Type of Food: Burgers, Sandwiches, Steaks, Wraps, Salads

Interesting Fact: Applebee’s is the largest casual dining concept in the world with more than 1,900 restaurants in 49 states, one US territory, and 16 international countries. Also for each of the past 14 years (1993-2006), Applebee’s has opened 100 or more new restaurants.

History:Applebee’s was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, by Bill and T.J. Palmer. Their first restaurant, T.J. Applebee’s Rx for Edibles & Elixirs, opened in November 1980. In 1982, the Palmers opened their second Applebee’s in Atlanta and in 1983, to fulfill a dream of nationwide expansion, the Palmers sold the Applebee’s concept to W. R. Grace and Co. As part of the transaction, Bill Palmer was named president of the Applebee’s Division of an indirect subsidiary of W. R. Grace. In that capacity, Palmer guided the operation from its entrepreneurial beginnings to a full-fledged franchise system. He became an Applebee’s franchisee in 1985 and today owns more than three dozen Applebee’s restaurants. In 1986, the name of the concept was changed to Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar to reflect the Palmers’ original concept of a place people could call their own. In 1988, Applebee’s International, Inc. became the restaurant chain’s franchisor when Kansas City franchisees Abe Gustin and John Hamra purchased the rights to the Applebee’s concept from W. R. Grace.A When Applebee’s International, Inc. acquired Applebee’s in 1988, there were 54 restaurants. In 1998, Applebee’s became the first casual dining concept with 1,000 restaurants.

Website: www.applebees.com

View the menu: here

Find your local Applebee’s: here

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Type of Food: Burritos, Fajitas, Tacos, Quesadilla

Interesting Fact: The Baja Fresh philosophy is incorporated into every aspect of their restaurants. This includes excluding the use of freezers, microwaves and can openers in every location.

History: In August 1990, Baja Fresh® Mexican Grill opened its first restaurant featuring all-fresh, traditional fire-grilled Mexican favourites. Since it’s first restaurant in Newbury Park, California, Baja Fresh has expanded to more than 300 Mexican style restaurants. Baja Fresh has been now a wholly owned subsidiary of Wendy’s International since June 21, 2002.

Website: www.bajafresh.com

View the menu: here

Find your local Baja Fresh: here

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Type of Food: 25 varieties of gourmet pizza as well as pasta, baby back ribs, chicken, seafood

Interesting Fact: Despite its name, Boston Pizza was not founded in Boston, and as yet has no locations in Boston or even Massachusetts. The company is Canadian! The name Boston was chosen because it was a considered a recognizable and established name.

History: The Boston Pizza concept began in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964 when Greek immigrant Gus Agioritis opened “Boston Pizza and Spaghetti House”. Although he lacked any significant restaurant experiences, Agioritis achieved success by combining hard work with a business strategy that included a focus on growth through franchising.

The company started franchising in the 1960s; Gus’ two younger brothers, Nino and Trifon helped found the first restaurant in Edmonton and each started a franchise in Saskatoon and Regina, respectively. When the company and its franchise rights were sold, Nino and Trifon established pizzerias under new names: Nino’s Pizza and Trifon’s Pizza still exist in these cities. Six years after opening, Gus had 17 locations (two corporate and 15 franchised) in operation across Western Canada. In 1978 Agioritis sold the company to Ron Coyle.

In 1983, Jim Treliving, a former RCMP officer who was one of the original franchisees (who had opened his first restaurant in 1968 in Penticton, British Columbia), along with business partner George Melville, bought the chain. By 1995, the company boasted 97 restaurants in Western Canada.

The first U.S. restaurant opened in 1998 under the name “Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza”. Today there are over 350 restaurants in North America and Mexico combined. Jim Treliving, Chairman and Founder of Boston Pizza Restaurants L.P. is looking towards expansion into Australia, the United Kingdom and eventually Asia.

Website: www.bostonpizza.com

View the menu: here

Find your local Boston Pizza in Canada here and Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza here

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Type of Food: Focus on Pizza, but also offers buffalo wings, sandwiches, breadsticks, mozzarella sticks, cinnamon sticks, and salads.

Interesting Fact: Chuck E. Cheese specializes in birthday parties for those 1-12 years of age.

History: The business was founded in 1977 by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell as the Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre, and featured singing animatronic characters. As of January 1, 2006, The company operated over 500 restaurants in the United States and other countries.

Website: www.chuckecheese.com

View the menu: here

Find your local Chuck E. Cheese’s: here

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Type of Food: Denny’s is well-known for its breakfasts served around the clock.

Interesting Fact: Unlike many other fast-food restaurant chains (such as McDonald’s), Denny’s does not close on holidays or nights, except where required by law. Denny’s is known for its 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year operations, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert around the clock.

History: Denny’s was founded under the name Danny’s Donuts in 1953 by Harold Butler in Lakewood, California. Butler expanded to 20 restaurants by 1959, when he renamed the chain to Denny’s. The business continued to grow and today Denny’s operates about 2,500 restaurants in all 50 U.S. states, two territories, and four foreign countries.

Website: www.dennys.com

View the menu: here

Find your local Denny’s: here

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Type of Food: Burgers, Sandwiches, Buffalo Wings and Seafood

Interesting Fact: The first Hooters “Girl” was Lynne Austin.

History: Hooters was incorporated on April Fool’s Day, 1983, when six businessmen with absolutely no previous restaurant experience got together and decided to open a place they couldn’t get kicked out of. Soon after, on October 4th of that year, the doors to the first Hooters Restaurant opened in Clearwater, Florida. In 1984, Robert H. Brooks and a group of Atlanta investors bought expansion and franchise rights for the Hooters chain. Brooks eventually bought majority control and became chairman. Under Brooks’ leadership, Hooters expanded from one restaurant to over 425 stores worldwide.

Website: www.hooters.com

View the menu: here

Find your local Hooters: here

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Type of Food: Pancakes

Interesting Fact: The “international” in “International House of Pancakes” is derived from the three core crepe-style pancakes: “German” (served with lemon butter and lemon), “French” (served with orange marmalade), and “Swedish” (served with lingonberries and lingonberry butter). These fruit-topped crepes are offered with an egg-and-meat plate as the “International Passport Breakfast.” Menu offerings such as French toast and Belgian waffles further reinforce the international theme.

History: The first International House of Pancakes restaurant opened in 1958 in a suburb of Los Angeles, Toluca Lake, California by a fellow named Al Lapin. The concept of the restaurant was based on one of America’s favorite foods – pancakes. Within four years the number of units had increased to nearly 50, with many of the restaurants being operated by franchisees. Some locations are open 24/7, and on holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s. As of June 30, 2006, there were 1,264 IHOP restaurants in 48 states and Canada.

Website: www.ihop.com

View the menu: here

Find your local IHOP: here

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Name: Red Robin

Type of Food: Burgers and Fries

Interesting Fact: Red Robin has an extraordinary approach to Guest service known as Unbridled Acts. There are thousands of stories of Red Robin Team Members who have performed Unbridled Acts (also known as random acts of kindness) which they bestow upon restaurant Guests and other Team Members. You can read them here.

History: Red Robin started as a tavern in 1940 at the corner of Furhman and Eastlake Avenues E. in Seattle, at the southern end of the University Bridge. It was called Sam’s Tavern. Sam sang in a barber shop quartet and loved to sing the song “When the red robin goes bob bob bobbin along…” Sam eventually changed the name of his tavern to Sam’s Red Robin. Over the years Sam’s Red Robin simply became Red Robin. In 1969, it was transformed from the tavern into the first Red Robin restaurant that opened in a 1,200 square-foot building perched on a Seattle hilltop. In 1973  Red Robin expands the menu from jumbo beers, cellophane-wrapped sandwiches and popcorn to include Red Robin’s most popular burgers – the Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger, the Red Robin Bacon Cheeseburger and the Royal Red Robin Burger™, which is crowned with fresh fried egg. In 1980, Red Robin expands beyond Washington by opening a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. As of November 2008, there are over 400 locations across the United States and 18 in Canada.

Website: www.redrobin.com/

View the menu: here

Find your local Red Robin: here

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