UNION COUNTY, NJ — With the start of the new year, big changes are coming to the Garden State Parkway rest stop in Union, as the rest area will see new food options coming. The McDonald’s has been permanently closed since the beginning of 2022.
According to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the McDonald’s restaurant at the Vauxhall service area on the Garden State Parkway is temporarily being serviced by vending and grab-and-go food options, but, come this spring, the McDonald’s building will be demolished, and no food will be available at that location while new facilities are being built.
What prompted this change? According to a New Jersey Turnpike Authority press release, Iris Buyer LLC last year bought out HMS Host’s toll road business and assumed the contract to operate restaurants in most Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike service areas. The Brookdale South and Vauxhall restaurants were not included; those two service areas were operated by McDonald’s under a separate contract. With the McDonald’s contract due to expire at the end of 2021, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority negotiated with Iris Buyer to include the restaurants at the Vauxhall and Brookdale South service areas in their operating agreement. The NJTA board of commissioners approved the amended agreement at its meeting in October.
“McDonald’s had a contract to operate there until Dec. 31, 2021. They closed as soon as their contract expired,” New Jersey Turnpike Authority media relations manager Thomas Feeney said on Thursday, Jan. 13. “The (McDonald’s) building at the Vauxhall service area dates to the early years of the parkway. Its best days are well behind it. We realize that drivers could be inconvenienced by its closing, but when a bright, new building with modern food options and amenities opens in its place next year, we think they will agree it was worth the wait.”
State Sen. Joseph Cryan gave some insight as to what’s coming, but the expense hasn’t been specified as of yet.
“The current plan is for a Shake Shack drive-thru, Dunkin’ Donuts, Popeyes and a convenience store, as there would be at rest stops. The McDonald’s wasn’t doing the business they wanted, and they wanted to get out of there for a while,” Cryan said on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Brookdale South will include a Chick-fil-A, Burger King, Starbucks and a convenience store. Construction is expected to be completed by 2023.
Photo by EmilyAnn Jackman