Freddy's Brings New Twist On Burgers, Custard To Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The corner of Hooper Avenue and Route 37 has been quiet since Perkins closed its doors for good during the pandemic.

That changed Tuesday when Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers started serving its Midwest-spawned comfort food at the site.

Freddy's, which was founded in 2002 in Kansas by brothers Bill and Randy Simon and their friend, Scott Redler, opened its Toms River location, serving an array of comfort foods, from chili dogs to chicken sandwiches to their signature steakburgers — lean ground beef patties pressed thin and cooked to order to create crispy edges, "then finished with Freddy's Famous Steakburger and Fry Seasoning," the company's website says.

The custard part includes not only plain vanilla or chocolate custard but several topping options.

The company converted the former Perkins to a drive-through restaurant, plans first proposed in 2021, according to an Asbury Park Press report.

There are more than 450 Freddy's locations around the country, but the Toms River site is just the second one in New Jersey, NJBiz reported. The other location is in Linden.

The Toms River location is open 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and has room for 88 customers to sit inside. There is an app and ordering through its website, though the Toms River location was not listed Tuesday night.