McAlister’s Deli coming to Fort Wayne

FORT WAYNE, IND. (WANE) - After sitting empty for just under a year, a piece of prime real estate at the Jefferson Pointe Shopping Center will soon be filled, NewsChannel 15 first reported Friday.

McAlister’s Deli will open up in the old Krispy Kreme store at 4110 West Jefferson Boulevard. McAlister’s officials said it is different than other chains because it does not offer a huge list of choices that are fried or greasy.

Its menu offers more than 100 different items, ranging from sandwiches, various spins on potatoes, salads, soups, and sweets.  The company has also developed a reputation for what it calls its "famous ice tea".

The restaurant is expected to open in June or July of 2010.

Krispy Kreme closed their Jefferson Pointe store in April of 2009, as part of a corporate restructuring. The store opened in 2003, and was the company’s last corporate-owned location in Fort Wayne where doughnuts were made fresh daily.  Krispy Kreme's products can now only be bought at grocery and convenience stores in Fort Wayne.

The Jefferson Pointe location will be McAlister’s Deli 13th location in Indiana. Company officials say their Fort Wayne store will be one of the first to offer breakfast. There will also be a pick-up window for call-in orders, as the restaurant will use the existing drive-up window.

Since their food is made to order and most items are made hot, McAlister’s officials say they won’t take orders for menu items other than beverages and desserts from that window.

Construction on the restaurant is expected to start within the next two weeks with a grand opening date expected to be somewhere between June 15 and July 15 of this year.

McIndy Ventures, LLC is the exclusive franchisee of McAlister’s Corporation in central Indiana.