“I’m not just changing this restaurant. I’m changing the industry.” —Jack

Maybe he meant the “Jack-themed art” industry, which must have experienced an unparalleled boom during the renovation. One local commentator suggested that the new JBX restaurant downplayed the clown image. Um, perhaps he did not notice the Jack-logoed T-shirts, boxers and hats. Maybe he overlooked the Jack-shaped keychains, mint tins and “Jack Snacks” cookies on the counter. Ditto the Jack-head spiral above the drive-in, Jack murals on the walls, faux-candid photos of Jack relaxing at home, and so on.

Another effusive writer suggested that the interior looked more like an art gallery or a dance club than a fast-food restaurant. (It has been awhile since I wandered into an art gallery, a dance club or a fast-food restaurant, but the tables and chairs seem like a dead giveaway.) Two cushy leather chairs with built-in trays and a matching ottoman, set in front of a see-through fireplace, do give the otherwise cramped dining room a hint of a coffeehouse feel.

The JBX décor also borrows liberally from next-door-neighbor Chipotle: brushed metal, industrial accents and wacky angles. Taking a few cues from Chipotle makes sense, because, contrary to the billboard boasting, Jack-in-the-Box is playing catch-up, not leading the charge. Chains like Chipotle and Baja Fresh started the “fast casual” trend: still quick and cheap, but with an insinuation of higher quality. Oh, and artwork on the walls. But pushing or pulling, a Jack-in-the-Box makeover was long overdue. Despite years of pithy commercials, Jack-in-the-Box is still best known to many people as the source of a major e coli outbreak more than a decade ago.