A&W Stands/Restaurants

When I was a kid ( 60's/70's) there was an A&W a block away. I never really experienced the whole drive thru experience because we could walk there and just bring it home. I think I see one here and there when traveling in my home state (WI).
 
We have one in my town of 60,000. One in the next town up that is 50,000. And they just opened one inside a gas station in my wife's hometown of 2,000 10 miles from us. When I lived in Minneapolis there were a few around, I would stop at one every Tuesday for lunch since it was 99 cent chili dogs.
 
We don't have a traditional A&W but we have a Long John Silvers/ A&W combo in the town I live. Honestly it never looks busy these days; I've been but it was pre-pandemic.
We are also in an area of KFC/Taco Bell combinations....
 
We have lots of them here both stand alone stores and in food courts. They have been around forever .
Yes, tons of them in Alberta. They're in all the little towns that are too small to have a McDonald's. The carside service has been gone for at least 30 years though. I actually don't mind the food; if I absolutely have to eat a hamburger, the Mozza is probably my first choice. And I love the rootbeer.
Here, it’s KFC/ Taco Bell combo restaurants.
Almost all the KFC's closed their Taco Bell sides here in Calgary. At one point there was over a dozen, now there's apparently 3 and all in very far-flung corners of the city.
 

Sure. Did we talk about their "scratch made root beer"? Mostly combination KFC and A&W, which goes back to a time when KFC's parent company also owned the A&W restaurant chain. There are other combos from Yum Brands including combinations of KFC, Taco Bell, and/or Pizza Hut.

There's still a standalone A&W in San Rafael, California. It has the traditional peaked roof. It's right next to US-101 and the sign and roof are clearly visible.

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Here, it’s KFC/ Taco Bell combo restaurants.
Not sure that would work here. The stand alone Taco Bells here are 24 hours a day, and always have a long line, even at 2:30am. They just don't have the capacity to add menu items from another type franchise. The KFC/A&W and KFC/Long John Silvers combos make more sense since they tend to do a lot less volume.
 
Sure. Did we talk about their "scratch made root beer"? Mostly combination KFC and A&W, which goes back to a time when KFC's parent company also owned the A&W restaurant chain. There are other combos from Yum Brands including combinations of KFC, Taco Bell, and/or Pizza Hut.

There's still a standalone A&W in San Rafael, California. It has the traditional peaked roof. It's right next to US-101 and the sign and roof are clearly visible.

24068562_1621533164572513_4731612055712885230_o.jpg
Here is the original location in Lodi, California, still operating 100 years later. And no peaked roof, those are on the newer A& W's built in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Thanks Google Street View647938
 
Here is the original location in Lodi, California, still operating 100 years later. And no peaked roof, those are on the newer A& W's built in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Thanks Google Street ViewView attachment 647938
The one in San Rafael has a drive thru but no carhop service.

I can't find a location for this one, but it clearly has an ordering board like at Sonic. They seem to come in various colors.

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What was A&W and now is so different. The best part about going years ago was that frosty mug. Now, it's the soda fountain in the paper cup. Just not the same. And, yes I do have a KFC/A&W 2 blocks from me.
 
I work within 5 minutes of an A&W. Another one in town still serves the frosty mugs and pre-Covid had actual dinnerware and silverware if you were eating in.
 
We had A & W and Dog and Suds as well.

I grew up in Illinois and we also had a Dog and Suds! We probably also had an A&W but I don't remember that.

Looks like Dog and Suds is still around but there aren't very many of them. They're a drive-in restaurant similar to a Sonic.
 














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