What’s happening on Watson Boulevard? Popular steakhouse coming to Warner Robins

A popular steakhouse plans to open a new restaurant in Warner Robins on Watson Boulevard.

Texas Roadhouse has submitted a site plan to the City of Warner Robins for the development at 4030 Watson Blvd. next to the Jim N’ Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q and down from 7 Brew Drive-thru Coffee.

“Retail recruitment in the City of Warner Robins is part of our economic development strategy,” Warner Robins Director of Community and Economic Development Kate Hogan wrote in an email to the Telegraph. “Our demographics speak for themselves and new locations are often chosen outside of our retail recruitment strategy. Our community has seen natural restaurant growth in the past year and Texas Roadhouse was part of that.”

The average Texas Roadhouse restaurant is around 7,500-7,900 square feet and seats around 300 people. Despite the name, the first restaurant was founded in Clarksville, Indiana, and is now based in Louisville, Kentucky, according to its website.

Texas Roadhouse is just one of the expected businesses to be built on that stretch of Watson Boulevard. Jim N’ Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q, 7 Brew Drive-thru Coffee, Take 5 Oil Change and Slim Chickens are expected to open in the area.

Most have completed a pre-design meeting with the development team for the city and applied for a land disturbance permit, Hogan said. Because all of these businesses, except for 7 Brew, are in their initial phases of development, no opening date has been released.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop was previously reported to be opening a restaurant at this location as well, but after the company was bought by Dine Brands in December 2022, the expansion to Warner Robins was canceled, Hogan said. Hogan believes the expansion strategy was probably paused in order to give the new parent company a chance to reassess its strategy, she said.

There is still additional space available for new businesses at the development, she said.

Other developments nearby

Jim N’ Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q — Site work is underway for the construction of the new restaurant located at 4060 Watson Blvd. next to 7 Brew Drive-thru Coffee. The restaurant started in Birmingham, Alabama, in a reclaimed pizza restaurant in 1985 and now has 42 restaurants in six states, according to its website.

7 Brew Drive-thru Coffee — The double-laned drive-thru coffee stand in Warner Robins was set to open Aug. 7, but the coffee shop has postponed the grand opening. The opening was first postponed until September and then October, but now, a new opening date has not been announced.

The Macon location has also faced delays in opening with the initial opening date set for Aug. 21. Hogan said the coffee shop has been fully permitted, and she is unaware of the cause of the delays.

Slim Chickens — Although Slim Chickens only has one other location in the state of Georgia, it has 245 locations and plans to open more than 1,000 in the next decade.

The restaurant in Warner Robins will be the first in Middle Georgia. They are known for their fresh chicken tenders and wings with more than 15 housemade dipping sauces.