Tastee-Freez facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1950 Joliet, Illinois, U.S. |
| Founder | Leo A. Morenz Harry Axene |
| Headquarters | Newport Beach, California, U.S. |
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Number of locations
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4 |
| Products | Fast food (including hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes) |
| Parent | The Galardi Group |
Tastee-Freez is an American fast-food restaurant chain. It is famous for its soft-serve ice cream. The company's main office is in Newport Beach, California.
You can find Tastee-Freez stores in four states. The very first Tastee-Freez opened in Keithsburg, Illinois. Today, you can enjoy Tastee-Freez products at a few ice cream shops. They are also sold at many Wienerschnitzel and Original Hamburger Stand restaurants.
The History of Tastee-Freez
Tastee-Freez started in 1950 in Joliet, Illinois. It was founded by Leo S. Maranz and Harry Axene. Harry Axene had previously worked for Dairy Queen.
Maranz invented a special pump and freezer for soft-serve ice cream. Their company, Harlee Manufacturing, made these machines. Restaurants that wanted to be a Tastee-Freez would buy these machines.
At first, the stores mainly sold ice milk and other frozen desserts. The company grew very quickly in the 1950s. By 1952, there were 315 locations. By 1957, there were almost 1,800 stores.
In the early 1960s, Tastee-Freez tried to expand into England. They started selling their products from ice cream trucks. This idea was also tried in the United States. However, it did not make enough money.
The company faced financial difficulties in late 1963. A year later, Herbert Molner bought the chain. He was an assistant to Maranz. Molner started a plan to improve the company.
This plan included leaving England and closing older stores in smaller towns. He also added new fast-food items to the menu. These new items included hot dogs and hamburgers.
In 1982, Tastee-Freez was sold to the Denovo Corporation. This company also owned other restaurant chains. These included Stewart's Restaurants and Dog n Suds. By 1992, there were 340 Tastee-Freez locations.
In 2003, the Galardi Group started selling Tastee-Freez products. They sold them in their own restaurants. These restaurants were Wienerschnitzel and Original Hamburger Stand. The Galardi Group saw that sales increased a lot. Because of this success, they bought the Tastee-Freez company that same year.
