Michigan Big Boy opens 'Dolly's' in 2 closed Frisch's amid lawsuit, embraces tartar sauce
Well, Hello Dolly!
Southfield, Michigan-based Big Boy Restaurant Group said it would begin this week the reopening of former Frisch's Big Boys under a 'working title' name of 'Dolly's Burgers & Shakes,' but with some very familiar-looking items on the menu like 'Big Boy' hamburgers – tweaked to suit local tastes.
'Dolly's will serve up all of the familiar flavors its parent company is known for when the restaurant chain opens its doors and drive-through windows to guests in Blue Ash and Anderson Township,' said Big Boy's CEO Tamer Afr, in a statement.
As Big Boy fights with Frisch's Big Boy over rights to using the 'Big Boy' name in Cincinnati, the new diner concept is named after the mascot's girlfriend, Dolly, in comic books once published by the restaurant chain.
Two Dolly's restaurants will open this week:
On Monday, at 9070 Plainfield Road in Blue Ash, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
On Tuesday, at 7706 Beechmont Ave. in Anderson Township, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
The new restaurants feature a breakfast bar from 7 to 11 a.m. on weekdays and 8 to 10 a.m. on weekends. They also have a weekly seafood buffet from 4 to 9 p.m. on Fridays through Easter.
The battle over the 'Big Boy' name began in February after Frisch's filed a lawsuit against Big Boy, accusing it of violating its 'exclusive' rights to the brand throughout most of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee.
The fight comes after the shuttering of more than 60 Frisch's diners amid a lease dispute with its former landlord, Orlando-based NNN Reit, which evicted the previous operator, saying Frisch's owed it more than $4.5 million in back rent. Frisch's, which had more than 80 locations in three states in early 2024, now has just over 30.
While Big Boy vowed in February to 'vigorously defend' itself in the ongoing legal battle with Frisch's, Afr conceded one critical issue to local customers, regarding tartar sauce:
'We know that the white sauce is the right sauce for our signature burgers in Cincinnati,' he said, alluding to the fact that Big Boys served elsewhere have may 'Big Boy sauce' (similar to Thousand Island dressing).
To prove it, Dolly's will give away free 'Big Boys' sandwiches to the first 50 drive-through guests, starting at 11 a.m. on the first day at each of the new restaurants. And starting at 2 p.m., it will also give out free signature burgers to the first 150 dine-in or carry-out guests.
Big Boy acknowledged the ongoing court fight wasn't 'ideal' for its debut in Cincinnati − Dolly's signage, uniforms and other materials are still in production and won't adorn the restaurants for their opening. But the company said it would press on and 'defend its legal rights.'
'If you don't see a sign, you should still get in line,' Big Boy beckoned.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Big Boy opens Dolly's Burgers & Shakes in 2 closed Frisch's
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