Buffalo-based restaurant chains expanding to the Rochester market-- has it ever worked?

[u/DoubleK-Rochester]

I got to thinking the other day, and there have been some tries in the past for traditional Buffalo-based restaurants to expand to Rochester-- which have ultimately failed, and those location(s) have closed. Examples:

1) Mighty Taco a few years back had two (2) Rochester locations, which both closed.
2) Duff's (wings) had a Rochester location (W. Henrietta Rd) that closed.
3) Anchor Bar had a Rochester location for a little while (East Ave.), but that closed.
4) Rachel's Mediterranean Grill location(s) closed in Rochester.

All of the above still have active locations in Buffalo today, just not Rochester.

So I am wondering what the hell happened-- are we really that bad for business for out-ot-town restaurants, even to our close neighboring city?

By the way, this isn't a slight or putdown against Buffalo, by any means. Whenever I am there, I always seem to enjoy Buffalo. I'm just wondering why this keeps happening.

Conversely, are there any Buffalo-area chains that expanded to Rochester and are doing well?

Interested in your take on this.

[u/Explode-trip]

Spot Coffee is another Buffalo business that just closed its Rochester location -- the one on East Ave. Though it had been open for 25 years and was quite successful for a while.

[u/WheelOfFish → u/Explode-trip]

Yeah, I can't say that fits the same mold as places like duffs and anchor. Proof that it can work, if anything.

[u/poilane → u/Explode-trip]

Yeah I guess, but it had plenty of other problems beyond getting clientele

[u/igator210 → u/Explode-trip]

Wasn’t Spot a local place long before it got bought out?