Local Fast-Food Icons Bracing For New Competition In Town

The Wenatchee World Online:

Hometown fast-food icons EZ’s Burger Deluxe, Dusty’s In-N-Out and Larry’s Drive In will by late fall have competition from two more big-name national newcomers.

Wenatchee’s first Sonic drive-in is under construction on North Wenatchee Avenue at the new intersection with Walnut Street.

Franchisee Jim Cravens, of Bothell, says the restaurant should open in mid-August.

A Jack-In-The-Box restaurant is going in on North Chelan Avenue at Fifth Street. It should be open this fall. This will be the second go-round for this San Diego-based company, which closed its North Mission Street restaurant in 1998 after six years of disappointing sales, The World has reported. The new restaurant will be company owned, a company spokeswoman has said.

The newcomers mean more variety for consumers. But with thousands of restaurants, a national presence and huge buying power, they also present a competitive challenge for the “mom-and-pop” favorites. Read on…