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Quaker Steak & Lube facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quaker Steak & Lube
Subsidiary
Industry Restaurant
Genre Casual dining
Founded Sharon, Pennsylvania,
United States (1974; 51 years ago (1974))
Founder George "Jig" Warren III,
Gary "Moe" Meszaros
Headquarters Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Number of locations
29 (2023)
Area served
9 States
Key people
Gregg Lippert (CEO)
Products
Parent TravelCenters of America (2015–2021)
JDK Management
(2021–present)

Quaker Steak & Lube is a fun, casual restaurant chain. It's known for its car-themed decorations and tasty food. The first restaurant opened in 1974 in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Today, its main office is in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

The restaurant was started by two friends, George "Jig" Warren III and Gary "Mo" Meszaros. They built the very first location in an old gas station. They decorated it with cool license plates and old cars.

The Story Behind Quaker Steak & Lube

How the Restaurant Started

In 1973, there was a big problem called the 1973 oil crisis. This meant it was hard to get gasoline, and many gas stations had to close down. Jig Warren and Mo Meszaros loved old cars and the feeling of classic gas stations. They wanted to keep that special car culture alive.

So, they came up with the idea for Quaker Steak & Lube. Their first restaurant opened in 1974 in Sharon, Pennsylvania. It even had a 1936 Chevrolet car on an old grease rack, just like a real garage! This unique idea grew into a whole chain of restaurants.

Who Owns the Company Now

In 2015, a company called TravelCenters of America bought Quaker Steak & Lube. They wanted to open more locations, especially near truck stops. Later, in 2021, a different company named JDK Management bought Quaker Steak & Lube for $5 million. They now own and operate the restaurants.

Awards and Recognition

Winning Over 70 Awards

Quaker Steak & Lube is famous for its food, especially its chicken wings. As of 2023, the restaurant has won more than 70 awards! These awards come from different national and local cooking contests. This shows how popular and well-loved their food is.

Featured on TV

One of the Quaker Steak & Lube restaurants was even shown on a TV show! The location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was featured on the Travel Channel series Man v. Food.

On the show, the host, Adam Richman, took on a challenge. He had to eat six "Atomic" chicken wings. These were the hottest wings on the menu at that time! Adam finished the challenge. For winning, he got a special bumper sticker and his name was added to the restaurant's "Atomic Wall of Flame."