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The story begins in 1919 in Lodi, California.
The city of Lodi was honoring its local heroes returning home from World War l, known then as “The Great War.”
During this time of celebration, Roy W. Allen chose to open his first root beer stand.
The initial day of business was dedicated to the veterans who served in the military. The next day, June 21st, the stand at 13 West Pine Street opened for the general public.
Allen took on a partner with his fledgling enterprise- Frank Wright, hence the name that became history- A & W.
Allen and Wright were not onsite owners. They leased the first two stands to focus on expanding the business north of Lodi into Stockton and Sacramento.
They actively sold franchises to new operators, becoming the first franchised fast-food chain in the United States. The business model had boys and girls providing curbside service delivered on trays.
In 1924, Allen bought out Frank Wright’s share of the business. The following year, he began franchising root beer. The future was very bright.
Most of the stands in the early years were located along well-traveled roads and highways in the Central Valley of California. In addition to root beer, the stands included peanuts, popcorn and sandwiches.
Success usually means expansion. By 1933, there were 171 A&Ws, increasing to 240 by 1941. They expanded into Canada in 1956 and 1960 and had 2,000 locations worldwide.
Over the years, A&W changed ownership several times and endured some financial challenges. Most drive-in versions have passed into history, leaving most of their stands as walk-in sit-down restaurants.
Locally, there were three A & W’s in Redwood City at one time, including one that employed Lydia Pense, the great lead singer of Cold Blood. Lydia attended Sequoia High.
The current number of A&W’s worldwide is 900.
Everything else is just history
Thanks for the memories ✌️