DELMAR — One of Delaware’s most successful quick-service food brands is growing yet again, as Wayback Burgers plans to open a Delmar location by the end of the year.
The burger franchise that started in 1991 as Jake’s Hamburgers in a small shop on the outskirts of Newark has since grown to become a Connecticut-based international franchise brand with more than 170 locations in 35 states and abroad in Canada, Brunei, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, The Netherlands, Ireland, South Africa, and Japan.
The new location in Delaware’s southernmost town that splits into Maryland will be located at 31010 Thorton Blvd. in the Delmar Square shopping plaza. It will be the seventh location in Delaware and fifth restaurant owned and operated by local franchisee, Jim Patel.
The Delmar location is projected to create 30 new jobs and open in late 2023.
“We are pleased to continue the expansion of Wayback Burgers in Delaware with the lease signing of our Delmar restaurant,” Patrick Conlin, president of Wayback Burgers, said in a statement. “Home to our flagship restaurant in Newark, we take great pride in continuing to bring the Wayback Burgers dining experience to Delaware. We look forward to working with our longtime partner, Jim Patel, to serve new and returning guests in Delmar later this year.”
The new 1,422-square-foot location will also differ a bit from its dive bar-esque origins, offering a lighter and brighter dine-in experience with a modernized kitchen visible through glass windows and a pass-through. Furnishings will also include a variety of seating options, including upholstered banquettes, booths, and floating and community tables.
Wayback Burgers – the franchise brand dropped the Jake’s name in 2017 to help differentiate it in other markets – still offers a variety of made-to-order burgers available as a single patty or classic double patties. Also still on the menu are the popular hand-dipped milkshakes, along with chicken sandwiches and veggie burgers.
“As a Delaware-based franchisee for the past six years, I’ve come to know the ins and outs of operating four Wayback Burgers restaurants and felt ready to expand my footprint,” Patel said in a statement. “Based on recent sales figures and increased business from my restaurants in Middletown, Milford, Millsboro and Smyrna, I made the decision to bring my business to Delmar. Local franchisee support, exceptional customer service and high-quality food are just a few of the reasons I’ve continued to invest in the brand, and I look forward to sharing the Wayback Burgers dining experience with the Delmar community very soon.”
