Tony Roma's
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | North Miami, Florida (1972) |
| Headquarters | Plano, Texas, U.S. |
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Key people
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Tony Roma, Founder Kenneth (Ken) Myres, President Bradley Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer John Brisco, President of International Jim Rogers, Chief Marketing Officer |
| Products | ribs, steak, chicken, and seafood |
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Number of employees
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1,725 (2006) |
| Website |
Tony Roma's U.S. Tony Roma's Asia Pacific |
Tony Roma's is a casual dining chain restaurant specializing in baby back ribs. The first location was established in 1972 in North Miami, Florida, by the founder, and today there are more than 150 locations in over 30 countries on six continents.
Tony Roma (1923 - 2003), the driving force and namesake behind the casual dining eatery, opened the first Tony Roma's in North Miami on January 20, 1972. Prior to opening his self-named restaurant, Tony Roma was the food and beverage specialist for the Playboy Club.
Originally a steak and burger restaurant, one weekend, chef David Smith grilled baby back ribs and served them with Tony Roma's BBQ sauce. The ribs proved so popular, they were added to the menu full-time, and quickly became what Tony Roma's was known for. Tony Roma's menu has further expanded to include seafood, pasta, chicken, and sandwiches.
Four years later, in 1976, Clint Murchison, Jr., the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, was in Miami for Super Bowl X. Murchison purchased the majority stake in the restaurant, going on to become the driving force behind Tony Roma's international expansion. Murchison and Roma established Roma Corporation, a jointly-owned company that oversaw the restaurants and sold franchises.
In 1979, the first international location opened in Tokyo, Japan and by 1983; there were 30 Tony Roma's restaurants around the world. During the mid-1980s, Roma Corp’s growth plan included opening more franchises, rather than company-owned stores.
Murchison sold his shares in Roma Corp to his children in 1984, and Kenneth Reimer, a Murchison business associate, took over as CEO of Roma. Tony Roma himself also sold his interest in the company to the Murchison children.
Under Reimer, Tony Roma's expanded, growing the menu, opening more locations, and remodeling older restaurants for a more modern feel. In 2002, Frank Steed took over as CEO and president of Roma Corp and David Grail became head of menu development. Steed signed agreements to open an additional 60 Tony Roma's across South America, Europe, and the Middle East.
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Wikipedia