TGI Fridays

TGI Fridays

TGI Friday’s is unique in that it’s “story” is like maybe no other in major American restaurant chains. Alan Stillman, a successful New York salesman, wanted to create a way to meet women (that’s a…

View Post

Red Robin

Red Robin

Most restaurants have a story in how they started. Those stories generally center around the restaurant or the founder. However, the most interesting part of Red Robin is the origin of its name. The history…

View Post

Famous Dave’s

Famous Dave’s

Dave Anderson grew up in Chicago with love for BBQ instilled in him by his dad who was a Choctaw Indian and loved to smoke BBQ. It was that inspiration and passion that led Anderson…

View Post

Chili’s

Chili’s

Larry Lavine loved burger joints growing up and always dreamed of having one, but it was a chili cook-off that really grabbed his attention. He took creativity in opening the very first location in a…

View Post

Village Inn

Village Inn

The story of how, when or where Village Inn began remained a mystery in my research for a long time until I discovered one article which answered almost all the questions about their beginning. The…

View Post

White Castle

White Castle

  Walter Anderson changed American culture.  In some ways single-handedly. He is the father of the fast food craze that continues to dominate so many of our mainstream storefronts in the United States. You may…

View Post

Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse

Kent Taylor had a dream, and he moved to Colorado from Kentucky (by way of North Carolina) to chase it. Some people are passionate about golf, some shopping, Kent was passionate about the state of…

View Post

Maggiano’s Little Italy

Maggiano’s Little Italy

Most restaurants have some form of reasoning behind their name if not named after the founder. Maggiano’s is a little unique in that it was named in memory of someone. It was that part of…

View Post

Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs

They may have fought growing up as brothers will do, but as adults brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen were close. Brothers, firefighters, entrepreneurs and simply doing life together made them that way. After a few…

View Post

Bob Evans

Bob Evans

Bob Evans, the man, was unique as was the founding of the restaurant that bears his name. You see, he already had a successful restaurant, the Bob Evans Steak House in Gallipolis, Ohio which he opened…

View Post