A&w Restaurant

Did you know On June 20, 1919, Roy W. Allen opened his first root beer stand in Lodi, California. Four years later, A&W began when Allen and Frank Wright opens its 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.[1] A 1950s A&W Burger Family display in Hillsboro, Oregon[10] In the expansion years of the 1950s and 1960s, franchisees were signing 20- or 25-year contracts under the older model.[1] The chain expanded into Canada in 1956, opening restaurants in Winnipeg and Montreal. By 1960, A&W had 2,000 restaurants.[4][11] In 1963, the chain opened its first store on Okinawa.[12] In the following years, the chain branched into other foreign markets, including the Philippines and Malaysia.[4] Dale Mulder opened up a Lansing, Michigan, A&W franchise in 1961.[1] Mulder added to his menu in 1963 the bacon cheeseburger after a customer made repeated orders for bacon to be added to his cheeseburger. Thus A&W is credited with inventing the bacon cheeseburger.[13] In 1963, the company was sold again, followed by another sale in 1967 to United Fruit Co. conglomerate. AMK Corporation purchased United Fruit in 1970. Then AMK formed United Brands Company to hold A&W.[1][4] In 1971, A&W Beverages Inc.—a beverage subsidiary—began supplying bottled A&W products to grocery stores. The bottled products would become available nationally.[1] In 1972, A&W's Canadian division was sold to Unilever. In the 1970s, A&W had more stores than McDonald's.[14] with a peak in 1974 of 2,400 units.[1] Oshkosh, Wisconsin, franchise manager Jim Brajdic said: "Problems back then, including a lawsuit, franchisee discontent and inconsistencies in the operation, caused the chain to flounder and branches to close."[14] A&W moved to a modern style franchise agreement which introduced royalty payments and new standards. However, as their 20- or 25-year original agreements expired, many franchisees refused the revised terms. A&W in the 1980s began offering the Third Pounder to compete with McDonald's Quarter Pounder. The Third beat the Quarter in taste test and was less expensive. All of this was cited in the marketing of the burger. Possibly customers assumed that the Third Pounder had less meat than the Quarter Pounder, thus refusing to buy it.