City officials and restaurant staff cut the ribbon on Suffolk’s first Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers location on Sept. 10, and since staff opened the doors for customers on Aug. 12, there have been lines of cars.

“Every time I pass by, I see cars lined up,” Suffolk Vice Mayor Leroy Bennett said at the ribbon cutting. “Matter of fact, I sat in line myself.”

The new, 3,361-square-foot restaurant at 1007 University Blvd. seats 108 diners, with additional seating at the outside patio, according to the press release. Freddy’s is known for its wide range of burgers, hot dogs and frozen custard beverages that are akin to milkshakes.

The company is based out of Kansas and operates almost 300 franchise locations throughout the United States. This expansion into Suffolk has been a long time coming, General Manager Steven Durham said, and their start has been a welcome one in Suffolk’s northern growth area.

“When we heard the location we were at, we knew it was a booming part of Suffolk,” Durham said. “We knew that this is a really up-and-coming area, and we’re really looking forward to being part of that.”

In just about a month between their soft opening and the official ribbon cutting, the restaurant has already gained support from several satisfied customers that come on a regular basis, Durham said.

“We love being part of this community. We’ve been really welcomed in here, and since we’ve been here, a lot of the guests that we’re seeing are more than just guests,” he said about their new regulars. “We’ve seen a lot of people multiple times. We’ve been really welcomed in here, and it’s an honor to be the first Freddy’s in this area.”