Lexington, Ky. — A&W Restaurants, the All-American restaurant franchise with 500-plus units nationwide, has had fast start to the year with three new restaurants opened, all indicative of the brand’s real estate flexibility and willingness to embrace non-traditional spaces. With a goal of opening 10 new locations in 2023, the franchisor is ahead of schedule.
Paul Martino, A&W Restaurants
“One of the notable openings this year brought an A&W to a Walmart in Rock Hill, South Carolina,” says Paul Martino, president and COO of A&W. “This is our first entry into the Walmart space, and both our franchise partner and the A&W team are very happy with how that location has performed during its first 6 weeks of operations.”
Another opening occurred at the Altoona, Wis., restaurant, which broke records for first-week and first-month sales of an A&W restaurant.
The third opening of the quarter, in Fairview, Kan., was an A&W that sits inside of a Bert’s Travel Center.
In addition to these openings, A&W awarded two new franchises in the Gilbert, Ariz., area.
With multiple franchise agreements in the pipeline, A&W is working with franchisees to execute both single and multi-unit deals, breaking into brand new markets and bringing the American favorite to even more communities nationwide.
Established in 1919 in Lodi, Calif., as a roadside stand, A&W Restaurants is now based in Lexington, Ky., and operates 500-plus locations across the country, including 300 standalone restaurants. The concept is known for its signature A&W Root Beer, served in an iconic frosty mug, and is handcrafted at the restaurant. For more information, visit https://franchising.awrestaurants.com/.
SOURCE: A&W Restaurants