Beef O'Brady's facts for kids
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Beef O'Brady's in Starke, Florida
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1985 in Brandon, Florida |
| Founder | Jim Mellody |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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Number of locations
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151 (2019) |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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RJ Del Rio (CEO) |
| Owner | Family Sports Concepts Inc. |
Beef O'Brady's is a popular American restaurant chain. It's known as a "Family Sports Restaurant." The first one opened in 1985 in Brandon, Florida. Today, its main office is in Tampa, Florida.
History of Beef O'Brady's
Jim Mellody started Beef O'Brady's in 1985. He had moved to Florida in 1971. Before Beef O'Brady's, he tried many different restaurant ideas. He wanted to create a place that felt like an Irish pub but was also great for families. His restaurants did not serve strong alcoholic drinks.
In 1998, Jim Mellody sold most of his share in the company. A group called Family Sports Concepts Inc. took over. Chuck Winship led this new group. Jim Mellody still owned a part of 13 restaurants.
Beef O'Brady's began letting other people open their own restaurants using the brand. This is called franchising. By the year 2000, there were 40 Beef O'Brady's locations. When Jim Mellody passed away in 2002, the chain had grown a lot. There were 88 locations in seven states across the southeast.
After Jim Mellody's death, the company kept growing. By 2005, there were 183 locations in 19 different states. Jim Mellody's daughter continued to run the very first Beef O'Brady's in Brandon, Florida, as of 2009.
In 2010, Chris Elliott became the new CEO, or chief executive officer. He had worked for other big restaurant companies before. At this time, there were about 245 Beef O'Brady's restaurants. By 2019, the number of locations was around 150.
Beef O'Brady's Bowl Game
From 2009 to 2013, Beef O'Brady's was a big sponsor of a college football game. This game was a "bowl game" held every year in St. Petersburg, Florida.
In 2009, the game was called the "St. Petersburg Bowl presented by Beef 'O' Brady's." Then, for four years, it was officially known as the "Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl." After 2013, the game changed its name again. Today, it is known as the Gasparilla Bowl.
See also
- List of Irish-themed restaurants
