A new I ♥ Mac & Cheese opened on January 13, at New Village at Patchogue on Long Island, New York. The restaurant marks the first I ♥ Mac & Cheese to open in 2019, the first to open in the New York area and eighth overall.

Specializing in custom, build-your-own (BYO) macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches, the Boca Raton, FL-based company recently rolled out new resolution-friendly options with quinoa, cauliflower rice and broccoli florets bowl bases. Guests can choose one or all three to add to their bowl. There are also more vegetables to choose from, including corn, chickpeas, black beans, roasted red peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, onion, carrots, scallions, tomatoes, jalapenos, celery, pickles and scallions — and vegetables are unlimited. Grilled chicken has been added to the Protein list, which also includes pepperoni, ham, bacon, ground beef, short rib, pulled pork, crispy chicken and lobster.

For those who may not want to customize, guests can choose a bowl or sandwich from the large, chef-driven menu. The menu also offers side dishes, including cheesy broccoli, tomato soup and tomato soup dipper, and fresh mini chocolate chip cookies and dessert bars.

“We are committed to providing our guests with a positive culinary experience as they not only enjoy our unique twists on an American favorite, but our fresh, high-quality ingredients that are not only good for the body, but are satisfying and wholesome,” says Stephen Giordanella, chairman and CEO

I ♥ Mac & Cheese’s Catering Division offers Chef Specials and Build Your Own catering trays with any of the bases. Food delivery is available via Uber Eats and Delivery Dudes.

The company experienced strong growth in the past year and is expecting to end 2019 with five corporate openings in the United States. Two stores are slated to open in Spring/Summer 2019 in Tallahassee, FL, and Athens, GA. Additional New York locations are scheduled to open in 2019 in Bayside, Queens; Syosset, Long Island; and Syracuse.

On the franchise side of the business, the company is projecting 20 franchises opening this year. Two locations are slated to open Spring/Summer 2019 in Cooper City, FL, and Deerfield Beach, FL. In October 2018, I ♥ Mac & Cheese sold its first food truck franchise in the South Florida market to its former general manager, Hector Gonzalez.

“With our growth, we’ve continued to remain focused on our food and our customers. We look forward to further developing franchise and corporate stores and food trucks across the country,” adds Giordanella.

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