A&W Restaurants
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Fast food |
| Founded | 1923 Lodi, California, United States |
| Founder |
Roy W. Allen Frank Wright |
| Headquarters | Lexington, Kentucky, United States |
|
Number of locations
|
about 1,200 |
|
Area served
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16 countries and territories |
|
Key people
|
Kevin Bazner (CEO) |
| Products | Hot dogs, root beer, cheese curds, hamburgers, chicken |
| Parent | A Great American Brand, LLC |
| Website | awrestaurants |
A&W Restaurants, Inc., is a chain of fast-food restaurants distinguished by its draft root beer and root beer floats. A&W's origins date back to when Roy W. Allen opened a walk-up root beer stand in Lodi, California, in 1919. Allen's employee Frank Wright partnered with him and founded the first A&W restaurant in Sacramento, California in 1923. The company name was taken from the surname initials of partners Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright. The company became famous in the United States for its "frosty mugs", where the mug would be kept in the freezer prior to being filled with root beer and served to the customer.
Beginning to franchise in 1925, today it has franchise locations throughout much of the world, serving a typical fast-food menu of hamburgers and French fries, as well as hot dogs. A number of its outlets are drive-in restaurants with carhops. Previously owned by Yum! Brands, the chain was sold to a consortium of A&W franchisees, through A Great American Brand, LLC, in December 2011.
A&W restaurants in Canada have been part of a separate and unaffiliated chain since 1972.
In June 1919,Lodi, California, Roy W. Allen opened his first root beer stand. In 1923 A&W began when Allen and Frank Wright opened an A&W drive-in restaurant in Sacramento, California, combining both of their initials for the name, and selling the root beer from Allen's stand. Curbside service was provided by tray boys and tray girls. In 1924, Allen purchased Frank Wright's stake in the business. In 1925, Allen began franchising the root beer, while the franchisee added the other menu items and operated at their discretion. This may have arguably been the first successful food-franchising operation. Allen sold the company in 1950 and retired.
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Wikipedia