Denny's, McAlister's Deli now open in Elgin
Two new restaurants are now open along the Randall Road corridor in time to feed those hungry holiday shoppers.
Denny's and McAlister's Deli both opened in Elgin within the past couple of weeks at 1120 S. Randall Road. They are located in front of the Elgin Walmart and just to the south of the Portillo's at Randall and Bowes roads.
The Denny's opened first on Nov. 13. The casual sit-down restaurant is open 24 hours a day. If you are out late Christmas shopping and want a bite to eat, Denny's will be one of the only options in that area.
Adjacent to the Denny's, in the same strip center, is McAlister's Deli, which opened Monday, Dec. 4. There is also a McAlister's Deli in Geneva at 1492 S. Randall Road.
The new Elgin restaurant originally was scheduled to open Nov. 13, however, McAlister's posted that week on its Facebook page - to the dismay of many fans - that it was having unforeseen construction issues.
The restaurant, which is relatively new to the Chicago area, is reaching out into the community to make itself known by hosting a Feed the Rivalry event running now through Dec. 10 between the Burlington Central High School Rockets and South Elgin High School.
The event is a fundraiser. Guests can put their receipts into a box at the restaurant for either school. When the week ends, the receipts will be totaled and 20 percent of the proceeds from each box will be donated to the corresponding school. The school that raises the most money also will receive an additional $1,000.
"We are excited to offer McAlister's handcrafted sandwiches, family-friendly atmosphere, and genuine hospitality to Elgin," said Melissa Porter, marketing manager for Keystone Management Group, which owns the business.
"We look forward to opening our doors and kicking off opening week with our community at the center of our efforts. Giving back to our local schools is something we are passionate about, and we can't wait to see the community throw their support behind the two high schools."
Where's Santa?
If you're looking for a spot to see Santa, you might want to look along the Randall Road corridor.
On some weekend days, he will make an appearance in Geneva at the Geneva Commons Mall.
He will be there for visits Sundays, Dec. 10 and 17, and Saturday, Dec. 23, if you want to make one last-ditch effort to give him your list and get that treasured photo.
On those days, he will be strolling through the malls from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and handing out holiday treats along the way. From 2 to 5 p.m., he'll take up residence in his Santa's Station near Learning Express, where kids of all ages.
Santa also will be visiting with children at the Algonquin Commons mall along the Randall Road corridor this month.
In Algonquin, he will be aboard a heated Santa Express Trolley from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 9, 10, 16 and 17. He again will have treats, including candy canes and reindeer antlers, for visitors.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or (847) 894-5036.