Wetzel's Pretzels
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Wetzel's Pretzels is an American chain of fast-food restaurants, specializing in pretzels and
hot dogs A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...
. The chain has more than 370 locations across the United States, Canada and Central America, as well as formerly in Finland, mostly located in shopping malls, airports, theme parks, and stadiums; plus, as of recently, food trucks. The company is headquartered in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
.


History

Wetzel's Pretzels was founded in 1994 by Rick Wetzel and Bill Phelps in
Pasadena, California Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
. The chain's first location opened that year at the South Bay Galleria in nearby Redondo Beach. Its name was inspired by childhood taunts used by Wetzel's classmates. In 1997, Wetzel and Phelps took on multiple investors, including John Davis and Gary L. Wilson. Wilson's connections to
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
paved the way for the chain to open locations at
Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
and
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...
. Los Angeles-based private equity firm Levine Leichtman Capital Partners Inc. bought a majority stake in the company in 2007 for an undisclosed amount. Phelps still owns a 20% share, while Wetzel holds a smaller stake. In October 2016, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners sold majority stake to Dallas-based private equity firm CenterOak Partners LLC. after holding the majority stake for 9 years. In 2019, Phelps was succeeded as CEO by Jennifer Schuler. In December, 2022 Wetzel's Pretzels was acquired by
MTY Food Group MTY Food Group Inc. is a Canadian franchisor and operator of numerous casual dining, fast casual, and quick service restaurants operating under more than 70 brand names, some of them through wholly owned subsidiaries. Headquartered in the Montr ...
for $207 million.


Menu


Food

Wetzel's menu is centered around its namesake pretzels along with hot dogs and lemonade. Their signature pretzels come in various flavors such as the Wetzel's Original (salted or unsalted), cinnamon sugar, pepperoni and more. Guests can also choose Bitz, more snackable pretzel bites, available in Original, Cinn-a-bitz or Pizza Bitz (with pepperoni). Other pretzel items range from the full-sized Wetzel Dog, an all-beef hot dog wrapped in pretzel or Dog Bites and Cheesy Dog Bites, the bite-sized iteration.


Beverages

Wetzel's is known for its fresh and frozen lemonades, which are available in original and strawberry flavors. They also offer a variety of other drinks such as granitas and were the first restaurant in the snack category to introduce boba popping pearls to the menu, with flavors like Cherry and Mango.


References


External links

* {{Fast-food chains of the United States 1994 establishments in California 2022 mergers and acquisitions American companies established in 1994 Companies based in Pasadena, California Fast-food chains of the United States Fast-food franchises Pretzels Restaurants established in 1994 Restaurants in Greater Los Angeles