Burnt Toast opens in former Ruby Tuesday spot
The Burnt Toast restaurant along Randall Road in Lake in the Hills moved its warm atmosphere and mouthwatering cinnamon French toast to a new location this week.
The restaurant is now open in the former Ruby Tuesday building in Algonquin, just west of Randall on Bunker Hill Drive.
Owner Konstantinos Drivas said the rent at the former spot on Randall was getting too expensive.
He said for just a little bit more, he was able to buy the Ruby Tuesday building, the land around it and the parking lot for the restaurant's new location.
The new spot is double the size of the former location, he added.
But customers can expect to find a pretty similar Burnt Toast to the Lake in the Hills spot once they step inside to dine.
His wife, Ingrid Cruz, brought in warm kitchen colors to help decorate the restaurant and to make customers feel welcome.
"We're changing locations and nothing else," Drivas said. "It's a larger restaurant, but it doesn't have that large feeling. It's something warm and friendly, what people are used to here."
He said the new location is still distinctive from Burnt Toast's other spot in Elgin, just north of the tollway, which is a little more upscale.
Drivas said he didn't have to do much to transform the Ruby Tuesday building into his popular breakfast and lunch business.
He said they left the former restaurant's bar, but added granite to it, and turned it into a breakfast counter. He added cappuccino and smoothie machines.
Drivas also painted the walls and changed the carpet. He plans to do some future upgrades, but wanted to open the restaurant as soon as possible for its patrons.
"We've hired about 20 extra people here," Drivas said.
"We're excited to serve the community and we're looking forward to the new challenges," he added.
Helping out: If you stop by Jersey Mike's along Randall Road in Geneva on Friday evening, July 23, any food you order will go to help a good cause.
From 5 to 7 p.m., the restaurant is helping to raise funds to battle ALS and support those living with the disease by donating 10 percent of the day's sales.
Open mic: On July 30, Borders along Randall Road in Algonquin will host an open mic night.
Starting at 8 p.m. you can share your original songs, poetry and music at the event.
Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.