Dive Brief:

• TravelCenters of America announced this week that it had officially opened its new proprietary restaurant brand, Fork & Compass, in January.
• The full-service restaurant is located at the TA Petro Stopping Center in Perrysburg, Ohio, about 12 miles south of Toledo. It will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.
• TA’s newest proprietary restaurant arrives nearly three months after CEO John Pertchik announced during the company’s third-quarter earnings call that the retailer would open the new establishment.

Dive Insight:

The expansion of TA’s foodservice operations tops off one of the busiest weeks in the company’s history. On Feb. 16, the retailer agreed to be acquired by fuel giant BP for $1.3 billion. 

Experts believe TA’s restaurants, among other non-fuel assets, will be useful for BP, which appears to be diversifying its business with the move.

The Fork & Compass concept is family-friendly and aims to become a “destination spot for the community,” according to TA’s announcement. Customers can choose from booths, counter-style seats or large community tables. Most seats have electrical outlets as well.

The restaurant’s menu includes traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner items, such as eggs benedict, chicken-fried steak, omelets, tacos, salads, burgers, cheesesteaks and more. Desserts include chocolate cake, brownie sundaes and cheesecake.

Customers also can order healthy options recommended by the Cleveland Clinic medical center, such as yogurt parfaits and fruit cups. 

Last November, Pertchik noted that in addition to TA opening its new proprietary restaurant, the retailer would add more IHOP locations to its foodservice program. By that time, TA had reopened about 80% of its full-service restaurants after closing about 90% of them in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pertchik said.

Besides Fork & Compass and IHOP, TA’s network of full-service restaurants includes R Place Restaurant, Fuddruckers, Johnson’s Corner, Black Bear Diner, Bob Evans and Boston Market. Westlake, Ohio-based TA also has partnerships with nearly 20 fast-food restaurants, including Arby’s, Burger King, Popeyes, Subway, Starbucks and Taco Bell.