A new Greek fast food place aiming to spread health in the food industry opened May 26 in Paramus, NJ.

Owner George Georgiades, former executive chef of the high end Greek seafood eatery, Varka, intended for a quieter opening of his restaurant ‘Eons’ to prevent overwhelming aspects that comes with emergence of a new restaurant. To his surprise a large turnout of customers eager to try the Greek Mediterranean food appeared.

“It was better than I anticipated,” Georgiades said. “It’s never a right time to open [but] I’m one of those guys where you’ve got to pull the bandaid off; open it and let it go.To be successful in the restaurant business you’ve got to really care about what you’re doing.”

Georgiades decided to open Eons after eating at Chipotle and seeing the buffet style method used to serve customers. He saw how the method could be used for Mediterranean food, allowing him to easily cook and share the food of his Greek heritage. Once the idea came to him he opened an Eons in Manhattan back in 2015, yet recently wanted to expand the business and establish a second restaurant in a suburban setting.

Once customers get on the buffet line, they are able to pick from an array of food choices. The menu consists of pita, rice or salad as a base, lean meats and seafood as a protein options, salad or beans as a side and toppings ranging from hummus to tzadziki. The various high-end quality meals one could choose from all share the common feature of containing healthy ingredients, something Georgiades along with his wife and business partner Anoush strived for. The appeal of Georgiades’ “quality quick” meals are also the low priced items varying from $10-$15.

“To give the opportunity for everybody to eat healthier for ten dollars will help push the food industry in the right direction,” Anoush Georgiades said. “We want people to enjoy and feel like they can come out as a family and enjoy an affordable, healthy meal.”

The two are both aware of the impacts facing the country due to unhealthy eating habits, and are aware that younger generations are becoming more health conscience of what they’re putting into their bodies. They created a sustainable, GMO free menu to provide the food industry with healthier fast food options.

“There’s too many medical issues and food issues in this country,” Anoush said. “It’s really killing the people in it and something more needs to be done, so places that give a better option just helps people eat healthier.”

Along with the allure of the menus healthy and inexpensive qualities, the buffet style system easily provides people with many choices and options, something in which Georgiades thinks is a beautiful concept.

“It’s unique,” customer Marianne Enright said. “You had so many different choices and there’s so many different combinations you could choose from.”

The environment created in the restaurant provides customers with a sense of serenity according to Enright. Light blue walls holding pictures of the beach, along with chandeliers and fancier seating arrangements were qualities that met the midpoint between the average fast food restaurants and high end restaurants, which was what Anoush Georgiades was aiming for.

Eons high quality fast food style has received good reactions from the public in the past, due to the first branch that opened in Murray Hill in midtown Manhattan back in 2015. It brought a new healthier outlook to the area.

“I saw that there was a need for it, because there’s nothing in Murray Hill that’s like that,” Georgiades said.

In the future, Georgiades and Anoush see the business expanding and opening up in metropolitan areas. They also believe that their healthier food options will impact the future of the food industry as well as the population.

“Greek food for life for eons and eons,” Georgiades said. “Eat Eons and you’ll be around for eons.”