Tesla has promised to double the number of Superchargers available in the U.S., and Ruby Tuesday is on board to help make it happen. The restaurant chain announced that it is ready to open a series of Tesla Supercharger Stations at its locations, according to Business Wire. This announcement comes shortly after the Sheetz gas station chain reported it is in talks with Tesla about adding charging stations to its travel convenience centers on major routes.
Ruby Tuesday opened its first Supercharger station this week in Miner, Missouri. The company reports that stations are in construction or planning stages at other restaurant locations. Ruby Tuesday officials did not say how many of its restaurants would host Superchargers, nor did they indicate if the chain would pay for all or part of the electric bill. Overall there are 729 Ruby Tuesday restaurants in 44 states, 13 foreign countries, and Guam, of which 649 are corporate owned. Those company-owned locations are primarily in the Southeast, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest of the United States.
Whatever the planned number of Tesla-Ruby Tuesday locations, the restaurant chain is enthusiastic about the joint venture. “We’re thrilled to partner with Tesla Motors to offer our guests a place where they can charge their Tesla vehicle while enjoying a delicious meal,” stated Ruby Tuesday chief marketing officer David Skena. “Expanding the Supercharger network to include Ruby Tuesday is good for both Tesla owners and our restaurants alike. We look forward to deepening our relationship with Tesla and opening additional Supercharger Stations in Ruby Tuesday markets around the country in the near future.”
Whether Ruby Tuesday foots the bill or not, the chain is bound to pick up some customers. The Miner Ruby Tuesday is already listed on Tesla’s webpage and in-vehicle navigation systems, from which drivers can select and navigate to the nearest Supercharger-equipped restaurant. Tesla Superchargers can add 170 miles of driving range to a Tesla with 30 minutes of charging time. That’s enough time to have a quick meal and likely enough driving range to get to the next Ruby Tuesday.
