Roy Rogers Restaurants, the historic western-themed quick-service restaurant chain based in Frederick, Maryland, is celebrating 55 years full of burgers, roast beef and chicken – and of course, the many Royalists who have made it all possible. Since its founding, Roy Rogers has prioritized quality, variety and choice for its customers, always serving the best ingredients in a comfortable, enjoyable setting.
The first Roy Rogers Restaurant was opened by the Marriott Corporation in Falls Church, VA, in 1968 and quickly gained popularity nationwide under the leadership of Pete Plamondon, Sr. At its peak were 648 operating stores; however, the brand was sold to Hardee’s which subsequently sold the restaurants to various other restaurant chains. Knowing the great potential of the Roy Rogers brand, Pete Jr. and Jim Plamondon bought the brand in the early 2000s and have spent the last two decades revitalizing the brand in a big way.
“I believe my father would be proud of the Roy Rogers legacy we’ve continued,” says Jim Plamondon, Co-President of Roy Rogers. “We can honestly say that we have remained true to our guiding principle of authenticity over the 55 years. Our family values and strong belief in community are big factors in our success, in addition to our unbeatable food quality and menu offerings.”
Roy Rogers is making strides as a legacy brand striving for national success, now with 41 locations across seven states. When deciding to blaze a trail of evolution, leadership executed investments in technology, design, and third-party partners to enter a new era of relevance and create an enjoyable environment for a new generation of customers and longstanding fans of the brand.
Many locations now feature electronic menu boards, an elevated drive-thru experience, and enhancements to support third-party delivery. All locations also launched the new Roy’s Rewards mobile app last year, hosting a powerful loyalty program and optimizing online sales opportunities.
Most recently, Roy Rogers announced the successful opening of its newest franchise location in Cleves, Ohio, the first of 10 opening in Greater Cincinnati. The overwhelming support from the Cleves community led Roy Rogers to experience the best opening sales numbers to date – and business has not slowed down.
“On the heels of the tremendous success in Cleves, we are excited to continue to grow our franchise as a national brand,” says Joe Briglia, Director of Real Estate and Franchise Development. “It is true now more than ever that Roy Rogers is primed for expansion, and I look forward to connecting with partners who align with our values-first mission and are curious how they can also blaze their trail with Roy Rogers.”
