Will Jack In The Box Be Opening a Hudson Valley Location?

Jack In The Box is expanding quickly, so when will the first Hudson Valley location finally open?

If you're a kid of the '70s, you probably remember Jack In The Box. Back then, the fast food chain was just as popular as McDonald's and Burger King. While they had some pretty good hamburgers on the menu, what set Jack In The Box apart was its greasy tacos. While no self-respecting Mexican food fan could ever bring themselves to admit it, their bastardized version of a taco (with American cheese!) is one of the greatest comfort foods of all time.

Why Did Jack In The Box Leave New York?

During the end of the 1970s, McDonald's started to emerge as the dominant fast-food restaurant in the Northeast. Jack In The Box struggled to compete with the Golden Arches and made a few marketing missteps that caused the brand to fall even further behind. A scandal involving mislabeled horse meat making its way to stores didn't help much either.

By the 1990s, Jack In The Box had completely pulled out of the New York market when the company was responsible for a massive E. coli outbreak. Four children died and almost 200 suffered permanent damage to their kidneys and brains.

Jack In The Box Resurgence

Thanks to a restructuring of the company and some clever marketing, Jack In The Box has reinvented itself to become one of the most successful burger chains in the country.

According to Eat This, Not That, Jack In The Box has 2,200 locations in 22 states and continues to expand. What's helped the fast-food chain gain a loyal army of followers is its unique menu items. Unlike other burger restaurants, Jack In The Box offers interesting sides like curly fries, stuffed jalapenos, egg rolls, mini cinnamon rolls with warm icing and, of course, those greasy tacos.

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The California-based chain recently announced that it is adding 123 restaurants in four new states and will expand into Mexico for the first time, opening 22 locations across the border.

While Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and Wyoming are all getting their first Jack In The Box restaurants, many New Yorkers want to know when the restaurant will finally make its triumphant return to the Empire State.

Jack In The Box's Return to New York?

Other fast-food chains have attempted to expand to New York over the past few years with limited success. Hardee's announced that it would open up several Hudson Valley locations in 2014. The Tennessee-based chain struggled to keep customers coming back and strategically changed its Hudson Valley locations to Carl's Jr. branded restaurants in 2017. The change didn't help and a year later, the restaurants had all closed down.

Chick-fil-A has been very cautious in its expansion to the Hudson Valley. The chain has only opened a few restaurants on the outskirts of the region but recently cut the ribbon on its first rest area location in Plattekill.

While Jack In The Box hasn't announced any specific plans to expand into New York as of yet, it seems as though it's just a matter of time. The restaurant is rapidly expanding as it innovates its menu. Their recently added smash-burger quickly sold out at all locations, proving that Jack In The Box is now more popular than ever.

Where do you think Jack In The Box should plan its return to the Hudson Valley? You can send us location suggestions on our mobile app or comment directly on our Facebook page.