A&W

The first Roy W. Allen root beer stand opened on June 20, 1919, in Lodi, California, and that is where A&W got its start. On a hot summer day that also happened to fall in the middle of a city-wide celebration honoring the return of local World War I heroes, Allen, who had acquired his root beer recipe from a pharmacist, decided to start selling the beverage.

Since Allen's root beer was well received, he teamed up with a former employee named Frank Wright to open more root beer stands nearby two years later. Around this time, Allen and Wright came up with the moniker A&W, a combination of their last names' first letters.

In 1925, as their success grew, Allen and Wright decided to sell A&W franchises. This makes A&W the world's oldest fast-food chain.

A&W expanded its menu over time, adding items such as burgers, hot dogs, cheese curds, and other typical fast food fares.

Year Founded: June 20, 1919

Founder(s): Roy W. Allen and Frank Wright

Year Franchising Started: 1925

Current No. of Locations: 1,100+

Headquarters: Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Website: awrestaurants.com