Tom Wahl's is a chain of

fast-food restaurants A fast-food restaurant, also known as a quick-service restaurant (QSR) within the industry, is a specific type of restaurant that serves fast-food cuisine and has minimal table service. The food served in fast-food restaurants is typicall ...

based in the

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

area that currently has several restaurants around the Finger Lakes region.

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

named it one of "51 great burger joints across the USA" in 2010. The restaurant specializes in "ground steak sandwiches" and its famous root beer and sells

Abbott's Frozen Custard Abbott's Frozen Custard is a frozen custard franchise founded and based in Rochester, New York. The franchise has stores throughout New York state, and has expanded to other states including Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts,Elizabeth Navisky"Co ...

History

Tom Wahl, Sr. opened the first restaurant in

Avon, New York Avon () is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. It is south of Rochester. The town population was 7,146 at the 2010 census. The town was named after the River Avon in England. The village of Avon is in the northwest part of ...

in March 1955.

Overview

The restaurant chain was sold in 1986 to

Bill Gray's Bill Gray's is a chain of restaurants based in Webster, New York (a suburb of Rochester, New York) that currently has 14 restaurants in the Rochester area in western New York, including seven tap room-style restaurants, and one tavern-style grill ...

, Inc. During this time the chain opened a variant of its traditional diner-style restaurant called Wahl Street in the village of Pittsford. Featuring a more upscale feel to dining, this concept lasted a few years before closing down, returning the chain solely to the diner-style feel. In 2011, an equity group that includes

Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three ...

Donnie Wahlberg Donald Edmond Wahlberg Jr. (born August 17, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, record producer, and film producer. He is a founding member of the boy band New Kids on the Block. Outside music, he has had roles in the ''Saw ...

, and chef Paul Wahlberg licensed the name "Wahlburger" from Tom Wahl's for use in their own restaurant. There are now seven restaurants: *

Bushnell's Basin, New York Perinton (originally Perrinton (in federal censuses) and sometimes Perrington when still part of Ontario County) is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 46,462 at the 2010 census. The village of Fairport is with ...

Canandaigua, New York Canandaigua (; ''Utaʼnaráhkhwaʼ'' in Tuscarora language, Tuscarora) is a City (New York), city in Ontario County, New York, United States. Its population was 10,545 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ontario County; some administrat ...

Newark, New York Newark is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States, south east of Rochester and west of Syracuse. The population was 9,017 at the 2020 census. The Village of Newark is in the south part of the Town of Arcadia and is in the south of W ...

Fairport, New York Fairport is a village located in the Town of Perinton, which is part of Monroe County, New York, United States. Fairport is a suburb east of Rochester. It is also known as the "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal". In 2005, it was named as one of th ...

* Brighton, New York *

Greece, New York Greece is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. A suburb of Rochester, New York, it is the largest town by population in Monroe County, and the second-largest municipality by population in the county, behind only the City of Rochester ...

The chain once had locations in the

food court A food court (in Asia-Pacific also called food hall or hawker centre) is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dinner. I ...

s at

the Mall at Greece Ridge The Mall at Greece Ridge is located in Greece, New York, a suburb of Rochester, New York, and managed by Wilmorite Properties. It contains 119 stores and restaurants in the main concourse. The mall is anchored by the traditional chains Macy's, JCPe ...

the Marketplace Mall The Marketplace Mall is a shopping center managed by Wilmorite and located on Hylan Drive in Henrietta, New York, a suburb of Rochester. The space at the southeast corner of West Henrietta Road (NY 15) and Jefferson Road ( NY 252) was previously ...

and

Eastview Mall Eastview Mall, located in Victor, New York (near Rochester, New York), is an upscale indoor shopping center owned and managed by Wilmorite Properties. The mall is anchored by the traditional chains Von Maur, Macy's, JCPenney, and Dick's House ...

, but they are closed as of 2021.

References

External links

*
RocWiki article
{{City of Rochester, NY Companies based in Monroe County, New York Fast-food chains of the United States Regional restaurant chains in the United States Frozen custard Root beer 1955 establishments in New York (state) Restaurants established in 1955

History

Overview

See also

References

External links