{"id":387629,"date":"2026-09-01T22:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T22:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/387629\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T22:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T22:56:09","slug":"these-restaurant-brands-are-eyeing-the-orlando-market-for-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/387629\/","title":{"rendered":"These restaurant brands are eyeing the Orlando market for expansion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Restaurants were a hot topic at this year\u2019s ICSC@Florida<\/a> dealmaking conference, with new-to-market brands eyeing the Orlando MSA and several existing users planning major expansions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re seeing is a lot of the larger restaurants are coming back to market,\u201d said Jorge Rodriguez<\/a>, executive VP of retail for Colliers Orlando.<\/p>\n

A lot of second-generation restaurant space doesn\u2019t fit today\u2019s business model, as full-service restaurants consolidate space to eliminate tables and focus more on take-out and meal delivery. \u201cThey\u2019re doing less square feet because rents are so high,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cBut also the Uber Eats and whatnot, some restaurants are doing 30, 40% of sales just out of that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Older restaurants, like the two Applebee\u2019s restaurants that closed in SoDo and Maitland and the Macaroni Grille in Winter Garden, are over 6,000 square feet and are no longer sustainable for national brands.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019m saying is, if we find ourselves looking at our portfolio and it\u2019s a 5,000-square-foot or larger and they\u2019re trending $2 million, $2.5 million a year in sales, more than likely that could be coming back to market, which is good and bad, right? Bad because you get a vacancy, but there is a lot of space out there. So, it could be a positive, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those spaces are opening up to local concepts and redevelopment. That was the case at Winter Garden Village, where Seasons 52 razed the old Macaroni Grille<\/a> to build its prototype restaurant that will open later this month.<\/p>\n

Buca di Beppo<\/a> in Maitland was also demolished in the last year and will be replaced by 8,000 square feet of new multi-tenant retail, anchored by Giovanni\u2019s Pizzeria & Kitchen<\/a>.\u00a0 Another new restaurant concept set to open in Maitland this year is Naya Comida + Barrita<\/a> at Trelago Market. Developed by the team at Agave Azul, the restaurant focuses on coastal Mexican cuisine.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir build-out is incredible,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cI don\u2019t know how many millions of dollars they spent on the buildout, but it\u2019s overwhelming in a good way. Everything is tactile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fast-casual and quick-service restaurants are also eyeing Orlando, both for expansion or market entry.<\/p>\n

Utah-based \u201cdirty soda\u201d chain Swig<\/a> will open its latest store at Hamlin on Sept. 21, followed by another in Golden Eagle Village in December. Franchise owner Chase Herbert told GrowthSpotter he has more stores in the development pipeline near UCF on University Boulevard and at Seminole Towne Center, and he\u2019s targeting Lake Nona, Kissimmee and St. Cloud for future locations. Swig also plans to open a corporate-owned store in Oviedo, he said.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe drive-through line is pictured at SWIG soda shop in Clermont on Monday, June 30, 2025. (Stephen M. Dowell\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Reno, Nevada-based Port of Subs<\/a> is also making a big push in Central Florida. The company signed Christopher and Georgia Goddard in 2024 as regional developers for the Orlando-area franchise, and they\u2019ve spent the last two years working toward opening the first of their 20 stores.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have four LOIs out, and we should be able to finalize them in about two weeks,\u201d Georgia Goddard said. She said they\u2019re targeting locations in Kissimmee, Sanford, near UCF and in downtown Orlando. \u201cWe feel like the downtown location will be really important for our catering business,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The Goddards held several productive meetings at ICSC@Florida, alongside their new broker, Aaron Dan from TSCG<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dan, who leads the firm\u2019s newly opened Orlando office, said he\u2019s met with a number of brands that are looking to expand to Central Florida.<\/p>\n

@7thstreetburgernyc<\/a> <\/p>\n

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7th Street Burger<\/a>: The viral burger joint has taken over New York and is making its way down the East Coast, having expanded to New Haven, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. The menu consists of ultra-simple, perfectly crispy, and deliciously greasy smash burgers, fries and Coke, all at an affordable price. The director of real estate told GrowthSpotter they\u2019re looking at Florida as a potential expansion market but have no specific plans as of yet.
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Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at\u00a0lkinsler@GrowthSpotter.com<\/a> or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on\u00a0Facebook<\/a> and\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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