Yum! Brands, Parent Company of Taco Bell, to Sell Long John Silver's and A & W All-American Food

By Gustavo Arellano Wed., Jan. 19 2011 at 10:30 AM

I know some things about old Southern California restaurant chains, but not all. I remember Pioneer Chicken (I still delight in seeing its old signs reformatted to plug a Mexican restaurant), and I also remember Bob's Big Boy. But what was A & W? I remember the root beer, but I've seen vestiges of the restaurant at older burger stands--a couple in Fullerton, I think one in Brea, and that's about it.

I did know A & W was a sister company of Taco Bell--but not anymore.

Nation's Restaurant News reported yesterday that Yum! Brands is selling A & W and Long John Silver's so it can concentrate more on its terrible trio: Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut. Yay! That means higher quality for the Bell! Don't we wish. . . .

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Stace11

The A&W in Hanford, CA is still very good. I'm not sure if it's the same, but the last standing Pioneer Chicken is in or near Echo Park. Bob's Big Boy is popping up all over CA & NV again, with the original still open (never closed) in Toluca Lake.

Dwayne

Their root beer was the BEST! Not like the stuff in cans which came later. Their root beer was served in frosty mugs, and you could buy a 1/2 gallon jug to take home with you.

Their burgers by size were the Papa, Mama, Teen and Kids. Either the Mama or Teen had bacon, which was my favorite.

I remember the one on Chapman near Gilbert, but I seem to remember (fuzzily) another one on Westminster Ave., between GoldenWest and Edwards.

DanGarion

Tomy's in Garden Grove on Chapman between Brookhurst and Gilbert was a A&W many years ago. They recently remodeled and it doesn't have any of the old setup anymore.

DanGarion

A&W was pure awesomeness. They were the Drive-In fast food place before Sonic. Unfortunately nowadays A&W is pretty much crap. Here's to hoping that whoever buys them brings them back the way they should be.

gustavoarellano

Interesting...

Parley Baer

Amen to that! On a hot summer day, you could lick your lips and fingers into bliss with a tall, frosty mug of A&W and a Coney with onion rings. Then spend the rest of the dollar on popcorn, a movie, and your tuition at junior college!

Now that A&W is escaping the clutches of Yum and its 37,000 restaurants, maybe they'll be able to fire the bums working too many of their counters and replace the current wrinkle dog with hope and change. That would be fine!