Roy Rogers Restaurants

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Template:Short description {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for clobbered parameters|check|nested=1|template=Infobox company|cat=Template:Main other|name; company_name|logo; company_logo|logo_alt; alt|trade_name; trading_name|former_names; former_name|type; company_type|predecessors; predecessor|successors; successor|foundation; founded|founders; founder|defunct; dissolved|hq_location; location|hq_location_city; location_city|hq_location_country; location_country|num_locations; locations|areas_served; area_served|net_income; profit|net_income_year; profit_year|owners; owner |homepage; website }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox company with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | ignoreblank=y | alt | area_served | areas_served | assets | assets_year | aum | brands | company_logo | company_name | company_type | defunct | dissolved | divisions | embed | equity | equity_year | fate | footnotes | headquarters | former_name | former_names | foundation | founded | founder | founders | genre | homepage | hq_location | hq_location_city | hq_location_country | incorporated | image | image_alt | image_caption | image_size | image_upright | income_year | industry | ISIN | key_people | location | location_city | location_country | locations | logo | logo_alt | logo_caption | logo_class | logo_size | logo_upright | members | members_year | module | name | native_name | native_name_lang | net_income | net_income_year | num_employees | num_employees_year | num_locations | num_locations_year | operating_income | owner | owners | parent | predecessor | predecessors | production | production_year | products | profit | profit_year | rating | ratio | revenue | revenue_year | romanized_name | services | subsid | subsidiaries | successor | successors | traded_as | trade_name | trading_name | type | website| qid | fetchwikidata | suppressfields | noicon | nocat | demo | categories }} Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC is an American chain of fast food restaurants headquartered in Frederick, Maryland, and primarily located in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The chain originated as the rebranding of the RoBee's House of Beef chain of Fort Wayne, Indiana, acquired by the Marriott Corporation in February 1968. However, Marriott first used the Roy Rogers Roast Beef name on conversions of the company's Junior Hot Shoppes in the Washington, D.C. area in April 1968, then the existing RoBee's stores. An aggressive nationwide franchising campaign was launched. At its peak, the chain included over 600 locations. The chain now has 40 locations in five states, either company owned or franchised.<ref name="locations" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Roy Rogers chain was sold in 1990 to Imasco, then the parent company of Hardee's, and experienced severe decline as many locations converted to Hardee's. In 2002, the trademark was purchased by Plamondon Companies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Roy Rogers' menu consists primarily of hamburgers, roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken, nine side items (including french fries), and beverages. Many locations also serve breakfast.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

History

File:Roy Rogers Photo in Restaurant.jpg
Roy Rogers' picture hangs in every restaurant.

1967–1968: RoBee's and Marriott

In 1967, the Azar's Big Boy restaurant franchise started RoBee's House of Beef restaurants in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Escanaba 1968a">Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> The Marriott Corp., which had acquired Bob's Big Boy and the Big Boy trademark in 1967, acquired RoBee's in February 1968 with plans to expand nationwide. RoBee's franchises would first be offered to Big Boy franchisees to coincide with their existing Big Boy territory.<ref name="Escanaba 1968a" /> At the time there were 13 RoBee's restaurants in six states.<ref name="Escanaba 1968a" />

During the acquisition, in January 1968, the competing roast beef chain Arby's sued RoBee's for trademark infringement and (other similarities that it considered) unfair competition.<ref name="Arbys 1968">Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> Because "RoBee's" sounded too much like "Arby's" the settlement required a new brand name and Marriott wanted something recognizable.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Big Boy founder Bob Wian, then sitting on Marriott's board of directors, was friends with Roy Rogers' agent and suggested that the company approach Rogers about the use of his name. Already interested in associating with a chain restaurant, Rogers was in similar discussions with another company when Marriott called.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> Nonetheless, he accepted Marriott's offer: Rogers would receive a licensing fee for use of his name and also be paid for personal appearances at the restaurants.<ref name="Markowitz 1969">Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> The restaurants would be called "Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich" restaurants, and despite Arby's complaints,<ref name="Arbys 1968" /> it retained RoBee's building design<ref>...

Several major Big Boy franchisees accepted Marriott's offer and became Roy Rogers regional franchisees,<ref group="note">Elias Brothers<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> and Shoney's<ref name="Focus 1969" /> were already RoBee's franchisees.</ref> including Abdow's,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Frisch's,<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access Note: Frisch's operated Frisch's Big Boy. They held the Roy Rogers franchise in southern Ohio, southern Indiana, and all of Kentucky and Florida. Frisch's subfranchised its Big Boy rights in Northern Ohio and Northern Indiana, and didn't take Roy Rogers franchise territory there.</ref> Elias Brothers,<ref>....

</ref> Marc's,<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access Note: Marcus Corporation was the holder of the Big Boy franchise and operated as Marc's Big Boy; it covered Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and parts of Illinois.</ref> and Shoney's<ref name="Focus 1969">Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> which together covered much of the Northeastern, Midwest and Southern US. Pittsburgh franchisee Eat'n Park rejected the offer and took public offense at paying fees to Rogers.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> In the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere, other regional franchisees were sought who would also subfranchise to smaller operators, and by January 1969, Marriott claimed regional franchises for every state but Alaska.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> Roy Rogers' restaurants also opened in Canada, franchised to that nation's Big Boy franchisee, JB's of Canada.<ref>...

Marriott divided the United States into 33 franchise regions<ref name="Markowitz 1969" /> and required regional franchisees open a set number of restaurants in a four-year period. Regional franchisees would pay Marriott a 2% royalty, and subfranchisees typically pay the regional franchisee 3%,<ref name="Allan 1969">Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> who would keep the additional 1%.<ref name="Markowitz 1969" /> A restaurant required a $35,000 cash investment upfront,<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref><ref group="note">The Pittsburgh regional franchisee charged $36,000.<ref name="Markowitz 1969" /><ref name="Allan 1969" /></ref> including $7,500 paid to Marriott. Additionally, the cost of the building and equipment, with seating for 42 persons, cost about $100,000 in 1968, excluding the cost of land.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> Marriott offered financing but charged an interest rate of 12% on land and 17% for the building.<ref name="Markowitz 1969" /> The prototype restaurant seated 40 to 45 persons with additional outdoor seating on an optional patio in front of the building,<ref name="Van Nuys 121968" /> but actual restaurants varied, one franchisee's dining area accommodating 75 persons.<ref name="Allan 1969" />

The first Roy Rogers restaurant opened up on Co- founder and Hot Shoppes manager, Henry L. Wright's property in April 1968 in the Bailey's Crossroads section of Falls Church, Virginia, on the corner of Leesburg Pike and Carlin Springs Road (5603 Leesburg Pike). Another opened at 5214 River Road, in Bethesda, Maryland. The area was selected because Marriott was headquartered in metropolitan Washington, D.C.,<ref name="Vann 19682" /> with the River Road unit located directly across the street. (Marriott executives and Marriott family members were frequent patrons of this store.) These first locations were conversions of Jr. Hot Shoppes, Marriott's existing fast food chain.<ref group="note">As of February 2018, McDonald's operates at both listed sites.</ref> In May 1968, RoBee's units began to open as Roy Rogers. Rogers made a four-state tour of namesake restaurants in the Southern U.S., appearing at each location for an hour, shaking hands and handing out signed photographs.<ref name="Vann 19682">Template:Cite news Note: His tour included: May 8: Atlanta, Georgia / May 9: Greensboro-, Gastonia-, Charlotte, North Carolina / May 10: Jackson-, Memphis, Tennessee / May 11: Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, Georgia. Template:Free access</ref> Filming for the first television commercials advertising Roy Rogers Restaurants took place in the Apple Valley, California, area where Rogers lived with his family. In 1968 and 1969, Rogers and friends, Earl Bascom<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> and Mel Marion, were filmed at various locations including the historic Las Flores Ranch in Summit Valley and the Campbell Ranch in Victorville.

1968–1989: Growth and challenges

Rapid growth began in 1968 and Marriott made optimistic projections. In October 1968, there were reportedly 38 units open and 65 under construction,<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> and by December, 56 opened with 39 under construction.<ref name="Van Nuys 121968">Template:Cite news</ref> Marriott projected 700 or more Roy Rogers restaurants in four years.<ref name="Van Nuys 121968" /> By June 1969, 105 units were open with a new projection of 870 in four years.<ref name="Allan 1969" /> A February 1970 newspaper article reported that over 160 units were in operation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, growth halted in 1970, when Marriott suspended Roy Rogers franchising, due to financial losses from closing failing locations.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> The following year, the Texas–based regional franchise, Ram-Hart Systems, filed for Chapter 11 protection, asking to terminate unprofitable leases, which made the entire chain unprofitable.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> After franchising resumed, only 172 restaurants were open by September 1972,<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> a quarter of the 700 stores projected four years earlier.<ref name="Van Nuys 121968" />

File:Roy Rogers Roast Beef sign, New Orleans, Louisiana LCCN2017709855 crop.jpg
A sign of Roy Rogers Restaurant in Uptown New Orleans, 1982
File:Roys New Germantown.jpg
Roy Rogers Restaurant in Germantown, Maryland, owned by the Plamondon Companies, opened in 2009
File:Roy Rogers 20221203 180934539-blurred.jpg
Roy Rogers Restaurant in Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia, completely remodeled in 2021 after a fire.

In 1976, a Roy Rogers in Fairfax, Virginia, was robbed, where five employees were herded into the restaurant's freezer and shot in the head. Only one survived.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On August 30, 1977, Roy Rogers was struck by a cottage cheese pie thrown by a 17 year old while Rogers and his Sons of the Pioneers singers were performing at a Fairfax restaurant. The youth pleaded guilty a month later and was fined $100.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1982, Marriott bought the Gino's restaurant chain for $48.6 million. The company converted 180 of the 313 restaurants to Roy Rogers to expand in the Baltimore/Washington area.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Also in 1982, Marriott sued the Riese family, a franchisee, when they discovered the Rieses were planning to relocate a Roy Rogers restaurant with a Häagen Dazs and a Pizza Hut in Times Square.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Riese family won the suit, and the Riese Organization later developed other food courts in New York City.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1990–1997: Hardee's

In 1990, Marriott sold the chain for $365 million to Imasco, the parent company of Hardee's, a Midwestern and Southern chain seeking further expansion into the Mid-Atlantic market. The remaining non-franchised Roy Rogers locations were converted into Hardee's restaurants, although many of the converted Hardee's continued to offer Roy Rogers' fried chicken. This conversion caused a customer revolt and the units returned to the Roy Rogers' brand.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The restaurants promoted new flame-broiled hamburgers, but they were not the same as the original Roy Rogers products and later failed.

Hardee's finally sold the remaining Roy Rogers locations to McDonald's, Wendy's, and Boston Market between 1994 and 1996.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This left 13 Roy Rogers franchisees, with two dozen free-standing locations, in addition to locations owned by HMSHost in travel plazas along highways in the Northeast.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Prior to the Hardee's acquisition, Roy Rogers cooked its fries in a blend of beef tallow and vegetable oil. Hardee's, which had already replaced tallow with all vegetable shortening, implemented the same procedure for Roy Rogers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1997–present: CKE, Imasco, Plamondon Companies

In 1997, CKE Restaurants acquired Hardee's from Imasco, but Imasco retained the Roy Rogers trademark and franchise system. The Riese family, which owned 18 Roy Rogers restaurants, sued CKE Restaurants and Imasco for $10 million in 1997, claiming the Roy Rogers chain has been destroyed through "a series of marketing errors of epic proportions."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Imasco sold Roy Rogers to Plamondon Enterprises (now Plamondon Companies) in 2002, after three years of negotiation.<ref name=wbj>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Roy Rogers was relaunched as Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC. Plamondon had already opened the first new Roy Rogers restaurant in Frederick, Maryland, in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the time of the sale, there were 63 existing Roy Rogers franchises in nine states.<ref name=wbj/>

In 2021, Roy Rogers announced a strategy to build concentrically out of core markets in the Mid-Atlantic, like Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The growth circle would slowly get bigger and include New York, the Eastern Seaboard, and states like Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The next year, the company announced a new partnership with One Holland Corporation restaurant group and planned to open 10 new Roy Rogers locations over the next six years in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The new locations would be in Hamilton, Butler, and Clermont counties in Southwest Ohio; Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties in Northern Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Southeast Indiana.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite these plans, a spokesperson for One Holland Corp. says that none will be opened after the Cleves, Ohio, location, failed their expectations and closed in September 2024 after opening in February of the previous year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2025, Roy Rogers announced plans to open a third location in Leesburg, Virginia, where it already has a strong presence. The restaurant is set to open later this year. It's already opened a new location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on June 25. It's the chain's return to the South Jersey area since the 1990s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Products and services

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Though standard Roy Rogers locations serve food in a typical fast-food fashion, some locations (such as the locations that were formerly Jr. Hot Shoppes) and the franchises located throughout Mid-Atlantic highway rest-stops serve the food in a cafeteria-style. An exception is the Allentown service plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension, which serves its customers in the typical fast-food fashion since it reopened in May 2008 (the entire service plaza had been rebuilt from its original form, which included cafeteria-style serving).

In the cafeteria-style restaurants, customers push their trays on rails past stations stocked with pre-wrapped packages of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and roast-beef sandwiches. A feature of this chain in any of the locations is the Fixin's Bar which features numerous condiments. Due to this feature, sandwich items are delivered without any of the customary garnishes. After selecting and paying for these items, patrons can garnish them to their own taste at the Fixin's Bar with such items as ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, horseradish sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. Numerous locations offer hand-dipped milkshakes made with Edy's Ice Cream.

Popular items on the menu are roast beef sandwiches and fried chicken, which was advertised by Roy Rogers under the "Pappy Parker" name beginning in the 1970s using a cartoon prospector (the Pappy Parker name was inherited from Marriott's original Hot Shoppes chain).<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref><ref>Template:Cite news Template:Free access</ref> Other signature items at Roy Rogers are the Gold Rush chicken sandwich (a fried chicken breast with bacon, a slice of Monterey Jack cheese, and a honey-based BBQ sauce) and the Double-R Bar Burger (a cheeseburger with ham). The side items featured at Roy Rogers are french fries, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, and baked beans. Seasonal items that select Roy Rogers locations occasionally offer include the beer-battered cod sandwich and platter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Locations

Roy Rogers Restaurants are located in the following states, with number of locations.

  • Maryland: 22
  • New Jersey: 3
  • Pennsylvania: 7
  • Virginia: 7
  • West Virginia: 1

As of November 2025, there are 40 Roy Rogers restaurants.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

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Notes

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References

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