Teriyaki Madness opens in Marlton for the new year
Originating in Seattle, Washington, and now headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Teriyaki Madness has about 100 franchise locations nationwide.
In New Jersey, there is a location in Newark; a Teriyaki Madness is also slated to come to Philadelphia.
The latest to join the list is in Marlton, at 101 Route 73 South in the Marlton Crossing shopping center.
The fast casual restaurant opened on Dec. 29 and 30 with lines of socially distant customers waiting outside the building to try the new place out.
Owner Bola Abiola opened the restaurant in Marlton because she knew the space needed to be in a good location. Having previously worked in the same area, she knew the Marlton well, she said.
“This just seemed like the perfect store for me,” Abiola said.
Teriyaki Madness has a build-your-own bowl concept. Bowls come with veggies and a choice of a protein and base. Proteins include chicken teriyaki, chicken katsu, steak, salmon, orange chicken and tofu. Bases include white, fried or brown rice or noodles.
Guests can customize bowls to fit their needs. Everything is made-to-order, with fresh, high-quality ingredients, the owner says.
The restaurant had been in the works since March 2019. Abiola had planned to open earlier in the year, but the pandemic delayed the opening, she said.
“We just went along with it like people still got to eat [whether] it’s a pandemic or not,” Abiola said. “But more so, it’s a pandemic and you’re home — a lot of people are working from home now — and they just want something new. So it’s been great.”
More:Here are 8 South Jersey restaurants we miss that were shuttered in 2020
Abiola assures her customers that the restaurant is taking COVID guidelines seriously. Masks are required. Six-feet distance is enforced. Employees are required to answer questions about symptoms and have their temperatures taken when they come in. Tables and chairs are wiped every 15 minutes, she said.
Takeout, curbside pickup and delivery are available, as well as indoor seating.
Having established the first Teriyaki Madness in the area, Abiola plans to expand and open more locations in South Jersey in the next year or so.
“The plan is of course to open more so it becomes a household name, that everyone knows what Teriyaki Madness is,” Abiola said.
Go: 101 S. Route 73, Marlton Crossing Shopping Center, Marlton. Hours 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. (856) 446-6239; teriyakimadness.com/locations/nj-marlton