A new look, new services, and possibly even a new name appear to be in the cards for Lunch Box in the Weston Shopping Center.

Co-owner Josh Tolk presented a rendering of a new entrance (the image at the top of this page) at a Planning and Zoning Commission pre-application meeting on July 1. He returned to the commission on August 5 with a formal application.

The new entrance would face Weston Road (Route 57). The windows depicted in the rendering where the current entrance exists are actually also doors.

But the changes Mr. Tolk has in mind involve more than a facelift to add curb appeal. He and co-owner Jessica Tolk plan a “major rebrand” of the restaurant into a bar and grille.

Mr. Tolk told P&Z commissioners that Lunch Box has struggled since Covid-19 and that the traditional diner-style restaurant model seems to be “out of date everywhere.”

He said converting to a bar and grille may change the fortunes of Lunch Box, which has been around for 47 years. In his P&Z filing, Mr. Tolk said the new approach “will continue lunch and dinner service with expanded days and hours of operation, consider bringing breakfast service back in a modified format, and continue takeout and delivery service.”

Some interior changes are planned, but none affect current seating capacity. The most noticeable change is the conversion of the existing service counter into a consumer bar. An upgrade of the restaurant’s liquor license has already been granted.

The shopping center is part of the Weston Village District, so P&Z has jurisdiction over exterior features. Mr. Tolk, who also manages the center, said the new design carefully adheres to Village District regulations. The commission’s evaluation and approval process begins with a referral to a member of its architectural review board, which was voted at Monday night’s meeting.