Origins Of Top Businesses: A&W And The First Drive-Ins And Franchises
This section of our site is called “Origins Of Top Businesses.”
It features interesting facts about the early years of well-known businesses.
These facts are given to you for fun and inspiration.
Fun because how many top businesses started out is really surprising.
Inspiring because it will help you as a business owner see that if they can do it, so can you.
Now for today’s facts:
- In 1919, at a parade honoring returning World War I veterans in Lodi, California, a guy named Roy Allen set up a roadside drink stand to offer a new thick and creamy drink: root beer.
- He made the root beer using a formula he had purchased from a pharmacist.
- It was so successful that he decided to take on a partner named Frank Wright.
- Allen and Wright combined their initials to name the beverage A&W Root Beer.
- He opened his first permanent root beer stand in Lodi, followed by a second one in Sacramento.
- It featured the first “drive-in” concept with “tray-boys” for curbside service.
- In 1924, Allen bought Wright’s share, obtained a trademark, and began selling restaurant franchises.
- A&W was one of the first franchised restaurant chains in the U.S.
Source: Wikipedia & Rootbeer.com
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