2 Fast-Food Franchises We Need In Massachusetts

Do we really need new fast-food restaurant chains in the New England area? That's probably a fair question and response to this article title. Hang in there with me for a minute.

Let's first be clear, no, we don't need more chicken or even burger places. We are secure with our place in that world. In fact, I'm a fan of many of them, and have a few favorite chains that I think are fantastic.

However, thanks to the Wolf of Franchises, I have recently learned about the business behind a few fast-food chains that are mostly Midwest based, that I think sound very appealing. Furthermore, I believe they would be well-received and experience nice sales numbers in the New England region.

So, in no particular order, let's check out these new restaurants that would be great to bring to the Bay State.

I'm not even a soda drinker and even I would hit this place up regularly for a refreshing delight. If you are unfamiliar with Swig (as I was), here is what you need to know. They offer a menu of roughly 80 different sodas.

Now, many of them are based with some of your favorites like Dr. Pepper or Mountain Dew. However, here is where things get interesting. They mix in flavors to create something completely unique to sip. Examples of this include, the "Spring Fling," which is Dr. Pepper with strawberry puree, vanilla, and coconut cream.

The soda categories at Swig are organized by sodas, revivers, refreshers, and create your own. The x-factor with Swig is that they used crushed ice. This both makes the drink extra refreshingly cold and you can eat the ice that retains some of the sugarly flavor of your soda.

I envision this drive-thru in Massachusetts to be a quick line where guests would love to bring their kids to.

"Since our humble beginning in 1968 as a general store in Boone, Iowa, Casey’s has steadily grown from the heart of one community to the next," Casey's says. As someone who drive Route 95 quite a bit, a decent gas station pizza joint would be a welcomed addition.

Casey's is often praised for their pizza in certain areas in the middle of the country. If fact, folks seek it out as a destination to grab food as opposed to a spot you are stopping at because it's right there on the highway during your drive.

"For more than 35 years, we’ve been perfecting our famous handmade pizza with new offerings such as thin crust, or keep it classic with original," Casey's continues, even explaining they make a breakfast pizza. That too, would be a unique menu item in the area.

There are roughly 220 miles and four and half hours between Boston and New York. On the drive south (or return trip North), it's likely you'll need to make a pit stop. Whether it's to accommodate a bathroom request, grab a bite to eat or get a breath of air, we've compiled a list of the best stops along I-95 on the Boston to New York drive.

We'll assume here that we are driving south. Therefore, your journey begins in Massachusetts. You'll pull past Providence and a few exit signs for T.F. Green Airport before enduring the meat of the trip. That would be a good two-plus hours through Connecticut, where you will surely slow down at some point. Finally, after trekking through the Constitution State, you start to see the exit sign numbers get down to single digits. The empire state awaits.

This journey can seem like a grueling effort up and down I-95. In a bigger picture, a four-hour route between two major markets is not really that much. Just ask the Midwest. If you want to drive from Chicago to Minneapolis, you are looking at close to a seven-hour drive, with only one state in the way. Nonetheless, the 1-95 Boston to New York route can be grueling. Therefore, we put together a collection of different stops to help make it more enjoyable.

Of course, this exercise does not include kids screaming in the backseat that need an immediate stop. Perhaps that's another list. Here, we will pinpoint some pleasing attractions you would have the time to stop for. However, we won't stray too far off the exits. And while taking 12 hours to play blackjack at Foxwoods would be a blast, we will narrow in on relatively short stops only.

So, let's hop in the car and find the best stops from Boston to New York along I-95.

*Note - we are not going in order of stops from north to south. We are listing in an overall ranking format.

We'll start with the best thing to stop for. Pizza. Frank Pepe's is a legendary establishment in the New Haven pizza scene. The good news here is that you have choices. If the original New Haven spot is too far off the path (or has a long wait), there's also a location in Fairfield, CT at Exit 24.

If you need a moment of fresh air or to loosen up the legs, this scenic lookout point offers a nice view of the Mystic River. There's comfortable parking space, and its an easy pull off or on to the interstate. It's not uncommon to find people taking photographs here as well.

Sure there are dozens of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts right along the path, but pulling into Cafe Tempo Coffee House in Warwick, Rhode Island is well worth the wait. A homemade banana hazelnut iced coffee makes any slow-moving traffic situation more manageable.

After all that pizza and coffee somebody is going to need a bathroom. At mile-marker 41, via southbound access, you will find a rest stop in Milford CT that is a direct pull-off I-95. You can fill up on gas, or more food if you still feel like snacking. There are plenty of fast food and candy options at this stop.

This is applicable on your way out or into Massachusetts. Bay State Vintage Guitars is a family owned shop has some of the nicest custom and vintage guitars available. Each instrument on the wall tells a story and his a history that goes back well beyond what's considered classic rock. They are located on Washington St. in Norwood.

Hot oil pizza is a thing in Connecticut and it's delicious. Colony Grill in Stamford is bound to have whatever game that is live playing on their TV's. Their menu consists of pizza and drinks, so you know they take their pie seriously. Like Pepe's, you have a few choices in addition to Stamford. Their Fairfield location is also a stone's throw off I-95.