Great ideas come from interesting places – like the shaded base of an apple tree where Sir Isaac Newton discovered the theory of gravity or the church hymnal where Spencer Silver realized the utility of Post-it Notes. Jack has a hopper for his ideas – namely those designed to improve guests’ experience at his Jack in the Box® restaurants. That place is our Innovation Center.

The 70,000-square-foot complex, which opened in 2004 just north of our San Diego Corporate Support Center, unites marketing, R&D and other departments key in developing innovative food and service initiatives. In addition to providing office space, the Innovation Center includes test kitchens, labs, consumer research rooms, a photography studio and a video production area.

The Innovation Center not only enhances the company’s capabilities, it does so while conserving costs. Every expenditure in the building – from cabinetry to carpet – was carefully evaluated to ensure it contributes to both long-term functionality and the company’s Profit Improvement Program. As just one example of this “value engineering,” the windows aim to maximize the use of exterior light, reducing the energy required for interior lighting.

Designed with innovation and “high-energy” collaboration in mind, the two-story building features tall ceilings, open workstations, project rooms and libraries. With centrally located conference rooms and galleries named for famous innovators, like Ben Franklin and Henry Ford, the floor plan of the Innovation Center encourages creative thinking, teamwork and spontaneous discussions among employees from various departments.

“The Innovation Center symbolizes the company’s renewed commitment to innovation, enabling Jack in the Box to respond to the ever-changing demands of consumers and excel in a very competitive industry. This facility brings many groups together and creates much-needed space for new product development and testing. Unifying several cross-functional teams in one cutting-edge building is intended to give Jack in the Box a competitive advantage.” – Linda Lang, Chairman and CEO