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Petro's Chili & Chips facts for kids
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| Chain of restaurants | |
| Industry | Fast-food |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Joe and Carol Schoentrup |
| Headquarters |
Knoxville, Tennessee
,
United States
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Key people
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Dale and Keith Widmer |
| Products | Corn chips topped with either meat-based or vegetarian chili |
Petro's Chili & Chips is a small fast-food chain. It is based in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can find several Petro's restaurants in Knoxville and other parts of East Tennessee. Petro's is famous for its unique chili and corn chip dish.
Contents
History
How Petro's Began
Petro's Chili & Chips started at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee. Joe and Carol Schoentrup, from Washington state, ran a food stand there. They served a special mix of chili and corn chips. They called this new dish the "Petro." The name "Petro" came from "petroleum." This was to honor the energy theme of the 1982 World's Fair.
The idea for the "Petro" came from a simple snack. This snack was sold at high school sports events in Washington. People would pour chili and onions into open bags of Fritos. Then they would eat it right out of the bag. In the southwestern United States, similar snacks were called "Frito pies" or "chili pies."
Making the Petro Dish Special
For the World's Fair, the Schoentrups made their snack more special. They added cheddar and Monterey jack cheese. They also put on tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, and hot sauce. This new dish was very popular. They sold 175,000 "Petros" during the six months of the Knoxville fair.
Growing the Business
The Schoentrups also sold their product at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans. After these two world's fairs, the Schoentrups wanted to expand. They looked into "franchising" their idea. Franchising means letting other people open restaurants using your brand and recipes.
Eventually, they sold the Petro's trademark and idea to brothers Dale and Keith Widmer. The Widmer brothers opened Petro's Chili & Chips restaurants in food courts. Their first location was in Knoxville's West Town Mall. They started offering franchises in 1992.
Products
The Main Petro Dish
Petro's main product is a cup filled with corn chips. These chips are topped with either meat chili or vegetarian chili. Then, cheese, green onions, tomatoes, and sour cream are added. You can also choose to add Black olives, salsa, and Jalapeños.
Other Menu Items
The menu also has other tasty options. These include Premium Petro Toppings like BBQ pulled pork and grilled chicken. You can also get queso and zesty guacamole. Petro's also serves all-beef hot dogs, fresh salads, and giant baked potatoes. For dessert, they have fresh-baked cookies.
Signature Drink
Petro's has a special drink called "Hint-of-Orange Iced Tea." It is served with an orange slice. This unique tea is a favorite among customers.