Two years ago, Knox News asked its readers what restaurants and stores they wished would come to the Scruffy City.
On that list was Pal's Sudden Service, which, in good news for fans, is in the very early stages of opening a location in Knoxville!
So, what other businesses on that list have since opened in Knoxville, or will soon be coming?
7Brew
Knoxville's first 7 Brew location opened at 11495 Parkside Drive in Turkey Creek on March 2, 2026.
A coffee shop, 7Brew opened its first location in Arkansas in 2017. It already had an established footprint in Tennessee with 15 other stores across the state before it opened its Knoxville location.
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Golden Corral
Knoxville's Golden Corral closed its location at 6612 Clinton Highway in 2020.
Another buffet, Grand Buffetnow fills the building.
Another location will soon open in the Party City building at 8503 Kingston Pike. The Golden Corral website still says its new location will open in early fall 2026 but does not provide a date.
Hattie B's
The Nashville-based hot chicken chain opened its first Knoxville location at 2001 Cumberland Ave. on Aug. 12, 2016.
The restaurant, which normally has red decor, used Tennessee Orange in the space to pay homage to Executive Chef Brian Morris' alma mater, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, whose campus is just steps away from Cumberland Avenue.
In-N-Out Burger
Knoxville still doesn't have an In-N-Out location yet.
In February 2026, In-N-Out Burger Chief Operating Officer Denny Warnick confirmed to Knox News that the California-based chain was in the early planning stages of opening a location.
There are still no solid plans for Knoxville, but Jeff Bryant, an In-N-Out representative, submitted concept plans for an In-N-Out to the Alcoa Municipal Regional Planning Commission in June 2026.
Jim 'N Nick's BBQ Restaurant
Shortly after Knoxvillians voted Jim 'N Nick's BBQ as one of the restaurants they wanted, the Alabama-inspired chain opened on Dec. 18, 2024, at 7727 Kingston Pike.
The BBQ spot is in the same parking lot as other popular restaurants like Raising Canes and Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and has both dine-in and drive-thru options for customers.
Whataburger
Whataburger opened its first Knoxville location at 1830 Cumberland Ave. on Aug. 25, 2025. The Texas-based chain opened its second location in Turkey Creek on Nov. 17, 2025.
Knoxville's third Whataburger location opened in Powell on Dec. 22, 2025.
Nordstrom Rack
The off-price luxury retailer opened the doors to its Knoxville location on June 25, 2026, at 11417 Parkside Drive in Turkey Creek.
The recently opened location is Nordstrom Rack's first East Tennessee location. It has four other Tennessee locations in Brentwood, Chattanooga, Franklin and Memphis. Knoxville is still waiting on a full-line Nordstrom store to come to the city.
Southwest Airlines
One of the most highly anticipated new business arrivals in Knoxville was Southwest Airlines. The airline took its inaugural flight out of Knoxville on March 5, 2026.
Southwest offers direct flights out of Knoxville to Baltimore, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando and Tampa. It is expected to add a direct flight to Austin in October.
Afton Pratt covers trending and breaking news for Knox News and Tennessee. She can be reached at ampratt@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: In-N-Out and Pal's could be coming to Knoxville. What else is new?
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