New restaurants and businesses continue to open across Great Falls - recent arrivals include Texas Roadhouse, Panera Bread, Pomodoro, Xochitl, and Pizza Ranch.
That has some residents wondering not just what will come next, but also how firms choose to locate in the Electric City.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
“I would really want to see Chick-fil-A come in. Chick-fil-A is so good. Or another KFC. I know we already have one, but I want another one on the other side of town,” said Great Falls residents Echo and Lavender.
While community enthusiasm is important, officials say commercial site selection entails much more than just local wish lists. Market research, infrastructure readiness, and long-term planning all influence whether corporations invest in a town.
"I love my sister cities - Missoula. Bozeman. Helena, Butte, what have you. But I kind of want to be the best," said Brock Cherry, director of Planning & Community Development for the City of Great Falls.
Cherry says the city's position is often misunderstood. Rather than directly recruiting national brands, local government concentrates on creating advantageous conditions for business expansion.
“What the city's goals are is we want to ensure that we have appropriate infrastructure sewer, water, storm water. We want to make sure our community is safe with fire and police. And we also want to make sure that our processes are both predictable and expedient,” Cherry said.
That preparation involves maintaining roads and utilities, providing public safety services, and simplifying permitting processes — all of which firms consider before breaking ground.
“It doesn't matter if the idea is on a napkin. We are here to provide direction. Because we understand when it comes to creating a business plan that costs money, you’re reaching out to people, it costs time. And we want to make sure that we're being very effective,” Cherry said.
Even with local backing and municipal preparation, firms often rely on internal data to choose new markets. Traffic counts, population trends, economic indicators, and consumer demand surveys all contribute to determining if a location is viable for a new firm.
In a statement, Chick-fil-A said it considers multiple factors when expanding, including target markets and broader business considerations. The company added that, while it hopes to serve the Great Falls community in the future, no locations have been confirmed at this time.
Despite the uncertainties, residents remain optimistic.
“I would love to see the Olive Garden come to town. I really would love that for Great Falls,” one resident said.
When asked if they travel for the restaurant, they responded, “Yes. I go all the way to Bozeman to get my Olive Garden fix. Yes. The breadsticks are good. Oh, the breadsticks and alfredo sauce.”
As development continues, city leaders say their top objective is to create a business-friendly atmosphere that will attract investment and influence which corporations choose to call Great Falls home next.
(FEBRUARY 4, 2026) A roundup of new restaurants and businesses in Great Falls, and changes to some current businesses.
WHAT: Panera Bread
WHERE: 1322 10th Avenue South
OPENING: February 2026
Panera Bread is a counter-serve bakery/cafe chain with thousands of locations across the country, serving sandwiches, salads, pastries, and more. It is in the space formerly occupied by JB's Restaurant.
WHAT: Texas Roadhouse
WHERE: 1216 10th Avenue South
OPENING: February 9th
Texas Roadhouse is a 664-unit steakhouse chain; there are locations in Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula. It is in the northeast corner of the Holiday Village Mall parking lot, formerly occupied by Fiesta En Jalisco, and before that, Applemill Grill. The restaurant will serve dinner only Mondays through Thursdays from 4pm to 10pm and and Fridays from 3pm to 11pm. It will be open for lunch and dinner Saturdays from 11am to 11pm, and Sundays from 11am to 10pm.
WHAT: Pomodoro Italian Restaurant
WHERE: 1008 20th Street South
WHEN: Now open
Pomodoro (Facebook) is in the building that formerly housed Mrs. Wright's Pasties. They serve pasta, piadinas, and dolci, and will also serve gluten-free pasta.
Watch the video:
WHAT: Xóchitl
WHERE: 300 First Avenue South
WHEN: Now open
The Mexican restaurant is in the building formerly occupied Kellergeist, and before that, Bert & Ernie's restaurant. Click here to visit the Facebook page.
Watch the video:
WHAT: Little Light Coffee Co. & Mini Donuts
WHERE: 512 Central Avenue
WHEN: Now open
The new shop features handcrafted drinks, custom coffee flights, and mini-donuts.
Watch the video:
WHAT: Maria's Mexican Restaurant
WHERE: 1220 Ninth Street South
The restaurant has announced that it is closing permanently, with the last day of business on Saturday, February 14. The company said on Facebook: "It has been our pleasure serving the best Mexican food in Great Falls. We will miss our customers and the community. Thank you all for your years of support over Maria's 29 years in business."
WHAT: Big Sky Bungee
WHERE: 1020 Central Avenue
WHEN: Now open
Big Sky Bungee describes itself as a Gym/Physical Fitness Center and Pilates Studio. They invite people to "try on a harness, jump, fly, and see what all the hype’s about!" Click here to visit the Facebook page.
Watch the video:
WHAT: Sealed Relics
WHERE: 725 First Avenue North
Sealed Relics opened several week ago; it specializes in trading cards and collectibles. Click here to visit the Facebook page.
WHAT: Pizza Ranch
WHERE: 2515 10th Avenue South
The restaurant opened several weeks ago and features pizza and chicken, and has an "arcade zone" of more than 5,000 square feet, along with themed party rooms. Click here to visit the Facebook page.
Watch the video:
WHAT: Town Pump Lounge/Casino
WHERE: 1525 Third Street NW
WHEN: No opening date announced yet
The building that formerly housed New Peking restaurant and then a Best Wok restaurant has been demolished within the last several days. A new lounge/casino will be built on the site.
Watch the video:
WHAT: Great Falls Northern Lounge
WHERE: 3800 10th Avenue South
WHEN: No opening date announced yet.
The Great Falls Northern Lounge is being built in the parking lot of Montana Lil's Casino & Liquor Store.
WHAT: WinCo Foods
WHERE: 301 Northwest Bypass
OPENING: Not yet announced
WinCo Foods is now registered as the owner of the building that formerly was Shopko, but no details of development have been released at this point. WinCo operates grocery stores in several Montana communities, including Helena, Bozeman, and Billings.
WHAT: Car wash
WHERE: 833 Smelter Avenue NE
OPENING: Not yet announced
FORMERLY: Ryan's Cash & Carry
WHAT: Clearwater Credit Union
WHERE: First Avenue North/Park Drive
OPENING: Not yet announced
FORMERLY: Hardee's restaurant
WHAT: Halle Properties
WHERE: 2400 10th Avenue South
OPENING: Not yet announced
FORMERLY: Loading Zone/Playground
The site was formerly occupied by the Loading Zone bar, which closed in 2022. The site is now owned by Halle Properties, which manages real estate for the retailer Discount Tire.
CHICK-FIL-A: The City of Great Falls confirmed that Chick-fil-A has submitted a preliminary traffic impact study to the city, which is an assessment of potential impacts a proposed development project might have on surrounding roads. The location is 711 10th Avenue South. The study will be reviewed by the City and the Montana Department of Transportation for a potential restaurant location at 711 10th Avenue South. The city provided the following statement on the situation: "Chick-fil-A hasn’t yet filed any paperwork with the City for demolition of the former paint building remaining on that block, nor has it filed any paperwork for the construction of a new restaurant. The traffic study submittal is a good sign the project is moving forward, however." The popular fast-food restaurant specializes in chicken sandwiches and waffle fries, and has more than 3,000 locations across the country, including several in Montana.
