McDonalds Closed
They had an indoor playplace. I confirm that it is not listed on the McDonalds website. No idea why it closed, and not finding anything on Google.
Jaytee said:
I take the exit for chestnut towards union center. I find all the gymnastics people perform through McDonald’s to vauxhaul is not my cup of tea.
I get off at 22 eastbound and then take the Vaux Hall exit from there, rather than go through the Service Area. It's usually not a huge problem.
Heynj said:
I feel like the posters in this thread have buried the lede, journalistically-speaking. Wasn’t that the McDonald’s where you got to admire a big outdoor Hamburgler, or am I hallucinating that?
He must’ve been edited out of the nugget graf.
ros said:
Going to be a shake shack
Thank you for the information.
As some have said, depending on where in Maplewood one lives, the best way is through the service area. I've been doing it for years (and I'm not afraid of either 22 or anything else). It was the best when there wasn't the ease of GSP to 78 West and it still is. Besides it's a double toll. Unless they close the service area entirely this way is still likely viable.
Personal history: I had my son's 4 year birthday party there (he is now almost 30) because they had the smaller play space for the little ones in addition to the larger one. We had the smaller space to ourselves filled with his friends from Prospect Nursery School. I still miss those times.
wendy said:
As some have said, depending on where in Maplewood one lives, the best way is through the service area. I've been doing it for years (and I'm not afraid of either 22 or anything else). It was the best when there wasn't the ease of GSP to 78 West and it still is. Besides it's a double toll. Unless they close the service area entirely this way is still likely viable.
Personal history: I had my son's 4 year birthday party there (he is now almost 30) because they had the smaller play space for the little ones in addition to the larger one. We had the smaller space to ourselves filled with his friends from Prospect Nursery School. I still miss those times.
I don't think that going through the service area vs going on Rt 22 from the Parkway to the Vauxhall Road exit makes any difference re where you live in Maplewood because both routes put you onto Vauxhall in nearly the same place, unless I'm missing something. The question is which one gets you on Vauxhall more quickly and apparently our various experiences with that vary. (It may also depend on how many vehicles are in the Service area at the time and/or how much traffic backup there is on Rt 22.)
Some people like feeling that they are clever by cutting through the McDonald’s versus taking 22 to vauxhall rd…well those days will be coming to an end pretty soon.
when demolition starts in the spring the place will be fenced in. Next year you can get your Popeyes, dunkin and shake shack top ups as you go home…
Jaytee said:
Some people like feeling that they are clever by cutting through the McDonald’s versus taking 22 to vauxhall rd…well those days will be coming to an end pretty soon.
when demolition starts in the spring the place will be fenced in. Next year you can get your Popeyes, dunkin and shake shack top ups as you go home…
They're demolishing the whole building? That's probably best. The new buildings further down the Parkway are much more pleasant. Brighter and more open.
If the new place has a Popeyes I'm in trouble.
mrincredible said:
They're demolishing the whole building? That's probably best. The new buildings further down the Parkway are much more pleasant. Brighter and more open.
If the new place has a Popeyes I'm in trouble.
yes, entire site will be flattened. Also a convenience store will be added. Might be a lot more busy around that area.
Garden State Parkway is now $1.96 at the main tolls. If you pay cash, the cost is rounded up to $2.00.
Carry on.
Jaytee said:
Some people like feeling that they are clever by cutting through the McDonald’s versus taking 22 to vauxhall rd…well those days will be coming to an end pretty soon.
when demolition starts in the spring the place will be fenced in. Next year you can get your Popeyes, dunkin and shake shack top ups as you go home…
For me, not clever, convenient. I live a block off Vauxhall Road and **** hate 22. So if they're shutting it down, I'll keep on to the Parkway to 78.
ridski said:
For me, not clever, convenient. I live a block off Vauxhall Road and **** hate 22. So if they're shutting it down, I'll keep on to the Parkway to 78.
on that little bit of 22 it’s not that bad, traffic moves. Takes a minute and you’re on vauxhall rd. You might hate using 78 because that exit ramp can be crowded. Try the 22 route to vauxhall once, then decide if you want to pay $2 to get on 78.
Posting this giffy to just get rid of Jack...
I just think traffic would be a whole lot better all around if the towns paid for people to help at the intersections, especially at the rest stops.
I hope when they re-do the rest-stop they clarify the direction of the lanes behind it. There were many drivers coming out of the McDonald's drive-thru that turned into the wrong-direction lane.
last i went through the drive thru is was dangerous trying to pull out, especially to make a left, people would come through on the road at HIGH rates of speed and it was hard to watch for traffic to clear....i'd see it clear to my right, look left, look back right and there would be some one blasting past me...
Ledger story today that the mayor of Bloomfield is taking a stand against the plan for a Chick-fil-A at the rest area there, protesting that his community is diverse and inclusive, two things that chain is not. Interesting to read.
Heynj said:
Ledger story today that the mayor of Bloomfield is taking a stand against the plan for a Chick-fil-A at the rest area there, protesting that his community is diverse and inclusive, two things that chain is not. Interesting to read.
Why would a contract for a highway rest stop be given to a company that is closed on Sundays?
Who We Are - More Than The Original Chicken Sandwich | Chick-fil-A
nohero said:
Why would a contract for a highway rest stop be given to a company that is closed on Sundays?
From the Ledger article: “Chick-fil-A has a policy of closing on Sundays, but it's unclear what the chain's plans are for the Garden State Parkway area.”
Either way, the rest stop’s Burger King will be there, too, if Sunday drivers are hungry.
My way has me on Vauxhall for one block (after departing the service area) and then a right on Oakland Ave (slowly driving through a residential area in Union) then a right on Stuyvesant (under the 78 overpass) and then a left on Stanley Terrace. Based on where I live in Maplewood, this way is best. Always paying my respects to those buried in Hollywood Cemetery on the way.
If the gas station remains open there's a good chance my way will still be viable.
We went through the gas station last night. McDonalds was definitely closed, but the station was still open.
I usually liked the Chestnut St. exit off the Parkway north. Sometimes I took the tight righthand curve on two wheels going too fast. (just kidding...but it is a tight turn.) I then continued on Stuyvesant to Vauxhall or stayed on to Boyden. Nice first stop in Maplewood is the Bread place on Boyden.
DaveSchmidt said:
nohero said:
Why would a contract for a highway rest stop be given to a company that is closed on Sundays?
From the Ledger article: “Chick-fil-A has a policy of closing on Sundays, but it's unclear what the chain's plans are for the Garden State Parkway area.”
Either way, the rest stop’s Burger King will be there, too, if Sunday drivers are hungry.
According to the Chick-fil-A website, the franchise in the Thomas Edison service area in Woodbridge is closed Sundays. Honestly, I don't think that the Turnpike Authority should be leasing rest area space to restaurants not willing to be open seven days a week. The whole idea of a rest area is to provide services for travelers, even on Sundays, which are major travel days.
So I just read about Bloomfield protesting the decision, and the Turnpike Authority answered that a private company manages all of those restaurants, so it's up to them. A bit of a cop out .
We stopped off at the Jon Bon Jovi rest area last night. There was a really funny hologram thing with Jon and Little Steven talking to you about Jersey and you can ask them questions, but it was a touch screen and I didn't have my gloves with me.
Can shake shack even handle the speed needed for a busy drive through? I'm guessing they've adjusted their system for this.
jamie said:
Can shake shack even handle the speed needed for a busy drive through? I'm guessing they've adjusted their system for this.
It's a destination restaurant, to encourage more people to spend time on the underutilized Garden State Parkway.
wendy said:
My way has me on Vauxhall for one block (after departing the service area) and then a right on Oakland Ave (slowly driving through a residential area in Union) then a right on Stuyvesant (under the 78 overpass) and then a left on Stanley Terrace. Based on where I live in Maplewood, this way is best. Always paying my respects to those buried in Hollywood Cemetery on the way.
If the gas station remains open there's a good chance my way will still be viable.
I do the same thing except that I exit at Rt 22 (before the Service Area) and then take the Vauxhall exit from 22. I doubt there is much difference but I had gotten messed up once or twice trying to thread my way through the Service area coming from the Parkway (despite going there pretty often from Vauxhall) so I just always go via 22.
Shake shack will have a drive through. On another note this is the first time that I ever started a thread so pleased by all the responses.
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I feel like the posters in this thread have buried the lede, journalistically-speaking. Wasn’t that the McDonald’s where you got to admire a big outdoor Hamburgler, or am I hallucinating that? (Haven’t been through there in years.)