Stewart's Restaurants are classic 1950s style fast-food restaurants located throughout the United States. Restaurants are branded as Stewart's Root Beer or Stewart's Drive-In or similar variations. Started in 1924 in

Mansfield, Ohio Mansfield is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Ohio, United States. Located midway between Columbus and Cleveland via Interstate 71, it is part of Northeast Ohio region in the western foothills of the Allegheny Plateau. The c ...

by Frank Stewart, the chain became a franchise in 1931. As of 2021, there are 30 locations open in the United States, the majority of which are located in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

with the rest in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...

, and

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the ...

Products

Stewart's is famous for its

Stewart's Fountain Classics Stewart's Fountain Classics is an American brand of premium soft drinks. Stewart's are nostalgic "old fashioned" fountain sodas, having originated at the Stewart's Restaurants, a chain of root beer stands started in 1924 by Frank Stewart in M ...

root beer and hot dogs, but most locations also offer hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, cheesesteaks,

ice cream Ice cream is a sweetened frozen food typically eaten as a snack or dessert. It may be made from milk or cream and is flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit such as ...

, and milkshakes. Root beer products can be sold as bottled or frosted mug drinks and floats. Products tend to vary from location to location, based on the type of service offered. Express locations offer a simpler menu, and full service locations offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

History

The first Stewart's Drive-In was opened by Frank Stewart in 1924 Mansfield, Ohio. Stewart opened up a small stand to make extra money in the summer to supplement his income as a school teacher. The restaurant was originally a West-Coast-style fast-food eatery serving only root beer and popcorn. Stewart added extra salt to his popcorn to boost his root beer sales. He opened up more locations, many of them with carhops. Entrepreneurs John and Ami Mandt helped expand the business by franchising the brand starting in 1931, and there are two such remaining locations in West Virginia. Ownership of the company was handed over to Ohio businessman Carl Ransbottom, then to businessman Raymond Beck. Carl's son, Robert E. Ransbottom continued to work under Beck, who sold the company to Frostie Enterprises in 1971, which was purchased by a company named Moxie Industries. In 1979, the company was handed over to a new company, DeNovo Corporation, which also operated Dog n Suds franchises in the Midwest.Stewarts Restaurants
Michael W. Fessler, one of the original owners of the DeNovo Corp., still owns Stewarts Restaurants, Inc. Stewart's Drive-In, Burlington, New Jersey

Stewart's Drive-In, Burlington, New Jersey

References

External links

* {{Restaurants in New Jersey Restaurants in Ohio Restaurants in New Jersey Restaurants in Pennsylvania Economy of the Eastern United States Regional restaurant chains in the United States Fast-food chains of the United States 1924 establishments in Ohio Restaurants established in 1924 Fast-food franchises Hot dog restaurants in the United States Drive-in restaurants Root beer stands Cuisine of the Mid-Atlantic states Restaurants in New York (state)

Products

History

See also

References

External links