Chronology of
A & W Root Beer (USA)

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This document is an attempt to bring various published sources together to present a timeline about A & W Root Beer (USA). It includes events pertaining to both the beverage and restaurant aspects of the various companies, worldwide.

Note: A&W ® is a registered trademark of A&W Restaurants, Inc. Other company and product names are the property of their respective owners. Such names are used for identification purposes only. This site is solely the work of Ken Polsson, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the companies listed herein.

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2006 December 18.

1918 In Flagstaff, Arizona, Roy Allen meets a travelling chemist who talks of a special formula for draft root beer. After trying it, Allen signs an agreement to produce and market the root beer concentrate. [42.31] (1919 [37]) 1919 June 20 Roy W. Allen opens his first root beer stand, in Lodi, California. His root beer sells for 5c a glass. [2.10] [10] [11] [42.31] [79.623] (month unknown) Roy Allen begins using stock 10 ounce Indiana Glass Company mugs of the St. Louis type. [29] 1920 Roy Allen opens a second root beer stand, in Stockton, California. [42.31] (Sacramento [11] [37]) Frank Wright joins Roy Allen's root beer business, at the Lodi location. [42.31] Allen and Wright lease out their root beer stands in Lodi and Stockton to other operators. [42.32] 1921 The J. Hungerford Smith Company begins manufacturing Roy Allen's root beer concentrate. [10] 1922 Frank Wright, an employee of Allen's root beer stand in Lodi, joins with Roy Allen in a partnership. [10] [11] [37] Roy Allen and Frank Wright formally name their beverage A & W Root Beer. [10] [11] [37] [42.32] The Indiana Glass Company begins producing 3.5- and 10-ounce glass mugs with the "A & W Root Beer" embossed in raised letters. [29] [42.172] The name "A & W Root Beer" is first used as a trade mark. [79.623] Three new A & W outlets are established in Houston, Texas. [11] 1923 Two more A & W outlets are started in Sacramento, California. The first "car hop" restaurant service in the United States is started. [11] [79.623] Roy Allen buys a broken-down carnival wagon, and sets it up in Sacramento as a drive-up root beer stand. [37] 1924 Roy Allen buys Frank Wright's share of the business. [10] [11] [37] [42.30] Roy Allen registers the name "A & W Root Beer", and the A & W logo with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. [10] [11] [37] 1925 Roy Allen begins selling franchises, making A & W one of the first franchise restaurant chains in the United States. [11] [37] Hazel Atlas Glass Company begins supplying A & W with root beer mugs. [29] 1926 April Roy Allen begins using an image of a bull's eye circle, arrow through the middle, A & W on top inside, ROOT BEER below. This is the style used on mugs in the 1960s in orange, brown, and white. [44] 1927 J. Willard Marriott buys the rights to sell A & W Root Beer in the Washington, D.C. area. [42.30] 1929 September 5 Roy Allen applies for a trade-mark on an image of a bull's eye circle, arrow through the middle, A & W on top inside, ROOT BEER below. [44] 1930 February 11 Roy Allen's image of a bull's eye circle, arrow through the middle, A & W on top inside, ROOT BEER below, is registered as a trade-mark. [44] 1933 Number of A & W Root Beer stands in the US: 171. [79.623] [42.31] 1940 U.S. Glass Company begins supplying A & W with root beer mugs. [29] 1946 U.S. Glass Company stops supplying A & W with root beer mugs. [29] 1948 A new 10 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1518) is introduced to A & W restaurants. It has a half-heart shaped handle, and features a red/black/white bull's-eye logo. [29] 1950 Roy Allen sells the A & W Root Beer business to Gene Hurtz of Nebraska. [10] [11] [37] Roy Allen retires from running the A & W business. [10] [11] (1948 [37]) Gene Hurtz forms the A & W Root Beer Company. [10] (Roy Allen established company in 1920s [37]) There are presently 450 A & W Root Beer drive-in restaurants in the United States. [79.623] 1951 A 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1506) is introduced to A & W restaurants, allowing sales of 10c root beer drinks, in addition to 5c drinks. It is known as the "Jumbo" mug. Logo used is the red/black bull's-eye design. [29] 1956 The first A & W drive-in restaurant outside of the U.S. opens, operated by Dick Bolle and Orval Helwege on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. [4.50] [10] [84] [94.28] [104.32] A light weight 8 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1504) is introduced to A & W restaurants. The logo is a red/black bull's-eye design. [29] October 29 The A & W Root Beer Company begins using an image of a large glass mug with "A & W" and "ROOT BEER", a curved handle, and foam on top of the mug as a trade-mark. [44] 1957 A heavy duty 8 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1512 - 3/4) is introduced to A & W restaurants. The logo is the red/black bull's-eye design. [29] Number of A & W Root Beer franchises worldwide: about 1400 in 44 of the 48 US states, two in Alaska, six in Canada. [42.152] [79.623] 1958 A 12 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1518) with a half-heart handle is introduced to A & W restaurants. The handle is a half-heart shape. The logo is the red/black bull's-eye design. [29] Sargent Refrigeration, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, begins warehousing A & W root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass company for A & W operators. [29] 1959 A & W Santa Monica begins warehousing A & W root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass company for A & W operators. [29] 1960 February 1 The A & W Root Beer Company applies for a service mark on an image of a large glass mug with "A & W" and "ROOT BEER", a curved handle, and foam on top of the mug. [44] (month unknown) The logo on the 3 1/2 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to a red silk-screen design. [29] Hazel Atlas Glass Company stops supplying A & W (in the US) with root beer mugs. [29] 1961 A & W introduces the Teen Burger to its menu. [45] The logo on the 3 1/2 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to an orange silk-screen design. [29] The light weight 8 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1504) is discontinued from use as an A & W mug. [29] The logo on the 8 ounce, 10 ounce, 12 ounce, and 16 ounce root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to an orange/brown/white bull's-eye design. [29] October 31 The A & W Root Beer Company's image of a large glass mug with "A & W" and "ROOT BEER", a curved handle, and foam on top of the mug is registered as a service mark. [44] 1962 A thin wall 8 ounce mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#B-36) is introduced to A & W restaurants. [29] A light weight 10 ounce mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#B-37) is introduced to A & W restaurants. The handle is standard rectangular shaped. [29] A new light weight 12 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#B-38) is introduced to A & W restaurants. [29] The heavy 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1506) is discontinued from use as an A & W mug. [29] A new light weight 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#B-39) is introduced to A & W restaurants. [29] (mid-year) The 10 ounce mug is modified to give it more of a lip bulge and flared base. [29] 1963 A & W Restaurants in the US introduces The Burger Family, a series of hamburgers with different sizes and compositions. Included are Mama Burger, Papa Burger, Teen Burger, and Baby Burger. [101] The 8 ounce mug introduced in 1962 is modified to give it more of a lip bulge and flared base (#B-81). [29] A heavier 10 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#0292/B-82) is introduced to A & W restaurants. [29] A new taller 12 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#0293/B-82) is introduced to A & W restaurants. It is thin walled, and has a lip bulge and flared base. [29] The 16 ounce mug introduced in 1962 is modified to give it more of a lip bulge and flared base (#0294). [29] The heavy 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1506) is reintroduced for use as an A & W mug. [29] The first A & W restaurant outside of North America opens, in Guam. [10] (1962 [11]) The J. Hungerford Smith Company buys the A & W Root Beer Company. [10] [11] 1964 The 3 1/2 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed from having 8 short "flutes" on the lower part of the mug, to having 16 long flutes. [29] The 8 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed from having 8 short "flutes" on the lower part of the mug, to having 16 long flutes, and straight sides (#1698). [29] The 10 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed from having 8 short "flutes" on the lower part of the mug, to having 16 long flutes, and straight sides with heavy walls (#1699). [29] The 12 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed from having 8 short "flutes" on the lower part of the mug, to having 16 long flutes, and straight sides with heavy walls (#1700). [29] The 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed from having 8 short "flutes" on the lower part of the mug, to having 16 long flutes, and straight sides with heavy walls (#1701). [29] 1965 February 16 The A & W Root Beer Company is granted a registered trademark of a bull's-eye image with letters "A & W" at top for restaurant services. [44] May A & W applies for a trade-mark on the bull's-eye logo. [29] 1966 (spring) The 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1506) is discontinued. [29] The logo on the 3 1/2 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to a orange/brown/white bull's-eye design. [29] United Fruit Company buys the J. Hungerford Smith Company, and the A & W Root Beer Company. [10] [28.78] (1967 [27.229]) 1967 (fall) The 16 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1701) is discontinued. [29] A & W phases out the 10 ounce and 12 ounce mugs. [29] 1968 January A & W International first uses an image of an oval double-boomerang with letters "A & W" as a trademark logo. [44] (month unknown) A heavy 14 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1702) is introduced. It has the brown/orange/white bull's-eye logo. 6000 cases are produced before A & W changes its logo. [29] March 26 A & W adopts a new logo in the US. It is changed to an orange/brown/white oval design. "A" and "W" are in brown and the "&" is in orange, on a white field. Outside of the white is a half orange, half brown oval ring. [29] June A heavy 14 ounce root beer mug from the Indiana Glass Company (#1614) is introduced. It has the new brown/orange/white oval logo. [29] (month unknown) The logo on the 3 1/2 ounce and 8 ounce root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to the new orange/brown/white oval design. [29] (late) The Indiana Glass Company begins shipping A & W mugs with the new logo to distributors. [29] A & W founder Roy Allen dies. [11] [37] The name of the A & W Root Beer Company is changed to A & W International. [10] [11] 1969 (mid-year) Logo decal used on root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass Company is modified to remove most of white color from behind the orange/brown colors, allowing them to bond to the glass, giving the product a longer life. [29] 1970 AMK Incorporated buys United Fruit Company. [7.38] (1969 [28.79]) (AMK Corporation [10]) AMK Incorporated forms the United Brands Company. [7.38] [28.79] (AMK Corporation [10]) The terms of A & W's franchise system are renegotiated with the National Advisory Council of the National A & W Franchises Association. Franchisees can now purchase supplies through a central purchasing and distribution system. [11] 1971 March 9 A & W International is granted a registered trademark of an image of an oval double-boomerang with letters "A & W". [44] (month unknown) A & W International sells the root beer concentrate part of the business to United Brands Company. [2.10] United Brands Company forms A & W Beverages, Incorporated, as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The purpose of the company is to make the root beer available directly to consumers through retail outlets. [10] [11] [37] A & W Beverages begins selling A & W Root Beer in bottles and cans in the United States. [17.S-11] 1972 The logo on the 3 1/2 ounce, 8 ounce, and 14 ounce root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to include an orange/brown map of the continental United States surrounding the A & W lettering. [29] 1974 February 28 A & W (USA) begins using an image as a trade-mark of a walking bear in a sweater with an oval A & W logo on its chest. [44] A & W (USA) begins using "ROOTBEAR" as a trade-mark. [44] May 4 A & W (USA) begins using an image of a standing bear in a sweater with an oval A & W logo on its chest. [44] (month unknown) A & W Beverages introduces A & W Sugar-Free Root Beer. [10] [11] A & W Beverages introduces the Great Root Bear, a life-size mascot that serves as a goodwill ambassador. [10] [11] September 18 A & W (USA) begins using "GREAT ROOTBEAR" as a trade-mark. [44] 1975 April A & W Brands first uses an image with text "FROSTY MUG TASTE" as applied to soft drinks. [44] 1976 A & W Root Beer in bottles and cans becomes the leading root beer sold in the United States. [11] The logo on the 3 1/2 ounce, 8 ounce, and 14 ounce root beer mugs from the Indiana Glass Company is changed to remove the US map surrounding the A & W lettering. [29] 1978 A standard core menu is introduced to all A & W restaurants in the US. [10] [11] United Brands Company forms A & W Restaurants, Incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary, for managing the restaurant franchises. [10] [11] The A & W Great Food Restaurant concept is launched, with the first restaurant opening in Maryland. The new concept offers quality dining with prompt service, in which hamburgers, salad bars, ice cream bars, and root beer are served. [10] (1979 [11]) The Indiana Glass Company adds an oval-shaped escutcheon to the 8 ounce and 14 ounce A & W root beer mugs, to assist in locating the logo decal. [29] August 1 A & W's (USA) service mark of an image of a walking bear with the A & W oval logo on its chest is registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office. [44] September A & W (USA) begins using "A & W Great Food Restaurant" as a trade-mark. [44] December 12 A & W International's "GREAT ROOTBEAR" is registered as a service mark. [44] December 19 A & W International's "ROOTBEAR" is registered as a service mark. [44] 1979 January A & W (USA) begins using "WHERE THE FOOD'S AS GOOD AS THE ROOT BEER" as a slogan. [44]

End of 1918-1979. Next: 1980. The complete timeline can be purchased in a PDF file for US$10 from the author. You can pay now directly via PayPal. When I receive notification from PayPal, I will email you the PDF file. or send me an email to request my mailing address to mail payment. 1918-1979 1980-end A list of references to all source material is available. Other web pages of interest: Chronology of A & W Root Beer (Canada) Mug Shots - A & W Root Beer mugs Polsson's Garage Sale - A&W Glass Mugs This Day in History

Last updated: 2006 December 18. Copyright © 1996-2009 Ken Polsson (email: kpolsson@islandnet.com). URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/awhistus/ Link to Ken P's home page.