# Endcap Fast-Casual Restaurants Freddy's Opens Its 600th Restaurant with a No-Drive-Thru Format By Adam Harrie | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-10-15 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/endcap-fast-casual-restaurants References: [prnewswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/freddys-frozen-custard--steakburgers-opens-600th-restaurant-302905995.html)  Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers expanded its restaurant format with an endcap, no drive-thru prototype that fits more site types than its traditional standalone build. The new location in Beaufort, South Carolina, marks the brand's 600th restaurant and keeps its cooked-to-order steakburgers and frozen custard on the menu. The Beaufort restaurant seats 65 guests and adds an outdoor patio, giving the concept a smaller-footprint option without sacrificing dine-in capacity. That layout matters for franchisees considering tighter parcels and for operators trying to enter trade areas where a full standalone box is harder to place. A 600-unit chain with flexible endcap and in-line formats has more ways to grow than a brand tied to one prototype. It also broadens where fast-casual burger chains can fit, especially in markets where real estate is already spoken for. Image Credit: Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.5/10 - Popularity: 50% | Activity: 47% | Freshness: 98% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Endcap Restaurant Prototypes:** Compact endcap layouts create growth pathways for chains constrained by traditional standalone real estate requirements. - **No-drive-thru Dining:** Smaller dine-in-focused formats reflect a shift toward site flexibility in markets where drive-thru lanes are impractical or unavailable. - **Flexible Franchise Footprints:** Multi-format restaurant models give franchise systems more adaptability across dense suburbs, infill locations, and constrained retail centers. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fast-casual Restaurants:** Brands using adaptable footprints can expand into previously inaccessible trade areas without abandoning core menu experiences. - **Commercial Real Estate:** Retail centers gain new leasing potential as restaurant tenants become better suited to endcap and in-line spaces. - **Franchise Development:** Prototype diversification strengthens unit economics by widening the range of viable parcels available to operators. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Modern Fast-Casual Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Open-House-prototype.md) - [Custard Cream Sodas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/freddys-bevies.md) - [Flexible Restaurant Prototype Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-prototype-restaurant.md) - [Custard-Themed Restaurant Tours](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/summer-custard-tour.md) - [Senior-Focused QSR Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/senior-meals.md) - [Convenience Dining Growth](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Convenience-dining-growth.md) - [Community-Centric Fast Casual](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Community-centric-fast-casual.md) - [Ventless Chicken Counters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ventless-chicken-counters.md) - [Fast Casual Seafood Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fast-casual-seafood-restaurant.md)