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- Habit Burger & Grill will open its first Jacksonville location on Oct. 15 at 13559 Beach Blvd. on the Southside.
- The restaurant is hosting several pre-opening VIP events with free food for its CharClub and mobile app members.
- This is the first of three planned Northeast Florida locations for the California-based chain.
To herald its highly anticipated Jacksonville debut, a California restaurant chain known for its freshly grilled burgers, chicken and tuna is offering an opportunity for patrons for free food leading up to its grand opening.
Habit Burger & Grill will hold its grand opening on Oct. 15 at 13559 Beach Blvd. with multiple festivities. It is the first of three proposed Northeast Florida locations from the popular fast-casual restaurant chain based in Irvine, Calif.
Leading up to the big day, Habit is hosting “exclusive pre-opening VIP events” for its CharClub and mobile app members as a way of welcoming its customers and rewarding their patience. Guests can receive an invite to this exclusive sneak peek by signing up at order.habitburger.com/nro/jacksonville, restaurant officials said in an Oct. 7 news release announcing the grand opening.
“Jacksonville, we know you’ve been waiting and we’re just as fired up to start grilling for you,” Chef Jason Triail, director of culinary innovation at Habit, said in the news release. “Our very first Habit opened steps from the California coast, so it feels right to bring that same chargrilled flavor here on Beach Boulevard, just minutes from the shore.”
Pre-grand opening VIP events
To be eligible for the VIP free food giveaways, people must be a Habit CharClub member and present the VIP invitation. All are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the specified days, according to the news release.
The giveaway opportunities are:
- Oct. 11 Free Charburger Day: First 200 guests receive a free freshly made Charburger, fries and drink.
- Oct. 13 Free Habit Day: First 200 guests receive a free chargrilled meal from a pre-set menu.
- Oct. 14 Free Habit Day: First 200 guests receive a free chargrilled meal from a pre-set menu.
Grand opening day festivities
Habit is also hosting more festivities on grand opening day.
- Jacksonville Flavor Passport Giveaway: The first 500 guests will receive a Flavor Passport, giving them the chance to explore Habit’s menu, valued at over $20 on future visits.
- Beach Tote Giveaways: Guests can take home custom beach totes “packed with Habit surprises.”
The Beach Boulevard restaurant also will debut Habit Burger’s “Exclusive Mobile Pickup Lane.”
Described by restaurant officials as “innovative,” it is designed for speed and convenience by allowing guests to order ahead through the Habit mobile app and “skip the line with a fast, on-demand pickup experience.”Habit says when people download the app, first-time registrants get a free charburger with the purchase of a regular drink, according to the news release.
Get in the Habit with more locations on the way
Habit took over and renovated the former Bojangles restaurant on Beach Boulevard that had sat empty since June 2023, when that chain closed its three area locations.
A May 6 city building permit showed an estimated job cost of $715,518 for the 3,875-square-foot Beach Boulevard restaurant located between Dunkin’ and Tijuana Flats and across from the Walmart-anchored Hodges Point Plaza.
A second Habit is proposed at 15080 Max Leggett Parkway on Jacksonville’s Northside on an undeveloped parcel of land at the Dick’s Sporting Goods- and Hobby Lobby-anchored Parkway Shops, according to plans submitted to JEA on June 9.
The third is proposed for 9171 Baymeadows Road in the former Arby’s location vacated earlier this year. Located near the intersection with I-95, the restaurant would be across from Chipotle Mexican Grill, Hardee’s and 4 Rivers Smokehouse.
In addition to its lineup of Charburgers, Habit is known for its grilled or crispy chicken sandwiches, ahi tuna filet, Santa Barbara Cobb and other salads, and a variety of sides, including tempura green beans.
The Habit on Beach Boulevard restaurant will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.
Gary T. Mills of the Florida Times-Union contributed to this report.
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
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