A&W Restaurants Entrepreneur To Open Third Wisconsin Unit

Was Former Sonic Owner But Plans Growth With A&W

September 09, 2009 // Franchising.com // APPLETON, WI. ---Former Sonic Drive-In Restaurants owner Matt Williams opened a state of the art "3-D" A&W Restaurants Drive-In, 421 W. Northland Ave., , Appleton. The new A&W is part of a multi-unit expansion planned for Wisconsin by Williams. Earlier this year he opened a unit in Menasha and he has another in Little Chute, WI.

The new Appleton A&W will be open seven days a week and will offer customers the A&W "3-D" experience: Drive In, Drive Through and Dine In (seating for 44) capabilities. The opening is part of a much broader expansion plan by A&W Restaurants during the brand's 90th anniversary.

"As America's Original Drive-In, we have developed legions of customers around the country who can recall their first experience at an A&W Restaurant," explained Doug Heinrich, A&W director development strategy. "We have targeted Wisconsin as a key area for our 2009 growth plans along with Minnesota, Michigan and Oregon."

Williams said the new Appleton A&W will employ 40-60 persons and will offer customers the popular A&W All American Menu of Papa Burgers, Fries, Coney Dogs, and of course, their signature frosty mugs of freshly made A&W Draft Root Beer and Root Beer Floats.

Kevin Firth will manage the new restaurant for Williams and his franchise company All American Drive Ins, LLC.

"A&W Restaurants is part of the fabric of the American dining scene and we have thousands of fans of the brand right here in Wisconsin," Williams said.

About A&W®

A&W® All-American Food®, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is the longest-running QSR franchise chain in America, serving hometown favorites to friends and families for over 90 years. Since 1919, A&W All-American Food has offered its iconic, frosty mug root beer float with All-American pure-beef hamburgers and hot dogs. There are approximately 360 A&W All-American Food outlets in the U.S., more than 260 in nine other countries, and more than 620 additional points of distribution in multibrand restaurants.

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