Amy’s Drive-Thru, a vegetarian fast-food restaurant, could get its basic final approval Tuesday night if the Walnut Creek City Council overturns an earlier rejection of the project by the city’s Planning Commission.
At issue is the restaurant’s drive-up window, and the traffic some fear it would create near the intersection of North Main Street and Second Avenue, on the city’s north end.
The City Council will be hearing an appeal by Amy’s, based in Petaluma, of the Planning Commission’s 4-3 vote on Jan. 23 to deny the Amy’s conditional use permit for drive-up service at the planned 3,773 square-foot restaurant.
Public comments in response to the Amy’s Drive-Thru project have been divided between those in support of the concept of a local vegan/vegetarian fast-food restaurant option and those opposed, mostly because of the drive-up service lane. Critics have cited vehicle backup issues at the Chick-fil-A drive-through site a few blocks north of the proposed Amy’s site, and the effects on the North Main/Geary Road/Treat Boulevard intersection.
Amy’s Drive-Thru is associated with Amy’s Kitchen, which produces a popular line of frozen vegetarian dinners available in grocery stores. The restaurant menu includes veggie burgers, shakes, French fries, pizzas, macaroni and cheese and salads.
The company’s websites lists existing locations in Rohnert Park and at the San Francisco International Airport.
Tuesday night’s City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 1666 N. Main St. in Walnut Creek.
19 comments
The Planning Commission is concerned about a busy drive-thru. The restaurant may not be approved because it may be too popular???
The design commission didn’t disapprove of the restaurant; it disapproved of the drive-thru, A restaurant can exist without a drive-thru, like most restaurants don’t have a drive-thru, even popular ones.
Do they grow their menu on the roof ?
Good luck to Amy’s! The salad bar on the roof is a nice touch.
But I am not a fan of drive-through anything. The only time I’ll use one is when the restaurant either doesn’t have a dining room, or the dining room has already been locked for the night.
There’s no Amy’s in Tennessee so I don’t think you have much to worry about.
I wouldn’t mind having an Amy’s in my neighborhood, but I wouldn’t use the drive-through. And if y’all get an Amy’s, I’d definitely be interested the next time I’m in Claycord. I do like their burritos.
Will goats be allowed to graze on the roof? It looks wonderful.
While I enjoy Amy’s beans, soups, and frozen foods that are sold in local grocery stores I don’t see how those can be expanded into a restaurant that appeals to enough of the population that it’s a viable business model. Amy’s seems to be a vegetarian restaurant. Chick-fil-A across the street has chickens and is popular. The hamburger business has been growing with new chains and outlets popping up regularly.
Cool, I’m in. Just don’t have the same people that designed the parking lots at Sprouts and Kohls design the drive thru, and you’ll be fine.
too bad…its the same developer as Sprouts.
I just don’t see the same sort of line/back-up at Amy’s that you see at Chick-fil-a. Yeah, there are vegetarians out there, but around here fast food is all about burgers, burritos and chicken.
I guess they have a fan base. Unless I’m out voted; Not a place I will try….
I’ve got friends and family who are vegetarian or pescetarian, and finding fast food that they can eat is a challenge. It is Lent, so several places will have fish sandwiches until Easter. I’m usually OK with meatless dishes, but I don’t care for the fake meats, including the so-called incredible burgers.
Right. I’ve eaten some delicious veggie pizzas. Some pretty good falafels also.
There won’t be the line at Amy’s like there is at Chik-Fil-A, no worries on that front. And I wouldn’t be concerned about the long term impact, it won’t last long.
I think it will be a wonderful addition to Walnut Creek! There is one near Santa Rosa, and everyone I know there loves the food and appreciates that it is healthy and much of it is Organic.
I’m voting for Amy’s to be in Walnut Creek!!!
Love Amy’s! It is a niche crowd that this area is ripe for. I have definitely driven to Ronhert Park location just for the food. If Walnut Creek passes this up I hope they come to Concord. We will take the revenue, jobs and sales taxes – your loss WC if you pass this up.
“Your loss WC”… Hahahahaha you’re hilarious if you think WC loses anything from saying no to 1 business. They have plenty of luxury shopping to makeup for the loss of a vegetarian garbage place.
The Rohnert Park Amy’s is terrific, and always busy. The food is very good and consistent. My only criticism is that the cardboard straws become a collapsed, soggy, wet noodle before you finish your Lemon Lime, which itself is very good.
Can you say T-Bone?
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