Joliet Embraces Jack In The Box: 2nd Fast-Food Restaurant Opening In Our City Of Champions

JOLIET, IL — Whether you like it or not, Joliet is a fast-food restaurant community. The city is dominated by fast-food restaurants; a new Brown's Chicken just opened in late December and two more Sharks Fish and Chicken are on the way. Last summer, one of the most popular restaurants for Joliet was the new Jack in the Box at 2101 Route 59, between Shorewood and Plainfield, at the former Arby's restaurant property.

Once it opened, for the next several months, some of the Route 59 Jack in the Box customers waited in the drive-thru lane for upwards of 30 to 45 minutes. Why? Because they had to satisfy their curiosity. They wanted to enjoy a tasty fast-food meal served at Joliet's new Jack in the Box.

People around Joliet have a peculiar fascination with new fast-food restaurants. When Joliet opened its first Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers restaurant on the site of the demolished Diamand's Family Restaurant in March 2022, Raising Cane's predicted that 4,000 customers would visit their new restaurant that opening day.

So, perhaps not surprisingly, the corporate higher-ups affiliated with the Jack in the Box national franchise realized Joliet would be a great spot for not just one Jack in the Box restaurant, but two.

Before 2025 came to a close, renovations got underway at Joliet's former Arby's restaurant at 2307 West Jefferson Street at the corner of Republic Avenue. This was where there was a short-lived Amigeaux's restaurant, a Tex-Mex-Cajun-Southern California Baja restaurant that turned into a disaster, failing to stay open for even a full year.

This is where Joliet's second Jack in the Box location will open. And it's closer than you may realize.

During the past week, professional sign companies have been working on West Jefferson Street installing the new Jack in the Box signs.

According to its website, Jack in the Box offers:

• Jack's Munchies Under $4
• Burger Combos
• Chicken Combos
• Breakfast Combos
• Late Night: Build Your Own Munchie Meals
• Tacos
• Snacks and Fries
• Shakes and Desserts
• All Day Breakfast
• Lighter Options

The new restaurant at 2307 West Jefferson Street probably won't open until sometime in March. As of Wednesday, the restaurant menu boards for the drive-thru lane have not been installed, yet.

Will the soon-to-be opening Jack in the Box become the hottest new restaurant to open on West Jefferson Street in 2026?

In 2025, that honor went to the new 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee, which opened in late September on the site of former Long John Silver's restaurant.

The new 7-Brew became so popular that Joliet's police officers often had to direct traffic coming in and out of the new drive-up coffee stand during the fall months.

Will the Joliet police need to set up traffic detours along West Jefferson Street and Republic Avenue to help fast-food enthusiasts navigate the new Jack in the Box?

That remains to be seen. But judging by the Jack in the Box's crazy success at 2101 Route 59, people around Joliet definitely have an appetite for more Jack in the Box cooking.