Arthur Treacher's facts for kids
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Arthur Treacher's in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
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| Subsidiary of TruFoods Systems, Inc | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1969 in Columbus, Ohio, US |
| Headquarters | New York, US |
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Number of locations
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2 (as of February 2023) |
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Area served
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Ohio and New York |
| Products | Seafood |
Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips is an American fast food seafood restaurant. It used to be a very large chain of restaurants. In the late 1970s, it had 826 stores! But by March 2023, only three stand-alone Arthur Treacher's restaurants were left. The menu offers fried seafood or chicken. These meals usually come with chips, which is another name for French fries.
Contents
History of Arthur Treacher's
Who Was Arthur Treacher?
The restaurant chain is named after Arthur Treacher (1894–1975). He was an English character actor. This means he often played similar types of roles. He was famous for playing "the perfect butler" in movies. He was a butler in several Shirley Temple films. He also played Constable Jones in Walt Disney Productions' Mary Poppins.
When the restaurant chain started, Treacher was well-known. He was the announcer and helper for Merv Griffin on The Merv Griffin Show. Arthur Treacher often visited the restaurants. He would even arrive in a red double-decker bus! He helped promote the restaurants. He showed off the British style of their food.
How It All Started
The company began in Columbus, Ohio, in 1969. It was first called National Fast Food Corp. Some of the main people involved were S. Robert Davis and Wendy's founder Dave Thomas.
In 1970, a company called Fisher Foods joined in. They helped sell many restaurant locations. Other seafood fast food chains also started around this time. These included Long John Silver's and Captain D's. Arthur Treacher's helped introduce British fish and chips to many parts of America.
Changes and Challenges
By the early 1970s, the company's name changed to Orange Co. This company grew very quickly. They opened many new restaurants between 1972 and 1976.
Later, in 1979, Orange Co. sold Arthur Treacher's to Mrs. Paul's. Around this time, there were disagreements about fishing rights between the United Kingdom and Iceland. These were called the "Cod Wars". Because of this, the price of cod fish doubled.
Mrs. Paul's decided to use a cheaper fish called pollock instead of cod. This made some restaurant owners unhappy. They felt the quality was going down. These disagreements led to legal issues.
New Owners and New Ideas
After these problems, Mrs. Paul's sold Arthur Treacher's in 1982. The company went through a tough time. It was bought by different groups of investors. The main offices moved to Youngstown, Ohio.
From 1985 to 1993, the company slowly started to grow again. In 1993, new investors helped. They wanted to make the seafood concept more modern. They also bought more stores. The company moved its main office to Jacksonville, Florida.
The company also tried working with other fast food chains. They teamed up with Arby's for some locations. But by the late 1990s, Arby's stopped offering Arthur Treacher's food.
In 2002, a company called PAT Franchise Systems bought the rights to Arthur Treacher's. Then, in 2006, Nathan's Famous bought the rights to sell Arthur Treacher's products. They often sold them alongside their own food.
In 2021, Nathan's Famous announced a new plan. They wanted to offer Arthur Treacher's food nationwide. This would be through a "ghost kitchen" idea. This means the food is only available through delivery services.
Where Are They Now?
There are still a few stand-alone Arthur Treacher's restaurants left. One of the most famous is at 1833 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The owner, Ben Vittoria, said customers love the unique taste. They also have good memories of the brand. The mayor of Cuyahoga Falls even made June 30, 2021, "Arthur Treacher's Day."
Besides the Cuyahoga Falls location, some Salvatore's Pizzerias in Rochester, New York, have Arthur Treacher's inside them. The Twin Oaks Convenience Store in Pomeroy, Ohio, also has an Arthur Treacher's. It shares kitchen space with other food places. In February 2023, another restaurant in Garfield Heights, Ohio, reopened. This was just in time for the Lenten season, when many people eat fish.
See also
- List of fish and chip restaurants
- List of seafood restaurants
