My hometown of Joliet is such an anomoly. We are nearly 150,000 strong, yet don’t have hardly ANY good restaurants. I mean, it was a big deal when we got a Hooters and Outback Steakhouse a few years back. Shorewood, our tiny neighbor, is booming along busy Rt. 59, and takes credit for Joliet residents making up all the business. Buffalo Wild Wings has been there for about a year or so; ColdStone and Culvers are also recent. Granted, we are no Naperville, but Joliet does apparently have one of the best growing economies in the country. We have a decent mall, a University and Community College, and 3 high schools. Yet, a lack of restaurant interest remains. Oh, we do have TWO Applebees though… sweet.

Here’s a list of restaurants that have avoided Joliet like a bad plague:

• Potbelly
• Chipotle
• Noodles & Co.
• Olive Garden
• Bennigans (definitley not coming now!)
• Houlihans
• Sonic (avoided the North like a proud confederate, but does now have a location in Aurora of all places)

I could go on and on, and I know many people wish they had half the places that are in Joliet. But for a town of our size, it just seems crazy that we don’t have these places yet. So when I see Panda Express moving in shortly, it keeps my hope up that these places will follow. I mean Potbelly, Chipotle and Noodles are probably my 3 favorite cheaper/quick places.

Update: Proving how often I frequent the mall here in Joliet, it has come to my attention that there has been a Panda Express at the food court for a while now. I say mall locations don’t count