Founded by Howard Deering Johnson, it became the largest restaurant chain in the U.S. in the 1960s. It had a history of 97 years and over 1,000 combined company-owned and franchised outlets. In 1986 after the hotel chain (it originated as a motel reaching great hights during the golden age of automobiles) was acquired by Wyndham , the restaurants went to a separate franchise. The last restaurant, in Lake George, New York, closed in 2022, 3 years, yes only 3 years before the centennial.
The restaurants were made famous by their family friendly policy, great service, and a food so good that they expanded it into branded supermarket frozen foods, including ice cream, that are also no longer manufactured.
The dairy bar, weather vane and Simple Simon character were as iconic as their ice cream.
The Howard Johnson restaurants were a major part in what we call today the (beautiful) vintage americana. Below is a photo from 1955 that was used on many Howard Johnson ads.
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