![]() Logo as of 2020 | |
Big Boy, Big Boy Restaurants | |
Company type | Private |
Industry | Casual dining restaurant |
Predecessors | Big Boy Restaurants International, LLC Bob's Pantry Elias Brothers Restaurants, Inc. Marriott Corporation Robert C. Wian Enterprises |
Founded | August 6, 1936 Glendale, California, U.S.[1] | (as Bob's Pantry)
Founder | Bob Wian |
Headquarters | Southfield, Michigan, United States |
Area served |
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Key people | |
Products |
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Website | bigboy |
Big Boy Restaurant Group, LLC, doing business as Big Boy, is an American casual dining restaurant chain headquartered in Southfield, Michigan.[7] The Big Boy name, design aesthetic, and menu were previously licensed to a number of regional franchisees.
Big Boy began as Bob's Pantry in 1936 by Bob Wian in Glendale, California.[8]: 11 The restaurants became known as "Bob's", "Bob's Drive-Ins",[9][10][note 1] "Bob's, Home of the Big Boy Hamburger",[10] and (commonly as) Bob's Big Boy. It became a local chain under that name and nationally under the Big Boy name, franchised by Robert C. Wian Enterprises; Wian only required franchisees to use "Big Boy" and not include his name "Bob's". Marriott Corporation bought Big Boy in 1967. One of the larger franchise operators, Elias Brothers, purchased the chain from Marriott in 1987, moved the headquarters of the company to Warren, Michigan, and operated it until bankruptcy was declared in 2000. During the bankruptcy, the chain was sold to investor Robert Liggett, Jr., who took over as chairman, renamed the company Big Boy Restaurants International and maintained the headquarters in Warren. In 2018, Big Boy was sold to a group of Michigan investors and renamed Big Boy Restaurant Group, with David Crawford as chairman, CEO, and co-owner of the new company.[6][3] In January 2020, Tamer Afr replaced Crawford as chairman, CEO, and co-owner.[12] As of April 2024, the company operates 55 total locations in the United States: 51 "Big Boy" branded restaurants in Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, and Ohio; and four additional locations in California branded as "Bob's Big Boy".[13] One Big Boy location also operates in Thailand.[14]
Immediately after Liggett's purchase, Big Boy Restaurants International—then known as Liggett Restaurant Enterprises—negotiated an agreement with the other large franchise operator, Frisch's Restaurants. The Big Boy trademarks in Kentucky, Indiana, and most of Ohio and Tennessee transferred to Frisch's ownership; all other Frisch's territories transferred to Liggett.[15][16][note 2] Thus Frisch's is no longer a franchisee, instead, Big Boy Restaurant Group and Frisch's are now independent co-registrants of the Big Boy name and trademark.[17] Frisch's operates about 90 Big Boy restaurants in the United States, of which 10 are franchised.[18][19]
Big Boy Japan, also independent of Big Boy Restaurant Group, operates 274 restaurants in Japan.[3][4][20]
Hansen 2002
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Advertisement April 1956
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Smalley 1947
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).Craig Maier, chief executive of Frisch's, said the bankruptcy nearly cost the Cincinnati company its right to franchise Big Boys.
'In a bankruptcy proceeding, franchise contracts are considered to be no different than a contract to owe money,' Mr. Maier said. 'They could have said, "You are no longer franchisee of the Big Boy system."'
The Big Boy system has restaurants operated by and franchised to others by Big Boy Restaurants International LLC and Frisch's Restaurants Inc. ... Headquarters: Big Boy Restaurants International LLC – Warren, Mich./Frisch's Restaurants Inc. – Cincinnati, Ohio ... CEO: Big Boy International – Keith Sirois/Frisch's – Craig F. Maier
Agreement Contemplates Continued Operation of all 95 Company Owned Frisch's Restaurants along with 26 Franchised Locations
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