Latest news with #RoyRogers
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Cowboy-Inspired Chain Came Back After Nearly Closing All Of Its Locations
In 2023, fans of both The King of the Cowboys and classic fast food got some exciting news: Roy Rogers, once a prominent competitor in the American fast-food industry, was back. The chain was a go-to for indecisive families in the 1970s and '80s, offering a variety of different options, such as roast beef, burgers, and fried chicken. While it never reached every state, Roy Rogers once boasted over 600 locations. A series of poor business decisions and sales in the '90s, however, nearly ruined the brand, leaving it with only a fraction of its former locations. The cowboy-inspired chain was revived after owners Jim and Pete Plamondon Jr. purchased the brand and invested heavily in new remodels and equipment. Their new franchise strategy, updated looks, and a return to what made the restaurant beloved in the first place proved to be the perfect recipe for a comeback. Today, new locations have people lining up from midnight for a 10 a.m. opening, eager to get a taste of this American classic. Roy Rogers is now one of several old-school restaurant chains making a successful return. Read more: Ranking Fast Food Burgers From Worst To Best, According To Reddit What Happened To Roy Rogers Before The Comeback? Roy Rogers, a fast food chain that served beef tallow fries, top-grade burgers, and had a full-service condiment bar for customers to dress their own meals, seemed like an unstoppable juggernaut. But its downfall came after Marriott sold it to Hardee's in 1990 to exit its interest in the restaurant industry. Throughout the '90s, Hardee's converted or sold off over 500 Roy Rogers locations, sparking significant pushback from the public. This eventually led to Hardee's converting some locations back to Roy Rogers, but the damage was done, and even more locations were sold off. By the time the Plamondon brothers took over in 2002, the brand had only a handful of locations left in the country. Seeing potential in an iconic brand with a loyal customer base, the brothers knew it would take a lot of work to restore it to its full potential. For over a decade, the Plamondons rebooted the brand's identity and expanded throughout the Northeast, including Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and West Virginia. As of July 2025, the chain boasts 41 locations, the majority of which are in Maryland. The Roy Rogers of today serves many of the classic dishes that once made it famous, from creamed chipped beef — a breakfast dish that became a U.S. Army staple — to its Double R Bar Burger, complete with a slice of ham on top. Want more food knowledge? Sign up to our free newsletter where we're helping thousands of foodies, like you, become culinary masters, one email at a time. Read the original article on Food Republic. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
An Old-School Fast Food Chain Is Making A Comeback After Nearly Disappearing
It may seem like we live in a unique era of endless branding, social media hype, and corporate consolidation, but looking back at old-school fast food chains can remind us that in America at least this cycle has been going on for a long time. As much as we celebrate classic brands like McDonald's or KFC that have defined fast food for generations, it can be easy to forget that there were plenty of other spots that seemed destined for immortality, only to crash and become failed restaurant chains. The American landscape used to be covered in Benningan's, Arthur Treachers, and Chi-Chi's restaurants, which at one time or another all probably seemed like the next big thing. (Even some very large chains we grew up with have experienced bankruptcies.) But every once in a while a spot that has declined gets a second chance to thrive, and that is exactly what's happening to Roy Rogers. Roy Rogers never completely went away, but in recent decades it had transformed into a shadow of its former self. The fast food spot known for its eclectic menu of roast beef, burgers, and fried chicken once had 640 locations throughout the country, but by the 2010s this number had fallen to only a few dozen. Located mostly in the Mid-Atlantic, many younger Americans have probably never seen a Roy Rogers location in the wild, despite its previous ubiquity alongside highways in the '80s and '90s. In fact, they almost certainly don't even know who Roy Rogers was. Read more: 15 Failed Restaurant Chains We Actually Miss Roy Rogers Is A Cowboy-Themed Chain Named After A Movie Star That Once Had Hundreds Of Locations The Roy Rogers story is a strange one among chain restaurants. Roy Rogers the man was a huge movie star in the middle of the century, acting in family-friendly westerns and known as "the king of the cowboys." But he didn't start the fast food chain that would bear his name. The creations of Roy Rogers instead came out of a bungled acquisition of an existing chain of fast food restaurants. In 1968 the hotel chain Marriott was the owner of another popular fast food spot of the era, the iconic LA restaurant Bob's Big Boy. As part of its growing business Marriott purchased a Midwestern chain named RoBee's that served roast beef. However, the competing roast beef giant Arby's sued RoBee's, alleging that the name and Western cowboy branding was a direct rip-off of Arby's brand. At the time, a Marriott board member who was friends with the Rogers' agent suggested a way to avoid the legal battle: adopting the actor's name and image as the face of the brand. Rogers agreed, and a new chain was born. The first official Roy Rogers opened in Falls Church, Virginia, in 1968, and the brand expanded rapidly through the conversion of other small chains that Marriott owned. In the early '70s fried chicken and burgers were added to the menu, creating the signature mix of products that helped define the brand. One Of The Original Franchise Families Of Roy Roger Is Trying To Expand The Brand Again Despite peaking in 1990 Roy Rogers fall came quickly. That year, Marriott sold Roy Rogers to Hardee's, which started converting locations. During the '90s it also sold off hundreds of Roy Rogers to other chains like Wendy's and McDonald's. By the early 2000s there were only around 80 locations left. In 2002 two brothers, Jim and Pete Plamondon, bought the brand from Hardee's and the remaining locations. Their father, Pete Sr., had been part of the original Marriott team that started Roy Rogers, and had left the hotel company to become a Roy Rogers franchisee in 1980. The brothers had to close more underperforming locations, but they noted the deep commitment to the restaurant among fans, some of whom would write to request Roy Rogers open in their area. In the mid 2010s the slow-but-steady Roy Rogers re-expansion was back on, with new spots opening around the company's home in Maryland and Virginia. After reinvesting in store upgrades in the early 2020s the company reentered the Philadelphia area with a new location in Cherry Hill, NJ in 2025. Lines at the new location stretched out onto the street. The Plamondons have even retained many of the old-school charms of the chain, including a large fixin's bar full of toppings to customize meals. Maybe a new generation of fans will come to see what many old Roy Rogers fans miss so much. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
04-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Iconic fried chicken fast food chain opens latest location, eyeing comeback
Roy Rogers Restaurants is reviving its brand on the East Coast. The company – named after the legendary actor, singer and 'King of the Cowboys' – opened a location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, last week, marking the chain's return to the southern New Jersey and Philadelphia markets since the 1990s. Advertisement 'We are excited to make this long-anticipated return, and Cherry Hill allows us to serve a growing, diverse community and introduce a new generation to the quality and variety that makes Roy Rogers a cut above,' Roy Rogers Restaurants co-President Jim Plamondon said in a statement. The company thanked Cherry Hill 'for the best welcome to the community' on Instagram following its opening and hinted that there is 'more to come.' The Maryland-based chain was founded in 1968. In 1990, Marriott sold the Roy Rogers chain, which had nearly 650 locations, to Hardee's for $365 million. 3 Roy Rogers Restaurants is reviving its brand with a new location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. X/RoysRestaurants Advertisement 3 The location marks the chain's return to the southern New Jersey and Philadelphia markets. X/RoysRestaurants 3 The Maryland-based chain was founded in 1968. X/RoysRestaurants After the sale, Hardee's converted a significant number of the locations to Hardee's restaurants, and then sold more than 350 restaurants several years later to Boston Chicken, Wendy's and McDonald's, according to its website. Peter Plamondon Sr., a former Marriott executive who became a franchisee of Roy Rogers Restaurants, sold his franchise to his sons, Pete Jr. and Jim, in the late 1990s. Advertisement By 2002, the brothers purchased the Roy Rogers brand from Hardee's parent company CKE Restaurants. The duo have been credited with helping open and operate multiple Roy Rogers restaurants. In the early 2000s, the restaurant concept was 'rebooted' as it began its expansion. To date, there are 24 company-owned restaurants and 16 franchise restaurants in seven states.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Legendary fast food restaurant Roy Rogers makes long-awaited comeback as it plans East Coast expansion
Roy Rogers, the legendary fast food chain, has made a long-awaited comeback in New Jersey. The business opened its newest location in Cherry Hill last week, making it the first restaurant to open in the South Jersey or Philadelphia area in decades. Jim Plamondon, co-president of Roy Rogers, told 'We knew that making the long-anticipated return to Cherry Hill would be impactful, but we never could have predicted the level of excitement and dedication we have experienced over the past week.' He added: 'We are beyond grateful for the decades-long patrons that have visited the store and shared their stories. 'The nostalgia is certainly a driving force behind what we do and our hope to continue growing upon this momentum into new markets.' The Cherry Hill restaurant is the first location to open since the company made six-store openings in Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey in 2016. Named after 'The King Of The Cowboys', Roy Rogers once ran over 640 restaurants nationwide. Now, the 57-year-old chain runs less than 50 locations across five states. The restaurant celebrated the New Jersey opening with a ribbon cutting and thanked its fans who came out to enjoy 'delicious beef, burgers, and chicken'. Roy Rogers guests flooded the restaurant during its grand opening. One person on Instagram wrote: 'Tried twice going there but couldn't get close to the joint. Cars lined up a mile down the road, cops directing traffic… tried today and same thing, line was out the door and people standing out in the heat waiting to get it.' An influencer known as 'What Should I Eat Philly' on Instagram tried some of the food in a video while visiting the Cherry Hill restaurant. Roy Rogers owner Jim Plamondon suggested she try the Roast Beef Burger, his 'favorite' offering. Reports claimed that everyone was talking about the Double R Bar Burger, while a first-time Roy Rogers eater praised the Chicken Biscuit. The blogger tried all of the recommended foods, and instantly became a fan. Restaurant-goers are now requesting Roy Rogers open new restaurants in states like Florida and Illinois, and a fan even suggested the chain open a location in Mexico.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Legendary fast food restaurant makes long-awaited comeback as it plans East Coast expansion
Roy Rogers, a once iconic fast food chain, has made a long-awaited comeback in one state. The business opened its newest location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, last week, making it the first restaurant to open in the South Jersey or Philadelphia area in decades. 'We've received an overwhelming number of requests from loyal Roy Rogers fans for a location in this area, and we're delighted to make it a reality,' said Joe Briglia, director of real estate and franchise development. 'We plan to build on this success and expand even further in the market.' The Cherry Hill restaurant is the first location to open since the company made six-store openings in Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey in 2016. Named after 'The King of the Cowboys,' Roy Rogers once ran over 640 restaurants nationwide. Now, the 57-year-old chain runs less than 50 locations across five states. The chain celebrated the highly anticipated New Jersey opening with a ribbon cutting and thanked its fans who came out to enjoy 'delicious beef, burgers and chicken.' Roy Rogers guests flooded the restaurant during its grand opening. 'Tried twice going there but couldn't get close to the joint. Cars lined up a mile down the road, cops directing traffic… tried today and same thing, line was out the door and people standing out in the heat waiting to get it,' an Instagrammer wrote. An influencer known as What Should I Eat Philly on Instagram tried some of the food in a video while visiting the Cherry Hill restaurant. Roy Rogers owner Jim Plamondon suggested she try the Roast Beef Burger, his 'favorite' offering. Reports claimed that everyone was talking about the Double R Bar Burger, while a first time Roy Rogers eater praised the Chicken Biscuit. The blogger tried all of the recommended foods, and instantly became a fan. Restaurant-goers are now requesting Roy Rogers open new restaurants in states like Florida and Illinois, and a fan even suggested the chain open a location in Mexico. Fans lucky enough to visit a Roy Rogers restaurant can receive a free regular combo meal every week with Roy's Rewards. The deal will be applied to accounts every Monday for the entire summer. Roy Rogers plans to open more locations in the near future Fast food chains have had rotten luck over the last few years, including giants like McDonald's and Burger King. McDonald's has worked to lure in customers with new foods and policies after its US sales fell 3.6 percent in the first quarter. Burger King's North American sales dropped 1.3 percent in its first quarter after major franchisee Consolidated Burger Holdings filed for bankruptcy. Other fast food brands that have been struggling include Jack in the Box and Subway, the nation's largest sandwich chain that closed over 1,654 stores in the past two years. While these chains have been struggling, others have been prevailing and making comebacks along the way. Krystal restaurants opened its first Texas location in over 10 years last April after bouncing back from multiple bankruptcy filings. Cava is in the process of opening 60 new restaurants following its skyrocketing customer traffic.
