WESTLAKE, Ohio — TravelCenters of America has launched “The Kitchen,” a new fast-casual dining experience to be rolled out at select locations nationwide as part of the rollout of its new nationwide site upgrade plan and new travel center design concept.
A company site in Seymour, Ind., under the TA brand held a grand re-opening as the first of more than 100 travel center refresh projects the Westlake, Ohio-based travel center chain expects to complete during the next 18 months.
Improving the customer experience is a priority initiative under TA’s transformation plan, the company said, which includes a “robust” capital investment strategy focused on travel center upgrades, reimagined food concepts and technology improvements designed to provide a consistent, seamless travel center experience.
The Kitchen is a dining experience offering “fresh food fast” that TA said it expects to introduce at select locations across its network. At The Kitchen, customers can receive freshly prepared food for sitdown dining in a fast-casual environment, as well as packaged meals and snacks for grab and go.
TA is focused on providing a food variety with well-balanced and healthy options, regional inspiration and trending flavors that appeal to both professional drivers and motorists, it said. The chain is also implementing new hot and cold beverage technology that offers bean-to-cup coffee, iced coffee, frozen beverages and sodas. New standalone heated and refrigerated displays will offer customers a more seamless shopping experience.
“As we continue advancing our transformation plan and improving the guest experience, we are delivering on our mission of returning every traveler to the road better than they came,” said Jon Pertchik, CEO of TA. “Focusing on operational excellence and refreshing our travel centers will position TA as the preferred travel center operator for professional drivers and motorists. We look forward to driving continued growth and value-creation through the disciplined execution of our strategy.”
- Click here for an in-depth video with more details on TA's plans.
Based in Westlake, Ohio, TravelCenters of America has more than 275 locations in 44 states and Canada, principally under the TA, Petro Stopping Centers and TA Express brands. Offerings include diesel and gasoline fuel, truck maintenance and repair, travel stores, car and truck parking and other services. It operates more than 600 full-service and quick-service restaurants and nine proprietary brands, including Iron Skillet and Country Pride. TravelCenters of America is No. 28 on CSP's 2021 Top 202 ranking of c-store chains by store count.
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