Marie Callender's facts for kids
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Exterior of a Marie Callender's (now permanently closed and known as Meizhou Dongpo) in Irvine, California in 2013
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Casual Dining |
| Founded | 1948 Long Beach, California, U.S. |
| Founder | Callender family (Cal Warren, Don and Marie) |
| Headquarters | Mission Viejo, California, U.S. |
| Products | Food |
| Owner | Elite Restaurant Group |
| Parent | Marie Callender's Inc. |
Marie Callender's is a well-known American restaurant chain. It is famous for its delicious pies and classic American food. The company's main office is in Mission Viejo, California. As of 2024, you can find Marie Callender's restaurants in California, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.
Contents
History of Marie Callender's
How it all began
In the 1930s, Marie Callender and her husband, Cal Warren Callender, started selling pies. They sold them in the cities of Long Beach and Orange County. In 1948, they sold their family car. They used the money to open a bakery with their son, Don. This bakery sold pies to other businesses.
The very first Marie Callender's restaurant opened its doors in 1964. Don Callender named it after his mother. He gradually added more food items to the menu. Within five years, the chain grew to 12 more locations. By 1969, they opened restaurants outside California, in Las Vegas and Houston. By the end of the 1970s, there were 84 Marie Callender's locations.
Changes over the years
Over the years, the Marie Callender's restaurant chain was sold to different companies. In 1986, it was sold to Ramada Inn. Later, in 1990, it was sold to Wilshire Restaurant Group, Inc. In 1999, a company called Castle Harlan bought Marie Callender Pie Shops, Inc.
In 2006, Castle Harlan combined Marie Callender's with another restaurant chain they owned, Perkins Restaurant and Bakery. The new combined company was called Perkins & Marie Callender's Inc. (PMCI).
Sadly, Don Callender passed away in 2009. After this, the business faced some challenges. In 2011, PMCI had to close 58 restaurants, including 31 Marie Callender's locations. This was part of a process to reorganize the company's finances. During this time, the Marie Callender's brand was sold to ConAgra for a large sum of money.
Marie Callender's today
In 2019, more stores had to close, and the company that owned both Perkins and Marie Callender's filed for bankruptcy again. The two restaurant chains were then separated. Perkins was bought by another company, and Marie Callender's was sold to Elite Restaurant Group. This group created a new company, Marie Callender's Inc., to keep the restaurants running.
What Marie Callender's offers
Restaurants
In recent years, Marie Callender's restaurants often have a full bar. This is different from many other family restaurants. They also usually have a salad bar where you can choose your own fresh ingredients.
The food served is mostly American. However, many dishes also have flavors from Italy, Mexico, France, Cajun areas, or China. You can order soups and sandwiches as full meals or separately. Their pies are a very special part of the menu. They offer over 30 different kinds of pies!
The older restaurants were decorated with old-fashioned items from the 1900s. This made them look like places from Victorian England or early America. Newer restaurants have a more modern look, with clean designs and photos of food.
Frozen foods
For many years, Marie Callender's has allowed other companies to use its name for packaged and frozen meals. These include main dishes and side dishes that you can buy in grocery stores. In 1994, the rights to use the Marie Callender's name for these food products were sold to ConAgra Foods. So, even if a restaurant closes, you can still find Marie Callender's frozen meals in stores.
About Don Callender
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Don Callender
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| Born |
Donald W. Callender
September 27, 1927 Ventura, California, U.S.
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| Died | January 9, 2009 (aged 81) |
| Alma mater | Long Beach Poly High School |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Marie Callender's restaurants and pies |
| Spouse(s) | Katy Callender, Patricia (first, divorce) |
| Children | 2 sons, 2 daughters |
| Parent(s) | Cal Warren Callender Marie Callender (1907–1995) |
Donald W. Callender (born September 27, 1927 – died January 7, 2009) was an American restaurateur. He helped start the Marie Callender's chain of restaurants in Southern California. He also created other restaurants like Babe's Slim Pign's and Babe's Bar-B-Que & Brewery.
Don Callender was one of the first people in the restaurant business to offer franchise opportunities. This means other people could open their own Marie Callender's restaurants using the company's name and ideas. The first Marie Callender's franchise opened in 1964.
Don's early life
In the 1930s, Don lived with his parents, Marie and Cal Warren Callender, in a trailer park. Marie baked pies to earn extra money for the family. Don would deliver these pies to customers on his bicycle. He graduated from Long Beach Poly High School in 1945. After a short time in the Merchant Marine at the end of World War II, he returned home.
Don Callender passed away at age 81 in 2009. He had health issues after an accident at his home.
Growing the business
By 1948, Don, who was 21, was working to sell pies to more restaurants. He bought a home in Long Beach in 1951. The Callender family baked pies there before moving to a larger building. Eventually, Don opened his own store in Orange, California. He named it after his mother, Marie. He kept trying new things and slowly added more food items to the menu. These items later became popular Marie Callender's dishes.
Selling the company
By the time Don Callender sold the company in 1986, the chain had grown to 120 locations across the country. He sold it to Ramada for about $80 million. Even after selling Marie Callender's, Don stayed in the restaurant business. He planned to open another restaurant, but health issues prevented him from finishing the project.
Images for kids
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Exterior of a Marie Callender's (now permanently closed and known as Meizhou Dongpo) in Irvine, California in 2013
See also
