Lion's Choice facts for kids
 |
|
| Corporation | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Marv Gibbs and Clint Tobias |
| Headquarters |
,
United States
|
|
Area served
|
St. Louis metropolitan area, Kansas City metropolitan area |
|
Key people
|
|
| Products | Quick service restaurants, including: Roast beef · sandwiches |
Lion's Choice is a popular American fast food restaurant chain. It started in St. Louis, Missouri, and is famous for its delicious roast beef sandwiches. The company opened its very first restaurant in Ballwin, Missouri, on October 26, 1967. That first location is still open today!
Besides roast beef, Lion's Choice also serves many other tasty items. You can find turkey sandwiches, ham sandwiches, hot dogs, soups, salads, and yummy desserts. As of May 2021, there are 62 Lion's Choice restaurants in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.
Contents
History of Lion's Choice
Lion's Choice was started in 1967 by Marv Gibbs and Arthur Morey. Marv Gibbs was a chemical engineer who graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. Their first restaurant opened its doors on October 26, 1967, in Ballwin, Missouri.
When it first opened, the restaurant sold roast beef, ham, and turkey sandwiches. Each sandwich cost only 69 cents! The restaurant was first called Brittany Beef. Soon after, it changed its name to Red Lion Beef House. However, they couldn't keep that name. Another company, Red Lion Hotels Corporation, was already using "Red Lion." So, the restaurant changed its name again to Lion's Choice.
Two years later, Lion's Choice opened its second store in Creve Coeur, Missouri. In 2013, the people who founded the company sold it to new owners. These new owners helped Lion's Choice grow. In 2015, they opened a new restaurant in Ellisville, Missouri. This was the first new Lion's Choice in ten years!
In May 2017, Mike Kupstas became the new CEO of Lion's Choice. He had a lot of experience working with other big restaurant chains like Panera Bread and Red Lobster.
In September 2017, Lion's Choice launched its first food truck. This truck travels around, making fresh roast beef sandwiches, fries, and custard. You can find the truck at different events, including soccer games at Saint Louis University.
Lion's Choice continued to expand. In July 2018, they started building two new locations in the Kansas City metropolitan area. These opened in November 2018. More new restaurants were planned for the Kansas City area in 2019.
Delicious Food at Lion's Choice
Lion's Choice is well-known for its special way of preparing meat. They call their roast beef "roasted beef" because of how long it's cooked to make it perfect.
Sandwiches
The most popular item is the roast beef sandwich. It comes in three sizes: Original, Large, and King. The King size has twice as much beef as the Original!
Besides roast beef, the menu also has other great sandwiches:
- Hickory-smoked ham sandwiches
- Smokehouse pulled pork sandwiches
- Roasted turkey breast sandwiches
- Italian beef sandwiches
- French dip sandwiches
Lion's Choice also serves classic hot dogs.
Sides
To go with your sandwich, Lion's Choice offers several tasty sides:
- Crispy french fries (they are gluten-free and have no added salt)
- Creamy coleslaw
- Warm baked potatoes (you can add butter, cheese, bacon, broccoli, or chili)
- Healthy veggie sticks (like carrots, celery sticks, and broccoli florets)
Soups and Salads
Lion's Choice has a variety of fresh soups and salads. Their salads include a simple side salad and bigger options like:
- "LC Seasonal" salad with walnuts, cranberries, tomatoes, and blue cheese.
- "Butcher Block Cobb" salad with roast beef, turkey, ham, cheese, and fresh greens.
For soups, they often have seasonal specials. Regular soup choices include chicken noodle soup, cream of broccoli soup, and hearty chili made with roast beef.
Desserts
Don't forget dessert! Lion's Choice serves delicious frozen custard cones. You can get them in mini or regular sizes, and even have them dipped in chocolate.
Other sweet treats include:
- Creamy milkshakes
- Cookies (chocolate chip, macadamia nut, or sugar)
- Sundaes
- Root beer floats
- Concretes (thick frozen custard mixed with toppings)
Awards and Recognition
Lion's Choice has won several awards for its food and service.
- In 2006, it was the Missouri state winner for the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Neighbor Award.
- The Riverfront Times named it "Best Fast Food" in 2008.
- In 2014, the Riverfront Times called it the "Best Chain Restaurant."
- The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also named it their "Best Local Restaurant Chain" in 2014.
