Gym Tacos to Open Seventh Triangle Location in Downtown Wake Forest

Gym Tacos confirmed on March 6, 2026, that it is preparing to convert the former Hardee’s at 216 E. Roosevelt Ave in downtown Wake Forest into a new restaurant, a change of use that would expand the fast-casual taco concept’s footprint to seven locations across the Triangle if the site opens. The announcement targets downtown diners along E. Roosevelt Avenue and signals a notable local reinvestment in a prominent Wake Forest commercial parcel.

The building at 216 E. Roosevelt Ave, which housed a Hardee’s, will be repurposed for Gym Tacos’ counter-service model, according to the company’s disclosure on March 6. The site sits within Wake Forest’s downtown commercial area and represents a conversion from a national quick-serve chain to a regional fast-casual operator, reflecting broader shifts in local restaurant tenancy patterns.

Gym Tacos, described in filings and company materials as a fast-casual taco concept known in the Triangle, will reach seven Triangle locations with this Wake Forest site if and when it opens. That expansion follows the brand’s growth across the region and increases its presence in Wake County’s dining market, positioning Gym Tacos alongside other downtown Wake Forest restaurants that draw both residents and visitors.

The move to 216 E. Roosevelt Ave comes as downtown Wake Forest continues to attract restaurant investment in repurposed commercial buildings. Converting a former Hardee’s property into a Gym Tacos outlet changes the property’s tenancy profile and could alter local daytime and evening foot traffic patterns around downtown storefronts, parking zones, and nearby businesses on E. Roosevelt Avenue.

Gym Tacos’ March 6 confirmation did not include an opening date for the Wake Forest location; the company said it was preparing to open the site and converting the former Hardee’s structure as part of its Triangle expansion. If the project proceeds, the Wake Forest restaurant will join the company’s other Triangle locations to form a seven-site local network, extending the chain’s reach further into Wake County’s downtown commercial corridors.