fbpx
Wikipedia

Roy Rogers Restaurants

Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC is a chain of fast food restaurants primarily located in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States. The chain originated as the rebranding of the RoBee's House of Beef chain of Fort Wayne, Indiana, acquired by the Marriott Corporation in February 1968. However, Marriott first used the Roy Rogers Roast Beef name on conversions of the company's Junior Hot Shoppes in the Washington, D.C. area in April 1968, then the existing RoBee's stores. An aggressive nationwide franchising campaign was launched. At its peak, the chain included over 600 locations. The chain now has 37 locations in six states, either company owned or franchised.[2][4]

Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC
sign of Roy Rogers Restaurant in Uptown New Orleans, 1982
Roy Rogers Restaurants
FormerlyRoBee's Roast Beef (1967-1968)
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryRestaurants
FoundedFebruary 12, 1968; 56 years ago (1968-02-12), in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
FounderAzar's Big Boy restaurants
Headquarters4991 New Design Road Suite 109 Frederick, MD 21703[1]
Number of locations
37[2]
Area served
West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio
Products
ServicesFranchising
US$14.8 million (3rd Qtr. 2022)[3]
Parent
Websiteroyrogersrestaurants.com

The Roy Rogers chain was sold in 1990 to Imasco, then the parent company of Hardee's, and experienced severe decline as many locations converted to Hardee's. In 2002, the trademark was purchased by Plamondon Companies.[5]

Roy Rogers' menu consists primarily of hamburgers, roast beef sandwiches, fried chicken, nine side items (including french fries), and beverages. Many locations also serve breakfast.[6]

History edit

 
Roy Rogers' picture hangs in every restaurant.

1967–1968: RoBee's and Marriott edit

In 1967, the Azar's Big Boy restaurant franchise started RoBee's House of Beef restaurants in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.[7][8] The Marriott Corp., which had acquired Bob's Big Boy and the Big Boy trademark in 1967, acquired RoBee's in February 1968 with plans to expand nationwide. RoBee's franchises would first be offered to Big Boy franchisees to coincide with their existing Big Boy territory.[8] At the time there were 13 RoBee's restaurants in six states.[8]

During the acquisition, in January 1968, the competing roast beef chain Arby's sued RoBee's for trademark infringement and (other similarities that it considered) unfair competition.[9] Because "RoBee's" sounded too much like "Arby's" the settlement required a new brand name and Marriott wanted something recognizable.[10] Big Boy founder Bob Wian, then sitting on Marriott's board of directors, was friends with Roy Rogers' agent and suggested that the company approach Rogers about the use of his name. Already interested in associating with a chain restaurant, Rogers was in similar discussions with another company when Marriott called.[11] Nonetheless, he accepted Marriott's offer: Rogers would receive a licensing fee for use of his name and also be paid for personal appearances at the restaurants.[12] The restaurants would be called "Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich" restaurants, and despite Arby's complaints,[9] it retained RoBee's building design[13] and covered wagon logo design.[14]

Several major Big Boy franchisees accepted Marriott's offer and became Roy Rogers regional franchisees,[note 1] including Abdow's,[17] Frisch's,[18] Elias Brothers,[19] Marc's,[20] and Shoney's[16] which together covered much of the Northeastern, Midwest and Southern US. Pittsburgh franchisee Eat'n Park rejected the offer and took public offense at paying fees to Rogers.[21] In the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere, other regional franchisees were sought who would also subfranchise to smaller operators, and by January 1969, Marriott claimed regional franchises for every state but Alaska.[22] Roy Rogers' restaurants also opened in Canada, franchised to that nation's Big Boy franchisee, JB's of Canada.[23]

Marriott divided the United States into 33 franchise regions[12] and required regional franchisees open a set number of restaurants in a four-year period. Regional franchisees would pay Marriott a 2% royalty, and subfranchisees typically pay the regional franchisee 3%,[24] who would keep the additional 1%.[12] A restaurant required a $35,000 cash investment upfront,[25][26][note 2] including $7,500 paid to Marriott. Additionally, the cost of the building and equipment, with seating for 42 persons, cost about $100,000 in 1968, excluding the cost of land.[27] Marriott offered financing but charged an interest rate of 12% on land and 17% for the building.[12] The prototype restaurant seated 40 to 45 persons with additional outdoor seating on an optional patio in front of the building,[28] but actual restaurants varied, one franchisee's dining area accommodating 75 persons.[24]

The first Roy Rogers restaurant opened up on Co- founder and Hot Shoppes manager, Henry L. Wright's property in April 1968 in the Bailey's Crossroads section of Falls Church, Virginia, on the corner of Leesburg Pike and Carlin Springs Road (5603 Leesburg Pike). Another opened at 5214 River Road, in Bethesda, Maryland. The area was selected because Marriott was headquartered in metropolitan Washington, D.C.,[29] the River Road unit located directly across the street. (Marriott executives and Marriott family members were frequent patrons of this store.) These first locations were conversions of Jr. Hot Shoppes, Marriott's existing fast food chain.[note 3] In May 1968, RoBee's units began to open as Roy Rogers. Rogers made a four state tour of namesake restaurants in the Southern U.S., appearing at each location for an hour, shaking hands and handing out signed photographs.[29] Filming for the first television commercials advertising Roy Rogers Restaurants took place in the Apple Valley, California area where Rogers lived with his family. In 1968 and 1969, Rogers and friends, Earl Bascom[30] and Mel Marion, were filmed at various locations including the historic Las Flores Ranch in Summit Valley and the Campbell Ranch in Victorville.

1968–1989: Growth and challenges edit

Rapid growth began in 1968 and Marriott made optimistic projections. In October 1968, there were reportedly 38 units open and 65 under construction,[31] and by December, 56 opened with 39 under construction.[28] Marriott projected 700 or more Roy Rogers restaurants in four years.[28] By June 1969, 105 units were open with a new projection of 870 in four years.[24] A February 1970 newspaper article reported that over 160 units were in operation.[32] However, growth halted in 1970, when Marriott suspended Roy Rogers franchising, due to financial losses from closing failing locations.[33] The following year, the Texas–based regional franchise, Ram-Hart Systems, filed for Chapter 11 protection, asking to terminate unprofitable leases, which made the entire chain unprofitable.[34][35] After franchising resumed, only 172 restaurants were open by September 1972,[36] a quarter of the 700 stores projected four years earlier.[28]

 
Roy Rogers Restaurant in Westminster, Maryland, in a former Gino's building, owned by the Plamondon Companies, remodeled in 2018
 
Roy Rogers Restaurant in Germantown, Maryland owned by the Plamondon Companies, opened in 2009
 
Roy Rogers Restaurant in Belle Haven, Fairfax County, Virginia, completely remodeled in 2021 after a fire.

In 1976, a Roy Rogers in Fairfax, Virginia was robbed, where five employees were herded into the restaurant's freezer and shot in the head. Only one survived. [37]

On August 30, 1977, Roy Rogers was struck by a cottage cheese pie thrown by a 17 year old while Rogers and his Sons of the Pioneers singers were performing at a Fairfax restaurant. The youth pleaded guilty a month later and was fined $100.[38]

In 1982, Marriott bought the Gino's restaurant chain for $48.6 million. The company converted 180 of the 313 restaurants to Roy Rogers to expand in the Baltimore/Washington area.[39][40]

Also in 1982, Marriott sued the Riese family, a franchisee, when they discovered the Rieses were planning to relocate a Roy Rogers restaurant with a Häagen Dazs and a Pizza Hut in Times Square.[41] The Riese family won the suit, and the Riese Organization later developed other food courts in New York City.[42]

1990–1997: Hardee's edit

In 1990, Marriott sold the chain for $365 million to Imasco, the parent company of Hardee's, a Midwestern and Southern chain seeking further expansion into the Mid-Atlantic market. The remaining non-franchised Roy Rogers locations were converted into Hardee's restaurants, although many of the converted Hardee's continued to offer Roy Rogers' fried chicken. This conversion caused a customer revolt and the units returned to the Roy Rogers' brand.[43] The restaurants promoted new flame-broiled hamburgers, but they were not the same as the original Roy Rogers products and later failed.

Hardee's finally sold the remaining Roy Rogers locations to McDonald's, Wendy's, and Boston Market between 1994 and 1996.[44][45][46] This left 13 Roy Rogers franchisees, with two dozen free-standing locations, in addition to locations owned by HMSHost in travel plazas along highways in the Northeast.[47]

Prior to the Hardee's acquisition, Roy Rogers cooked its fries in a blend of beef tallow and vegetable oil. Hardee's, which had already replaced tallow with all vegetable shortening, implemented the same procedure for Roy Rogers.[48]

1997–present: CKE, Imasco, Plamondon Companies edit

In 1997, CKE Restaurants acquired Hardee's from Imasco, but Imasco retained the Roy Rogers trademark and franchise system. The Riese family, which owned 18 Roy Rogers restaurants, sued CKE Restaurants and Imasco for $10 million in 1997, claiming the Roy Rogers chain has been destroyed through "a series of marketing errors of epic proportions."[49]

Imasco sold Roy Rogers to Plamondon Enterprises (now Plamondon Companies) in 2002, after three years of negotiation.[50] Roy Rogers was relaunched as Roy Rogers Franchise Company, LLC. Plamondon had already opened the first new Roy Rogers restaurant in Frederick, Maryland in 2000.[51][52] At the time of the sale, there were 63 existing Roy Rogers franchises in nine states.[50]

In 2021, Roy Rogers announced a strategy to build concentrically out of core markets in the Mid-Atlantic, like Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The growth circle would slowly get bigger and include New York, the Eastern Seaboard, and states like Ohio, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.[53] The next year, the company announced a new partnership with One Holland Corporation restaurant group and planned to open 10 new Roy Rogers locations over the next six years in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The new locations would be in Hamilton, Butler and Clermont counties in Southwest Ohio; Boone, Kenton, Campbell counties in Northern Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Southeast Indiana. [54] [55]

In February 2024, Roy Rogers will build a third location in Leesburg, Virginia where it has already has a strong presence. [56]

Products and services edit

 
Roy Rogers Restaurant at the Indian Castle Service Plaza in Danube, New York on the New York State Thruway. This location, along with the entire service plaza, closed in July 2021 as part of a state incentive to modernize all service plazas in the state by demolishing them and rebuilding them. The rebuilt service center later opened in August 2022 and features a Popeyes and Starbucks location. It was the first rebuilt travel plaza as part of the incentive to open.[57]

Though standard Roy Rogers locations serve food in a typical fast-food fashion, some locations (such as the locations that were formerly Jr. Hot Shoppes) and the franchises located throughout Mid-Atlantic highway rest-stops serve the food in a cafeteria-style. An exception is the Allentown service plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension, which serves its customers in the typical fast-food fashion since it reopened in May 2008 (the entire service plaza had been rebuilt from its original form, which included cafeteria-style serving).

In the cafeteria-style restaurants, customers push their trays on rails past stations stocked with pre-wrapped packages of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and roast-beef sandwiches. A feature of this chain in any of the locations is the Fixin's Bar which features numerous condiments. Due to this feature, sandwich items are delivered without any of the customary garnishes. After selecting and paying for these items, patrons can garnish them to their own taste at the Fixin's Bar with such items as ketchup, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, horseradish sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. Numerous locations offer hand-dipped milkshakes made with Edy's Ice Cream.

Popular items on the menu are roast beef sandwiches and fried chicken, which was advertised by Roy Rogers under the "Pappy Parker" name beginning in the 1970s using a cartoon prospector (the Pappy Parker name was inherited from Marriott's original Hot Shoppes chain).[58][59] Other signature items at Roy Rogers are the Gold Rush chicken sandwich (a fried chicken breast with bacon, a slice of Monterey Jack cheese, and a honey-based BBQ sauce) and the Double-R Bar Burger (a cheeseburger with ham). The side items featured at Roy Rogers are french fries, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy, and baked beans. Seasonal items that select Roy Rogers locations occasionally offer include the beer-battered cod sandwich and platter.[60]

Locations edit

Roy Rogers Restaurants are located in the following states, with number of locations.

  • West Virginia: 1
  • Maryland: 21
  • New Jersey: 2
  • Pennsylvania: 5
  • Virginia: 7
  • Ohio: 1

As of March 2024, there are 37 Roy Rogers restaurants.[61]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Elias Brothers[15] and Shoney's[16] were already RoBee's franchisees.
  2. ^ The Pittsburgh regional franchisee charged $36,000.[12][24]
  3. ^ As of February 2018, McDonald's operates at both listed sites.

References edit

  1. ^ "Roy Rogers Family Restaurants Franchise Overview". Franchising.com.
  2. ^ a b "Locations- Roy Rogers Restaurants". www.royrogersrestaurants.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  3. ^ "Rogers Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results" (Press release). Business Wire. 8 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Roy Rogers' focus on 3 key components sets it apart in QSR space". QSR Web. 28 October 2022.
  5. ^ . AllBusiness.com. August 21, 2002. Archived from the original on January 11, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  6. ^ "Breakfast | Roy Rogers Restaurants".
  7. ^ "Marriott May Buy A Restaurant Chain". The Record. Hackensack, NJ. January 12, 1968. p. C-20. Retrieved October 9, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c "Big Boy Group acquires Robee's". The Escanaba Daily Press. Escanaba, Michigan. February 10, 1968. p. 2. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ a b "Infringement charged". The Indianapolis Star (First ed.). January 9, 1968. p. 24. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ Heath, Thomas (April 17, 2016). "Brothers bring back Roy Rogers and its 'holy trio' of burgers, chicken, roast beef". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  11. ^ Berry, Coleen Dee (October 1, 1982). "A closer look: Cowboy king walks tall on tour". The Asbury Park Press (Main ed.). Asbury Park, New Jersey. p. 4. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ a b c d e Markowitz, Jack (September 25, 1969). "Marriott and fast food". Business today. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 25. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  13. ^ ...
    • "Great sandwich come to Jackson [advertisement detail]". The Jackson Sun. November 2, 1967. p. 9. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
    • "RoBee's House of Beef [help wanted advertisement]". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. November 6, 1967. p. 8–B. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspaperarchive.com.  
    • "Roy Rogers: The name of the game is profit [advertisement]". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. July 27, 1969. p. 37. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
    • "Elias Bros. runs Roy Rogers units". Detroit American. July 10, 1968. p. 10. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  14. ^ ...
    • "RoBee's introduces the new Top Banana Shake [advertisement]". The Akron Beacon Journal (Main ed.). July 1, 1968. p. 19. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
    • "Now Open: Roy Rogers Roast Beef Restaurant [advertisement]". The Daily Herald. Provo, Utah. March 22, 1970. p. 3. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  15. ^ "New franchise". Detroit Free Press. November 17, 1967. p. 8B. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ a b "Focus". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. October 27, 1967. p. 1. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. The new building will house Robee's Roast Beef Sandwich Shop and will be open for business on Nov. 15. The franchise for the shop is owned by Shoney's and the shop will be operated by their personnel.  
  17. ^ "ATT: Franchise Minded Investors! [Advertisement]". The Boston Globe. March 23, 1969. p. B-83. Retrieved October 10, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Tuesday—Another Roy Rogers". The Cincinnati Enquirer. May 24, 1969. p. 18. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.   Note: Frisch's operated Frisch's Big Boy. They held the Roy Rogers franchise in southern Ohio, southern Indiana, and all of Kentucky and Florida. Frisch's subfranchised its Big Boy rights in Northern Ohio and Northern Indiana, and didn't take Roy Rogers franchise territory there.
  19. ^ ....
    • "Elias Bros. runs Roy Rogers units". Detroit American. July 10, 1968. p. 10. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
    • "New franchise". Detroit Free Press. November 17, 1967. p. 8B. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.   Note: Elias Brothers held the Michigan Big Boy franchise and already held the Michigan RoBee's franchise.
  20. ^ "Marcus Corp. to offer public sale of stock". Green Bay Press-Gazette. December 30, 1969. p. B7. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.   Note: Marcus Corporation was the holder of the Big Boy franchise and operated as Marc's Big Boy; it covered Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and parts of Illinois.
  21. ^ "For the record!". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Eat'n Park Restaurants. September 29, 1969. p. 33. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  22. ^ "The name of the game is profit . . . [advertisement]". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. January 5, 1969. p. 161. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  23. ^ ...
    • Quan, Kristene (August 21, 2015). "Business titan John Bitove Sr. made philanthropy a cause". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
    • Bradburn, Jamie (January 14, 2015). "Vintage Toronto Ads: Big Boy". The Torontoist. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  24. ^ a b c d Allan, William (June 24, 1969). "Roy Rogers happy trail leads to Pleasant Hills restaurant". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 22. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  25. ^ "The name of the game is profit [advertisement]". The Baltimore Sun. August 30, 1968. p. 29. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  26. ^ "Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich Franchise [advertisement]". The Southern Illinoisan. Carbondale, Illinois. November 10, 1968. p. 34. Retrieved February 6, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  27. ^ "Second unit of restaurant chain started". The Los Angeles Times. July 21, 1968. p. 16–J. Retrieved February 7, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. The 42-seat restaurants cost about $100,000 for the building and equipment, excluding the cost of the land.  
  28. ^ a b c d "Roast beef restaurant opens unit in Van Nuys". Valley News. Van Nuys, California. December 20, 1968. p. 31–A. Retrieved March 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b Vann, Jim (May 12, 1968). "Roy Rogers greeted Friday by many Jackson admirers". The Jackson Sun. p. 10. Retrieved February 8, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. Note: His tour included: May 8: Atlanta, Georgia / May 9: Greensboro-, Gastonia-, Charlotte, North Carolina / May 10: Jackson-, Memphis, Tennessee / May 11: Birmingham, Alabama; Charlotte, Georgia.  
  30. ^ "Bascom becomes member of "royal cowboy" society". Columbian-Progress. Columbia, Mississippi. February 25, 1993. p. 4B. Retrieved April 9, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  31. ^ "Start work on fourth restaurant site". Valley News. Van Nuys, California. October 11, 1968. p. 31–A. Retrieved March 18, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  32. ^ "S.B. to get Roy Rogers Restaurant". The San Bernardino County Sun. February 26, 1970. p. B–4. Retrieved March 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Tax credit 'windfall' seen by president of Marriott". The Baltimore Sun. Dow Jones News Service. August 27, 1971. p. C7. Retrieved March 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. The company last year halted franchising of its Roy Rogers roast-beef restaurants and took a large writeoff on closedowns of some franchises already opened. 'But we should do better this year,' [J. W. Marriott Jr.] said. Of 10 profit centers in Marriott's restaurant group, nine turned a profit in fiscal 1971.  
  34. ^ "Roy Rogers Roast Beef Bankrupt: Seek closure of some sites". Tucson Daily Citizen. Associated Press. March 5, 1971. p. 59. Retrieved March 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  35. ^ "Different Roy Rogers franchise: Finance case doesn't affect S.B. store". The San Bernardino County Sun. Associated Press. March 10, 1971. p. B–11. Retrieved March 20, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. [Ram-Hart] operates Roy Rogers roast beef restaurants franchises in Texas, Arizona, Nevada and parts of Northern California.  
  36. ^ "Roy Rogers Restaurant opens here". Cumberland Evening Times. September 11, 1972. p. 9. Retrieved March 19, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.  
  37. ^ post.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/27/AR2009062702296.html?sub=AR "Fairfax Judge Presided Over 'Roy Rogers' Murder Case". Washington Post. June 28, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  38. ^ "$100 Fine Follows Fast Pie in Eye Of Fast Food King". Washington Post. September 22, 1977. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  39. ^ "Marriott Offers To Buy Gino's". The New York Times. 1982-01-05. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  40. ^ Knight, Jerry (1982-01-05). "Marriott Corp. Makes Bid For Gino's". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2021-08-12.
  41. ^ . Riese Restaurants. Archived from the original on May 29, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  42. ^ "Murray Riese, 73, Restaurateur Who Developed the Food Court". The New York Times. July 21, 1995. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  43. ^ . 99w.com. January 1, 2009. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  44. ^ . Nation's Restaurant News. January 17, 1994. Archived from the original on September 21, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2009 – via FindArticles.
  45. ^ "Company News; Hardee's is set to sell its Roy Rogers Restaurants". The New York Times. December 16, 1995. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  46. ^ "Pact set on buying Roy Rogers sites for $74 million". The New York Times. August 3, 1996. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  47. ^ . Nation's Restaurant News. August 12, 1996. Archived from the original on May 20, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2009 – via FindArticles.
  48. ^ Burros, Marian (April 11, 1990). "EATING WELL; Fast Food Chains Try to Slim Down". The New York Times. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  49. ^ . Nation's Restaurant News. June 30, 1997. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2009 – via FindArticles.
  50. ^ a b "A burger and a shake-up". Washington Business Journal. November 14, 2003. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  51. ^ "Roy Rogers pulls franchising trigger". Washington Times. April 12, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
  52. ^ . Retail Traffic Magazine. June 1, 2005. Archived from the original on July 22, 2005. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  53. ^ Coley, Ben (June 25, 2021). "Roy Rogers Revitalizes Long-Awaited Franchise Initiative".
  54. ^ "Roy Rogers restaurant planned to open in Cleves this winter". May 20, 2022.
  55. ^ "Roy Rogers". March 1, 2023.
  56. ^ "Roy Rogers Restaurants". February 29, 2024.
  57. ^ robert.harding@lee.net, Robert Harding (2022-08-30). "NY Thruway reopens first rebuilt rest stop as part of $450M project". Auburn Citizen. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  58. ^ "Hey, Pardners, Free Coke! [Advertisement]". The Pittsburgh Press. September 1, 1976. p. 32. Retrieved May 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
  59. ^ "Pappy's a-comin'. [Advertisement]". Courier-Post. Camden, NJ. November 2, 1977. p. 6. Retrieved May 19, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
  60. ^ "Roy Rogers' Beer-Battered Cod Sandwich and Platter Return in Time for Lent". QSR Magazine. 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  61. ^ "Locations2024". Retrieved March 12, 2024.

External links edit

  • Roy Rogers Restaurants

rogers, restaurants, rogers, franchise, company, chain, fast, food, restaurants, primarily, located, atlantic, northeastern, united, states, chain, originated, rebranding, robee, house, beef, chain, fort, wayne, indiana, acquired, marriott, corporation, februa. Roy Rogers Franchise Company LLC is a chain of fast food restaurants primarily located in the Mid Atlantic and Northeastern United States The chain originated as the rebranding of the RoBee s House of Beef chain of Fort Wayne Indiana acquired by the Marriott Corporation in February 1968 However Marriott first used the Roy Rogers Roast Beef name on conversions of the company s Junior Hot Shoppes in the Washington D C area in April 1968 then the existing RoBee s stores An aggressive nationwide franchising campaign was launched At its peak the chain included over 600 locations The chain now has 37 locations in six states either company owned or franchised 2 4 Roy Rogers Franchise Company LLCsign of Roy Rogers Restaurant in Uptown New Orleans 1982Trade nameRoy Rogers RestaurantsFormerlyRoBee s Roast Beef 1967 1968 Company typeSubsidiaryIndustryRestaurantsFoundedFebruary 12 1968 56 years ago 1968 02 12 in Fort Wayne Indiana United StatesFounderAzar s Big Boy restaurantsHeadquarters4991 New Design Road Suite 109 Frederick MD 21703 1 Number of locations37 2 Area servedWest Virginia Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia OhioProductsHamburgers Fried chicken Roast beef sandwiches French fries Soft drinks Milkshakes Salads Desserts Pancakes Coffee BreakfastServicesFranchisingNet incomeUS 14 8 million 3rd Qtr 2022 3 ParentMarriott Corp 1968 1990 Imasco 1990 2002 Plamondon Hospitality Partners 2002 present Websiteroyrogersrestaurants wbr comThe Roy Rogers chain was sold in 1990 to Imasco then the parent company of Hardee s and experienced severe decline as many locations converted to Hardee s In 2002 the trademark was purchased by Plamondon Companies 5 Roy Rogers menu consists primarily of hamburgers roast beef sandwiches fried chicken nine side items including french fries and beverages Many locations also serve breakfast 6 Contents 1 History 1 1 1967 1968 RoBee s and Marriott 1 2 1968 1989 Growth and challenges 1 3 1990 1997 Hardee s 1 4 1997 present CKE Imasco Plamondon Companies 2 Products and services 3 Locations 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksHistory edit nbsp Roy Rogers picture hangs in every restaurant 1967 1968 RoBee s and Marriott edit In 1967 the Azar s Big Boy restaurant franchise started RoBee s House of Beef restaurants in Ft Wayne Indiana 7 8 The Marriott Corp which had acquired Bob s Big Boy and the Big Boy trademark in 1967 acquired RoBee s in February 1968 with plans to expand nationwide RoBee s franchises would first be offered to Big Boy franchisees to coincide with their existing Big Boy territory 8 At the time there were 13 RoBee s restaurants in six states 8 During the acquisition in January 1968 the competing roast beef chain Arby s sued RoBee s for trademark infringement and other similarities that it considered unfair competition 9 Because RoBee s sounded too much like Arby s the settlement required a new brand name and Marriott wanted something recognizable 10 Big Boy founder Bob Wian then sitting on Marriott s board of directors was friends with Roy Rogers agent and suggested that the company approach Rogers about the use of his name Already interested in associating with a chain restaurant Rogers was in similar discussions with another company when Marriott called 11 Nonetheless he accepted Marriott s offer Rogers would receive a licensing fee for use of his name and also be paid for personal appearances at the restaurants 12 The restaurants would be called Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich restaurants and despite Arby s complaints 9 it retained RoBee s building design 13 and covered wagon logo design 14 Several major Big Boy franchisees accepted Marriott s offer and became Roy Rogers regional franchisees note 1 including Abdow s 17 Frisch s 18 Elias Brothers 19 Marc s 20 and Shoney s 16 which together covered much of the Northeastern Midwest and Southern US Pittsburgh franchisee Eat n Park rejected the offer and took public offense at paying fees to Rogers 21 In the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere other regional franchisees were sought who would also subfranchise to smaller operators and by January 1969 Marriott claimed regional franchises for every state but Alaska 22 Roy Rogers restaurants also opened in Canada franchised to that nation s Big Boy franchisee JB s of Canada 23 Marriott divided the United States into 33 franchise regions 12 and required regional franchisees open a set number of restaurants in a four year period Regional franchisees would pay Marriott a 2 royalty and subfranchisees typically pay the regional franchisee 3 24 who would keep the additional 1 12 A restaurant required a 35 000 cash investment upfront 25 26 note 2 including 7 500 paid to Marriott Additionally the cost of the building and equipment with seating for 42 persons cost about 100 000 in 1968 excluding the cost of land 27 Marriott offered financing but charged an interest rate of 12 on land and 17 for the building 12 The prototype restaurant seated 40 to 45 persons with additional outdoor seating on an optional patio in front of the building 28 but actual restaurants varied one franchisee s dining area accommodating 75 persons 24 The first Roy Rogers restaurant opened up on Co founder and Hot Shoppes manager Henry L Wright s property in April 1968 in the Bailey s Crossroads section of Falls Church Virginia on the corner of Leesburg Pike and Carlin Springs Road 5603 Leesburg Pike Another opened at 5214 River Road in Bethesda Maryland The area was selected because Marriott was headquartered in metropolitan Washington D C 29 the River Road unit located directly across the street Marriott executives and Marriott family members were frequent patrons of this store These first locations were conversions of Jr Hot Shoppes Marriott s existing fast food chain note 3 In May 1968 RoBee s units began to open as Roy Rogers Rogers made a four state tour of namesake restaurants in the Southern U S appearing at each location for an hour shaking hands and handing out signed photographs 29 Filming for the first television commercials advertising Roy Rogers Restaurants took place in the Apple Valley California area where Rogers lived with his family In 1968 and 1969 Rogers and friends Earl Bascom 30 and Mel Marion were filmed at various locations including the historic Las Flores Ranch in Summit Valley and the Campbell Ranch in Victorville 1968 1989 Growth and challenges edit Rapid growth began in 1968 and Marriott made optimistic projections In October 1968 there were reportedly 38 units open and 65 under construction 31 and by December 56 opened with 39 under construction 28 Marriott projected 700 or more Roy Rogers restaurants in four years 28 By June 1969 105 units were open with a new projection of 870 in four years 24 A February 1970 newspaper article reported that over 160 units were in operation 32 However growth halted in 1970 when Marriott suspended Roy Rogers franchising due to financial losses from closing failing locations 33 The following year the Texas based regional franchise Ram Hart Systems filed for Chapter 11 protection asking to terminate unprofitable leases which made the entire chain unprofitable 34 35 After franchising resumed only 172 restaurants were open by September 1972 36 a quarter of the 700 stores projected four years earlier 28 nbsp Roy Rogers Restaurant in Westminster Maryland in a former Gino s building owned by the Plamondon Companies remodeled in 2018 nbsp Roy Rogers Restaurant in Germantown Maryland owned by the Plamondon Companies opened in 2009 nbsp Roy Rogers Restaurant in Belle Haven Fairfax County Virginia completely remodeled in 2021 after a fire In 1976 a Roy Rogers in Fairfax Virginia was robbed where five employees were herded into the restaurant s freezer and shot in the head Only one survived 37 On August 30 1977 Roy Rogers was struck by a cottage cheese pie thrown by a 17 year old while Rogers and his Sons of the Pioneers singers were performing at a Fairfax restaurant The youth pleaded guilty a month later and was fined 100 38 In 1982 Marriott bought the Gino s restaurant chain for 48 6 million The company converted 180 of the 313 restaurants to Roy Rogers to expand in the Baltimore Washington area 39 40 Also in 1982 Marriott sued the Riese family a franchisee when they discovered the Rieses were planning to relocate a Roy Rogers restaurant with a Haagen Dazs and a Pizza Hut in Times Square 41 The Riese family won the suit and the Riese Organization later developed other food courts in New York City 42 1990 1997 Hardee s edit In 1990 Marriott sold the chain for 365 million to Imasco the parent company of Hardee s a Midwestern and Southern chain seeking further expansion into the Mid Atlantic market The remaining non franchised Roy Rogers locations were converted into Hardee s restaurants although many of the converted Hardee s continued to offer Roy Rogers fried chicken This conversion caused a customer revolt and the units returned to the Roy Rogers brand 43 The restaurants promoted new flame broiled hamburgers but they were not the same as the original Roy Rogers products and later failed Hardee s finally sold the remaining Roy Rogers locations to McDonald s Wendy s and Boston Market between 1994 and 1996 44 45 46 This left 13 Roy Rogers franchisees with two dozen free standing locations in addition to locations owned by HMSHost in travel plazas along highways in the Northeast 47 Prior to the Hardee s acquisition Roy Rogers cooked its fries in a blend of beef tallow and vegetable oil Hardee s which had already replaced tallow with all vegetable shortening implemented the same procedure for Roy Rogers 48 1997 present CKE Imasco Plamondon Companies edit In 1997 CKE Restaurants acquired Hardee s from Imasco but Imasco retained the Roy Rogers trademark and franchise system The Riese family which owned 18 Roy Rogers restaurants sued CKE Restaurants and Imasco for 10 million in 1997 claiming the Roy Rogers chain has been destroyed through a series of marketing errors of epic proportions 49 Imasco sold Roy Rogers to Plamondon Enterprises now Plamondon Companies in 2002 after three years of negotiation 50 Roy Rogers was relaunched as Roy Rogers Franchise Company LLC Plamondon had already opened the first new Roy Rogers restaurant in Frederick Maryland in 2000 51 52 At the time of the sale there were 63 existing Roy Rogers franchises in nine states 50 In 2021 Roy Rogers announced a strategy to build concentrically out of core markets in the Mid Atlantic like Maryland Virginia West Virginia and Pennsylvania The growth circle would slowly get bigger and include New York the Eastern Seaboard and states like Ohio Tennessee Florida Texas Louisiana Mississippi Alabama and Georgia 53 The next year the company announced a new partnership with One Holland Corporation restaurant group and planned to open 10 new Roy Rogers locations over the next six years in the Cincinnati metropolitan area The new locations would be in Hamilton Butler and Clermont counties in Southwest Ohio Boone Kenton Campbell counties in Northern Kentucky and Dearborn County in Southeast Indiana 54 55 In February 2024 Roy Rogers will build a third location in Leesburg Virginia where it has already has a strong presence 56 Products and services edit nbsp Roy Rogers Restaurant at the Indian Castle Service Plaza in Danube New York on the New York State Thruway This location along with the entire service plaza closed in July 2021 as part of a state incentive to modernize all service plazas in the state by demolishing them and rebuilding them The rebuilt service center later opened in August 2022 and features a Popeyes and Starbucks location It was the first rebuilt travel plaza as part of the incentive to open 57 Though standard Roy Rogers locations serve food in a typical fast food fashion some locations such as the locations that were formerly Jr Hot Shoppes and the franchises located throughout Mid Atlantic highway rest stops serve the food in a cafeteria style An exception is the Allentown service plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike s Northeast Extension which serves its customers in the typical fast food fashion since it reopened in May 2008 the entire service plaza had been rebuilt from its original form which included cafeteria style serving In the cafeteria style restaurants customers push their trays on rails past stations stocked with pre wrapped packages of hamburgers cheeseburgers and roast beef sandwiches A feature of this chain in any of the locations is the Fixin s Bar which features numerous condiments Due to this feature sandwich items are delivered without any of the customary garnishes After selecting and paying for these items patrons can garnish them to their own taste at the Fixin s Bar with such items as ketchup BBQ sauce mayonnaise horseradish sauce lettuce tomatoes pickles and onions Numerous locations offer hand dipped milkshakes made with Edy s Ice Cream Popular items on the menu are roast beef sandwiches and fried chicken which was advertised by Roy Rogers under the Pappy Parker name beginning in the 1970s using a cartoon prospector the Pappy Parker name was inherited from Marriott s original Hot Shoppes chain 58 59 Other signature items at Roy Rogers are the Gold Rush chicken sandwich a fried chicken breast with bacon a slice of Monterey Jack cheese and a honey based BBQ sauce and the Double R Bar Burger a cheeseburger with ham The side items featured at Roy Rogers are french fries baked potatoes mashed potatoes with gravy and baked beans Seasonal items that select Roy Rogers locations occasionally offer include the beer battered cod sandwich and platter 60 Locations editRoy Rogers Restaurants are located in the following states with number of locations West Virginia 1 Maryland 21 New Jersey 2 Pennsylvania 5 Virginia 7 Ohio 1As of March 2024 there are 37 Roy Rogers restaurants 61 See also edit nbsp Food portalList of hamburger restaurants List of fast food chicken restaurantsNotes edit Elias Brothers 15 and Shoney s 16 were already RoBee s franchisees The Pittsburgh regional franchisee charged 36 000 12 24 As of February 2018 McDonald s operates at both listed sites References edit Roy Rogers Family Restaurants Franchise Overview Franchising com a b Locations Roy Rogers Restaurants www royrogersrestaurants com Retrieved March 12 2024 Rogers Corporation Reports Third Quarter 2022 Results Press release Business Wire 8 November 2022 Roy Rogers focus on 3 key components sets it apart in QSR space QSR Web 28 October 2022 Plamondon Buys Roy Rogers Trademark AllBusiness com August 21 2002 Archived from the original on January 11 2009 Retrieved June 25 2009 Breakfast Roy Rogers Restaurants Marriott May Buy A Restaurant Chain The Record Hackensack NJ January 12 1968 p C 20 Retrieved October 9 2019 via Newspapers com a b c Big Boy Group acquires Robee s The Escanaba Daily Press Escanaba Michigan February 10 1968 p 2 Retrieved February 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp a b Infringement charged The Indianapolis Star First ed January 9 1968 p 24 Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Heath Thomas April 17 2016 Brothers bring back Roy Rogers and its holy trio of burgers chicken roast beef The Washington Post ISSN 0190 8286 Archived from the original on February 3 2018 Retrieved February 6 2018 Berry Coleen Dee October 1 1982 A closer look Cowboy king walks tall on tour The Asbury Park Press Main ed Asbury Park New Jersey p 4 Retrieved February 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp a b c d e Markowitz Jack September 25 1969 Marriott and fast food Business today The Pittsburgh Post Gazette p 25 Retrieved February 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Great sandwich come to Jackson advertisement detail The Jackson Sun November 2 1967 p 9 Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp RoBee s House of Beef help wanted advertisement The Gastonia Gazette Gastonia North Carolina November 6 1967 p 8 B Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspaperarchive com nbsp Roy Rogers The name of the game is profit advertisement The Corpus Christi Caller Times July 27 1969 p 37 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Elias Bros runs Roy Rogers units Detroit American July 10 1968 p 10 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp RoBee s introduces the new Top Banana Shake advertisement The Akron Beacon Journal Main ed July 1 1968 p 19 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Now Open Roy Rogers Roast Beef Restaurant advertisement The Daily Herald Provo Utah March 22 1970 p 3 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp New franchise Detroit Free Press November 17 1967 p 8B Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp a b Focus The Gastonia Gazette Gastonia North Carolina October 27 1967 p 1 Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com The new building will house Robee s Roast Beef Sandwich Shop and will be open for business on Nov 15 The franchise for the shop is owned by Shoney s and the shop will be operated by their personnel nbsp ATT Franchise Minded Investors Advertisement The Boston Globe March 23 1969 p B 83 Retrieved October 10 2019 via Newspapers com Tuesday Another Roy Rogers The Cincinnati Enquirer May 24 1969 p 18 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Note Frisch s operated Frisch s Big Boy They held the Roy Rogers franchise in southern Ohio southern Indiana and all of Kentucky and Florida Frisch s subfranchised its Big Boy rights in Northern Ohio and Northern Indiana and didn t take Roy Rogers franchise territory there Elias Bros runs Roy Rogers units Detroit American July 10 1968 p 10 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp New franchise Detroit Free Press November 17 1967 p 8B Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Note Elias Brothers held the Michigan Big Boy franchise and already held the Michigan RoBee s franchise Marcus Corp to offer public sale of stock Green Bay Press Gazette December 30 1969 p B7 Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Note Marcus Corporation was the holder of the Big Boy franchise and operated as Marc s Big Boy it covered Wisconsin Minnesota Iowa and parts of Illinois For the record The Pittsburgh Post Gazette Eat n Park Restaurants September 29 1969 p 33 Retrieved February 5 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp The name of the game is profit advertisement St Louis Post Dispatch January 5 1969 p 161 Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Quan Kristene August 21 2015 Business titan John Bitove Sr made philanthropy a cause The Globe and Mail Toronto Ontario Retrieved February 6 2018 Bradburn Jamie January 14 2015 Vintage Toronto Ads Big Boy The Torontoist Retrieved February 6 2018 a b c d Allan William June 24 1969 Roy Rogers happy trail leads to Pleasant Hills restaurant The Pittsburgh Press p 22 Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp The name of the game is profit advertisement The Baltimore Sun August 30 1968 p 29 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich Franchise advertisement The Southern Illinoisan Carbondale Illinois November 10 1968 p 34 Retrieved February 6 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Second unit of restaurant chain started The Los Angeles Times July 21 1968 p 16 J Retrieved February 7 2018 via Newspapers com The 42 seat restaurants cost about 100 000 for the building and equipment excluding the cost of the land nbsp a b c d Roast beef restaurant opens unit in Van Nuys Valley News Van Nuys California December 20 1968 p 31 A Retrieved March 18 2018 via Newspapers com a b Vann Jim May 12 1968 Roy Rogers greeted Friday by many Jackson admirers The Jackson Sun p 10 Retrieved February 8 2018 via Newspapers com Note His tour included May 8 Atlanta Georgia May 9 Greensboro Gastonia Charlotte North Carolina May 10 Jackson Memphis Tennessee May 11 Birmingham Alabama Charlotte Georgia nbsp Bascom becomes member of royal cowboy society Columbian Progress Columbia Mississippi February 25 1993 p 4B Retrieved April 9 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Start work on fourth restaurant site Valley News Van Nuys California October 11 1968 p 31 A Retrieved March 18 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp S B to get Roy Rogers Restaurant The San Bernardino County Sun February 26 1970 p B 4 Retrieved March 19 2018 via Newspapers com Tax credit windfall seen by president of Marriott The Baltimore Sun Dow Jones News Service August 27 1971 p C7 Retrieved March 20 2018 via Newspapers com The company last year halted franchising of its Roy Rogers roast beef restaurants and took a large writeoff on closedowns of some franchises already opened But we should do better this year J W Marriott Jr said Of 10 profit centers in Marriott s restaurant group nine turned a profit in fiscal 1971 nbsp Roy Rogers Roast Beef Bankrupt Seek closure of some sites Tucson Daily Citizen Associated Press March 5 1971 p 59 Retrieved March 20 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp Different Roy Rogers franchise Finance case doesn t affect S B store The San Bernardino County Sun Associated Press March 10 1971 p B 11 Retrieved March 20 2018 via Newspapers com Ram Hart operates Roy Rogers roast beef restaurants franchises in Texas Arizona Nevada and parts of Northern California nbsp Roy Rogers Restaurant opens here Cumberland Evening Times September 11 1972 p 9 Retrieved March 19 2018 via Newspapers com nbsp post com wp dyn content article 2009 06 27 AR2009062702296 html sub AR Fairfax Judge Presided Over Roy Rogers Murder Case Washington Post June 28 2009 Retrieved July 8 2009 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a Check url value help 100 Fine Follows Fast Pie in Eye Of Fast Food King Washington Post September 22 1977 Retrieved May 4 2022 Marriott Offers To Buy Gino s The New York Times 1982 01 05 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2021 08 12 Knight Jerry 1982 01 05 Marriott Corp Makes Bid For Gino s The Washington Post Retrieved 2021 08 12 Branding An Empire Riese Restaurants Archived from the original on May 29 2009 Retrieved June 25 2009 Murray Riese 73 Restaurateur Who Developed the Food Court The New York Times July 21 1995 Retrieved July 8 2009 tesg s guide to big chain road food consumption 99w com January 1 2009 Archived from the original on January 13 2009 Retrieved June 25 2009 Boston Chicken buys 84 Roy Rogers units Hardee s exits Philadelphia restates commitment to stronger markets Nation s Restaurant News January 17 1994 Archived from the original on September 21 2008 Retrieved June 25 2009 via FindArticles Company News Hardee s is set to sell its Roy Rogers Restaurants The New York Times December 16 1995 Retrieved June 25 2009 Pact set on buying Roy Rogers sites for 74 million The New York Times August 3 1996 Retrieved July 1 2009 Hardee s sale to McDonald s hangs up Roy Rogers spurs Nation s Restaurant News August 12 1996 Archived from the original on May 20 2009 Retrieved July 1 2009 via FindArticles Burros Marian April 11 1990 EATING WELL Fast Food Chains Try to Slim Down The New York Times Retrieved February 16 2019 Riese sues Imasco CKE over Roy Rogers Nation s Restaurant News June 30 1997 Archived from the original on September 20 2008 Retrieved July 1 2009 via FindArticles a b A burger and a shake up Washington Business Journal November 14 2003 Retrieved July 1 2009 Roy Rogers pulls franchising trigger Washington Times April 12 2008 Retrieved July 8 2009 Roy s Franchisee Triggers Rebirth Retail Traffic Magazine June 1 2005 Archived from the original on July 22 2005 Retrieved July 1 2009 Coley Ben June 25 2021 Roy Rogers Revitalizes Long Awaited Franchise Initiative Roy Rogers restaurant planned to open in Cleves this winter May 20 2022 Roy Rogers March 1 2023 Roy Rogers Restaurants February 29 2024 robert harding lee net Robert Harding 2022 08 30 NY Thruway reopens first rebuilt rest stop as part of 450M project Auburn Citizen Retrieved 2023 11 20 Hey Pardners Free Coke Advertisement The Pittsburgh Press September 1 1976 p 32 Retrieved May 19 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp Pappy s a comin Advertisement Courier Post Camden NJ November 2 1977 p 6 Retrieved May 19 2019 via Newspapers com nbsp Roy Rogers Beer Battered Cod Sandwich and Platter Return in Time for Lent QSR Magazine 2024 02 13 Retrieved 2024 03 07 Locations2024 Retrieved March 12 2024 External links editRoy Rogers Restaurants Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Roy Rogers Restaurants amp oldid 1213446840, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.