop of frozen custard.

And don’t forget the Wisconsin cheese curds.

This is the first restaurant for Huffman, who’s worked in the agricultural business selling fertilizers, seeds and chemicals.

Huffman also served as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Marines from 2012 to 2020. His father and co-owner, Gary Huffman, is a former partner at Five Star Automotive of Albany and has been in the restaurant business “a good bit.”

They’ve purchased franchise rights for Culver’s south of Macon and plan expansion as a long-term goal as opportunities develop, including possibly a second location in Warner Robins and another in Perry, Huffman said.

Right now, they’re working to get their first Culver’s built and up and running. The new build is near a Kroger shopping center.

The first Culver’s opened in 1984 in Sauk City, Wisconsin where the company is headquartered. A Culver’s franchise company was formed in 1987. Today, there are over 970 family-owned and operated Culver’s in 26 states. In all, there are 22 locations in Georgia. The first to open in Middle Georgia was in Macon at 3710 Northside Drive in September 2021.

This story was originally published November 25, 2024 at 9:16 AM.