Wienerschnitzel facts for kids
Current logo designed by Saul Bass in 1978
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An older A-frame roof Wienerschnitzel restaurant in Whittier, California
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| Subsidiary of The Galardi Group | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast food |
| Founded | Los Angeles, California, U.S. (1961) |
| Founder | John Galardi |
| Headquarters |
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U.S
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Number of locations
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358 |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Cindy Culpepper (CEO, The Galardi Group) |
| Products | |
| Revenue |  US$341 million (2019) |
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Number of employees
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5,000 (2019) |
| Parent | The Galardi Group |
Wienerschnitzel is a popular American fast-food chain. It is famous for its delicious hot dogs and other tasty food items. The company started in 1961, founded by John Galardi. He used to work for Taco Bell.
The first name of the restaurant was "Der Wienerschnitzel." Even though the name sounds German, the company usually does not sell "Wiener schnitzel," which is a type of breaded meat. They only sold it once as a special promotion.
You can find Wienerschnitzel restaurants mostly in California and Texas. They also have locations in other states like Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. There's even one in Guam and Ecuador!
Many older Wienerschnitzel restaurants have a unique "A-frame" roof shape. This design makes them easy to spot. The chain's fun advertising character is a hot dog named the "Delicious One." He acts like a person! Wienerschnitzel also sponsors the Wiener Nationals, which are exciting dachshund racing championships.
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What's in a Name? The Meaning of Wienerschnitzel
The word Wienerschnitzel comes from German. It is a combination of two words: Wiener and Schnitzel. Wiener means "from Vienna," which is a city in Austria. Schnitzel means "cutlet," which is a thin slice of meat.
In America, "wiener" is also a common nickname for a hot dog. In German, a hot dog can be called Wiener Würstchen, meaning "little Viennese sausage." So, the restaurant's name is a clever play on words!
The full German phrase Wiener Schnitzel actually refers to a "Viennese breaded veal cutlet." This is the dish the restaurant briefly served in 2017. The chain changed its name from "Der Wienerschnitzel" to simply "Wienerschnitzel" in 1977. However, some older restaurants still use the original name on their signs.
The Story of Wienerschnitzel
How It All Began
The first Wienerschnitzel restaurant was started by John Galardi. When John was 19, he moved to California. His first job was working for Glen Bell, who later founded Taco Bell. John worked part-time at a taco shop called Taco-Tia. Eventually, he became a partner in the store. Glen Bell then offered to sell the store to John for $12,000, and John saved enough money to buy it.
A few years later, someone asked John to open his own restaurant. It was going to be next to one of Glen Bell's taco shops. Glen encouraged John to take the offer. He suggested John sell a different kind of food. John decided to sell hot dogs.
Choosing the Name
John Galardi said his wife came up with the name "Wienerschnitzel." She found it while looking through a cookbook. At first, John thought the name was strange. He said, "Nobody in their right mind would call a company Wienerschnitzel." But a few days later, he changed his mind, thinking, "It's better than John's Hot Dogs!"
The very first Wienerschnitzel opened in 1961. It was a small hot-dog stand in Wilmington, a community in Los Angeles.
Growing the Business
In the late 1980s, John Galardi changed some Wienerschnitzel locations into Hamburger Stand restaurants. Today, Wienerschnitzel also sells Tastee-Freez ice cream. Tastee-Freez is another brand owned by the Galardi family.
John Galardi passed away on April 13, 2013. His ex-wife, Cynthia Galardi-Culpepper, became the CEO and chairwoman of the company. She was the first woman to hold a top management position there. In 2015, the company made a deal to open Wienerschnitzel restaurants in Panama.
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Logos and Advertising
The current Wienerschnitzel logo was designed by Saul Bass in 1978. This happened soon after the company changed its name.
The Galardi Group
| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | John Galardi |
| Headquarters |
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U.S
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Number of locations
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379 (January 2022) |
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Key people
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JR Galardi (CEO) |
| Revenue | US$501 million (2021) |
| Owner | Galardi family |
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Number of employees
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8,000 (2019) |
| Subsidiaries |
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The Galardi Group is the main company that owns Wienerschnitzel. It also owns Tastee-Freez and Hamburger Stand. John Galardi started this group in 1970.
In 1979, Wienerschnitzel tried to add hamburgers to its menu. This wasn't very successful. So, in 1983, the company created two new chains: The Original Hamburger Stand and Weldon's Gourmet Hamburgers. Weldon's was later sold in the 1990s. Some Wienerschnitzel locations were even changed into Original Hamburger Stands.
By 2003, The Galardi Group became a partner with Tastee-Freez. This meant they could sell Tastee-Freez products in Wienerschnitzel and Original Hamburger Stand restaurants. Because these products sold so well, The Galardi Group later bought the entire Tastee-Freez company.
See also
In Spanish: Wienerschnitzel para niños
- List of hot dog restaurants
