First A&W/Long John Silver's Co-Brand Drive-In Opens

    Industry News | November 29, 2001
    Franchisee Mark Laxton, a ten-year operator of drive-in restaurants with another chain, has become a pioneer of sorts by opening the first co-brand A&W/Long John Silver's drive-in, located about twenty miles from the Arkansas line and near Springfield, Missouri.

    Laxton, owner of Laxton Management, is the first franchisee of Yorkshire Global Restaurants (parent company of the A&W and Long John Silver's chains) to open a co-branded drive-in. According to Laxton, the opportunity to put the two popular quick-service restaurant brand names under one roof was too good to pass up.

    "The popularity of the Yorkshire Global co-brand concepts was encouragement for me to try this with a drive-in," Laxton said.

    The new co-branded A&W and Long John Silver's Restaurant drive-in concept has thirty-three stalls for customers to order and eat their food from their vehicle, plus another fifty-one seats inside.

    "We have integrated a state-of-the-art ordering system by Ordermatic of Oklahoma City," said Paul Nierzwicki, A&W operations vice president. "Our goal is to delivery the order within two minutes."

    The new free-standing drive-in features both the A&W and Long John Silver's logos, plus a blend of decor from both chains, such as an A&W juke box. Consumers can choose from both menus, including the A&W All American menu of hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, french fries, its signature soft drink A&W draft root beer, and A&W draft root beer floats.

    The Long John Silver's Menu at the drive-in will feature the brand's country battered fish, chicken, seafood, and french fries, plus a variety of sides.

    The new facility is open for the 11,200 residents of West Plains seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The manager is Gene Stanley, and the restaurant employs 53 persons.

    News and information presented in this release has not been corroborated by WTWH Media LLC.

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