>By TR Robertson
Continuing with how your favorite eateries came up with their name, ever wonder how the place you’re eating at got its name? Believe it or not there is a story behind every single place and many of the stories are very interesting. Part II doesn’t cover all fast-food restaurants that are open, but it will give you an idea of how these names have become such a major part of our daily culinary experiences. Look up Part I if you missed reading it for more restaurants. These are in no significant order.
Dairy Queen – Founded by John Fremont McCullough in 1938 signifying his new soft serve product and felt it was the Queen of all dairy products. He developed the formula with his son in 1938. They convinced friend Sherb Noble to offer it at his ice cream store. It was first offered at an all you can eat contest event in Kankakee, Illinois, in 1939. He sold 1,600 cones in 2 hours. The first official Dairy Queen opened in Joliet, Illinois, by Sherb Noble.
Del Taco – Originally called Casa Del Taco, House of the Taco. The first restaurant was in Yermo, California, in 1964, opened by Ed Hackbarth and David Jameson. It was shortened to Del Taco in 1973.
Dunkin’ – Originally opened in 1948 in Quincy, Massachusetts, as Open Kettle. The name was changed in 1950 by founder Bill Rosenburg, to Dunkin’ Donuts. He got the idea for the name from seeing people dunking their donuts in their coffee. In 2018 the name was shortened to Dunkin’.
Domino’s – Originally called DomiNick’s by owners Tom and James Monaghan, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, in 1960. Name was changed to Domino’s in 1965 because the owner of the original name forbade Tom and James from using the name on new locations. Delivery driver Jim Kennedy suggested the new name after a delivery run. The brothers like the simplicity of the name. The three dots on the artwork represent the 3 stores they first opened.
Pizza Hut – Founders Dan and Frank Carney founded the store in a small building a friend referred to as a hut. Only 8 letters would fit on the building sign, so they came up with Pizza Hut in 1958, Wichita, Kansas. Dan was 19 and Frank 25 when they opened. They had borrowed $600 to open the store.
Little Caesar’s – Founded May 8, 1959, in Garden City, Michigan, by Mike and Marian Ilitch. Mike wanted the name to be Pizza Cheap. Marians pet nickname for Mike was Little Caesar. The original name of the store was Little Caesar’s Pizza Trust.
Whataburger – Founded by Harman Dobson in 1950. Harman wanted to create a 5-inch burger so big that it would require 2 hands to eat, and people would say “What a burger”. The first restaurant was in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Papa Johns – Founder John Schnetter knocked out a broom closet in the back of his father’s tavern, Mick’s Lounge, in 1984, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and opened Papa John’s. The name was suggested by a fellow student at Ball State University. John promised him pizza for life. The apostrophe was dropped from the name in 2021.
Denny’s – Was originally founded in 1953 as Danny’s Donuts, 24-hour donut shop in Lakewood, California, by Harold Butler and Richard Jezuck. The name was changed to Danny’s Coffee Shops in 1956 and changed again in 1959, changing to Denny’s Coffee Shops so as to not be confused with the existing Coffee Dan’s. In 1961 the name was shortened to Denny’s.
Sizzler – In the 1950’s, Del and Helen Johnson saw a steak served on a hot metal plate in New York City. They brought the concept to California and opened the first Sizzler in 1958 in Culver City, California. They named the restaurant Sizzler to complement the “sizzle” sound they said the steaks had on the metal plates.
A & W Restaurants – Founded by Roy Allen in 1919 at his first root beer stand in Lodi, California. Joining Frank Wright in 1922 and rebranding the name to A & W. Partnership would lead to their first restaurant in Sacramento in 1922 and they began franchising stores in 1926. A & W is considered the oldest fast-food restaurant still in operation.
Panera – Founded in 1987 as the Saint Louis Bread Company owned by Ken and Linda Rosenthal in Kirkwood, Missouri. It was bought by Au Bon Pain Company in 1993 and rebranded as Panera in 1997. The name originates from a combination of Latin and Spanish roots, specifically translating to “breadbasket” or “bread bowl”.
Krispy Kreme – Founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937, when he got the original recipe and the name from his uncle who bought the donut recipe from a New Orleans chef. Vernon rented a building in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and began selling his product to grocers in the city. The logo was designed by architect Benny Dinking, and the name comes from the crispy texture and creamy glaze on the donuts. The names are misspelled intentionally. The first Krispy Kreme outside of the South opened in Akron, Ohio, in 1939. Expansion across the states began in the 1950’s.
Chipotle – This restaurant is named after the Mexican Spanish name for a smoky and dried jalapeno chili pepper. Founder Steve Ellis chose the name to reflect the smoky, spicy and authentic ingredients featured at the restaurant. The first location opened in 1993 in Denver, Colorado. Today the headquarters are in Newport Beach, Calif., with over 4,000 locations as of 2025 in 48 states.
Panda Express – This restaurant began as Panda Inn in Pasadena, Calif. in 1973, as a more upscale restaurant. Founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng and Master Chef Ming-Tsai Cherng would open a fast-service, mall based express location in 1983 in Glendale, California. The Panda name symbolizes a Chinese American friendship and a nod to the Chinese culture. There are 4 remaining Panda Inn restaurants in Pasadena, Glendale, La Palma and Ontario.
ARBY’s – Founded by Leroy and Forrest Raffel (Raffel brothers) in 1964 in Boardman, Ohio. The company says the RB in the name stands for the two brothers and conveniently Roast Beef. They initially sold restaurant equipment. They wanted to create a restaurant that sold something other than burgers. The name they first wanted was Big Tex, but the name was already taken. Some people have said ARBY’s stands for “America’s Roast Beef Yes Sir”.
Long John Silver’s – Founded in Lexington, Kentucky in 1969 by Jim Patterson. Initially, the name was Long John Silver Seafood Shoppe until it was shortened. He wanted to create a maritime themed eatery with a sense of adventure and a Cape Cod style building. He took the name of the infamous pirate character from Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic 1883 novel Treasure Island. Patterson was also a KFC franchisee.
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream – Handel’s get’s its name from founder Alice Handel. She opened her first shop selling ice cream in her husband’s gas station in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1945. She would open her first stand across the street from the gas station in 1950.
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream – Handel’s get’s its name from founder Alice Handel. She opened her first shop selling ice cream in her husband’s gas station in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1945. She would open her first stand across the street from the gas station in 1950.
It’s all in the name for many of the successful businesses as many of the restaurants in both articles have a long history of success. Each tries new gimmicks and food selections to keep the customers coming. Every business has a story behind the name you see on their building. Hope you enjoyed learning a little something about some of your favorite eateries.
