Atlanta-based Fresh To Order opens for the first time in Knoxville, Tennessee, this week. The fast-casual restaurant serves up entrees, Panini sandwiches, soups, and salads made to order in less than 10 minutes for around $10. The new unit is located at 2417 University Commons Way in the newly developed University Commons retail development near the University of Tennessee campus

Fresh To Order’s extensive menu features high-quality, chef-inspired appetizers, entrees, and desserts at affordable prices. The menu includes healthier options and a broad selection of combinations, including a crushed almond crusted tuna steak, brown sugar roasted pork loin with caramelized onion apricot chutney, and better-for-you black bean, bison, and tuna burgers made in-house. Upon ordering, guests can watch as the kitchen crew fire up the grill and cook proteins like chicken, steak, and fish. Salad dressings and soups are prepared from scratch twice-daily in-store.

The Knoxville restaurant is owned and operated by Fresh Concepts LLC. The company is an experienced multiunit foodservice operator and has various real estate holdings in Knoxville. Company officials were frequent guests of the Fresh To Order Chattanooga location, loved the food, and saw the concept’s growth potential and appeal to Knoxville residents and students.

“From the first time we visited Fresh To Order we knew it was the perfect restaurant concept for Knoxville,” says Craig Mason, Fresh To Order multiunit franchisee. “Not only does the food taste great, but it’s also a prime location for students and families alike who care about eating fresh food that is available for an affordable price.”

Recognized for its innovative take on the fast-casual segment, as well as its unique and broad-appeal menu selections, Fresh To Order incorporates seasonal changes and chef-driven creations, giving the chain its unique ability to respond to new food trends and growing consumer demands for healthy meals that are made to order and fresh. In addition, Fresh To Order is a member of the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program, designed to help parents make the healthful choice the easy choice for their children when dining out.

“Healthy, fresh, and great-tasting food from the Fresh To Order menu is exactly what discerning diners are now looking for when making their restaurant choices,” says Pierre Panos, founder and CEO of Fresh To Order. “We think our quality food at a great price will be a perfect addition to the Knoxville restaurant scene.”

Fresh To Order recent openings include Decatur, Georgia, Greenville, South Carolina, and units in nontraditional venues such as the CNN Center in Atlanta and in Concourse B at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This is the third Tennessee location for Fresh To Order. The restaurant franchise already has one location in Chattanooga and plans to open four to six more restaurants in Nashville and Knoxville.

Denise Lee Yohn: QSR's Marketing Guru, Fast Casual, Growth, News, Fresh to Order