New signage added for Ripieno's, JoJo's at Burger King in Rockville

Ripieno's Italian Bistro and JoJo's Express have been operating in the newly-renovated Burger King at 16004 Shady Grove Road since April. Now they also have lit signage on the facade of the restaurant, which is at the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. The branding is all over the place at the property, with Ripieno's referred to in different places as "Ripieno's Italian Bistro," "Ripieno's of Ocean City" and now "Ripieno's Express" on the new sign outside. This is still the best Burger King in Montgomery County, now with Ocean City's increasingly-famous giant Ripieno's pizza, which is beginning to get shoutouts from tourists in their reviews of the resort city.

Shady Grove Burger King reopens in Rockville (Photos)

When is the Burger King on Shady Grove Road reopening? That oft-asked question finally has an answer, as the fully-remodeled restaurant reopened today. It is offering the new food court experience the ownership sought to add to increase revenue, with Ripieno's Italian Bistro and JoJo's Express counters also inside the dining room. Burger King still has the biggest counter space. I love the menu board for Ripieno's that says, "Ripieno's of Ocean City," a nod to the bistro and pizzeria's first location inside the venerable Burger King in Ocean City, Maryland.

There's plenty of indoor seating, and you can mix and match menu items from all three restaurants. JoJo's is promoting its salads as the main draw. Ripieno's has pizzas by the pie or slice, subs, calzones, club sandwiches and cheesesteaks that are "near 1 feet long," the menu board boasts. If they could add pizzas to the drive-thru or a curbside pickup, that would be a huge revenue opportunity, I think. But for the moment, they have the benefit of a huge parking lot, with plenty of spaces to accomodate customers for all three restaurants. Stop by soon for a flame-broiled Whopper, and a taste of Ocean City!

Burger King Shady Grove Road menu board activated as Whopper fans await reopening

Don't go to bed before the King, or you might miss out on the latest in the slow drip of developments in the case of the truly-epic remodeling of the Burger King at 16004 Shady Grove Road at the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. After another few months of little visible activity, we have a new sign of progress. The new drive-thru menu board has been activated. Like the new ones at McDonald's, this has video screens.

Alas, the restaurant has not reopened yet. But it looks like we're getting close to an opening date. The other new "sign" at the site is one seeking job applicants for the pizza restaurant that will be located inside the building. This was the best Burger King in Montgomery County when it closed for renovations a couple of years ago(!!), and Whopper fans are extremely impatient for its return.

Rockville Burger King touts new restaurants Ripieno's Italian Bistro, JoJo's + dining room sneak peek (Photos)

One reason the major renovation of the Burger King on Shady Grove Road has taken so long may be the addition of other restaurants to the building, which is on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. New signage has been posted in the restaurant windows for Ripieno's Italian Bistro and JoJo's. Potomac Foods Group owns many restaurants across Maryland, including this Burger King.

PFG has already added a Ripieno's to the rear of its Ocean City Burger King restaurant. That location's pizza has been named to some Top 10 pizza lists since its opening there. Potomac Foods Group has operated Golden Corral restaurants in Maryland. One of its former Golden Corral locations in Salisbury is now....JoJo's Family Restaurant. The surf and turf photograph in the sign matches one on the JoJo's website.

The idea of adding two restaurants to this Burger King is not exactly brand new. PFG previously considered adding a Bojangles and a sub and salad shop to the Shady Grove location. The Bojangles was to replace the large play area at the front of the restaurant. 

There's still no reopening date announced, but it looks like opening day is getting closer. We now have our first look at the renovated interior. Furnishings now look a bit more upscale than the typical fast food dining room. There appears to be an outdoor dining patio space, as well.

Retro Burger King logos installed at Rockville location

The main sign at the temporarily-closed Burger King at 16004 Shady Grove Road features a more-recent burger king logo. But the renovated restaurant will also display retro BK logos. Several have now been installed, as well as the structure that will hold the drive-thru menu. 

Striping and arrows have been applied to the drive-thru lane. Burger King announced last January that it planned to switch back to the logo the chain used during its most successful era.

Rockville Burger King update (Photos)

There's still no reopening date for the Burger King at 16004 Shady Grove Road, on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. A few minor signs of progress since my last report: They've painted the formerly red southwestern corner wall. A final layer of material was applied to the fake tower atop the front of the building. And resurfacing and striping of the parking lot has been completed.

Those weird 1000-lunch-bags window coverings are still up. It looks like canopies over the drive-thru windows may yet have to be installed. This is the best-rated Burger King of those that remain in Montgomery County. I hope they reopen soon, because I've missed about 15 limited-time Burger King menu items during the renovation, between the pandemic and the closure.