Food

Rainforest Cafe Corporate Office

Rainforest Cafe was founded by Steven Schussler in 1994 in The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. The company operates a chain of themed restaurants designed to look like a tropical rainforest. Design items include living plants, mists, waterfalls, and rainforest figurine animals such as elephants and frogs.

In addition to the restaurant, most locations also feature a gift shop with items for sale such as toys, games, stuffed animals, and action figures.

The company currently has 28 locations in the US, along with locations in France, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The company has almost 7,000 full time employees and annual revenue in 2004 of $259 million. Landry’s Restaurants, Inc., purchased the company in 2000.

Rainforest Cafe

In addition to the restaurant, most locations also feature a gift shop with items for sale such as toys, games, stuffed animals, and action figures.

History

Smoothie King Corporate Office

Smoothie King was founded in 1973 in Kenner, Louisiana, by Steve Kuhnau. While working at an ice cream shop, Kuhnau discovered he was unable to enjoy the milk shakes and other treats because he was lactose intolerant. This inspired him to create similar items using fruit juice and frozen fruit that anyone could enjoy.

Today, the company has more than 600 franchised locations. Kuhnau sold the business to current CEO Wan Kim and Standard Chartered bank. Smoothie King has been named the #1 franchise by Entrepreneur magazine more than 17 times since it began operations.

Smoothie King had annual revenue in 2014 of $160 million. The company began international franchising with the first location opening in South Korea in 2003.

Smoothie King

Smoothie King had annual revenue in 2014 of $160 million. The company began international franchising with the first location opening in South Korea in 2003.

History

Famous Dave’s Corporate Office

Famous Dave’s Barbeque was founded in Hayward, Wisconsin, in 1994 by Dave Anderson, an Ojibwe native who later headed the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. What began as a roadside BBQ restaurant has now developed into 200 locations in the U.S., one in Canada, and one location in Puerto Rico.

Famous Dave’s went public on the NASDAQ and can be found under the ticker symbol: BBQ. The restaurant has received more than 700 awards over the years for their secret barbeque sauce, including the 2012 People’s Choice Best Wings Award, the 2014 People’s Choice Best Barbeque, and the 2014 People’s Choice Best Catering Award.

In addition to restuarant’s, Famous Dave also sells its BBQ sauce, cornbread mix, and pickle chips in many major grocery store chains.

Famous Dave’s parent company, BBQ Holdings, wants to add other venues to its names, such as a breakfast restaurant or pizza.

Famous Dave’s maintains a corporate office in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Famous Dave's

History

In addition to restuarant’s, Famous Dave also sells its BBQ sauce, cornbread mix, and pickle chips in many major grocery store chains.

Famous Dave’s parent company, BBQ Holdings, wants to add other venues to its names, such as a breakfast restaurant or pizza.

Famous Dave’s maintains a corporate office in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Brigham’s Ice Cream Corporate Office

Brigham’s Ice Cream was founded in 1914 by Edward Brigham in Massachusetts. At one time, the original ice cream parlor, located in Newton Highlands, was so popular that it became overrun with customers on the weekends. The police were often called to help control the crowds that were fighting to get inside.

The company has continued to grow and expand over the years. In 1993, Brigham’s Ice Cream purchased Elans Frozen Yogurt, which added to its already appealing menu. At its peak, the company had 100 locations. Brigham’s Ice Cream was purchased by HP Hood LLC. Approximately 21 locations were sold to New England Food Service, LLC. HP Hood owns the rights to the name and ice cream recipes. HP Hood now sells Brigham’s Ice Cream via supermarkets and specialty stores.

In 2014, the company celebrated its 100th year anniversary.

Brigham’s Ice Cream maintains a corporate office in Arlington, Massachusetts.

Brigham's Ice Cream

History

In 2014, the company celebrated its 100th year anniversary.

Brigham’s Ice Cream maintains a corporate office in Arlington, Massachusetts.

Checkers Drive In Corporate Office

Founded in 1986 by Jim Mattei, Checkers Drive-In is one of America’s largest drive-through restaurants. The company operates both Rally’s and Checker names and began as a Checkers Drive-In located in Mobile, Alabama. The companies merged in 1999.

The company was sold in 2014 to a private equity group, Sentinel Capital Partners. Checkers Drive-In is now headquartered in Tampa, Florida. Both Rallys and Checkers offer little or no seating areas but have double drive-throughs on both sides of the location. A few older locations have drive and park service.

Checkers was sold to another private equity group, Oak Hill Capital Partners, in 2017 for $525 million.

Checkers Drive-In offers standard American food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, and milkshakes. As of 2014, the company had 784 locations.

In 2018, the company announced that it would be expanding into the Pittsburgh area with more than 2 dozen locations planned.

In December 2022, Checkers opened a new location in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The company maintains a corporate office in Tampa, Florida.

Checkers Drive In

History

Checkers was sold to another private equity group, Oak Hill Capital Partners, in 2017 for $525 million.

Checkers Drive-In offers standard American food such as hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, and milkshakes. As of 2014, the company had 784 locations.

In 2018, the company announced that it would be expanding into the Pittsburgh area with more than 2 dozen locations planned.

In December 2022, Checkers opened a new location in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The company maintains a corporate office in Tampa, Florida.