Hot 'n Now facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Fast food |
| Founded | 1984 in Kalamazoo, Michigan |
| Founder | William Van Domelen |
| Headquarters | |
| Products | |
| Owner | HNN Holdings |
Hot 'n Now is an American fast-food restaurant known for its super cheap prices in the past. It was started in 1984 and became very popular, growing to over 150 restaurants across the United States.
Most Hot 'n Now restaurants were built just for drive-thru service. They had small buildings with a unique, tall, sloped roof. A few locations were larger and had places for customers to sit inside, and some were even connected to gas stations.
After being owned by PepsiCo, the company had money troubles and had to file for bankruptcy in 2004. It was later sold to a new owner. For many years, only one Hot 'n Now restaurant remained open in Michigan.
Contents
History
A Quick Start
Hot 'n Now was founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1984 by a man named William Van Domelen. He already had experience with fast food, having opened the first Wendy's restaurants in Michigan and owning several Burger Chef locations.
The restaurant was a huge hit. By 1990, there were more than 100 Hot 'n Now stores in 15 states. The main reason for its success was its simple menu and very low prices. You could buy a hamburger, fries, or a soda for only 39 cents each, which was much cheaper than other fast-food places.
Because it was so successful, the giant company PepsiCo bought Hot 'n Now in 1990. PepsiCo put the chain under the control of its Taco Bell division. The founder, William Van Domelen, left the company shortly after it was sold.
Problems Begin
Starting in 1992, the new owners began to change things, which made many of the people who owned individual Hot 'n Now stores (called franchisees) unhappy. The company also stopped giving its franchisees as much support as it used to.
In 1995, Taco Bell closed 80 of the restaurants that it owned directly. One franchisee in Florida, Richard Loehr, became so frustrated with the company that he closed all six of his restaurants and filed a lawsuit against Taco Bell in 1995.
Changing Owners
Taco Bell sold Hot 'n Now in 1996. By 2002, the company was based in Holt, Michigan, and had only 53 restaurants left. The company even tried adding a Mexican food menu called El Toro to some locations to attract more customers.
In 2004, the company had serious financial problems and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This is a way for a company to get protection from the courts while it tries to solve its money issues. The chain was then sold to STEN Corporation, which also owns another restaurant chain called Burger Time.
The Last Location and a New Beginning
For years, the number of Hot 'n Now restaurants kept shrinking. In 2016, one of the last two locations in Bay City, Michigan, had a fire and had to close. This left only one Hot 'n Now in the entire world, located in Sturgis, Michigan. The Bay City location later reopened as a new restaurant called Burger 81, but it still serves some Hot 'n Now favorites like the Olive Burger.
In October 2024, a group called HNN Holdings bought the rights to the Hot 'n Now brand. They announced exciting plans to bring the restaurant back by opening new locations in Alpena and Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 2025.
See also
- List of hamburger restaurants
