Rare 2nd Generation Drive-Thru Restaurant Chicago

Business Overview:

Rare 2nd Generation Drive-Thru Restaurant Chicago, IL - 79th St Commercial Corridor!

“3,712 SqFt Freestanding Building With Existing Drive-Thru For Immediate Occupancy”

Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to lease one of Chicago’s few remaining second-generation drive-thru restaurant buildings, situated on a highly visible hard corner along the busy 79th Street commercial corridor. Unlike new construction, operators avoid the lengthy entitlement process and substantial build-out costs of developing a new drive-thru location. Extensive restaurant infrastructure is already in place, including 3 commercial exhaust hood systems, black iron gas lines, Ansul fire suppression, multiple walk-in coolers and freezers, grease trap infrastructure, a commercial kitchen layout and a permitted drive-thru with proper vehicle stacking. The result is an estimated $200,000 to $400,000 in tenant improvement savings, with development timelines potentially reduced by 6 to 18 months. Ideally suited for national or regional quick-service restaurants, fast-casual restaurants, drive-thru coffee concepts, pharmacy operators, urgent care or medical users, dialysis centers, banks or financial institutions, automotive service concepts, convenience retail and other permitted commercial uses. A rare chance for franchise groups, multi-unit operators and expanding brands to open significantly faster and for far less than a ground-up development.

Listed by Ted Aretos at EatZ & Associates / EatZ Real Estate Group LLC

Contact the Seller:

To request more information regarding this listing, simply check the ADD TO REQUEST INFO BASKET button (above Quick Facts) and when you are done searching and have made all your selections, simply click on the REQUEST FREE INFO button at the bottom of this page.

Property Features and Assets:

Prime freestanding retail building in the heart of Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood, with approximately 207 feet of frontage along one of Chicago’s primary east-west commercial corridors. The large site offers 32 dedicated on-site parking spaces, uncommon for the corridor. Surrounded by major national retailers including Walmart Neighborhood Market, McDonald’s, Burger King, Dunkin’, Popeyes, Aldi and Family Dollar, providing consistent daily consumer traffic and strong co-tenancy. Exceptional public transportation with CTA Route 79 directly in front, convenient CTA Red Line access and the new Auburn Park Metra Station opening nearby in late 2026 with direct service to downtown Chicago.

SqFt: 3,712 building on 0.51-acre (22,216 sqft) lot
Seating: Dining area in place
Hrs: N/A - vacant building, ready for immediate occupancy
Owners Role: (Space For Lease)
Training: (Space For Lease)
Lease: $20 NNN/SqFt/Year; new 7-10 year lease with options
Property: Built 2005; B3-1 Community Shopping zoning

Market Competition and Expansion:

Opportunities to lease a true second-generation drive-thru building in Chicago are increasingly scarce, and existing drive-thru approvals, built-out kitchen infrastructure and flexible zoning are extremely difficult and expensive to recreate. The trade area includes 257,883 residents and 90,225 households within 3 miles (nearly 1.9 million residents within 10 miles), an average household income of $74,495, over $2.17 billion in annual consumer spending, approximately $231 million spent dining away from home and nearly 5,000 employees within one mile. The corridor benefits from more than $100 million in nearby completed and planned investment, including the Healthy Lifestyle Hub, Auburn Gresham Apartments and Invest South/West redevelopment initiatives, plus City of Chicago investment exceeding $750 million across priority commercial corridors. Few leasing opportunities offer this combination of existing restaurant infrastructure and long-term neighborhood growth, making it an exceptional fit for national brands, regional operators and expanding local businesses seeking a premier South Side location.

Reason for Selling:

Space available. Kindly ask the seller for more information.

Additional Details:

Relevant Links:

• View more Illinois businesses for sale
• View more Businesses For Sale in the same industry
• Sell a business online
• Find a business broker