Students hailing from mid-Florida may recognize a new addition to the Gainesville restaurant scene.
Tampa-based Yummy House opened in Gainesville last month.
At noon Tuesday, all but one of the 24 tables were filled at the location at 7605 W. Newberry Road, next to Waffle House.
“Right now, the parking lot is full, and this is just how things look when it’s slow,” said Sarah Ma, supervisor of the restaurant.
The restaurant is in need of new employees, especially UF students, Ma said. Many of the current employees are from Tampa, where the chain originated.
The brown- and cream-colored building was home to Kentucky Fried Chicken before Yummy House took over.
Antonisha Williams, a 21-year-old UF theater senior, said she isn’t surprised.
“KFC isn’t as popular as it used to be,” she said. “Almost everyone loves trying out new places, and if Yummy House is good, then it’ll become the new hot spot.”
But Deborah Alberto, a 20-year-old UF political science junior, said she thinks there are already enough Chinese restaurants around town.
“That area is really congested,” she said. “I don’t know how they managed to squeeze another Chinese restaurant over there.”
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 11/6/2013 under the headline "Tampa-based Chinese restaurant finds home in Gainesville"
