Original Tommy's facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast food |
| Founded | 1946 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Thomas James "Tommy" Koulax |
| Headquarters | Monrovia, California |
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Number of locations
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32 (29 California, 3 Nevada) (2021) |
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Area served
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California, Nevada |
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Key people
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Dawna Bernal (President) |
| Products | hamburgers, hot dogs, tamales, chili, french fries, soft drinks |
| Revenue |  US$62 million (2021) |
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Number of employees
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5,000 (2021) |
Original Tommy's is a famous fast food restaurant chain. It started in the Los Angeles area of California. People know it best for its tasty hamburgers and special chili burgers.
Contents
The Story of Original Tommy's
The first Original Tommy's opened on May 15, 1946. A man named Tom Koulax started it. He was the son of immigrants from Greece. The very first restaurant was a small stand in Los Angeles. It was on the corner of Beverly and Rampart boulevards.
Early Days and Growth
At first, the stand sold hamburgers and hot dogs. These were topped with Tom's special chili. Business was slow at the beginning. But soon, more and more people discovered the delicious food. The restaurant became very popular.
In the 1960s, Tommy's bought the whole area around its first stand. This helped them add more parking. They also built a second counter to serve even more customers.
Expanding to New Places
Tommy's started to open new locations in the 1970s. By 2006, there were 30 restaurants. Most of these were in the greater Los Angeles area.
In 2008, Original Tommy's opened its first restaurants outside California. They opened two locations in Nevada. A third Nevada location opened in 2013. As of March 2023, there are 32 Original Tommy's restaurants. Most are in California, with a few in Nevada.
The company's main office is in Monrovia, California. Tom Koulax's family still runs the business today.
Many Imitators
Original Tommy's became very successful in Los Angeles. This led many other restaurants to copy its style. A study in 2019 found many restaurants with similar names and menus. However, Tom Koulax's family decided not to take legal action against these copycat restaurants.
Images for kids
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Chili Cheese Fries, a popular dish at Original Tommy's.
