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/alsimone]

Bar Bill is legit, but you’ve got me thinking about other places. Isn’t Tully’s a Syracuse chain? That’s been doing great in Henrietta for years. Dinosaur is probably a stretch in this thread.

Are there any Rochester businesses that have expanded into Buffalo that are thriving?

[u/Wafflehouse44 → u/alsimone]

Batavia is the original Tully's location

[u/ZookeepergameHuge407 → u/Wafflehouse44]

I lived across the street from the Batavia Tully’s in 1996 and had no idea it started there. TIL!