Big Boy Restaurants

Big Boy

Type	Restaurant
Industry	Casual dining restaurant
Founded	1936
Headquarters	Warren, Michigan, U.S.
Key people	Bob Wian, Founder Robert Liggett, Jr. Keith E. Sirois, CEO
Website	bigboy.com

Big Boy is a restaurant chain with its headquarters in Warren, Michigan.

Big Boy was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967. One of the larger franchise operators, Elias Brothers, purchased the chain from Marriott in 1987, moving the headquarters of the company to Warren, Michigan, and operating it until declaring bankruptcy in 2000. Following the bankruptcy, the chain was sold to investor Robert Liggett, Jr., who took over as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), renamed the company Big Boy Restaurants International and kept the headquarters in Warren. The company is the franchisor for more than 455 Big Boy restaurants in the United States and Canada.

Origin

The chain is best known for its trademark chubby boy in red-and-white checkered overalls holding a Big Boy sandwich (double-decker cheeseburger). The inspiration for Big Boy's name, as well as the model for its mascot, was Richard Woodruff (1936–1986), of Glendale, California. When he was six years old, he walked into the diner Bob's Pantry as Bob Wian was attempting to name his new hamburger. Wian said, "Hello, Big Boy" to Woodruff, and the name stuck. Warner Bros. animation artist Ben Washam sketched Richard's caricature, which became the character seen on the company logo. This character would also eventually be featured in The Adventures of Big Boy comic book, produced as a promotional giveaway for children visiting the restaurant. Since 1997, the comic book has been produced by Craig Yoe's Yoe! Studio. Another longtime promotion was the Big Boy Kids Club, offering coupons and premiums to members, who joined by sending in an application from the comic book.

Bob's Big Boy restaurant in Burbank, California

A Big Boy sandwich consists of two thin beef patties placed on a three layer sesame seed bun with lettuce, a single slice of cheese, and Big Boy special sauce, or (in some locations) tartar sauce on each slice of bun. Unlike the similar McDonald's Big Mac, which was patterned after the Big Boy, onions were not included in the original recipe. They had to be ordered as an extra. They also offer salads, dinner combinations, and various desserts.

Regional franchises

A Big Boy Restaurant in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.

In addition to the Bob's Big Boy name, the "Big Boy" concept, menu, and mascot were originally licensed to a wide number of regional franchise holders, listed below (with approximate licensed territories in parentheses). Because many of the early franchisees were already in business when joining the chain, "Big Boy" was added to the franchisee name just as the Big Boy hamburger was added to the franchisee's existing menu.

Through the 50s the emphasis changed from drive-in restaurant to coffee shop and family restaurant. New franchisees without existing restaurants signed on. A larger standard menu was developed. Most adopted a common graphic design of menus and promotional items, personalized to the franchisee. Stock plans of restaurant designs were provided by Los Angeles architects Armet and Davis.

By 1979 there were more than a thousand Big Boy restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, and about 20 franchisees. Shoney's, Elias Brothers and Frisch's—charter franchisees—controlled the vast majority. Ironically these mega franchisees paid practically no fees, e.g., Frisch paid $1/year for its four state territory.

Frisch's still maintains franchise rights to use its name with the "Big Boy" name, as does Bob's which is held by Big Boy Restaurants International. Many of the other former franchise owners (Shoney's, for example) have expanded into areas that were once the territory of another franchise holder, and the current Big Boy Restaurants International has been expanding simply as "Big Boy" into territories formerly held by named franchisees.^{[citation needed]} Prohibiting franchisees from publically using their own names is intended to strengthen the trademark but also prevent defections, such as happened with Shoney's Big Boy retaining identity as Shoney's. The same occurred with Eat'n Park, Elby's, Lendy's, JB's, and Abdow's who maintained existing name identy after leaving Big Boy.

Unlike most modern franchises, the various historic Big Boy franchisees differed somewhat from one another in terms of pricing and menu offerings.

• Abdow's (Massachusetts, Connecticut, 1959-1994, founded by George and Ron Abdow) now defunct, many converted to Elixi Corp's Bickfords Family Restaurants

• Azar's (Northern Indiana, Colorado)

• Becker's (Rochester, NY area before TJ's)

• Big Boy of Florida (Exclusive rights to the Central Florida territory)

• Bob's (California, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, as well as Indiana and Pennsylvania turnpike and airport locations operated in several states by the Marriott Corp.)

• Eat'n Park (metro Pittsburgh, 1949-1976, founded by Larry Hatch) dropped Big Boy in 1976.

• Elby's (Northern West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, 1956-1984, 1988-2000, founded by George, Ellis and Michael Boury) Named after ELlis BourY. Originally aquired the Big Boy rights to northern West Virginia through Shoney's and quickly expanded Big Boy into bordering Ohio counties, licensed through Frisch's, and later expanded through Pennsylvania. A long running trademark battle with Frisch's over Ohio operations caused Elby's to drop Big Boy affiliation in Ohio in 1971, and for all Elby's units in 1984 following Shoney's decision to leave. Elby's was sold to Elias Brothers in 1988 becoming Big Boy again. Although officially stripped of the Elby's name, identity was so strong that the Elby's name continued in print advertisements.

• Elias Brothers (Michigan, Northeastern Ohio, Ontario, Canada, 1952-2000, founded by Fred, John and Louis Elias) Many units continue operations but none use Elias Brothers name.

• Frisch's (Ohio, Kentucky, S. Indiana, Florida until the early 1990s, 1948, founded (as Big Boy) by David Frisch) The Cincinnati restaurant chain and first franchisee, began serving Big Boy hamburgers in 1948; Frisch's now operates 88 Big Boys & franchises 32 Big Boys to others. They also franchise Golden Corrals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. Frisch's subfranchised to Azar's and Manners, which used the Frisch's styled Big Boy, and also licensed Elby's to operate two Big Boy units in the upper Ohio Valley until 1971.

• JB's (Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, Washington, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, New Jersey; Ontario and Alberta, Canada in the 1970s, 1961-1988, founded by Jack M. Broberg)

• Kebo's (Seattle & Tacoma, Washington area before JB's and Bob's)

• Ken's (Maryland - suburban Washington DC, became Bob's late 1960s)

• Kip's (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, 1958-1991, founded Fred Bell ) Acquired by Frisch's in 1972.

• Lendy's (Western Virginia, founded by Leonard Goldstein) Territory conflict with Yoda's and concurrent franchise with Kentucky Fried Chicken prompted Lendy's to leave Big Boy.

• Leo's (Spokane, Washington; Montana, 1966-?, founded by Leo A. Hansen, Jr)

• Manners (Northeastern Ohio (Cleveland TV market), 1954-1979, founded by Robert L. and Ramona Manners) franchisee through Frisch's, used the Frisch styled mascot design. Like Frisch's, Manners was already established having opened Manners Drive-In in 1939, 15 years before becoming a Big Boy franchisee. Paid Frisch's $10 per month for each location. In 1968 Manners Big Boy was sold to Consolidated Foods (now known as Sara Lee Corporation). Mariott purchased the 39 units in 1974 and five years later dropped the name "Manners".

• Marc's (Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, 1958+, founded by Ben Marcus and Gene Kilberg) were owned by the Marcus Corporation. Some were sold, others were converted to Marc's Cafe & Coffee Mill and later Annie's American Cafe. Most now operate as Perkins.

• McDowell's (North Dakota, 1954+, founded by Harley McDowell) Operates exclusively as drive through operation.

• Shoney's (Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland, Missouri, Philadelphia, PA, 1955-1985, founded by Alex Schoenbaum), named after Alex Schoenbaum, no longer displays the Big Boy Statue, because it dropped its relationship with Big Boy in 1984 in order to expand into neighboring states where others owned the trademark. Signing on in 1951, it was the second Big Boy franchisee and by 1984 became the largest franschisee operating 392 Shoney's Big Boy units. Shoney's also subfranchised to Elby's, Yoda's and Lendy's.).

• Ted's (Rhode Island)

• TJ's (Rochester, NY)

• Tops (Illinois)

• Tote's (St. Louis area before Shoney's)

• Vip's (New Mexico)

• Yoda's (Western Virginia)

Mady's Big Boy of Windsor, Ontario was not a franchisee, though sometimes identified as one and using a similar looking mascot. In 1965 Bob Wian sued Mady for trademark infringement but failed because (his) Big Boy was judged not widely known in Canada. The case is considered important in Canadian and international trademark law.

Outside of North America, Big Boy Japan owns and operates 296 locations (as of September 2007) throughout Japan under four restaurant names: Big Boy (199 stores), Milky Way (50), Victoria Station (43), and Grill Dan (4).

In addition, Big Boy established @burger, a new concept casual dining restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is now closed.

Further reading

• Hansen, Christian (2002). The Big Boy Story: "King of Them All". Haagen Printing. ISBN 0-9671943-6-9. 
• Grandberry, Nikki (2006). "Altamonte Springs Opens March 29". http://www.bigboy.com/RestaurantImages/Altamonte%20Springs%20Opens%20March%2029.pdf 

External links

• Big Boy
• Craig Yoe interviewed on history of The Adventures of Big Boy comic book